Vaccine a Long Way off, if Ever
The Associated Press wrote on May 17:
“In separate, stark warnings, two major European leaders bluntly told their citizens that the world needs to adapt to living with the coronavirus and cannot wait to be saved by the development of a vaccine…
“Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte [said] that Italy could not ‘afford’ to wait [with lifting governmental restrictions] until a vaccine was developed. Health experts say the world could be months, if not years, away from having a vaccine available to everyone despite the scientific gold rush now on to create one.
“Britain’s Johnson… speculated Sunday that a vaccine may not be developed at all, despite the huge global effort to produce one.”
This conflicts with and contradicts President Trump’s ambitious and controversial plans. Note the next article.
US Military to Enforce Vaccinations?
Beforeitsnews wrote on May 14:
“The endgame of the global Coronavirus pandemic is beginning to come into view, and in addition to a quantum leap forward in mass surveillance and tracking and tracing individuals, it will also include a rushed, mass vaccine, and as President Trump just told America, will be administered in the U.S. by the military… President Trump echoed recent statements made by Bill Gates, who is telling the world we have to vaccinate ‘7 billion healthy people’ in order to ‘return to normal.’
“[Trump said this:] ‘I think we’re going to have a vaccine by the end of the year… we’re mobilizing our military, and other forces… so at the end of the year we’re going to be able to give it to a lot of people very, very rapidly… We’re of the assumption that by the end of the year we’re going to have a vaccine, and then we have to be able to give it, to use it on most of our population. Now, we’ll focus on elderly, we’re going to focus on nursing homes and, you know, senior citizen centers… that is a very vulnerable group…’
“Trump’s comments come after Chicago Health Commissioner, Allison Arwady, made similar public statements, telling area residents the city was already investing in and planning a mass vaccination campaign: ‘…and then finally we’ll be moving towards this mass vaccination campaign, continuing to follow, and I want you to know, the CDPH is already deep in the planning stages around vaccination. We’ve already bought the syringes. We already know where it’s going to happen. We’re thinking about what that’s going to be. It’s all part of this plan.’
“This news comes at a time that mainstream media is reporting that vaccines may not ever work for Coronavirus, that the virus has already mutated, that a vaccine may not even be possible, and that we may need multiple vaccines… Either way, a rushed through product injected into hundreds of millions, or billions, of people without any long-term testing whatsoever is insanely dangerous. And in this case, Bill Gates is already warning us that a Covid-19 vaccine will use new RNA vaccine technology, which actually permanently alters the genes of anyone who takes it. This represents an even bigger human experiment…
“It remains to be seen what restrictions or punitive measures will be taken against Americans who refuse the vaccine.”
All of this is really a deeply frightening prospect. And the next three articles make it even more disturbing.
US Governmental Right to Forcibly Vaccinate?
WorldNetDaily reported on May 18:
“Harvard Law School emeritus professor Alan Dershowitz claimed in an interview that the government has a constitutional right under the 10th Amendment to forcibly vaccinate a citizen to curb the spread of a contagious disease… ‘And if you refuse to be vaccinated, the state has the power to literally take you to a doctor’s office and plunge a needle into your arm.’…
“Dershowitz clarified that if a person is threatened with a deadly disease that is not contagious, he can refuse treatment. ‘But you have no right to refuse to be vaccinated against a contagious disease,’ he said…
“The Supreme Court has recognized each state’s ‘police power’… which gives the state authority to enact health laws, including quarantine and vaccination requirements, to protect public health. The argument against forcible vaccination is based on the 14th Amendment’s provision that no state ‘shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.’
“But Dershowitz points to the Supreme Court’s Jacobson v. Massachusetts decision in 1905, which concluded a state may require vaccination if the board of health deems it necessary for public health or safety…”
Newsmax added on May 19 that, according to Dershowitz, “the government can provide an alternative to those who do not want to be vaccinated: Live in your home and ‘never, ever leave your home’ or ‘live in a bubble.’ But if you want to interact with other people, you can’t [refuse to be vaccinated].”
Centipede Nation wrote on May 17, 2020:
“Alan Dershowitz… has stated that he hopes the government mandates the latest vaccine and that he’ll be the first in line to receive it. He also stated that he’ll want to be in front of the Supreme Court to argue for its legitimacy. On the other end, Dershowitz also seems to be a little confused as he states that he and his family would get vaccinated only if it’s safe. The contradiction seems to fly right over his head as this is the exact point vaccine-skeptics also share. For some reason, he thinks these people are conspiracy theorists and should be forced to stay in their homes if they refuse the vaccine.
“He… went on to state that… if the majority of the population agree and support public health measures that include mandatory vaccinations, then you have to be vaccinated…
“The Supreme Court has long recognized that ‘involuntary confinement of an individual for any reason, is a deprivation of liberty which the State cannot accomplish without due process of law,’ and some justices have called freedom from such confinement fundamental in nature. While it has not decided a case that involved isolation or quarantine for disease, it has held that civil commitment for mental illness is unconstitutional unless a judge determines the person is dangerous by reason of a mental illness…”
By using twisted “legal” logic, one might argue in the way that Dershowitz does, we surely hope that Dershowitz is wrong with his analysis, because forcible vaccinations against the will of healthy persons are the hallmark of a police state and of totalitarian dictatorship.
In addition, as Focus reported on May 19, the Chairman of the World Medical Association, Frank Ulrich Montgomery, supported mandatory vaccinations against the coronavirus. “I was for mandatory vaccinations against measles, and I am for mandatory vaccinations“ against the coronavirus, he said.
“The German Government emphasized again on Monday that there will be no mandatory vaccinations against the coronavirus, according to the Deputy Government Spokesperson Ulrike Demmer.
“Montgomery demanded that the German Government must see to it with legal injunctions that residents of old people‘s and nursing homes and personnel in clinics must be vaccinated. He said: ‘There will be people who do not want to be vaccinated. If they become infected, then they are a danger for those who cannot be vaccinated because of medical reasons. We must therefore vaccinate as many people as possible.”
Again, it is the doctors and medical scientists who want to rule the world.
Coronavirus Cure without a Vaccine?
Tweaktown wrote on May 20:
“Chinese researchers are claiming that a newly developed drug can cure the coronavirus COVID-19 without the need of a vaccine. The claims are coming out of a Peking University, a major research university located in Beijing, China. According to the director of the university, Sunney Xie, who spoke to AFP, the drug has currently only been tested on mice but has shown extremely promising results. Xie says that the drug reduces the viral load (the amount of the virus found in a body) ‘by a factor of 2,500’, which is an astronomical amount.
“So how did this happen? The drug uses ‘neutralizing antibodies’… the researchers sourced these antibodies from blood samples of patients who have successfully recovered from the virus… the researchers are… isolating those antibodies that have already fought the disease off once, and then injecting them into the bloodstream of a new host. This process gives the new host’s body a figurative blueprint on how to fight off the live virus if it comes into contact with it. Xie’s team is currently preparing for human trials.”
Dr. Fauci Under Attack
Natural Health wrote on May 16:
“Dr. Judy Mikovits, PhD., has made some jaw-dropping allegations about [Anthony Fauci]… She is the former research director of the chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) research organization Whittemore Peterson Institute (WPI) from 2006 to 2011. Reports also say she was a former colleague of Dr. Fauci who studied other conditions as well, including HIV/AIDS (the subject of her 1991 doctoral thesis) and cancer.
“She alleges that Dr. Fauci… sabotaged her work investigating a potential cause of cancer, a rodent virus known as xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV)…
“A 2009 paper she co-authored and published in the peer-reviewed journal Science – which explored the link between chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and XMRV – was later fully retracted. Interestingly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says on their website that XMRV has been identified in patients with prostate cancer as early as 2006. The CDC also notes that XMRV is presumed to be able to be ‘transmitted through blood transfusion’ and that ‘the safety of blood could be a concern if XMRV … is confirmed to cause human illness and disease.’ Mikovits was fired from WPI after her paper was retracted. [Of course, finding a cure for a sickness would not necessitate the development and use of ongoing costly medication or a vaccine.]
“Dr. Mikovits was arrested in November 2011 and charged for allegedly stealing property from WPI, including laboratory notebooks and computer data. She was released five days later and not long after the charges were dropped. Many allege the arrest was nothing more than a thinly-veiled attempt to silence and intimidate her, since she has been a vocal critic of supposed government corruption related to vaccines.
“Regarding COVID-19, Dr. Mikovits is on record stating that she believes SARS-CoV-2 was manipulated within a laboratory setting. She bases her claims on what she says is evidence for ‘accelerated viral evolution’ that could only have come from human intervention. According to Science, it is true that NIAID had been funding a U.S.-based group working with Wuhan lab, but that funding has since been stopped.
“Dr. Mikovits also claims, along with others, that the COVID-19 pandemic was maliciously designed as a way to advance the agenda Big Pharma and vaccines researchers seeking to gain profit and launch mass immunization campaigns.
“Dr. Mikovits is also the author of a bestselling book Plague of Corruption: Restoring Faith in the Promise of Science, ‘a behind the scenes look at the issues and egos which will determine the future health of humanity.’ Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wrote the foreword for the book, which was co-authored by Kent Heckenlively.
“According to mainstream media critics, virtually all of Mikovits’ statements are ‘untrue or overexagerrated’… So, is she an intrepid truth-seeker or self-serving aggrandizer? Are there any legitimate kernels of truth in the claims that she and others make…?”
Many of Mikovits’ statements and claims are contained in videos about and by her, which were seen by millions of viewers and then blocked and deleted, only to be reposted, blocked and deleted, reposted again… and so on… .
Bill Gates: New Coronavirus Vaccine, if Developed, Could Injure or Kill up to 700,000 People
Natural News reported on May 17:
“In his rush to develop one, two, or even seven different vaccines for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), billionaire software tycoon Bill Gates openly admitted that upwards of 700,000 people could become injured or die from these jabs.
“The Microsoft co-founder and prominent eugenicist has been more outspoken in recent days than perhaps ever before about his desire to vaccinate the entire world, in this case as soon as possible for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19). And the reality is that many more will die from the vaccine than from the virus itself.
“Speaking during a recent segment on CNBC, Gates admitted that in order to make vaccines ‘work’ for the most vulnerable groups, they have to be super-charged, in a sense. And this super-charging means that some people are going to be injured or killed as a result. ‘We clearly need a vaccine that works in the upper age range because they’re most at risk of that,’ Gates stated about his plans for Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination. ‘And doing that so that you amp it up so that it works in older people, and yet you don’t have side effects, if we have one in 10,000 side effects that’s way more, 700,000 people who will suffer from that.’
“During this same interview, Gates admitted… that influenza vaccines are pretty much useless in older people. Though supposedly high-risk seniors are pushed to get their flu shots annually, Gates confessed to the fact that this yearly ritual does nothing to protect them against the flu…
“In his own analysis, Martin Armstrong of Armstrong Economics crunched the data and found that the number of deaths around the world that are being attributed to the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pales in comparison to the number of people who will be injured or killed by Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines, based on Gates’ own admission…
“Vaccine experiments like the ones Gates is pushing for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) have been tried before… Back in the ’70s, the United States rolled out a vaccine for ‘swine flu’ that was administered to some 45 million people over the course of 10 weeks. This vaccination effort was halted, however, after it was discovered that no cases of swine flu were even detected outside of the military base where it was said to have originated. Meanwhile, one in 100,000 vaccinated individuals ended up suffering from side effects that included Guillain-Barré syndrome, while another 53 died…”
This is deeply upsetting. Is the mass media purposefully suppressing this kind of information, and if so, why?
Ongoing Demonstrations in Germany against Governmental Restrictions
AFP wrote on May 16:
“Angered by a slew of lockdown measures, purported vaccine plans or alleged state surveillance, thousands took to the streets on Saturday in Germany in a growing wave of demonstrations that has alarmed even Chancellor Angela Merkel…
“The growing demonstrations have sparked comparison to the anti-Muslim Pegida marches at the height of Europe’s refugee crisis in 2015, raising questions over whether the strong support that Merkel is currently enjoying due to her handling of the virus crisis could evaporate… A recent poll commissioned by the Spiegel news magazine found that almost one in four Germans surveyed voiced ‘understanding’ for the demonstrations. The development has shocked the political establishment…
“[Opposition AfD] Party co-chief Alexander Gauland said it was ‘completely correct that people are exercising their fundamental rights and demonstrating against corona measures.’ Any resulting split in society over the demonstrations should not be blamed on the protesters, but on ‘the sweeping vilification of participants as right-wing extremists, nutcases or conspiracy theorists’, he charged.
“… Spiegel… cited the urgent need for Merkel to get a grip on the situation…”
Focus reported on May 19 that a high school (“Gymnasium”) in Germany offers “voluntary” coronavirus tests, but those who are not tested will be identified with a green mark, and other rules will apply to them than those who have been tested. This is SHAMEFUL and really reminds one of the Yellow Badges for Jews in the Third Reich.
Suppressing Criticism in Germany?
Deutsche Welle wrote on May 15:
“Questioning the intelligence of anyone who criticizes coronavirus protection measures shows we haven’t learned from the polarization of the past and shuts the door on any chance for dialogue… What yesterday was considered a conspiracy theory has now become widely accepted fact… And yet many journalists, analysts and politicians still have a need to put everyone who thinks differently into a clear-cut cubbyhole…
“People have put up with so much over the last few weeks: Following stay-at-home orders and contact bans, trying to understand contradictory experts’ opinions on face masks, doubling time and reproduction rates, somehow managing to work from home and check their children’s schoolwork. Others were forced into a government-sponsored short-time scheme and sometimes into existential distress. And then when these very people want to express their displeasure, concern or skepticism, they are, at best, called perfectly normal citizens who let themselves be manipulated by ‘conspiracy theorists!’
“Has it really come to the point where all critics and demonstrators need to hold up a disclaimer saying that they do not necessarily agree with everything that is said on stage?… Is all criticism forbidden…?
“A spiral of polarization looms ahead, as the website for the weekly newspaper Die Zeit accurately described: ‘A growing protest leads to added criticism and attention, which leads to even more protests.’… There is something of déjà-vu about it: five years ago, the much-vaunted ‘welcome culture’ still prevailed in Germany, and, in many opinion pieces, anyone who voiced reservations about German refugee policy was labeled a far-right radical. But ostracizing any form [of] criticism was a spectacular failure…
“The crazy thing is that German Chancellor Angela Merkel has long since responded to the ‘concerns of the citizens’ by signing a refugee agreement with Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan and a more consistent deportation policy. But… she’s never come out and said it…
“It seems that little has been learned from the previous spiral of polarization as from previous pandemics. A democracy worthy of the name must be able to withstand controversial debates and protests without creating insurmountable rifts. It is simply not enough to muzzle unwelcome criticism with derogative classifications… The very people who consider themselves the champions of democracy should refrain from using such exclusionary labels…”
This is so true, but many just REFUSE to listen.
Angela Merkel’s New Challenges
Express wrote on May 19:
“ANGELA Merkel is gearing up for one last, desperate battle to make her mark on the EU in the shadow of coronavirus, which poses a threat to the bloc’s very existence, Germany’s ambassador to Brussels, Michael Clauss, has warned in a leaked memo.
“Germany is due to take over the Presidency of the European Council in July for the first time in 13 years – but the pandemic has dramatically changed the landscape, and piled the pressure on Mrs. Merkel, 65, who is scheduled to step down as Chancellor next year. The rotating Presidency – currently held by Croatia – will switch to Germany on July 1, with a total of 17 ministerial meetings planned between July and October involving leaders from across the bloc, as well as the EU-China summit which had been planned for Leipzig in September. For Mrs Merkel, it represents an opportunity at a crucial time, with the UK due to complete the process of Brexit on December 31.
“However, in the classified dispatch to Berlin, leaked to German magazine Der Spiegel, Mr Clauss warned: ‘The first experiences with the new reality show that our presidency will no longer be able to take place in the planned way… From now on, the focus will be on the ability of the European institutions to act, crisis management, exit and reconstruction – possibly maintaining the EU integration itself.’…
“Mrs Merkel, who has been German Chancellor since 2005, is under increasing pressure as the extent of the economic damage wrought by the pandemic becomes apparent. Speaking today about the latest survey conducted by the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, President Eric Schweitzer predicted a 10 percent contraction in Germany’s economy… When we look around the world, we now feel all the signs of a global economic crisis.’
“Mrs Merkel has also had to contend with persistent rumours about her health after a spate of episodes in which she visibly shook in public, with some attributing it to an underlying medical condition…”
EU’s Travel Recommendations, If Adopted, May Lead to Inflation
Barron’s wrote on May 16:
“The European Commission recently published guidance on ‘how to safely resume travel.’ If its proposals are widely adopted, travel is going to get more complicated… And it might get more expensive too…
“It… recommends ‘measures to limit contact’ between workers and passengers, as well as passenger-to-passenger contact. That includes the use of personal protective equipment, such as masks as well as barriers, reduced tables in common areas, more cleaning, and reconfigured boarding procedures. The commission is also advocating ‘reducing, where feasible, the density of passengers’ as well. That means fewer people on planes and trains.
“Another reality for future travelers might be the use of ‘voluntary’ contact-tracing apps… to alert people who have come in contact with an infected person.
“Less traveler ‘density’ could mean higher prices, with fewer people bearing a larger portion of the costs… Many of the proposed changes sound inflationary…
“… the travel sector will be smaller than it was in the recent past. That realization… has hammered the airline, aerospace, and tourism industries. A lot of pain has been felt by travel investors in 2020. Aerospace supplier stocks… are down about 50% year to date. Stock in Boeing… is down more than 60% so far in 2020…
“Cruise operator shares are down about 75%, hotels stock have fallen… about 40%. All the drops are far worse than the comparable falls of the Dow Jones Industrial Average.”
In their attempts to solve or at least deal with the “coronavirus crisis,” overzealous and many times ignorant governmental officials have been literally destroying large sectors of the business community and the economy.
Many Travelers Still Arrive from China and other Countries
CBS New York wrote on May 19:
“CBS2 has learned some of the same international flights that have long been blamed for causing coronavirus to explode in our area are still operating… in the last two weeks international flights to Newark Liberty Airport and John F. Kennedy Airport have arrived from China, South Korea, and much of Europe, including the United Kingdom and Italy… ‘What is being done now to screen those travelers? What is the step-by-step process?’… ‘That’s the federal government, that’s Border and Customs control,’ Cuomo responded… ‘There is coordination, but they determine who comes, who doesn’t come, is purely federal, and they determine what procedures and practices are in place…’
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. customs and Border Protection… would only say there is an ‘enhanced entry screening,’ adding the passenger is asked about medical history, current condition, and some are having their temperature taken… Customs said state and local officials are ensuring compliance, but New Jersey and New York health officials acknowledge they are not tracking travelers once they land. ‘So how do you make sure they stay quarantined for 14 days?’… ‘It’s not a state role,’ the governor (Cuomo) reiterated. But it could become the state’s problem as airlines increase international flights.”
Trump Threatens WHO to Pull US Membership and Funding
Deutsche Welle wrote on May 19:
“Donald Trump has written a furious letter to the World Health Organization’s director-general, threatening to pull US membership and funding…
“Trump’s argument is extremely blunt: he wrote that the WHO had shown an ‘an alarming lack of independence’’ from China in its COVID-19 response, and that the US will leave if there aren’t ‘substantive improvements’ in the next 30 days… ‘I cannot allow American taxpayer dollars to continue to finance an organization that, in its present state, is so clearly not serving America’s interests,’ Trump wrote…
“The US is the world’s largest donor to the WHO — it contributed nearly 15% of its two-year budget for 2018-2019. If Washington were to stop contributing to the agency it would blow a sizeable hole in WHO funds. That’s not ideal, to say the least, especially in the middle of a global pandemic. The WHO would have to find alternative funding — fast.
“… Beijing wasn’t too impressed. Zhao Lijian, a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, called the letter slanderous and said the US decision to stop WHO contributions was a violation of its international responsibilities…
“In a resolution at the World Health Assembly on Tuesday, member states called for… ‘universal, timely and equitable access’ to health technologies to help fight the pandemic… Many of the members, in particular European Union countries, are ‘trying to reinforce this organization, which is greatly needed today…’”
Is the EU going to replace the USA?
Division in the USA
npr wrote on May 15:
“… there are fears that the pandemic — especially landing in an election year — has the potential to inflame divisions to dangerous levels if left unchecked… Polling shows that masking brings the starkest partisan breakdown of any protective measure: 76% of Democrats say they wear a mask when leaving home, compared with 59% of Republicans…”
Fox News wrote on May 16 the following, authored by Tucker Carlson:
“The country appears to be splitting into two hemispheres before our eyes: There are those places where public officials are allowing science to guide their decisions; states like that are cautiously beginning to relax their lockdowns and finding no spike in illness as they do it. Those are the free states. And then there’s the other half of the country, the places where you’re glad you don’t live right now. In those places, power-drunk politicians crow about science but resolutely ignore its findings… Their decisions are driven by ambition, political calculation and the pure animal joy of controlling other people’s lives. Places like that are tightening their lockdowns even now.
“Maybe no place in the country represents the authoritarian approach, the Chinese approach, more starkly than Los Angeles does… Los Angeles Mayor Gil Garcetti has now extended the lockdown through the end of July… using law enforcement, liberally, to make certain that his citizens obey his orders. Police say they’ve brought criminal charges against at least 60 ‘non-essential’ businesses for the crime of going to work. Countless other businesses have shut forever. They’re not coming back.
“The citizens who remain stuck in Los Angeles are effectively hostages of the mayor. Garcetti has demanded that anyone who goes outside, for any reason, as the heat rises in L.A., must wear a mask. It goes without saying there [is] no science to back up this order — or any of Garcetti’s so-called health decisions. In fact, it’s possible that requiring masks outside will not prevent a single [person] from being infected in Los Angeles…
“Garcetti explains that anyone who goes to the beach must make certain not to touch dry sand. Wet sand is fine. Dry sand is now illegal… This… is the expression of an autocrat… It means that America’s second-largest city has fallen under the total control of a neurotic megalomaniac, who’s terrified of dry sand. Eric Garcetti’s personal phobias are now law in Los Angeles…
“In New Jersey, for example, citizens are still banned from assembling to worship together as they choose. That’s a direct violation of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution…”
The example of Los Angeles is indeed stupid and outrageous. How long will the people of Los Angeles put up with such ridiculous autocratic nonsensical orders? And what will happen if they refuse? Are we going to experience hostility, clashes, and worse?
Justice Department Warns California Coronavirus Rules May Violate Religious Freedoms
The Los Angeles Times wrote on May 19:
“The measures Gov. Gavin Newsom enacted to slow the spread of the coronavirus and his plans to unwind them may discriminate against religious groups and violate their constitutional rights, the U.S. Justice Department warned in a letter Tuesday. In a three-page letter to the governor, Eric S. Dreiband, an assistant attorney general and the head of the Justice Department’s civil rights division, said Newsom had shown ‘unequal treatment of faith communities’ in restricting their abilities to gather and ultimately reopen. ‘Simply put, there is no pandemic exception to the U.S. Constitution and its Bill of Rights,’ Dreiband wrote.
“Newsom’s office had no comment beyond confirming that it had received the letter. Dreiband raised issues both with California’s stay-at-home order and Newsom’s plan to roll it back. While worshipers cannot gather in person, even while following social distancing protocols, California has deemed employees in the entertainment and e-commerce industries essential and allowed them to continue working in person, ‘regardless of whether the product they are selling and shipping are life-preserving products or not,’ Dreiband said. ‘This facially discriminates against religious exercise,’ he said.
“Moreover, Dreiband wrote, the governor has permitted restaurants, shopping malls and offices to resume operations in the second phase of his plan to reopen California’s economy, but houses of worship cannot hold in-person services until its third, later phase. ‘The Constitution calls for California to do more to accommodate religious worship, including in stage 2 of the reopening plan,’ Dreiband said.
“In April, the Justice Department intervened in a dispute between a Mississippi church and the city of Greenville, whose police officers had broken up a service held in the church’s parking lot. At the time, Atty. Gen. William Barr said religious groups ‘must not be singled out for special burdens.’”
Oregon Supreme Court Stays Order Declaring Governmental Restrictions Null and Void
The Associated Press wrote on May 18:
“The Oregon Supreme Court late Monday halted a rural judge’s order earlier in the day that had tossed out statewide coronavirus restrictions imposed by Democratic Gov. Kate Brown. [The lower court had stated that the order by Governor Brown was null and void and unenforceable.] Baker County Circuit Judge Matthew Shirtcliff had ruled that Brown erred by not seeking the Legislature’s approval to extend the stay-at-home orders beyond a 28-day limit. The Supreme Court’s ruling stays Shirtcliff’s decision pending review by all the high court justices…
“The lower court judge had issued his opinion in response to a lawsuit filed earlier this month by 10 churches around Oregon that argued the state’s social-distancing directives were unconstitutional. In a seven-page opinion, Shirtcliff wrote that the damage to Oregonians and their livelihood was greater than the dangers presented by the coronavirus. He also noted that other businesses deemed essential, such as grocery stores, had been allowed to remain open even with large numbers of people present and have relied on masks, social distancing and other measures to protect the public…
“Courts in other states have ruled against similar orders. The Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down Gov. Tony Evers’ stay-at-home order last week, ruling that his administration overstepped its authority when it extended the order for another month without consulting legislators. A federal judge in North Carolina on Saturday sided with conservative Christian leaders and blocked the enforcement of restrictions that Gov. Roy Cooper ordered affecting indoor religious services during the pandemic…
“In Louisiana, however, a federal judge refused a minister’s request to temporarily halt Gov. John Bel Edwards’ stay-at-home order, which expired that same day…”
It seems to us, based on Oregon law, that the restrictions by Governor Brown ARE in fact null and void. Why the Oregon Supreme Court stayed the order of the rural judge is a mystery.
There is also much talk of a second pandemic in the fall.
Pat Buchanan uttered the following opinion, as published on May 18 by WND:
“Yet, even if the pandemic returns in the fall, the establishment cannot keep the country closed indefinitely. Prediction: If the people conclude they have done all they can do to mitigate the suffering from a virus they cannot eradicate, they will resist the imposition of another shutdown, and the establishment will have neither the will nor ability to push them back into their homes…”
We will see…
Staggering Unemployment Numbers in the USA
The Associated Press wrote on May 21:
“The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits in the two months since the coronavirus took hold in the U.S. has swelled to nearly 39 million, the government reported Thursday,… a job-market collapse unprecedented in its speed.”
Jordan and Europe on Collision Course with Israel
Breaking Israel News wrote on May 17:
“Jordan’s King Abdullah warned of ‘massive conflict’ between his country and Israel if the Jewish state proceeds with annexing territory this summer in Judea and Samaria… He also suggested that his country could pull out of its peace agreement with Israel. Jordan and Egypt are the only Arab nations that formally recognize the Jewish state…
“The comments by the Jordanian leader come as several European nations are pushing for punitive action against Israel if the country forges ahead with annexation… U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman said that Washington would not oppose Israeli annexation after July 1.”
The Times of Israel added on May 16:
“Jordan has been lobbying the EU to take ‘practical steps’ to make sure annexation doesn’t happen.”
Psalm 83 comes to mind. Verses 8 and 9 refer to Ammon and the sons of Lot (both referring to modern Jordan) and verse 9 refers to Assur (modern Germany).
Abbas Breaks with Israel and USA
JTA wrote on May 19:
“Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas declared an end to all agreements with Israel, including security cooperation, effectively turning over to Israel’s government the running of the entire West Bank. ‘The Palestine Liberation Organization and the State of Palestine are absolved, as of today, of all the agreements and understandings with the American and Israeli governments and of all the commitments based on these understandings and agreements, including the security ones,’ Abbas said in a speech in Ramallah, which functions as the capital of the Palestinian Authority…
“Abbas said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plans to annex parts of the West Bank left him no choice, and he blamed the Trump administration’s ‘peace vision’ unveiled in January… Abbas said the PLO remained committed to the two-state outcome…
“The U.S. has little leverage to use on Abbas, with the administration having cut almost all assistance, except money for security cooperation.”
Israeli Court Tells Netanyahu He Must Appear at Start of Trial
The Algemeiner wrote on May 20:
“An Israeli court rejected on Wednesday a request by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be absent from the opening of his corruption trial next week, saying he must abide by the practice of hearing the charges in person. Netanyahu had asked Jerusalem District Court to be excused from his May 24 arraignment, deeming the event a formality and arguing that bringing his bodyguards would be a waste of public funds and a strain on coronavirus rules against congregations.
“Some critics, however, believed Netanyahu was trying to reduce the optics of the first criminal prosecution of a sitting Israeli prime minister. Indicted for bribery, fraud and breach in three long-running cases, he denies wrongdoing. ‘It is incumbent upon the requester, as with all other defendants, to appear and have his say in court,’ the three-judge panel said in its ruling.”
Europe’s Army Is Taking Shape
Express wrote on May 6:
“URSULA VON DER LEYEN has hinted at the formation of a European army on a number of occasions, and in a startling article she claimed the idea is ‘already taking shape’. The European Commission President wrote an article in 2019 titled ‘Europe is forming an army’ when she was still a Defence minister in Angela Merkel’s government. [She argued that the] continent needs to be self-sufficient in defending itself, and can do so by closely integrating its military forces. She added in her article for Handelsblatt: ‘Europe has to build an army.’…
“This came after Mr Juncker had also expressed interest in an EU military force. In March 2015, he said: ‘Such an army would help us to build a common foreign and security policy, as well as jointly assume the responsibilities of Europe in the world. A common army among the Europeans would convey to Russia that we are serious about defending the values of the European Union.’”
Europe WILL develop a mighty and powerful army… and much sooner than many think.
“No More EU Concessions to the UK”
BBC News wrote on May 19:
“Europe’s economic problems will not force the EU to make more concessions to the UK over Brexit or any trade deal, the French finance minister Bruno Le Maire has said. UK minister Michael Gove had previously said the Covid crisis would in some respects ‘concentrate the minds of the EU negotiators.’
“But Mr Le Maire told Hardtalk’s Stephen Sackur: ‘There won’t be any further concession from the EU and on the contrary I think this economic crisis will lead to the reinforcement of the EU, will lead to more solidarity among member states and we are not ready to make concessions that might jeopardise the EU construction.’”
US Ambassador Accuses Germany of Undermining NATO
Reuters wrote on May 14:
“The U.S. ambassador in Berlin has accused Germany of undermining NATO’s nuclear deterrent, taking aim at Chancellor Angela Merkel’s junior coalition partners after some of their leaders called for nuclear disarmament.
“Rolf Muetzenich, parliamentary leader of the Social Democrats (SPD), called earlier this month for the withdrawal of all U.S. nuclear weapons from Germany – a view that divides his left-leaning party and is not shared by Merkel’s conservatives.
“In an opinion piece for German newspaper Die Welt, Ambassador Richard Grenell wrote: ‘Instead of undermining the solidarity that forms the basis of NATO’s nuclear deterrence, it is now time for Germany to meet its commitments to its allies and to continuously invest in NATO’s nuclear participation.’
“‘Germany’s political leadership, especially that of the SPD, must now make it clear the federal republic is honouring these commitments and standing by its allies,’ added Grenell, who is also U.S. President Donald Trump’s acting national intelligence chief.
“The remarks are the latest twist in relations between Berlin and Washington that have often been strained during Trump’s presidency. The president has pressed Germany to raise its defence spending and accused Berlin of being a ‘captive’ of Russia due to its energy reliance. But Grenell’s comments also come a day after Merkel cited ‘hard evidence’ that Russia was behind a 2015 hacker attack on her Bundestag office — an assault that she said ‘pains me’.
“‘The dangers threatening peace in Europe are not an “anachronism”, as some would have us believe,’ Grenell said. ‘The Russian invasion of Ukraine, the deployment of new nuclear-weapon-capable missiles by Russia on the periphery of Europe and new capabilities of China, North Korea and other countries make it clear that the threat is all too present.’”
While the threat from Russia is “all too present” for Germany, the relationship between Berlin and Washington is deteriorating consistently and the rift is widening. This is another reason why Germany is strongly supporting and working towards a “self-sufficient” European army.
The Pope’s Wrong Understanding of True Christianity
Crux Now wrote on May 15:
“Christians must follow the Ten Commandments, of course, but Christianity is not about following rules, it is about having a relationship with Jesus, Pope Francis said… the pope focused on… the account of the first Christian converts from paganism being ‘disturbed’ by other Christians who insisted the converts must first become Jewish and follow all Jewish laws and customs… ‘Theirs was a religion of prescriptions and, in that way, they took away the freedom of the Spirit,’ who had brought the converts directly to Christ without first having them become Jewish… ‘the Spirit of God is freedom,’ the pope said.
“The problem of individuals or groups trying to impose extra conditions on believers was present from the beginning of Christianity and continues in some quarters of the church today, he said… ‘In our own time, we have seen some church organizations that seem to be well organized, to work well, but they are all rigid… and then we have discovered the corruption that was inside, including in the founders.’”
IF the Pope believes that the Ten Commandments must be followed, “of course,” then he must teach and keep the Fourth Commandment of the Sabbath instead of Sunday. The Bible says that true Christians are spiritual Jews. And what about the corruption within the Roman Catholic Church?
Acknowledgement and Disclaimer
These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.