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Commentary I recently had the pleasure of watching a near-hour-long documentary, “Dog Man,” about a fascinating person named Dick Russell. This gentleman not only had a very unique personality, but also a profound love for animals, which he trained throughout his life. The filmmakers include a plethora of interesting interviews with many people who knew Russell, including the owners of the many dogs he trained, fellow trainers who learned a wealth of information from him, his neighbors, his brother L.H. Russel, and others. Interwoven with the interviews are a bevy of newspaper articles, old photos, television clips featuring Russell showing off his training techniques, and lots of scenes from both his six-week dog obedience training course and his expansive field socialization courses (more on that later). The film begins by showing Russell interacting with both dogs and their owners as they stand around him in wide circles within parking lots, usually during early dawn hours. Right away, it becomes evident that although Russell is a no-nonsense, straight-shooter type of guy, he also has a shrewd sense of humor that frequently elicits plenty of guffaws. Then the film pulls back a bit to describe Dick’s upbringing. According to his brother, Russell began teaching himself how to train his own young dogs as a child. They both worked whatever jobs they could get as youths, such as working at the local A & P food stores, paper routes, and the like—“whatever it took to make a buck,” he remarks with a smile. Dick Russell as a youth in “Dog Man” (Highland Road Films) When his brother returned home from the U.S. Army in 1962, Baton Rouge was in an economic tailspin and jobs were hard to come by. When Russell found a job at the local Ethyl plant, it was as if he’d found a lifeboat in the tumultuous economic waters. But the large plant became yet another example of the further decline of manufacturing jobs in South Louisiana during the mid-1980s when it closed its doors for good. Up to that point, Russell had become accustomed to working the long regular hours at the plant. However, the closing of the plant caused him to rethink things. Eventually, he embraced his inner entrepreneur and went for what he really wanted to do in life—become a dog trainer. Baton Rouge veterinarian Dr. Craig Alberty recalls how quickly Russell’s business took off and became super-popular during the 1980s. Russell would teach his six-week dog training course to people in various parking lots scattered around Baton Rouge. Part of his early success was due to his being extremely passionate about and caring deeply for animals. Another positive aspect of his emerging business was that Russell would guarantee that an owner’s dog would be trained, no matter what. In other words, if a pet parent paid for one of his classes, they were allowed to keep bringing their pet back whenever they could. He didn’t want financial difficulties to ever be a roadblock for owners who wanted help with their pets. Dr. Craig Alberty recalls how even though Dick Russell seemed like a simple country bumpkin, he was extremely intelligent. “Dog Man” (Highland Road Films) Although Russell passed away from cancer by the time this documentary was completed, he left quite an impressive legacy behind. It’s estimated that by the final years of his life, he’d successfully trained over 30,000 dogs in Southern Louisiana utilizing ground-breaking techniques. Each course was packed with dozens of dogs and their owners from different parts of the country. One of the things you’ll hear repeatedly from interviewees is that Russell was teaching people how to train their dogs, instead of training the dogs. He emphasized that owners should reward good behavior and obedience through not only treats (he mainly used chopped-up hot dogs) but also petting and verbal praise. Even his philosophy on petting was extraordinary—he stressed that petting shouldn’t simply involve the act of rubbing your hands on your pet, but rather, a feeling of love should begin in one’s heart and emanate through one’s hands. Another major aspect of Russell’s unique training methodology was his field socialization course. On certain weekend mornings, pet owners who’d already taken his obedience course were free to come out to his five-acre ranch. There, the dogs were free to mix and mingle with each other without any barriers or restraints, such as leashes. These get-togethers were incredibly effective for dogs since they allowed the canines to develop their social skills and also find their place in the pack—something natural to them. Incredibly, even some of the most aggressive dogs were able to benefit from these socialization exercises, merely by being around so many other dogs in a foreign (and natural) environment. Dick Russell in “Dog Man” (Highland Road Films) I found this 57-minute documentary to be well-paced and structured. As an animal lover myself, I also thought it not only endearing but even learned a bit by watching snippets of Dick’s training. No wonder so many folks say they’d wished they could have taken his courses—I do too. “Dog Man” is a thoroughly engaging and charming documentary about a man who followed his heart and passion, and in doing so, was able to touch the lives of so many other people in positive ways. Watch “Dog Man” on Epoch Cinema here. ‘Dog Man’ Director: Richie Adams Running Time: 57 minutes MPAA Rating: Not Rated Release Date: Oct. 17, 2015 Rated: 4.5 stars out of 5 Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Watch the trailer: Watch the full video: https://www.theepochtimes.com/dog-man-documentary_4761406.html

A brave film that utterly debunks & dismantles the left’s fraudulent, revisionist take on black history. Commentary Having watched, thoroughly enjoyed, and reviewed “Uncle Tom II: An American Odyssey” back in August, I knew it was only a matter of time before I would see the one that started it all (I’m hoping there will be a part three), 2020’s “Uncle Tom.” This one carries even more kilotons of knowledge bombs that the left will either ignorantly demonize (without actually watching it) or completely ignore. After all, red-pilled black folks who can think for themselves (instead of being perpetual victims as the left wants them to be) is a very frightening proposition for certain nefarious forces out there. Similar to the second film, this one opens with entrepreneur and master craftsman Chad O. Jackson. As a thoughtful and intelligent, common-sense type of man, he explains that he has always sought to look at things from an objective perspective. He also believes in policies that not only help black people, but all people. However, when he talks about these more positive matters with leftists, he is called an “Uncle Tom,” because he doesn’t fit in with their radical, irrational, and twisted ideological dogma. This derogatory swipe used to offend him, but now he feels pity for those who resort to such cheap tactics since he knows that they are blinded by their own ignorance and bigotry. One can look at how Kanye “Ye” West is currently being feverishly rat-packed around the clock by the leftist-controlled lapdog media and their scabrous Hollywood kin, as a perfect example of this. Chad O. Jackson in “Uncle Tom.” (Malone Pictures) For a little historical context, the term “Uncle Tom” itself is based on a character from “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” an anti-slavery book published in 1852 by American author Harriet Beecher Stowe. Being called an “Uncle Tom” means that someone is a sellout, coward, and somehow compromised. For disciples of the wretched and divisive woke orthodoxy, where leftists are supposed to be perceived as benevolent, just, tolerant, and peaceful, independent black thinkers who won’t bend the knee to their way of thinking are major threats to their narrative and so are slurred, shunned, assaulted, and/or canceled. Multiple black conservatives chime in with other examples from the leftist grab-bag of racist derogatory terms, such as “coon,” “bootlicker,” and “house negro.” Prominent political commentator and radio show host Larry Elder (check out “The Larry Elder Show” here on EpochTV) encapsulates this type of bigotry succinctly: “An Uncle Tom is somebody who has sold out by embracing the white man, by becoming a Republican, by rejecting the idea that you’re a victim, by supporting things like hard work, accountability, and low taxes, by refusing to think of yourself as a black person first, as opposed to an American who is black.” As with many black people, becoming a conservative was a gradual process for Jackson. For example, he recalls voting for Barack Obama for President of the United States, back in 2008. Around the same time, he became a Christian and began to extol its values. However, a friend of his encouraged him to reexamine what those values—such as taking care of the poor—really meant. Jackson discovered that the real biblical meaning of helping those in need did not mean providing handouts through big government programs and policies, but rather encouraging individuals to help those in need voluntarily, such as through private charities. Further research, such as learning more about both the Republican and Democratic party platforms, led him to realize that his values aligned with conservative Republicans. Jesse Lee Peterson dropping some knowledge bombs in “Uncle Tom.” (Malone Pictures) Other black conservatives echo Jackson’s almost epiphanic transformation. After doing their research and delving past the leftist revisionist version of history that is taught in the highly compromised American school system, they learned that the Ku Klux Klan was formed as the enforcement wing of the Democratic Party. The Democrats were also the chief proponents of segregation and slavery. For these black free thinkers, this knowledge liberated them from the victimhood mentality that leftists constantly bombard black people with. They were able to more fully apply themselves and went after their goals by working hard, seeking higher education, and living by strong ethics and morals (as most blacks had during the first half of the 20th century). Throughout the rest of the film, black conservatives from all walks of life discuss how the left’s lies and trickery have led black folks (and many other people) astray, and how this is all promulgated through multiple venues and outlets, including the mockingbird corporate media and their endless regurgitations of falsities and disinformation. Candice Owens is a powerful voice in the battle against leftist disinformation and indoctrination in “Uncle Tom.” (Malone Pictures) These brave and truly awake people, such as Candace Owens, Brandon Tatum, Carol Swain, Herman Cain, and (one of my personal favorites) Jesse Lee Peterson, reinforce the notion that anyone who embraces the American ideals of hard work, free market capitalism, and liberty can achieve their dreams, no matter what their skin color. Also, personal responsibility, individualism and self-reliance, limited government, and strong Christian values are all mentioned as key elements that make America the greatest country in the world. “Uncle Tom” is a phenomenal documentary (featured on EpochTV) that features highly informative and insightful interviews, as well as fact-based historical data that piques the interest of the viewer. The healthy, sane, and reasonable perspectives showcased here uncover the many devious machinations that have been at work for the last half-century, and more importantly, what we can all do to rectify these real injustices. Watch “Uncle Tom” on Epoch Cinema here. ‘Uncle Tom’ Director: Justin Malone Running Time: 1 hour, 46 minutes MPAA Rating: G Release Date: Jun. 19, 2020 Rated: 5 stars out of 5 Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Watch the trailer: Watch the full video: https://www.theepochtimes.com/uncle-tom-i-documentary_4741683.html

Commentary Interestingly, the public knows very little about what ingredients are contained in vaccines. Many folks have trusted their governments, as well as gigantic pharmaceutical corporations, to the extent that they merely roll up their sleeves when prompted to take vaccines. Other people were forced to take the more recent COVID-19 vaccines or lose their livelihoods, despite not knowing what they consisted of. Award-winning Austrian documentary filmmaker and journalist, Bert Ehgartner, has long covered both the pharmaceutical and medical industries, in films such as 2021’s “Corona.Film,” and 2013’s “The Age of Aluminum.” One of his latest films, “Under the Skin,” delves further into aluminum additives contained in vaccine adjuvants. Adjuvants are agents that are added to vaccine drugs in order to increase their natural immune response within patients. The film, brought to you by EpochTV, kicks off by showing a multitude of slickly-produced, fear-based advertisements announcing the first vaccine for papillomavirus (HPV) being approved in 2006. HPV is an infectious disease contracted through sexual contact. Although most people don’t know they have HPV and don’t show any symptoms (it may even go away on its own), sometimes the disease can develop into cancer of the cervix, anus, penis, vagina, and vulva. The advertising campaign was mainly targeted toward young females in order to prevent cervical cancer. But soon, many unusual side effects began to surface all over the world by those who’d taken the vaccine. For instance, in Japan, women who’d taken the HPV vaccine began experiencing extreme seizures. This prompted the Japanese Ministry of Health to take the HPV vaccine off of the list of recommended vaccines in 2013. This, in turn, caused the percentage of those vaccinated to drop from 70 percent to less than 1 percent. Danish clinician and researcher Dr. Jesper Mehlsen discusses issues with the HPV vaccine in “Under the Skin.” (Ehgartner & Moll Filmproduktion) In many countries that have continued to promote HPV vaccines, such as Denmark, many doctors published studies on findings that point to the dangers of these vaccines on biological lifeforms. They were mainly based on multitudes of case studies involving young women who became severely ill just after taking the HPV vaccine. Safety Warning Sent Denmark sent a collection of these findings, in the form of a major safety warning, to the European Medicines Agency (EMA), encouraging the agency to investigate the matter. However, the Danish doctors and their medical studies were dismissed. Due to a large number of complaints by young women, Danish hospitals set up specialized clinics to help them. Throughout the documentary, we see a number of young women from around the world who have experienced very similar symptoms just after taking the HPV vaccine. These symptoms typically include (but aren’t limited to) headaches, fatigue, chronic pain, and fainting. One particularly heartbreaking case involves the Aldea family, consisting of father August, wife Petra, and their daughter Paula. Paula had recently taken the HPV vaccine and was at a bus stop when she called her father sobbing—she felt an intense pain in her back and in a short amount of time, became paralyzed. These days, she lives as an invalid under the care of her mother. August Aldea (R) and his wife Petra recount what happened to their daughter Paula in “Under the Skin.” (Ehgartner & Moll Filmproduktion) Vaccines for Sheep Interestingly, humans haven’t been the only ones affected by mass vaccination campaigns. In Spain, for instance, veterinary pathologist Dr. Lluis Lujan, recalls a time when hardly any vaccines were used on one of Spain’s major food stocks—sheep. But over the years, more and more vaccines were used on sheep in order to combat diseases. This culminated in the European Union ordering all of Spain’s sheep herds to be injected with a vigorous vaccine schedule that consisted of many vaccine shots within shorter and shorter timespans. Soon, sheep farmers began finding that newborn sheep had higher and higher mortality rates and that the ones that did survive, were sickly. As a result, Dr. Lujan conducted an experiment. He designated three groups of sheep with different colors—green, yellow, and red. While the green group was given a placebo, the yellow and red groups were given several vaccine injections. Fellow scientists then watched recordings of the different sheep groups and their behavior. While the green placebo group displayed more signs of affection toward other sheep in their group, sheep within the yellow and red groups were much more aggressive, and also had higher levels of stress. Spanish veterinary Dr. Lluis Lujan in “Under the Skin.” (Ehgartner & Moll Filmproduktion) Both the human and sheep vaccines contain aluminum particles as adjuvants, which are suspected by many in the international medical community (such as the Danish and Spanish doctors), to be the cause of the aforementioned medical problems. This is a very informative documentary that contains in-depth interviews with both medical experts, as well as those who have been negatively impacted by the HPV vaccine, as well as the more recent COVID-19 varieties. It also shows their common denominator—aluminum adjuvants. On a broader scale, this excellent film illustrates the conflicts of interest between both academic research institutions and the pharmaceutical industry (Big Pharma), and how they hinder the ability to conduct genuine scientific investigations into matters considered to be off-limits to vaccine manufacturers. Watch “Under the Skin” on Epoch Cinema here. Under the Skin’ (Ehgartner & Moll Filmproduktion) Director: Bert Ehgartner Running Time: 1 hour, 35 minutes MPAA Rating: Unrated Release Date: 2021 Rated: 4.5 stars out of 5 Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Watch the trailer: Watch the full video: https://www.theepochtimes.com/under-the-skin-documentary_4736070.html

Commentary Those who only watch or listen to the mockingbird legacy media outlets, such as CNN, MSNBC, CBS, NPR, etc. are most likely living in a carefully fabricated dream world where all is fine within the Democratic Party. But nothing could be further from the truth. Democrats have become more and more extremist in recent years and are not only losing the culture war, but also the political one with regard to Americans who were once members of their party. Thus, there has been a multitude of organizations that have sprung up that support the torrent of people who are leaving the DNC. One of them is called “Blexit.” Blexit could be summarized in this succinct explanation by conservative activist Candice Owens: “Blexit is a Renaissance,” Owens explains. “Blexit is the black exit from the Democratic Party. It’s the black exit from permanent victimhood, the black exit from the false idea that we are somehow separate from the rest of America.” Indeed, the Democratic Party’s increasingly radical tactics are more evident than ever, and black people are beginning to wake up to the lies they’ve been told for so many years. In this amazing time of enlightenment and transformation, filmmakers are producing incredibly impactful and thought-provoking documentaries that expose these lies. One such documentary is filmmaker and director Frank Panico’s “Systematic Deception.” This new documentary (brought to you by EpochTV) was inspired by Lisa Noel Babbage’s “The Black History Bible: How the Democratic Party Deceived a People.” After watching this well-researched documentary, I couldn’t think of more appropriate titles for both film and book. Pierre Wilson, the national director of Blexit, in “Systematic Deception.” (Xs in the Sky Films) This revelatory film is mainly composed of interviews with black conservatives from all walks of life, as well as a wide array of film snippets—of both older and more recent events. Pierre Wilson, the national director of Blexit, is one of the first black conservatives to talk about Black Lives Matter (BLM), and how its self-professed Marxist co-founder and leader, Patrisse Khan-Cullors, has resigned from the questionable organization amid much controversy. Once regularly seen at packed rallies (composed of throngs of misinformed supporters) with a bullhorn in hand, condemning law enforcement and supposedly standing up for the rights of black people, Cullors allegedly misused BLM donor money to buy up wealthy properties in white neighborhoods with what she refers to as “white guilt money.” As author Noel Babbage alleges, none of the money BLM took in went to black communities, instead, much of it went to the Democratic Party. In other words, the DNC, through BLM, took the tragic circumstances of George Floyd’s death, to allegedly swindle funds from people’s pockets directly into their coffers. Michael Lancaster discusses deceptive Marxist tactics in “Systematic Deception.” (Xs in the Sky Films) As Michael Lancaster, of the Frederick Douglass Foundation, wisely points out, issues of race are used by leftists (such as BLM and the DNC) as a method of controlling people. It’s also used as a divisive wedge to drive society apart, something that Marxists have always been known to specialize in. The so-called “Summer of Love” of 2020, in which legions of crazed rioters not only caused billions of dollars in property damage (including the burning down of numerous black-owned businesses, ironically), but also injured and murdered dozens of people, is a perfect example of this sinister deception, and indicative of the leftists who support this sort of systemic violence and racial division. An image from video footage featured in the documentary film “Systematic Deception” about the chaos of 2022. (Xs in the Sky Films) The documentary also shows that there is a profound spiritual component to the left’s devious tactics. After all, in communism (including, of course, Marxism), the centralized state always replaces God. Therefore, the state becomes the people’s religion, such as with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). I thoroughly enjoyed this thought-provoking and fact-based documentary. It sheds much-needed light on the lies and deceptive tactics employed by leftists and should spark some good discussions among people who watch it. More than that, however, I believe that this must-see film will inspire black people to break through the smokescreen of lies that have allowed them to be “bamboozled” for so long. Hopefully, this, in turn, will encourage newly enlightened conservative folks to urge themselves, and others, to run for political office, and be the change they want to see in America. is available to watch on EpochTV here. Watch “Systematic Deception” on Epoch Cinema here. ‘Systematic Deception’ Director: Frank Panico Running Time: 1 hour, 22 minutes MPAA Rating: Not Rated Release Date: 2022 Rated: 4.5 stars out of 5 Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Watch the trailer: Watch the full video: https://www.theepochtimes.com/systematic-deception-documentary_4728428.html

Commentary Unfortunately, The Korean War (1950–1953) has largely faded from the memories of both American scholars and the general public. Indeed, it is commonly (and dismissively) referred to as “the Forgotten War,” even though it was a critical territorial conflict and constituted the first military action of the Cold War. The Korean conflict was largely overshadowed by World War II. After all, it didn’t have a Pearl Harbor to get Americans fired up and ready for righteous action. There wasn’t much in the way of unbridled flag-waving American patriotism to rally behind. In recent times, however, as those who fought in the Korean conflict pass away, Americans have become more curious about it—belatedly memorializing and honoring the brave military who went overseas to defend freedom from a massive communist invasion. “The Korean War Remembered,” subtitled “A Motion Picture History of the Korean War,” is a fascinating look at the brutal conflict that came on the heels of World War II. The 13-part, episodic documentary series is available to watch on EpochTV here. The series is comprised of films including U.S. military combat bulletins, newsreels, and documentary footage produced at the time of the conflict. It begins with celebrated American director John Ford’s documentary “This is Korea,” released in 1951. Although it is comparable to Frank Capra’s fantastic “Why We Fight” World War II documentary series and displays the same even-handed balance between combat and non-combat footage, Ford’s documentary is in full color—which lends much immediacy to the film. U.S. Naval jets taking off from an aircraft carrier in “The Korean War Remembered.” (Republic Pictures) Most of the combat footage is stunning. All manner of bombs explode into bright orange fireballs; ear-splitting mortar and artillery strikes thunder; naval guns from massive ships blast away just off the coast of Korea. Marines cover their advancing cohorts with zinging rifle fire—it’s all quite impactful. Throughout the series, the masculine voices of the narrators pair well with each episode’s incredible footage. We get an up-close look at the costs of war: crumbling buildings on fire; South Korean civilian casualties, refugees, orphaned children, and wounded U.S. troops being treated by combat medics in the field. In contrast, there are heartwarming scenes of American GIs singing together in make-shift churches during Christmas, or smiling as they read letters from back home. An American serviceman sings in footage from “The Korean War Remembered” (Republic Pictures) All of these beautiful and brutal, real-life scenes stand in stark contrast to the typical Hollywood feature film fare. Curiously, there haven’t been many Hollywood films about the Korean conflict. Perhaps the best of the slim pickings is 1954’s “The Bridges at Toko-Ri,” starring William Holden and Grace Kelly. And of course, 1970’s “MASH,” was also well received and spawned a TV series that lasted a little over a decade. It’s important to understand why Americans were in Korea in the first place. After World War II, Korea was divided at the 38th parallel into communist North Korea and capitalist South Korea. In 1950, the North Korean military, backed by the communist Soviets and Chinese, invaded South Korea. The North Koreans quickly overran South Korea, prompting America and its allies to come to South Korea’s aid. It was a hard-fought, grueling war that ended in an armistice being signed in 1953. However, a new division was created between North and South Korea called the demilitarized zone (DMZ)—an ironic moniker, given that it’s one of the most deadly borders in the world, with many casualties happening on both sides to this day. South Korean children at play. “The Korean War Remembered” (Republic Pictures) My hope is that “The Korean War Remembered” will stimulate curiosity about this crucial, off-ignored conflict. Given the rare footage offered, and its fantastic quality, I believe the series deserves a good look. Watch “The Korean War Remembered” on Epoch Cinema here. ‘The Korean War Remembered’ Director: John Ford Running Time: 50 minutes MPAA Rating: Not Rated Release Date: Aug. 10, 1951 Rated: 4 stars out of 5 Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Watch the trailer: Watch the full video: https://www.theepochtimes.com/series/the-korean-war-remembered_4696902

Commentary The phrase “safe and effective” accompanied a mass vaccination campaign throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. An Oracle Films Production, available on EpochTV, examines the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine. It follows the emotional testimonies of vaccine-injured adults and exposes the unethical tactics employed by the media and big tech to encourage vaccination uptake and censor opposing narratives. The film “Safe and Effective: A Second Opinion” provides the other side of the story. Using facts, real-world data, and expert opinions and analysis, it is a must-watch for those desiring to be truthfully informed about the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine. Emotional Testimonies Although the COVID vaccine was heralded as a success, there is growing evidence that the shot can have devastating consequences. Personal testimony from those in the vaccine-injured community reveals many feeling abandoned by the NHS and government they once trusted. “You take one for the team, so I took the vaccine, but now the team is running in the opposite direction,” said one vaccine-injured person. Another man said through tears, “Just let people know that, when it goes wrong, there’s no help at all.” This group has had to band together to support one another through physical and emotional trauma. Side effects such as slurred speech, chest pain, seizures, heart disease, inability to walk, loss of limb function, and more have changed their lives permanently. (Explode/Shutterstock) Doctors Sound the Alarm An influential figure in the medical community and a consultant cardiologist, Dr. Aseem Malhotra, says after being double vaccinated and one of the first to take the Pfizer vaccine, “I have, after several months of critically appraising the data, speaking to eminent scientists at Oxford, Stanford, and Harvard, speaking to two investigative medical journalists, and being contacted by two Pfizer whistleblowers, reluctantly concluded that this vaccine is not completely safe and has unprecedented harms which leads me to conclude that it needs to be suspended until all the raw data has been released for independent analysis.” He is not alone. Many more international scientists have also sounded the alarm. Millions of COVID vaccine injuries and thousands of deaths have been reported through official channels worldwide. Now, governments are accused of covering up the data and the media of telling only one side of the story. How Rare Are Adverse Events? In the UK, adverse events are reported to the MHRA database. As of Aug. 24, the MHRA shows 432,819 alleged adverse reactions and 2,240 deaths. The government website for reporting vaccine adverse events in the United States, the VAERS database, has recorded 1,400,350 alleged adverse events and 30,796 deaths as of Sept. 2. Although not all these reports will be confirmed as vaccine-induced, not all reactions are reported. In fact, data reveals that adverse events are largely underreported. Dr. Clare Craig, a diagnostic pathologist, calls it a “scandal of such epic proportions,” saying that it is “frightening to even approach it.” Craig explains that the COVID vaccine “is different technology” than traditional vaccines, noting that it “doesn’t prevent the illness.” Dr. Aseem Malhotra says that the spike protein, which they initially believed would remain localized to the arm, appears to be distributed throughout the body after vaccination, found in every major organ system several months after, “causing either a direct reaction through toxicity or an autoimmune reaction. That is the most likely explanation behind the mechanism of harm from the mRNA products.” Rushed Vaccine, No Liability Development of the shot was done at warp speed, so much so that governments had to indemnify drug companies from injury claims. When the Pfizer vaccine reported efficacy at 95 percent on Nov. 18, 2020, governments gave the green light. However, Dr. Malhotra argues that the methodology used to report this efficacy rate was flawed. Relative risk reduction exaggerates the benefits of a medical intervention, which he notes would serve the interests of someone trying to sell something. Absolute risk reduction, however, shows how many lives are saved versus lost. To only share relative risk is considered unethical in medicine, yet, that is what was done with the COVID vaccines. According to Pfizer trials, the relative risk reduction was 95 percent, while the absolute risk reduction was 0.84 percent. This means the vaccination only provided a 1 in 119 chance of improving COVID-19 outcomes. “So, we were basically sold on something that ultimately, in retrospect now, was very very misleading.” The FDA initially locked away trial data for 75 years while the vaccines were being rolled out. After a court finally ordered their release, Alexandria Latypova, a research specialist in clinical trials, was one in a group of experts who examined the vaccine clinical trial data. Her assessment concluded that “Pfizer skipped major categories of safety testing altogether. The toxicity of the COVID-19 vaccine’s mRNA active ingredient was never studied.” Latypova said the FDA and Pfizer knew about significant toxicities associated with gene therapy medicine and that the CDC, FDA, and Pfizer lied about the vaccine staying in the injection site. Her examination of leaked Moderna documents also revealed that vaccine-induced antibody-enhanced disease was identified as a serious risk. Did the COVID Vaccine Save Lives? Pharmaceutical companies and health agencies decline to comment on adverse events and prefer to point to the 20 million lives the vaccines have allegedly saved. Dr. Malhotra calls this statistic “science fiction, not scientific fact.” He explains this claim is based on “a very poor quality observational study” and that a higher quality level of evidence does “not show any reduction in COVID mortality of statistical significance” and “no reduction in all-cause mortality.” He concluded that “really, this statement is almost implausible.” Why were the vaccines authorized so quickly? What is the relationship between the regulators and the companies they regulate? Dr. Malhotra says regulators cannot be trusted to be independent, citing that 86 percent of the funding for the UK MHRA comes from the drug industry itself. Regulators being funded by the very industry they are supposed to regulate is a huge conflict of interest. Australia’s TGA receives 96 percent of its funding from the drug industry, while Europe’s EMA is 89 percent, Japan’s PMDA is 85 percent, the U.S. FDA is 65 percent, and Canada’s HC is 50.5 percent. Did Doctors Enable Informed Consent? According to Dr. Craig, “what was happening with informed consent was hugely concerning. I think what concerned me the most were doctors who weren’t informing themselves.” She said many doctors simply got all their information from the news or the government, accepting it without question. Dr. Malhotra believes that “the lack of acknowledgment of vaccine injuries being a major issue is rooted in willful blindness.” People want to ignore the truth about vaccines to feel safe, avoid conflict, release anxiety, and protect prestige. “One thing that’s become very clear now is that the vaccine doesn’t prevent transmission and, in fact, has very limited efficacy, if any, in preventing infection,” he said. “Therefore, it becomes an issue of individual choice. And certainly, when you look at age groups under 70, the harms clearly seem to outweigh the benefits for most people.” Deaths from COVID rise sharply with age, with most deaths occurring over the age of 70. Yet, governments have pushed the vaccines on the youth. According to CDC data, actual cases of myocarditis within seven days of COVID vaccination for males are exponentially higher than expected, particularly in the 12-24 age group. The documentary on EpochTV references the sudden deaths happening, particularly among athletes. In addition, the Office of National Statistics confirmed that in England and Wales, deaths are up 11.7 percent in 10- to 14-year-olds and nearly 15 percent in the 50-59 age group. Just those two age groups alone could equate to an excess of 75,000 deaths in 2022 in England and Wales this year—and not from COVID. Unethical Psychological Tactics SAGE is the British government’s scientific advisory group. According to SAGE meeting notes, the British government employed tactics such as emotional manipulation and fear to persuade the public to get vaccinated. Dr. Christian Buckland, psychotherapist and counselor, said it’s important to understand that there has been “the promotion of unethical psychological techniques” over the last two years to encourage behavioral change, including artificially increasing the need to be afraid. He also cites that these tactics were based on numbers that have since been shown to be inflated. This has led to a sharp division between the vaccinated and the unvaccinated. When the mandates and coercion came into play, tensions continued to rise. Dr. Buckland explained that when you use unethical means to manipulate people, it becomes dangerous, encouraging the demonization of other people and raising not just fear but also anger. Government, Media, and Big Tech Censorship The SAGE strategies also point to the use of media to advance their message and cover up any alternative narratives, such as the BBC admitting it is their policy not to engage with anti-vaxers, regardless of if they are credible or not. Massive marches of people advocating for their bodily autonomy in Britain were ignored, while an estimated half a billion pounds of public money was spent on media advertising. Then there was the “Trusted News Initiative,” which, according to the BBC, is “an industry collaboration of major news and global tech organizations working together to stop the spread of disinformation.” Partners of this initiative included the BBC, Facebook, Google, Twitter, Microsoft, Youtube, the AFP, and The Washington Post, among others. Governments, media, and big tech companies worked together for a common script- their script. They aggressively advanced their version of the truth, intentionally silencing any opposing narratives. This media campaign was utterly void of free speech, balanced reporting, and partiality. It’s Time for People to Know the Truth According to the UK’s Office for National Statistics, between Jan. 1 and May 31 this year, 15,113 people died of COVID-19 in England—90 percent of those people had received at least one COVID vaccine. A paper published in the United States, with a key author being the Director of Harvard Medical School Center for Global Health Delivery, found that for every one vaccinated person that could be prevented from hospitalization with COVID, up to 98 young people could be injured from the COVID vaccine. Meanwhile, in 2021, Pfizer doubled its revenue by $81 billion and is projected to surpass $100 billion in revenue in 2022. Perhaps proper scientific debate during the vaccine rollout could have led to less vaccine injury. Maybe greater emphasis on informed consent would have led to a more accurate risk-benefit analysis for those choosing to get the shot. Would millions have been so confident in taking the vaccine had they known the unskewed data? Tragically, these measures were not allowed under the mainstream narrative of “safe and effective.” As a result, the public was misled about the safety and efficacy of the COVID vaccine. Now, it is time for them to know the truth. Share this documentary, available on EpochTV, to help inform others. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Watch the trailer: Watch the full video: https://www.theepochtimes.com/safe-and-effective-a-second-opinion-documentary_4774346.html

An outside view of Masanjia Labor Camp in China's northeastern Liaoning Province. (Courtesy of Minghui.org) Commentary Recent polls suggest that over 40 percent of Americans embrace a favorable view of socialism. But few can imagine what it actually means to live under a regime like the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The EpochTV original documentary, “China’s Walking Dead,” which aired Sept. 3, provides a glimpse into the warped world of Chinese communist leadership, which has been largely hidden from public view until now. “American Thought Leaders” host Jan Jekielek sat down with Kay Rubacek, award-winning filmmaker, author of “Who Are China’s Walking Dead,” and former host of NTD’s show “Life & Times.” To understand the worldview of those who serve the regime, Rubacek has extensively studied official documents and speeches from CCP officials and interviewed former CCP officials. The Real Face of Communism As she interviewed the former officials, Rubacek found that those who do the CCP’s bidding must separate their actions from their conscience. She explains that everything done by the CCP is centered on maintaining total control. Everything the rest of the world sees, including China’s economy and infrastructure, is on the surface. However, what is happening behind the curtain of communism has not changed since its inception. Communism’s goals and objectives remain the same, as do its tactics. An image from video footage featured in “China’s Walking Dead.” (EpochTV) Many in the West praise the authoritarian communist model, despite its ever-occurring human rights atrocities. They may think the CCP has evolved, but this is an illusion. For example, the regime claims not to engage in forced labor, calling its forced labor facilities “drug rehabilitation centers” instead. This sounds benign to those in the West, but, according to Rubacek, it’s a lie. Interviewing officials who have seen what happens within the regime has given her an entirely different perspective. Rubacek says that the law in China is mafia style: it all goes back to who you know, who has your back, and who is about to stab you in the back. Not even top communist officials can keep family members from being tortured to death. Ruback interviewed dozens of former CCP officials who defected to various countries. Diplomats, secret agents, military and labor camp officers, and propagandists told her the truth about living under communist rule. “Any and all means are justified,” one said of directives to eradicate the spiritual group Falun Gong. ‘Like Walking Dead, Without Souls’ In her book, Ruback quotes a former Chinese police commissioner who called himself and others living under CCP rule “walking corpses.” He told her, “people there don’t live like humans. We live like walking dead, without souls.” Another former official told her, “The CCP poisons people and turns them into walking dead.” The term is not uncommon. According to defectors, the CCP sees people as high-level animals. To the CCP, people are only useful because they can be domesticated and used as tools for the party. Another term used in the book is “two layers of skin.” Chinese officials must separate their inner layer—their consciences—from the outer layer that they show to the public. This requires them to suppress their sense of truth, sense, and morality, while presenting what the party wants them to present to the public. When the party requires them to hurt people or lie, they must obey the party over their conscience. The outer layer justifies lying, cheating, killing, and torture. Propaganda and Lies A slide leaked from a CCP journalist training session reveals the party’s understanding of news versus propaganda. The slide describes the news as focusing on information, originality, fact, timely communication, and balance. Propaganda, however, focuses on format, repetition, opinion, timing, manipulation, and spin. A former journalist said that in China, those in her field must have a Marxist-Leninist news perspective that combines news with propaganda: “Our job is to figure out how to spread the party’s voice as far and wide as possible.” A comment from a former CCP propaganda official clarifies that statement further: “What we tell people is disconnected from reality. It cannot be true. If it were true, and people saw the reality of the Chinese Communist Party, the CCP would be finished.” Vladimir Lenin once said, “One day of revolution is worth 20 years.” In “China’s Walking Dead,” a former official reflects on the Chinese student-led protest in 1989 known as the Tiananmen Square Massacre. The official recounts that he told his younger daughter to “hurry and come out and see how the CCP slaughters people.” He knew that if she didn’t see it for herself, she would never understand how evil the CCP was. Ten thousand students and regular citizens were said to have died that night in Tiananmen Square, but over the next few days, the CCP played reports saying that the students had killed soldiers instead. Those soldiers were given a memorial. Children attended and were forced to pledge an oath to the CCP. That is why the official wanted his daughter to see the truth, so she could see through the propaganda, unlike other children who didn’t know better. Today, Tiananmen Square is a forbidden subject in China. Elsewhere around the globe, however, its anniversary is commemorated each year. Rubacek says that since Tiananmen Square, the CCP has learned to hide its brutality more carefully. An image from video footage featured in “China’s Walking Dead.” (EpochTV) The Goals of Communism Have Not Changed The essence and political goals of the CCP have not changed over the past 70 years, and neither have its methods. The party’s political goals are stated very clearly in the CCP constitution, which puts absolute national control and money above all else. Human life and the environment can be pushed aside or destroyed as long as the other two goals are maintained. “The CCP has stated its position very clearly. It’s not hidden,” says Rubacek. “For us to think anything else really is just willful blindness.” “China’s Walking Dead” shows how the CCP has falsified Chinese history. The party’s history of murder and crimes are not portrayed in Chinese textbooks. Over the years, propaganda posters have been replaced by TV and film, yet the message remains the same: the CCP will exist forever; there will never be an alternative, and people need to accept and love it. Children are indoctrinated to love the regime from birth. Although China is one of the world’s ancient civilizations, dating back thousands of years, Chinese citizens are taught that patriotism to China means patriotism to the CCP regime—as if the CCP came first and China followed. The Nonexistent Value of Human Life In a communist society, the understanding of the value of life is drastically different than it is in the West. In fact, it is almost nonexistent. The Chinese army glorifies the taking of life, unlike the U.S. military, which values the protection of life. The music in a Chinese army recruitment video contains lyrics such as “kill kill kill.” Former officials told Rubacek they thought something was wrong with them because they felt the horrible things they saw being done were bad, while others around them seemed numb to it. One official commented, “the people don’t want to be cruel. But the society is cruel. They have to be cruel.” Is There Hope for Victims of Communism? People often wonder why the people of China don’t rise up. If life under the regime is so bad, why don’t they do something about it? Rubacek explains that even CCP officials feel helpless under the regime. Ordinary people don’t even know they have a choice, having been conditioned to believe there will never be an alternative government option in China. From history, we know that this is a lie, but many will never see the truth. To think independently in a communist society means rejecting everything one has been taught since birth. Sometimes, it even means risking one’s life. Furthermore, Chinese civilians don’t have free access to information, meaning most will never know what other societies look like or that they could experience freedom for themselves one day. Rubacek’s family escaped communism, first in Russia and again in China. Jekielek has a similar family heritage: his family fled communism in Poland in the 70s. He remembers being five years old and standing in bread lines in Poland. The documentary points out that knowing the truth about communism and its history provides more than just awareness: it gives hope. For example, Rubacek’s husband’s family escaped Soviet-occupied Czechoslovakia. Had his family known the Berlin Wall would fall five years later, they would not have left. However, while living under Soviet rule, they had no idea things could ever change. Likewise, Jekielek says that after escaping Poland, his mother said she could never have imagined that the regime would one day fall. An image from video footage featured in “China’s Walking Dead.” (EpochTV) No country is immune to the poisons of communism, wrote Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn in “The Gulag Archipelago.” Solzhenitsyn said, “There is always this fallacious belief: ‘It would not be the same here; here such things are impossible.’ Alas, all the evil of the twentieth century is possible everywhere on earth.” Solzhenitsyn hoped for a world where people could understand the horrors of communism without having to live it. Unfortunately, history teaches that the reign of communism is never far away. However, it also proves that freedom is never out of reach, if people have the courage to stand up for what is right. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Watch the trailer: Watch the full video: https://www.theepochtimes.com/chinas-walking-dead-inside-the-warped-world-of-chinas-communist-officialdom-special-episode-featuring-kay-rubacek_4707047.html

Commentary The COVID-19 vaccination mandates impacted Americans across the country, forcing many to choose between their bodily autonomy and, in many cases, their livelihoods. But many Americans had to choose between not just their preferred health choices but also their sincerely held religious beliefs. Sadly, the very men and women who defend constitutional rights, such as freedom of religion, have experienced their own rights being attacked. An Epoch Original Documentary, available on EpochTV, titled “Pentagon’s War on Religion” exposes an ongoing trend of religious discrimination within the Department of Defense. An award-winning reporter for The Epoch Times, Joshua Philipp, leads the investigation into what appears to be widespread religious discrimination within the U.S. Armed Forces. Pushback to the COVID-19 vaccination mandates revealed possible military and constitutional law violations in an institution designed to protect these fundamental rights. In July 2021, the Biden administration explored COVID-19 vaccine mandates for the armed forces. Although service members were told they could file for religious accommodations, their requests were overwhelmingly denied. For example, Philipp interviewed Lt. Col. Brandi King, who served in the Air Force Reserve Command for 19 years. She was mandated via phone in September 2021 that she had to get vaccinated or submit an exemption request. However, when King disclosed her intention to file for religious accommodation, her supervisor asked her to reconsider, saying he had heard that those requests would not be allowed. The Uniform Code of Military Justice details crimes and punishments for the armed forces. Article 92 addresses a failure to obey an order. Troops have been punished, kicked out, and segregated for not getting vaccinated. However, military law requires allowing religious exemptions for vaccinations. Nevertheless, the military broadly displayed little intent to recognize this legally protected right. King was not the only one. U.S. Navy documents detail service members’ risk in refusing the COVID-19 vaccine. According to a document from the U.S. Navy titled “Immunization Exemptions for Religious Beliefs,” troops face punishment if they file for a religious exemption and then it is denied. Punishments include potential court marshals, among other measures, for disobeying a lawful order. Documents reveal the military has already determined that the COVID vaccine mandate is a lawful order. A document titled “Navy Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination and Reporting Policy” states, “refusal to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, absent an approved exemption, will constitute a failure to obey a lawful order and is punishable under the Uniform Code of Military Justice and / or may result in administrative action.” A Secretary of the Navy order states that “because COVID-19 vaccination is now mandatory, commanders, commanding officers, or officers in charge … are authorized to temporarily reassign Navy service members who refuse the COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of exemption status,” including allowing them to submit a report of misconduct and delaying promotion of any officer who refuses the vaccine. A military member gets a COVID-19 vaccine in Fort Knox, Ky., in a file image. (Jon Cherry/Getty Images) Major Kim Bitter served for 22 years in the U.S Air Force Reserve. Now, her career is in jeopardy right before retirement. Bitter’s underlying health condition caused her doctor to advise against the COVID-19 vaccination. Although she submitted a medical exemption request signed by her doctor, the military still denied it. She also submitted a religious accommodation request, which was denied. Her commander then informed Bitter that she wouldn’t be serving in the military anymore and would be out-processed to inactive ready reserve. This means sitting on the sidelines until her enlistment contract expires, which is detrimental to many troops’ careers, livelihoods, and pensions. Why is the military willing to treat its service members this way? Are these actions even legal? Philipp spoke with multiple lawyers to find out. Lawyer Mike Berry, First Liberty’s General Counsel, represented 35 Navy Seals and others seeking religious exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccination mandates at the time of the documentary. Berry said the DOD is acting as if the unvaccinated are unworthy of protection of their constitutional rights and that only the fully vaccinated have rights and liberties to be enjoyed. He believes this treatment displays blatant bigotry and discrimination, especially due to the religious beliefs that forbid many from getting the vaccine. As of January 2022, only the U.S. Marine Corps had granted any religious accommodations for the COVID vaccine, and even the two they granted have been called into question. Some have received an exemption for medical or administrative purposes, suggesting the military is not considering religious exemptions with the same weight as others. The apparent blanket denial of religious exemptions may violate religious protections such as the First Amendment of the Constitution, and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, among other laws, according to lawyers. Philipp cites one allowed exemption for people participating in the COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials using placebos, meaning these participants are unvaccinated. If the mandates were set because the unvaccinated pose too much danger to the armed forces, no one would be allowed to be unvaccinated. The EpochTV episode shows that a June 2021 order from the Air Force Chief of Chaplain states that when considering religious exemptions for the COVID-19 vaccine, commanders will approve the religious accommodation requests unless a compelling government interest exists behind the act they are requesting exemption from. Does this suggest a predetermined policy based on government interests to deny religious accommodations? The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 holds that religious protections under the U.S. Constitution are not just limited to official interpretations of religions or denominations. Beyond this, it protects the sincerely held beliefs unique to each individual, stating that the military cannot burden the exercise of religion, even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability. The only exception is if the government can show compelling justification to place restrictions, and even then, must prove that the path taken is the least restrictive means available. How is it least restrictive if medical exemptions are recognized for certain reasons, but religious exemptions are not allowed? Alarmingly, it appears that religious exceptions have been denied for some time. For example, the Department of the Navy says the last vaccine religious exemption request to be approved was in 2015. This suggests that refusal to honor religious freedoms with exemption requests predates the COVID-19 vaccines. According to former Navy Chaplain Dr. Gordon Klingenschmitt, the COVID-19 mandates reveal a pattern of religious discrimination within the military that has been going on for over a decade. In 2006, Klingenschmitt was no longer allowed to conduct sectarian prayers. This means chaplains could pray to a god, but they could not pray in Jesus’s name. Doing so would result in punishment by their commanding officer. In February 2021, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered a military-wide effort to address extremism in the ranks. Details on these discussions raised allegations of discrimination towards those with religious beliefs. In March 2021, while testifying before the House Armed Service Committee, Berry exposed a slide in a Department of Defense training manual that categorized Catholics and evangelical Christians as “religious extremists.” “Does this mean that the military’s efforts to wipe out extremism include a campaign that discriminates against Catholics and evangelical Christians?” asked Phillip. The slide even placed Catholics and evangelical Christians on a list next to the violent and racist Klu Klux Klan groups and terrorist organizations such as Al Quaeda and Hamas. According to the EpochTV episode, the DOD has been promoting extremist views itself. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) has exposed hundreds of stories from military whistleblowers that the DOD is pushing the Marxist ideology of Critical Race Theory within its ranks. Military history has been replaced with extreme leftist political ideologies such as systemic racism and white privilege. The military also has incorporated racist and openly discriminatory books such as “White Fragility” by Robin DiAngelo in its education. For the military to allow the presence of socialist ideology that has falsified American history and divides society based on race, gender, and ethnicity, is deeply concerning, Phillip said. All service members swear an oath to defend the Constitution, yet the department’s policies actively discriminate against religion. Every freedom in the U.S. Constitution is contingent on freedom of religion. If a person has freedom of speech, press, and assembly, but isn’t allowed to write, speak, or assemble on issues of faith, then they don’t have those rights after all. All American liberties hinge upon the individual’s religious freedom to have their own conscience and to live accordingly. 1.4 million people serve in the U.S. military. If successful, Berry’s case will show that people do not have to give up their religious freedoms when they serve in the military. Being in the military means that there will be orders and directives. However, those orders and directives must comply with the law and the Constitution. Service members have a right and obligation to challenge orders that violate their constitutional rights. Freedom of religion is closely tied to freedom overall, and a threat to either is a threat to both. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Watch the trailer: Watch the full video: https://www.theepochtimes.com/investigative-report-military-whistleblowers-reveal-religious-discrimination-under-covid-19-and-prior_4285531.html

Commentary An EpochTV special report entitled “Border Deception: How the US and UN Are Quietly Running the Border Crisis” reveals that what Americans are being told about the border crisis is an illusion. In the report, which aired Sept. 29, Joshua Philipp, editor and senior investigative reporter for The Epoch Times and host of the EpochTV segment “Crossroads,” uncovers alarming details about what is really happening at our nation’s border. Philipp says his investigation found “a coordinated effort, with the cooperation of foreign governments, financing from the United States, and a pervasive program being run by various NGOs and the United Nations, to facilitate human trafficking every step of the way, all through Central America, up through Mexico, and into the American heartland.” Philipp begins his investigation at the mouth of the Rio Grande, as he interviews noted war correspondent Michael Yon. Yon says he’s been tracking migrants worldwide. He explains that many immigrants must get through the cartels to get to Mexico, often crossing multiple countries’ borders in a dangerous trek. Yon makes it clear that the human rights crisis is real. But are the cartels facilitating the crisis, as many believe? Since the migration journey often begins in Colombia and Panama, and sometimes even further south, it’s clear that governments in each country are involved in pushing migrants northward. Is this a coordinated effort, and what is the motive? Who Are These Immigrants? Retired Marine Corps officer Tim Lynch, a resident of Roma, Texas, tells Philipp that in the past, the illegal immigrants coming to his town were families claiming asylum. Eventually, border agents recognized the same children reappearing every week. In response, agents began separating the families and doing DNA tests, finding that 30 percent of the children did not belong to those crossing with them. Lynch comments that everything happening at the border involves politics. The expectation is that illegal immigrants will reliably vote Democrat, he says. If they were expected to vote Republican, the Democratic Party would ensure they were kept out of the country. Local rancher Blake Ward tells Philipp he recalls illegal immigrants coming to his house when he was a child, asking for water. He recalls that they were humble, in need, and always looking for work. Now, the immigrants approach him multiple times a week and often display demanding and entitled behavior as they ask for food and demand to charge their phones. These are very different from the immigrants who had holes in their shoes, had clearly made a long trek, and were truly in need. Now, the immigrants are well-dressed and even appear to be profiting from what they do. Philipp found that these immigrants are assisted by charity groups, which is not surprising. But how can charity groups cover such high costs? If law enforcement is passing immigrants to charities, is it through a legal agreement? Who pays for it? Is this a local issue or something bigger? To find more answers, Philipp interviewed Sherrif Brad Coe of Kinney County, Texas. Coe says that crime from illegal immigrants, including human smuggling cases, takes up his entire manpower each week. His department is kept busy catching immigrants and handing them over to buses that transport them further into the country. NGOs pay for the buses, but he is kept in the dark about the organizations to which he has to pass the immigrants. How Are the US Government and the United Nations Involved? The EpochTV episode features Wisconsin Congressman Tom Tiffany, who has been personally investigating the border crisis. Tiffany has accused the federal government of running a human trafficking operation. He explains that one of the first things President Joe Biden did after his inauguration was get rid of the Trump era “remain in Mexico” policy, begin what is known as “catch and release,” and end border wall construction. As a result of these policies, millions of people come over the border illegally. Tiffany says it is evident that the U.S. government, at the behest of the Biden administration, is facilitating illegal immigration. Its behavior sends a signal to the rest of the world that has put illegal immigration “on steroids,” and incentivizes people to come to the United States illegally. Tiffany connects some of the dots between the U.S. government and the NGOs facilitating the transfer of immigrants from the border into the country. He shows how a foreign entity facilitates the resettlement of illegal immigrants within America, rather than the U.S. government. That organization is called the International Organization for Migration (IOM), part of the United Nations. According to its website, most of its funding comes from the U.S. government, several sub-branches of the U.S Agency for International Development, and from the State Department. IOM appears to work directly with the State Department, says Philipp. Its New York branch is a liaison between the organization and the State Department. The IOM website states that refugees arriving in the United States are offered interest-free travel loans, with funds furnished by the State Department. Immigrants are to repay this debt within a specific timeframe. However, collection of the payback is left to the NGOs. “American taxpayers are financing the mass migration into the United States, including for operation costs and for direct payments to the migrants,” says Phillip. “The money is going through various NGOs which are involved in resettling refugees. The United Nations, meanwhile, is facilitating the migration into the U.S. under the guidance of the State Department.” Are Immigrants Truly Seeking Asylum? Next, Philipp investigates whether the massive number of asylum cases is legitimate. The United States can’t keep track of these cases, and it’s unclear how the U.N. can ensure repayment for the immigrants’ expenses. Auden Cabello, Real America’s Voice correspondent, explains to Philipp that there are two types of migrants: those who qualify as asylum seekers and those who do not. Haitians, Cubans, and Venezuelans cross the border and turn themselves in so they can claim asylum. They want to get arrested so they can be processed. Many of these migrants carry papers saying that they have lived in Mexico for a lengthy period of time. These papers allowed them to travel freely in Mexico without being arrested and deported. However, once the migrants reach the border, they discard those papers, not wanting Border Patrol to know they’re coming from Mexico and have been living there for a long time, perhaps long enough to have permanent residence. These immigrants want to say they are coming from their country of origin and that they were being persecuted there, so they can claim asylum. According to Cabello, NGOs teach and direct migrants how to accomplish all of this. The funding for this comes from the U.N., NGOs, and Catholic charities, he says. Cabello says that Border Patrol is so busy processing people that employees of the Department of Public Safety (DPS) are the ones who receive the illegal immigrants and turn them over to Border Patrol. The National Guard watches and does not intervene. In the past, these immigrants would be turned over to U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), but ICE is so overwhelmed that it is not housing or deporting illegal immigrants anymore. Philipp visits a popular border crossing, examining discarded documents and finding flyers with the U.N. logo. Cabello walks him through the process, showing how immigrants come from the Mexican side, cross, change into dry clothes, and walk to DPS, where they are held until Border Patrol comes. Cartels: Not the Main Players Philipp says that cartels—which “we’ve been told are the main players”—are playing a much smaller role than Americans have been told. They may profit from immigration and human trafficking along the way, but they have little presence in much of the actual border crossing. Migrants cross, turn themselves in, and apply for asylum in order to be shipped directly into the nation’s heartland. “Border Patrol and law enforcement have become the funnels for the NGOs running this operation. And even more so, the people crossing are getting paid money to do this. And that money is coming out of the pockets of American taxpayers,” says Philipp. Many migrants, as the interviews reveal, intentionally hide their country of origin and discard their identities to defraud the amnesty system. Why Is the American Public Being Deceived? “Our investigation uncovered that the border crisis reality is a United Nations operation being financed by the U.S. government, with the goal of moving and resettling migrants throughout the United States,” Philipp concludes. “The open policy, along with the financial incentives, is drawing people in by the hundreds of thousands.” This EpochTV episode will leave viewers wondering about the real motive behind these detrimental policies and asking why the American public is being deceived about what is actually fueling the border crisis. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Watch the trailer: Watch the full video: https://www.theepochtimes.com/border-deception-how-the-us-and-un-are-quietly-running-the-border-crisis_4751511.html

Commentary Our culture has many myths regarding America’s founding principles and the American Revolution. I highly recommend the EpochTV series entitled “The American Story” to learn the inspiring and true story of America’s early years, which often contrasts with the narratives we hear today. In episode six, “The Road to the Revolution,” host Timothy Barton, president of WallBuilders, and Jonathan Richie, former assistant director of the American Journey Experience, use historical documents and artifacts to tell of the events and values that led to the American Revolution. Biblical Values In episode five of the series, Barton and Richie explain how early colonial pastors had taught the colonists biblical principles of government and liberty and how those ideas eventually expressed themselves in the American Revolution. “Taxation without representation is tyranny” was one of these values that originated in the writing of Pastor John Wise. However, the American Revolution was about much more than taxation. In episode six, the hosts take viewers on a journey to the early colonies, where the French and Indian wars led to taxes being imposed on the colonists. Realizing they had no representation in Parliament, Barton says the biblical teaching of the previous few decades met the political culture. The colonists resisted the king’s Stamp Act, causing it to be repealed. However, in its place, Parliament passed an act recognizing the colonies as dependent on Britain. Relations continued to diminish, and tensions escalated. The Massachusetts State Assembly even made a statement against Britain. When they refused to take it back, the king abolished the assembly, and more tyrannical leadership was imposed. Britain sent troops into Boston, leading to the event that planted the first seeds of the Revolution: the Boston Massacre. Soldiers in the early years of the American Revolution wore mismatched uniforms and civilian clothing, illustrated by H.A. Ogden, 1891. Lithography by G.H. Buek & Co. (Public Domain) The Boston Massacre The significance of the Boston Massacre should not be overlooked. The event was incited when a young American allegedly said something negative to a British soldier. The soldier decided to teach the young colonist a lesson by hitting him with the butt of his gun. When the child cried out, a crowd gathered to see a soldier standing over the youth with his weapon. This situation appeared to fuel the fire of frustrations the colonists had with the British occupation. Reinforcements were sent to protect the British officer, resulting in armed officers facing off with a crowd of angry colonists. The colonists began throwing snowballs, rocks, and sticks, which led to the officers firing into the crowd, killing three people immediately. Eight more were wounded, two of whom died later. The first man shot and killed was an African American patriot named Crispus Attucks. John Adams, American Founding Father and eventually the second president of the United States, was an honorable attorney in Boston. Although he did not like the British troops, he was asked to defend the British officer as the case went to trial, which he agreed to do. Later, Adams wrote of the significance of the Boston Massacre to the Revolution, claiming that “the blood of the martyrs, right or wrong, proved to be the seeds of the congregation,” more than all the other battles fought in the Revolution. Barton notes that many people see the American Revolution as Americans breaking away from Britain. However, initially, the colonists wanted to unite with Britain and be treated according to their rights as English subjects. However, as these fundamental rights continued to be eroded, tensions grew. Slavery in the Colonies One source of frustration was that the king and Parliament would strike down laws passed by legislative bodies in the colonies. Interestingly, many of these laws had to do with the abolition of slavery or against the slave trade. The colonist’s biblical values went against the practice of slavery, but when they tried to apply those values to their laws, it was not allowed. The EpochTV episode contrasts this to some of the assertions made by the controversial 1619 Project today: that America was founded on slavery, and the Revolutionary War was fought to defend slavery. The historical documents show that the desire of the colonists to free enslaved people was one of the major causes of the Revolution. Benjamin Franklin, who released his slaves, as did several other Founding Fathers, and eventually became president of an abolition society, wrote in 1773 that the “disposition to abolish slavery prevails in North America.” He noted that many colonists had set their slaves free and that the “Virginia Assembly had petitioned the king for permission to make a law preventing the importation of more in the colony. This request, however, will likely not be granted, as their former laws of that kind have always been repealed.” Barton said that if Americans studied the historical documents, there would be a very different narrative today regarding the Founding Fathers and slavery. The Boston Tea Party Eventually, the king placed a tax on something the colonists used in high demand—tea. The American people, driven by their values of natural rights and liberty, were vigilant about their freedom. They decided they had to say no to the unjust tax on tea. Because the tax would be imposed as soon as the tea was unloaded from the ship, they could not allow the ship into port. Fellow Founding Father Samuel Adams and a patriot group called the Sons of Liberty met and formulated a plan to try and resolve this issue peacefully. While this was being decided, the ship was not allowed to be unloaded and was kept in the harbor. The ship captain was told he would be held responsible and face the consequences from the king if he returned with the tea. Finally, the men decided dumping the tea into the harbor would resolve the dilemma. Adams and his men peacefully carried out their plan, being careful not to destroy anything else on the ship. Barton clarifies that the documents show this event was not a riot and was not destructive of anything except the tea. The British Governor himself said it was done peacefully and with civility. According to historical documents, the men cleaned the ship’s deck after dumping the tea. The EpochTV episode highlights many factors that aided the tensions eventually leading to the Revolution. It was not simply driven by taxation; the colonists were frustrated with a number of issues. Judges were striking down their laws, the slave trade remained active, British troops occupied the streets, which the colonists were forced to house and feed, and many other events were taking away their liberties as English subjects. Of the 27 grievances in the declaration of Independence, taxation without representation was No. 17, revealing much more to the story. Rebellion Against Tyranny The colonists, raised their entire lives by pastors based on biblical teachings, had a strong set of values regarding the role of government and Christians facing tyranny. As they saw their rights being taken away, they spent decades petitioning the king to no avail. Eventually, Richie says the colonies had to take action to resist tyranny and, in doing so, obey their biblical principles and, ultimately, God. The colonists believed that rebellion against tyranny was obedience to God because they recognized there was a creator and that their rights came from the creator, not the government. But unfortunately, the British government and king were rejecting those God-given rights. Barton stresses the importance of gleaning the facts from historical documents instead of being misled by the narratives of today. With regard to the motivations behind the American Revolution, when reading the historical documents, Barton states, “you find with clarity and even strength of position many times that the primary driving force was the exact opposite of what we’re being told today.” Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Watch the trailer: Watch the full video: https://www.theepochtimes.com/mkt_breakINGnews/the-road-to-the-revolution-the-american-story-episode-6_4692298.html

Commentary In the special series “The Dark Origins of Communism,” Joshua Philipp, an investigative journalist for The Epoch Times, offers a chilling and eye-opening history of the origins of communism and the horrifying results that followed. The informative program on EpochTV walks viewers through the ideological principles on which communism, Marxism, and socialism are founded and examines how it is necessary for communist messaging to create division and strife in society to achieve its desired goal. Communism Promises a Utopia, but Delivers a Nightmare Communism pursues an imagined future utopia by creating a dystopia. Karl Marx, the father of Marxism, believed that struggle led to social evolution. His communist system thus tried to incite struggle to hasten progress—a process that required fomenting economic, social, and moral collapse. This is seen in the sheer horror that communism has brought to every area of the world it has touched. In the last 100 years, communist regimes have claimed over 100 million to 150 million lives in their pursuit of “progress.” Communism has created societies where power is held by a small group that enslaves entire nations and where killing, reeducation-through-labor camps, censorship, and slavery become part of everyday life. Communism’s appetite for never-ending destruction and bloodlust is evident in all of its subsequent systems. Although the names of communist organizations change with modern times, history consistently shows us the truth about communism: that although it promises heaven on earth, it instead delivers a living hell. And chaos and horror follow whenever religion, morals, and respect for society are destroyed. Lastly, it shows us that “enlightened” ideas that seek to strip humans of rights endowed by God and replace them with government authority lead solely to oppression and death. Karl Marx (1818-1883), circa 1875, by John Jabez Edwin Mayal. (Public Domain) Abolish Religion and Morals A key goal of communism is to erase pre-existing morals in a society. For this to be done, the government must replace them with their own code of ethics, which is to obey the communist party at the expense of humanity. Under the communist system of dialectical materialism, everything in the universe amounts to “matter in motion,” meaning that individuals are nothing more than a clump of physical cells. The souls, emotions, mental health, and well-being of human beings are not part of the communist equation. The thought process that communist systems instill in people is inverted. On the surface, communism claims to empower the people so they can be happy. Instead, it disempowers them so they can be subjugated. This is why communism aggressively seeks to destroy spirituality. They must do this because spirituality itself poses a threat to communism. Even the notion of a soul threatens communism because a soul carries an inner moral compass that is uniquely yours. If a person’s moral compass contradicts what communism dictates, that is a threat. Communism does not want people to have convictions. Instead, it wants them to follow orders. Communists lead society to believe that morality, faith, and ethics are wrong, but famine, oppression, and struggle are right—when they serve the party. Therefore, communism arises after all morals, traditions, beliefs, institutions, hierarchy, and values have been destroyed. Communism convinces people that it intends to bring them happiness, but this happiness can only be achieved after a segment of society is either suppressed or eradicated. Therefore, it provides conditional happiness at the expense of one’s morals. Russian author Alexander Solzhenitsyn said, “The failings of human consciousness, deprived of its divine dimension, have been a determining factor in all the major crimes of this century.” When faith is destroyed and the foundations of morality are overturned, the government becomes the highest power and the basis of morality. Destabilize Society Through Division and Strife The EpochTV series explains that since communists believe progress can only be attained through struggle, they try to fast-track “progress” by engineering struggle. Their formula for doing so is quite simple. Marxist theoretician Georgi Valentinovich Plekhanov wrote in “Dialectic and Logic” in 1928 that the communist dialectic follows three laws: to identify, to contradict, and to “exclude the middle.” First, they “identify” an issue in society. Then, they “contradict” it by sharpening that issue into two antagonistic extremes. The chosen issue is then polarized and distributed to the media—via state mouthpieces—in a campaign designed to create division and cause struggle. In this campaign, the goal is to “exclude the middle,” meaning there is no tolerance for moderates. In the Soviet Union, Vladimir Lenin categorized all people into two groups: those who supported the communist revolution and those who did not. And those who did not were marked for destruction. Communists favor extremes, intentionally discounting the often wide variety of moderate viewpoints because they do not serve the communist narrative. Traditional dialectics aim to help people understand truths by exchanging varying ideas and looking at both sides of an issue. Karl Marx’s concept of dialectical materialism, which is at the heart of modern communism, does the opposite. It looks at various topics in society and identifies their polar opposites. It then makes those opposites the communist viewpoint and pushes these viewpoints as being absolute and unquestionable. Total Control Over Society In an ideal communist state, the government controls everything—public and private. While modern-day socialists want to divorce themselves from the failed institutions of Nazism and fascism, the truth is that they adopt many of the same interventionist policies and underlying ideas. For socialism to be effective, it must destabilize the existing social order via chaos and violence. It does this by intentionally propping up “crises” and class enemies to blame so that people will be fed up enough to settle for a “new” system—which socialists will ensure is their system. Religion establishes morals and values that are higher than government. The Constitution of the United States establishes rights that come from God, not the government. Because of these beliefs, both have become the enemies of any tyrant looking to expand power over a society. This EpochTV series shows how every real-world example of communism proves that although communism claims to be “for the people,” that lie only serves to justify its plan of building an all-powerful authoritarian state. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Watch the trailer: Watch the full video: https://www.theepochtimes.com/series/the-dark-origins-of-communism_4080430

Commentary Crime in California is spiraling out of control, diminishing the quality of life for its residents and erasing the character and promise of what was once a coveted place to live. Siyamak Khorrami, host of EpochTV‘s “California Insider” program, provides on-the-ground reporting and interviews to shed light on crime in California and what can be done about it. Testimony from California residents sounds a lot like life in a third-world country. Many say they can’t wear jewelry in public because of blatant robberies that are taking place around the clock. Even places like show-business capital Hollywood and luxurious Beverly Hills are no longer safe for those who possess status symbols that show their social or economic standing. Having a nice car or an expensive wristwatch makes a person a target. Former Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley explains that there will always be the “criminal element” in society, but the “only way to fight it is through policies and the people who fight the criminal element—police and prosecutors.” He says that weak prosecutors give the criminal element an advantage, which in turn leads to a crime-ridden society. The documentary “California’s Crime Wave–What’s the Problem?” shows an interview with a California resident who tells of drinking his morning coffee while watching security video footage of his home, and seeing multiple attempted break-ins every night. Eventually, over 80 percent of his fellow homeowners’ association members voted in favor of hiring armed security guards to patrol the area at night. In San Francisco, more than 40 percent of people surveyed say they’d like to move out of the city. Many already have. Thieves are targeting small businesses more frequently, with robberies up 100 percent. Three of the top 10 cities for organized retail theft in the country are in California. Video footage shows shoplifters stealing and looting right in front of shoppers and security guards, walking out with armloads of clothes in broad daylight. They even lie in wait for people exiting stores to steal items they just purchased. One small business owner said he believes California’s system is sending the message that it’s OK to steal because they continue to let people get away with it. Interestingly, according to official data, violence and property crime rates are at historic lows in California. Is the data wrong, or is it being manipulated? If you ask the average resident in San Francisco, they will tell you crime has gone out of control. Michael Shellenberger, an independent journalist and author, says there has been an effort to hide the rise in crime, and that many people don’t even report crimes anymore because the police won’t do anything about it anyway. According to Shellenberger, the District Attorney no longer prosecutes many crimes. Overall, far fewer arrests are being made, fewer reports being taken, and fewer crimes being prosecuted. Official data from the San Francisco Police Department shows 3,000 reports of shoplifting in 2021, which seems like a small number, being used by many state officials and the media. However, small businesses say they hardly ever report shoplifting anymore. To get a more accurate idea of crime rates in California, one must look at the murder rates. Douglas Eckenrod, former deputy director of California State Parole, breaks down Los Angeles County Sheriff’s data from 2019–2021. The data shows a disconnect between criminal homicide rates in Los Angeles and data on robberies and aggravated assault. This is very odd, he said, as homicide rates should reflect a relationship with the other crime rates. Specific jurisdictions are breaking that pattern, with one going up and others trending up or down, which in Eckenrod’s view means there is a reporting problem. He explains that you can’t hide the homicide number, because when a person is deceased, and the coroner makes that judgment, it is on record, making the homicide data more trustworthy. Crime scene tape at a mini mall where a deadly shooting occurred at Salon Meritage in Seal Beach, California, on Oct. 12, 2011. AFP PHOTO / JONATHAN ALCORN (Photo credit should read JONATHAN ALCORN/AFP via Getty Images) The Impact of Defunding Law Enforcement SFPD Officer Richard Cibotti says that in 14 years, he has never seen morale lower in the police force, where they are now losing 5 to 10 officers a month. “A lot of cops have felt like they’ve lost purpose,” Cibotti says. He explains that many police officers want the job in order to help the community and make a difference. But when they make an arrest and face an investigation from their local oversight board, or the people they arrest don’t face any consequences, it feels like they have lost their purpose and mission. Another contributor to low police morale is the Civilian Review Board, which has a few thousand pages of policy, greatly increasing the chances of violating one rule or another, no matter how minuscule. Because of this, officers risk facing consequences for almost anything, meaning that, in many cases, it’s safer for them to not do anything at all. If they have to resort to using force in a situation, they could be facing criminal charges. Anti-police rhetoric, lack of respect for law enforcement by the public, criticism, and being wrongly prosecuted cause many to leave their jurisdiction in big cities or simply retire. With the defunding of law enforcement and loss of personnel, Alex Villanueva, Sheriff of Los Angeles County, says they are the most understaffed agency in the nation. According to Villanueva, the NYPD has four officers for every 1,000 residents, whereas he has 0.9 for every 1,000. Having 25 percent of his detective division missing results in fewer detectives solving crime, more robberies, and dangerous criminals going free. “That is the consequence of defunding. That means the bad guys are out there on the street, committing more crimes, victimizing more people, and it takes that much longer to finally get a hold of them,” he said. Villanueva notes that once criminals are caught and put in jail, there is a lack of personnel to keep them there, which is also due to the defunding of the police department. Can the Problem Be Fixed? The documentary gives an overview of the history of California’s criminal justice system and the debate between it being too harsh or too soft on crime. Is there a happy medium? Which paths actually lead to real reform? From the 1980s to the early 2000s, the California crime rate was at an all-time high. The state approved a series of tough-on-crime initiatives, which led to an increase in the number of incarcerations. Proponents said harsher punishments would reduce crime rates, which they did. Critics said it made the system too costly and created overcrowding, which it also did. In 2006, the California prison system reached a breaking point. Overcrowding and poor quality of medical and mental health care eventually, in 2011, led to the United States Supreme Court ruling the system unconstitutional. Reform followed, with the passing of legislation that reduced sentences, legalized certain crimes, and realigned prisoners, sending them to jail instead of prison. However, most county jails are not built for long-term stays and rehabilitation. The realignment approach led to jails being overcrowded, which resulted in sheriffs having to release a given number of people. For instance, if someone is charged with a felony and sentenced to two years in a local jail, that jail could be overcrowded and that felon could be released within 10 days. The county jail population rose drastically after realignment initiatives, and the prison population also dropped. However, the prison population did not decline again until further legislation had to be passed that changed serious crimes to misdemeanors and lessened consequences. Now, criminals feel confident they won’t be arrested or prosecuted. Security guards are often told to simply stand down, many businesses have closed, and there is virtually no punishment for theft. Even if felons are arrested, due to overcrowding, they won’t see the inside of the jail. Instead, they are given a ticket to show up in court, which they hardly ever do. Greg Johnson, the founder of an adult rehabilitation program in California, says there is a discrepancy between theory and how these policies are working out in reality. “The real problem is addiction, and that is not being addressed,” he says, adding that many worry about whether people have a place to stay, or their mental health, but mental health is often driven by addiction. Because a small percentage of criminals are responsible for most of the crimes, initiatives such as a three-strike system worked well. They put repeat offenders—the worst criminals—away, holding them accountable, and rehabilitating the ones that are rehabilitable. Villanueva says it’s important to understand that not everyone is rehabilitable, and that is simply a reality. Steve Cooley says that oftentimes people commit a crime but they do not need to be incarcerated—citing many resources available to keep people out of prison while keeping them productive. However, there are certain criminals who endanger society and need to be incarcerated. Taking away prior convictions, lessening sentences, etc. does not help the criminal justice system, but rather, results in simply not having a criminal justice system at all, he says. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Watch the trailer: Watch the full video: https://www.theepochtimes.com/californias-vanishing-dream_4453045.html with EPOCHTV subscription. ($1 for 2 months trial available )