Category Archives: Freedom

A caravan of over a dozen cars, with six Luna County Sheriffs Office units escorting them, made its way from the Starmax entertainment center on Country Club Road west on Pine Street and south on Gold Avenue to the Luna County Courthouse Sunday afternoon.

Messages painted on the vehicles windows or displayed on signs bore messages such as, Gods children are not 4 sale, Ride for freedom and End child trafficking!

At least two vehicles flew small flags bearing a logo, resembling three links of a chain, spelling out the initials of Operation Underground Railroad, the nonprofit organization whose founder, Tim Ballard, is depicted in this summers hit movie, Sound of Freedom.

Local Ride for Freedom caravans were encouraged by the organization to mark July 30 as a day of protest against human trafficking. The Deming event, including an hour-long gathering of about 20 people on the lawn at Poplar Street and Platinum Avenue, was organized by Sara Williams. (Williams recently spent several months as a marketing consultant for the Headlight.)

Among those in attendance was Mayor Benny Jasso.

Angel Studios released Sound of Freedom on July 4 and grossed $19.6 million in its opening weekend already surpassing its $14.5 million budget. By July 28, it posted a gross exceeding $130 million.

The PG-13-rated thriller dramatizes Ballards work as a former federal agent rescuing children from a Columbian child trafficking operation. It has received mixed reviews from critics and subject experts, who have variously called it a solid action movie with disturbing scenes while some criticize it for fictionalizing some events. The studio acknowledged creative liberties in its depictions of child trafficking.

A spokesperson for Starmax said Monday the film had grossed $15,876 in Deming since opening on July 4.

Jim Caviezel portrays former federal agent Tim Ballard in Sound of Freedom. (Courtesy of Angel Studios)

It has been our highest grossing movie for the month of July, the spokesperson said, adding that the only movie to outsell it in 2023 has been The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which ran at Starmax for seven weeks.

The theater reported that, nationwide, Sound of Freedom already ranked 13th for the year with a gross of $136,907,547 as of Aug. 1.

Among the groups promoting the movie are adherents of the widespread conspiracist movement known as QAnon, which Angel Studios, Ballard and Operation Underground Railroad have vaguely disavowed.

Flyers for Sundays caravan did not address the cause directly, referring readers to a social media hashtag, #RiseUpForFreedom, and showing the chain-like logo of Operation Underground Railroad, which is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Ballard founded the organization in 2013 after a career at the Department of Homeland Security where, according to his bio, he worked on teams addressing internet crimes against children and child sex trafficking. Ballard stepped down as the companys leader just ahead of the movies release.

According to its website, OUR works with local law enforcement agencies to conduct extensive undercover work and intelligence gathering to rescue victims of human trafficking and bondage while providing recovery services to victims. From its name to its abolitionist club donor tier, the organization links its mission to the historic Underground Railroad consisting of safe houses and covert routes aiding escaped American slaves in the 19th century.

The organization has a rating of four out of four stars on the Charity Navigator website, which assesses nonprofits based on their financial transparency, adherence to mission and leadership among other rubrics, while noting that data used for some of its metrics were not available.

Sound of Freedom star Jim Caviezel has amplified QAnon claims while promoting the film. At the same time, Angel Studios, Ballard and OUR have all distanced themselves from conspiracy theories in general terms.

OUR states on its website: Accurate information about child exploitation and human trafficking is imperative to effectively confront these issues. We encourage anyone who wants to join the fight to stay informed and use care when engaging around these issues to not hurt the cause.

Man wears a T-shirt aligning with QAnon. (Marc Nozell/Wikimedia Commons)

QAnon is a wide-ranging mythos originating circa 2017 on the internet, initially attributed to an alleged intelligence operative posting anonymously as Q hence, QAnon. The central story is that an international, Satanic organization with roots through governments, the Democratic Party, Hollywood and news media, is molesting and/or murdering children on an industrial scale. According to the story, President Donald Trump and his administration were fighting a covert battle against the cabal and preparing to arrest thousands of conspirators in an event referred to as the Storm.

While these outlandish claims have been widely mocked, they have also inspired criminal acts among believers including violence. In 2016, a Washington, D.C. pizzeria named in QAnon-related social media posts received a visit from Edgar Maddison Welch, wielding an AR-15, to investigate online rumors that child sex slaves were harbored there. Welch fired three shots in the restaurant but did not injure anyone. He pleaded guilty to transporting his firearm across state lines and to assault with a deadly weapon, was sentenced to four years in prison and has subsequently been released.

One way QAnon spread into the mainstream and recruited believers was through signs at political demonstrations and hashtags on social media such as #SaveTheChildren.

QAnon has been compared to a cult in the way it seeks to alienate recruits from conventional agencies that vet information, accusing the medical establishment, tech companies and media organizations of suppressing evidence that would substantiate its claims; and in the way it presents adherents with an insular community of the like-minded.

Caviezel has aired claims from the QAnon storybook that young victims are being farmed for a substance called adrenochrome, which, as the story goes, is used by politicians and celebrity performers as an elixir of youth.

While the films producers and OUR have attempted to put space between the movie and QAnon, there is little argument that the movements embrace of Sound of Freedom has sold tickets.

The main speaker at Sundays gathering was Ernie Holguin, owner of a downtown business, whom Williams said she invited to offer data about human trafficking and child exploitation as a serious law enforcement concern.

Following a group prayer with participants standing in a circle, Holguin spoke from the bed of a pickup truck into a microphone, consulting notes from his personal research into the issue, citing a number of data points before moving beyond the movie into some of the wilder claims associated with QAnon, including those about adrenochrome.

Holguin denied to the Headlight that his remarks were connected with QAnon, but rather came from his own online research over five years.

His speech referred to a rumor nicknamed frazzledrip, which claims the existence of a video showing Hillary Clinton murdering a female child and wearing her skin as a mask. Somehow, this video has never been found and published.

Ernie Holguin was the main speaker at a World Day Against Human Trafficking rally in Deming on July 30. (Algernon DAmmassa/Deming Headlight)

Some members of the group appeared taken aback by these claims but listened politely, and some nodded as Holguin called on them to pray for the deliverance of victims and protection for law enforcement officers.

When asked for his evidence of the frazzledrip videos existence, Holguin obliged with a link to a seven-minute video that presents no footage of the incident, sources or any verifiable evidence.

Nonetheless, Holguin said he sincerely believes the story as well as claims about adrenochrome. The hard part is they keep removing videos and pics of the whole sacrifice, he wrote. If I was to keep searching for the video, pics and even the audio Im sure I could find it if I had the time.

As the gathering concluded, Williams, who said she was not familiar with the QAnon phenomenon, offered a few words about maintaining awareness of human trafficking, as New Mexico is situated on the border and the junction of crucial interstate highways. She said she hoped for more participation at a future event.

The Headlight reached out to the mayor for comment about the gathering, but he did not respond.

Algernon DAmmassa can be reached at algernon@demingheadlight.com.

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Locals organize 'Sound of Freedom' caravan - The Deming Headlight

Court Upholds First Amendment rights of Libraries, Librarians, Booksellers, Publishers,Authorsand Readers in Commanding Opinion

Washington, D.C. On July 29, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas granted a Preliminary Injunction, barring the implementation of two provisions of Arkansas Act 372, one of which would have subjected librarians and bookstore owners to criminal prosecution unless they removedfrom shelves serving older minors and adultsmaterial deemed unsuitable for the youngest minors. The other provision would have mandated a library book challenge procedure in public libraries whereby individuals may challenge books based on appropriateness (an undefined term not based on constitutional standards). In addition review boards would have been allowed or even invited to engage in viewpoint and content based discrimination. The ruling came in response to thesuitfiled by a coalition of plaintiffs that includes local Arkansas libraries, as well as authors, publishers, booksellers, librarians, and readers. The bill was signed by the Governor of Arkansas on March 30, 2023 and had been slated to go into effect on August 1.

Excerpts from the Order and Opinion

Joint Statement of the Organizational Plaintiffs

Allison Hill, the CEO of the American Booksellers Association; Maria Pallante, President and CEO of the Association of American Publishers; Mary Rasenberger, CEO of the Authors Guild; Deborah Caldwell- Stone, the Executive Director of the Freedom to Read Foundation; Jeff Trexler, the Interim DirectorofComic Book Legal Defense Fund; Pearls Books; Kandi West, Lia Lent and Lynne Phillips, owners of WordsWorth Books:

The court has moved decisively to protect the First Amendment rights of Arkansas book community, consistent with the rigorous analysis that freedom of speech has always required. In barring theimplementation of the challenged provisions of ArkansasAct 372, the court has preserved the constitutional right of the states readers to receive information, including viewpoints that state legislators may find disagreeable. Just as profoundly, the court has shielded the states booksellers and librarians from extreme punishments for performing their essential function of making books available to the public.

What the Bill Would Have Done

The lawsuit challenged two provisions of Act 372 that would have violated the First and Fourteenth Amendments. One component made it a crime for libraries, booksellers, and any brick-and-mortar establishment to display or make available works that might be harmful to minors. This would have required libraries and booksellers to limit all readers to books appropriate for minors or exclude all minor readers from their premises. The second provision made it possible for any person in Arkansas to demand the removal of a book the person deemed inappropriate, limiting readers to one persons opinion about what books should be in the library, and it would have permitted or encouraged review boards to engage in viewpoint- and content-based discrimination.

Plaintiffs

The plaintiffs in the suit include the American Booksellers Association, Association of American Publishers, Authors Guild, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, Freedom to Read Foundation, and two local bookstores WordsWorth Books in Little Rock and Pearls Books in Fayetteville, as well as a consortium of local libraries, librarians, and library advocates, which includes Fayetteville Public Library, Eureka Springs Carnegie Public Library, Central Arkansas Library System (CALS), Arkansas Library Association, Advocates for All Arkansas Libraries, Nate Coulter (Executive Director of CALS); Adam Webb, a librarian from Garland County; Olivia Farrell, an adult CALS patron; Hayden Kirby, a 17-year-old CALS patron; and Leta Caplinger, a patron of the Crawford County Public Library.

Counsel

Counsel for the various plaintiffs includeJohn T. Adamsof Fuqua Campbell, P.A.;Michael Bambergerof Dentons;Bettina Brownsteinof the ACLU of Arkansas; and Benjamin Seel and Will Bardwell ofDemocracy Forward.

Read the opinion here.

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Freedom to Read Foundation welcomes preliminary injunction ... - ala.org

Hugh Odneal, Jefferson City

Dear Editor,

One definition from the Webster Dictionary; "the quality or state of being free: such as; the absence of necessity, coercion or constraint in choice or action." Another is the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint:"

Does this sound like the freedom's we experience in the United States? Where is the coercion or constraint in choice or action coming from? Is it from the Christian seminary that uses Biblical authority for its guidelines of admittance and conduct, the Christian baker, Christian photographer, Christian web-designer, Christian florist ... whose desires are to use their God-given talents to glorify God with the talents he gave them? They are not using coercion to force anyone to accept their Christian values; they are being coerced to compromise their Christian values.

Freedom cannot exist without tolerance, true tolerance. And what is true tolerance? Again from Webster, "sympathy or indulgence for beliefs or practices differing from or conflicting with one's own."

Notice tolerance does not require acceptance or agreement with the other's belief or lifestyle; in fact acceptance or agreement would not be tolerance. Tolerance requires compassion and love.

Freedom is not for the pacifist, from Gov. Reagan's Jan. 5, 1967, inaugural address, "Freedom is a fragile thing, and it's never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by way of inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation.

"With all the profound wording of our federal Constitution, probably the most meaningful words are the first three, 'We, the People.' Now, it is inconceivable to me that anyone could accept this delegated authority without asking God's help."

Jesus was not a pacifist nor did he compromise. Matthew 21:13: "My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it 'a den of robbers.'"

Franklin Graham gave the simple solution 2 Chronicles 7:14, "ifmy people who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

Notice God only asks for "my people who are called by my name," Christians, to humble themselves. So why is our nation and world in the chaos we see all around us? Is it because we are those God called stiff-necked and rebellious?

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COMMENTARY: What is freedom? - Jefferson City News Tribune

A rally protesting COVID-19 vaccinations outside the Tennessee Capitol in 2021. (Photo: Sam Stockard)

Tennessee Stands its founder and executive director is Gary Humble didnt slow down. It pumped out social-media posts and email newsletter updates. The group tried to shape state legislation; some of its targeted priorities in 2022 included medical freedom and so-called election integrity. It used a far-right view of Christianity as a driving force for its work.

Williamson County Schools school board removed a mask mandate in mid-November 2021. Moms for Liberty-Williamson County, its supporters on Facebook, or both, still had other things on their agenda. Just like early on, Moms for Liberty-Williamson County wanted books banned. There was a desire to affect curricula. They took issue with things that taught students about the LGBTQ+ community as well as racism and the U.S. Moms for Liberty-Williamson County opposed legislation that would require children in fifth through eighth grade to learn about Black history and Black culture. It also pushed for anti-LGBTQ+ legislation that would let teachers, principals and other public-school employees use inaccurate pronouns when referring to students.

On Jan. 23, 2022, people walked the streets of Franklin, taking part in protests going on that month around the world against coronavirus pandemic-related mitigation efforts. At one point, at least some of the people participating in the Franklin protest stopped to take a group picture. No one was masked in it. Practically everyone was holding a sign; most, if not all, were conspiratorial and anti-science. One man, bald and smiling, stood out. Kneeling in the front row, toward the middle, he held two anti-vaccination signs, each had at least one Nazi-era yellow Star of David badge and the word Vaccinated within it.

WELCOME AMERICAN FREEDOM CONVOY, a sign read, in all-capital letters.

The sign was hard to miss at the James E. Ward Agricultural & Community Center in Lebanon, Tennessee. Located in Middle Tennessees Wilson County, Lebanon is about 30 miles east of Nashville and about 45 to 60 miles northeast of Franklin, depending on which route you drive.

Gates were already open for the American Freedom Convoys event there at around 2:30 on that sunny afternoon. Crowds had arrived. Food trucks, too. People were selling t-shirts and flags. And the events lineup of speakers and performances were underway.

The American Freedom Convoy was one of a number of cargo-truck-centered convoys in the U.S. that were copycatting the then-recent far-right Canadian truckers convoy, which had protested pandemic-mitigation efforts. In the U.S., far-right truckers from a number of places had already started working their way to the Washington, D.C., area to lawfully protest. They claimed that their freedom had been infringed upon by the federal government. As for the American Freedom Convoy, it specifically set out [t]o restore our freedoms, our civil liberties, and to bring an end to all unconstitutional mandates with legal provisions in place to ensure this never happens again, according to a southeastern regional-chapters private Facebook group.

The event in Lebanon served multiple purposes. One was to give truckers a place to rest before resuming their trek east. It also let locals show their support for the truckers, by buying them dinner and donating items to them: playing cards, toilet paper, toe warmers.

A third purpose intentional or not was to be a far-right pep rally. There were American flags; people dressed in American flag-themed clothing; pro-Trump signs; a sign reading ARREST Fauci, referring to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the countrys then-top government health official when it came to infectious diseases; a FJB LETS GO BRANDON flag, with FJB meaning F JOE BIDEN and LETS GO BRANDON being the popular anti-Biden saying used by some Trump supporters. One woman wore a dark shirt with UNMASKED UNMUZZLED UNVACCINATED UNAFRAID in white lettering.

Turnout at the event was solid. According to a tally by one of the events organizers, Sarah Kearney, posted on March 4, 2022, in a private Facebook group called Freedom Convoy Tennessee which the Lookout had direct access to thousands of people showed up. But one key group of event-goers fell short of Kearneys expectation: actual convoy trucks. While she didnt provide the number of trucks that showed up, Kearney posted it wasnt hundreds.

Part one: A darker shade of red

How many of you want to continue to fight for your freedom in Tennessee? Kearney asked in a mid-morning post in the Facebook group on March 5, 2022. Our rally was just the beginning. We are the majority in this country! Once the rest of the world figures this out we will be unstoppable. We want to do more events, we want to get more information out. Whos in?

Later that afternoon, Kearney posted again. This time, she had an announcement for the group: She had spoken with Humble from Tennessee Stands Humble was a featured speaker at the Lebanon event and he had talked her into helping out with his efforts to affect legislation in the state.

We ALL need to SHOW UP at The Capitol for this hearing to show our support for medical freedom, Kearney said of an upcoming hearing in Nashville.

The particular piece of far-right legislation that was set to be discussed would, basically, make it illegal if you turned someone away from a place, like a restaurant, if they hadnt been vaccinated against COVID-19 or another communicable disease.

Kearney continued: Regardless of your age, job, or school, NO ONE should be able to force ANY injections against your will.

The association between Kearney, Humble and Tennessee Stands would continue.

A new convoy happened on April 30, 2022, this one local. People motored from here and there in Tennessee to Nashville. At the time, Tonya Dodd was an administrator of the private Facebook group for the Tennessee chapter of the The Peoples Convoy; The Peoples Convoy was another of the multiple far-right U.S. cargo-truck convoys. According to an April 12, 2022, post by Dodd in The Peoples Convoy Official-Tennessee Facebook group, people from a number of convoys and other groups in Tennessee had banded together. She said the focus going forward would be restoring the U.S. Constitution as well as election/voter integrity and accountability all far-right conspiracy theories.

Evolution of the Christian right in Tennessee

In Tennessee, people within the far right were hard at work trying to get themselves or others elected in the 2022 midterm elections. That way, they could try to put their stamp on things from the inside.

For Robin Steenman, work started before 2022.

In 2021, a self-described conservative, Judeo-Christian political action committee named Williamson Families got launched. The person in charge? Steenman. You see, Moms for Liberty-Williamson County was classified as a 501(c)(4) organization, and according to the IRS could only run as a non-profit and was solely limited to operating in a fashion that promoted social welfare. That meant elections were off-limits. Steenman relayed the news on the private Moms for Liberty-Williamson County Facebook group on Oct. 6, 2021. But she noted a loophole: a PAC.

In an email to Williamson Families listserv which a Lookout writer received directly a week later, Steenman wrote to supporters, saying that the PACs purpose was to find, vet and support candidates. After endorsing three candidates running for county alderperson in the local 2021 election, Williamson Families set its sights on 2022.

On March 8, 2022, more than a dozen people publicly got Williamson Families endorsement at an event in Franklin.

Psalm 144: Praise be the Lord, my rock who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle, Steenman said from the lectern on the stage at the event. The hands of the American people are what will tend the sacred fire of liberty. Williamson Families is not going away. And we will not be cowed. And we will not be afraid. We derive our courage and our calling from God above, and when we win this year, in 2022, all glory to God above. Steenman paused. The crowd clapped. She continued: Not me.

On April 6, 2022, Williamson Families announced via email an endorsement for someone running in the midterm elections for county juvenile court judge. At that point, the PAC had doled out 20 endorsements. Half of Williamson County Schools board was on the ballot; those six seats had Williamson Families-approved candidates vying for them.

Its a 12-member [school] board, and if they get four of those seats, that gives them more of an opportunity to try to swing some other people over. If they get four out of the six seats, then, in two years, theyll have the opportunity to take four or six more, says Brad Fiscus. If they were to get all six, then all hell will break loose in the school system. I really see it happening because, even though that doesnt give them the majority, it gives them, basically, a six-six tie. Vetoes anything. It kills anything.

Muzzled: COVID-19 and controversy in Tennessee

Of the PACs remaining 14 endorsements, 13 went to people running for seats on the county commission. The other one went to Connie Reguli in the county juvenile court judge race; however, that endorsement would get rescinded. Why? Turns out, Reguli had been found guilty of breaking the law.

Brad Fiscus wouldnt be surprised if Steenman runs for office herself someday. But, he noted, her running hinged on how her agenda would end up doing at the ballot box in the midterm elections.

A seat representing Williamson County in the states Senate was also up for grabs in the midterms. One person hoping to win it was none other than Humble.

He was challenging the Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson. Johnson himself had embraced far-right ideology.

And Gov. Bill Lee, a Franklin-native, was up for reelection. Since first getting elected in 2018, Lee had signed an anti-LGBTQ education bill as well as an anti-transgender health-care bill into law. Those moves are in addition to him banning critical race theory from being taught in public schools.

Former president Donald Trump endorsed Lee for reelection.

Tennessees two U.S. senators still had time left on their six-year terms. So, their seats werent available in the midterms. However, all nine of the states members of the U.S. House of Representatives were. And, yes, candidates with far-right views threw their hats into the ring.

Look for the final installment in our series A darker shade of red tomorrow.

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"Medical freedom" at the forefront of 2022 Tennessee elections ... - Tennessee Lookout

Faster, Auntie, faster! my little girl cried. Her aunt, a close family friend, moved the lever up next to the wheel and up went the front of the boat. My stomach turned as the water rushed behind us, and the wind brushed the hair from our faces. It was our first time in a motorboat and our first time feeling freedom on a lake.

This was not our original plan for our summer trip. We were going to visit some close friends at their cottage by the lake for some swimming, hot dogs and taco salad. Nothing too fancy or crazy, until they told us that their parents owned a boat that we could ride on. Having lived in the Texan/New Mexican desert for most of my life, riding on a boat was not common, so although I was hesitant at first, my friend assured me that as long as the children wore a life jacket, there was nothing to worry about. I looked about the boat before committing to riding in it. No seat belts, nothing to hang on to; it was a wonder anyone was able to stay on this foreign contraption.

I wasnt sure that my youngest, who is only 3, would be interested in anything of the sort, but she loved the idea of speed and water; two of her favorite things. I found a seat, put on a jacket, and got ready for an experience I will never forget.

The noise wasnt any louder than some cars, and the ride started out very smooth and slow. I could totally handle this, I thought, but after the request to go faster, I was in for the ride of my life. Unprepared for the bumpy waves, I held onto my daughter nice and tight, unaware of how tight I was actually holding her.

It was different from any motorcycle or convertible I had been on; the feeling of the wind in your hair was accompanied with this feeling of riding into a vast expanse of water and mountains. There were no lanes, no signs, just birds, trees and water. The islands showed you where to turn, the birds told you where to fish, and the frogs showed you where to swim.

To top it off, this was up in the Great White North where my husbands family and close friends are from, so the air was cool and crisp, much like winter in South Texas, and I was pretty unprepared.

My little girl was completely unaffected, however, She loved the wind, smiled her bright and free smile all the ride-long, and shook her head at the spray of the water. I had never seen such a free and nature-loving spirit as I saw in her that day. In fact, I enjoyed it all the more because of it.

Its amazing how these little experiences can bring out the best in people you see on a daily basis, including your own children. How wonderful it is to experience nature, friendship and love all in one activity. I hope you all are having an equally amazing summer, bonding with friends, family, or just yourself and nature.

Ashley Hunter is a mom, teacher, and community supporter who loves who she is and where she lives. If you have ideas that you would like to share with Hunter, you may email suggestions to hunter.ashleyk@gmail.com .

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Experience the freedom of the open water | Features ... - Victoria Advocate

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Freedom of speech can have consequences | Letters to the Editor ... - Tullahoma News and Guardian

Whatever happens with the indictment of former President Trump for his attempts to overturn the 2020 election, the pressures on our democracy continueoften to the detriment of Latinos and other growing communities of color.

Many politicians continue their efforts to undermineelectoral systems and push anti-voter policies,promptingthe reintroduction of legislation in Congress toestablishbaseline national standards to protect elections against sabotage. Known as theFreedom to Vote Act, the bill would also, importantly,end partisan gerrymandering and help curb big money in politics.

Many of these problems target the ability of Latinos and other communities of color to gain political power through the ballot boxand the democratic processas their numbers grow.

The Freedom to Vote Actspecificallyaddressesobstacles thatharmBlack and Latino voters, such as long lines on Election Day, byrequiring states to ensure that lines last no longer than 30 minutes. It would alsorestrict states fromblocking donations of food or water to voters waiting in line.

It may be hard to believe that these anti-voter practices exist andthat we would needa congressional bill to stop them, but manyconservativestates have been busy in recent years passingsuchrestrictive laws. Among other things, the lawsalso make voter registration more difficult, prevent early voting, close polling places, and limit voterassistancelike language help for Spanish-speaking voters.

And gerrymandering, the discriminatory manipulation of voting district boundaries to favor the party in power, is a major reason Latinos lagin politicalstrength in Texasdespite the fact thatthey havesurpassedwhites as the largest ethnic and racial group in the state. When Texas lawmakers drew new congressional and legislative maps after the 2020 census, they shockinglyfailed tocreate any new Latino electoral opportunities in the metro areas where Latino communities are growing most rapidly. (Latino groups are challenging this omission in court.)

It is significant that among thefederalchargesthat SpecialCounselJack Smithbrought againstTrump is violation of acivil rights lawmaking it a crime to threaten or intimidate anyone in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege provided by the Constitution or by federal law.

Thatcivil rights law,Section 241 of Title 18 of the U.S. Code, historically was used to prosecute the Ku Klux Klan for deterring Black Americans from exercising their voting rights and has been applied to punish broader efforts to subvert election outcomes.Manyof the Trump campaigns legal challenges and voter fraud allegations after the 2020 election centered on invalidating votes in cities and counties with large Black and Latino populations, including Detroit, Philadelphia, and Georgias Fulton County.

Theescalatingefforts to disenfranchise communities of color are an assault on ourdemocracy at a time of profound demographic changes in our country. These attacks need to be repelled, with both old and new laws that protect our freedom to vote freely and equally.

A version of this article was originally published in Spanish byLaOpinin.

Read more:

Freedom to Vote in Jeopardy, Especially for People of Color - brennancenter.org

From our Understatement Department: Tonights (Friday) Freedom Fest, being held at Hutchins Street Square, has created a bit of a stir among villagers. Some have been so aghast at the speakers list (Kari Lake, Kevin Crye, Dr. Doug Frank, and Steve Ding) that theyve fired off letters to the editor and begun circulating a petition demanding that Supervisor Steve Ding not take the stage, as planned. Were also told there may be a well organized protest against the whole thing lined up for tonight. And local TV stations have been alerted, so there could be something for everybody. In our mailbag this week was a note from Mike Hartung, who wrote, I get freedom of speech, but come on, this is just awful, and Steve Ding showing is reprehensible.

ANNOUNCEMENT: Lodi Police Chief Sierra Brucia announced on Wednesday that he will retire at the end of this year after three years at the departments helm and 30 years in law enforcement. Brucia took over as chief on May 1, 2020 and much of the time has been a trial by fire. Just a month or so into the job there were anti-police marches on the streets of Lodi protesting police brutality in Minneapoliss George Floyd case. Brucia also had to find a way to manage $2 million in budget cuts. Brucias last official day will be Dec. 30. He says he may also move out of state after he retires.

FOR THE GOLD: Lodis Dan Christy and his Santa Barbara Silver Surfers water polo teammates are in Kumamoto, Japan to compete in the world championships. Their first heat is tomorrow (Saturday). Theyll competing in the 65-plus division and Christy says it will be difficult. Its gonna be a definite challenge; these are some real good teams we are playing, he cautions. In June Christy and his team won gold at the Masters National Championships. Four years ago, they won gold at the world championships in Gwangju, South Korea. Makin us proud.

CONSTRUCTION ZONE: The police department has been laying plans for a new training complex for at least 10 years. The vision is to build the new facility at White Slough, along I-5 near Highway 12 on city-owned property. The city council appears solidly behind the project, earmarking $1,152,439 in surplus operating funds for it at its meeting two weeks ago. Chief Brucia is thrilled, but concedes there is a lot ahead. At the top of the list is securing a partner for the project, one who will contribute capital funds to build it and possibly help run it. Brucia says his department has been working with San Joaquin Delta College at the staff level for quite some time, and he believes there is an agreement in principle on co-oping the project. However, the colleges board of trustees first has to ratify any agreement and commit funds to it, says Brucia. He hopes something like that will happen at the trustee meeting this month. When its built, Brucia says the new training center will reduce the citys training costs and generate revenue from its emergency vehicle operation course (EVOC), and possibly the firing ranges included in the plan. At this point, all eyes are on Delta College, which conducts Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) programs, and has its own police force.

UPDATE: We recently reported on the local real estate market, which said the market is still tight in Lodi, resulting in some interesting feedback on social media. Jaime Stirm said Lodi is circling the drain. Anna Disch wrote that there remains a real need for starter homes for first-time buyers. Price tag on large homes is unrealistic for families, she says. Gerardo Garcia wrote, If prices get high enough those homes are gonna sit empty. And then youll have a bubble on your hands. Then itll be a great time for us millennials. Realtor Roxanne Rocha, who was quoted in the piece, says shes a capitalist at heart, until she hears of large real estate investment trusts buying up single family homes and entire subdivisions for their portfolios. She says they shouldnt be allowed to buy anything smaller than a 100-unit complex, and politicians should fix this. Rocha said during the financial crisis of 2008 large corporations bought up many single-family houses in Lodi, some of them on the courthouse steps during foreclosure. She says the corporate practice, which is much more prevalent in other parts of the country, deprives first-time homebuyers the opportunity to buy a home they can afford. To put things in perspective, Californias average home price is $743,362. The median California home price for May, 2023 was $836,110, according to the real estate website Zillow. The average (typical) home in Lodi sells for about $470,000, the company says.

LOOKING BACK: A week or so ago we wrote about the sudden and untimely death of local farmer Frank Mills. He died three days after his 61st birthday. He came from a pioneering family. His great-great-great-grandparents Freeman and Minerva (Grace) Mills braved the plains from Illinois and settled in Woodbridge in 1857. His great-grandfather Freeman B. Mills married Carrie C. Ellis Mills on August 11, 1885. Mrs. Mills was the daughter of Ralph Ellis, one-time owner of the Lodi Sentinel and former sheriff of Napa County. His grandfather Everts Mills built the white mansion on Lower Sacramento Road, near Elm Street.

PICKERS: The History Channels American Pickers is coming to California (maybe Lodi) and you might have something they want. The program producers are looking for large, rare collections and things the producers have never seen before. They also want to know the backstory of items they feature. American Pickers is a documentary series broadcast on the History Channel, which explores the fascinating world of antique picking. So, theyre looking for leads. Collectors interested in being considered for the show can call (646) 493-2184 or email at AmericanPickers@cineflix.com.

FLASHBACK: A blaze broke out in the early evening hours of April 15, 1955 at the Shewan-Jones Winery at the intersection of Turner Rd. and Sacramento St. The fire was reported by winery night watchman Gottlieb Zahn at 8:40 p.m. Both Lodi and Woodbridge fire departments responded to the call. The fire consumed the winerys cold storage plant, which had been undergoing some renovations. A cutting torch was blamed for the fire, which caused an estimated $100,000 in damage. The blaze injured winery worker Edward Rodacker, who was working inside the cold storage warehouse when the fire broke out. Assistant Fire Chief Forrest Eproson and volunteer firemen Riney Bender and Rudy Vaccarezza narrowly escaped serious injury when the roof of the warehouse started to collapse while they were cutting a ventilation hole. Firefighting efforts were hampered by thick smoke and the inability of the winery sewers to drain the huge amount of water being poured on the blaze.

Rodacker was rushed to Buchanan Hospital on East Pine Street for emergency treatment of first degree burns to his face and neck and undetermined damage to his lungs due to smoke inhalation. The winery, which was located where the River Pointe subdivision is today, produced the popular Italian Swiss Colony wine.

Steve is a former newspaper publisher and lifelong Lodian whose column appears most Tuesdays and Fridays in the News-Sentinel and at stevemann.substack.com. Write to Steve at aboutlodi@gmail.com.

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Steve Mann: Should Ding exercise his freedom not to speak? - Lodi News-Sentinel

God's Trying To Tell You Something is a theatrical masterpiece that highlights and celebrates the journey of African Americans from slavery to the auction block to freedom.

It's been entertaining audiences in more than 40 cities, and now it's Salt Lake City's turn.

Tim Drisdom, the Pit Choir Director for the show here, joined us to tell us more.

He says the first act of the show gives glimpses into some inspiring icons from Harriet Tubman, to Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr.

The second act is more light-hearted with salutes to famous entertainers like Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin and more.

"God's Trying to Tell You Something" is at Abravanel Hall on Saturday, August 5, 2023 at 5:00 p.m.

Click here to get your tickets and to learn more about the show, visit godstryingtotellyousomething.com.

Go here to read the rest:

Celebrate the journey of African Americans from slavery to freedom ... - FOX 13 News Utah

Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage

Claim:

Actor Mark Wahlberg made remarks about the 2023 child sex-trafficking film "Sound of Freedom," saying of Hollywood that "enough is enough."

Rating:

On July 26, 2023, a purported celebrity news YouTube channel, Drama Bay, published a new video with a thumbnail image that showed actor Mark Wahlberg and the poster for "Sound of Freedom," a film centered on child sex trafficking.The thumbnail also displayed the words, "Enough Is Enough," an apparent quote that referenced the video's title, "5 MINUTES AGO: Mark Wahlberg Exposes the Evil Hollywood for Blacklisting 'Sound Of Freedom.'"

As of Aug. 3, the video had already received nearly 4 million views.

However, we found no evidence that Wahlberg had ever publicly spoken about "Sound of Freedom," nor did we locate documentation that showed he had said "enough is enough" about "the evil Hollywood," as referenced in the video's title.

The bottom of the description under the YouTube video warned viewers that its content might not be true:

Disclaimer: Content might be gossip, rumors, exaggerated or indirectly besides the truth. Viewer advised to do own research before forming their opinion. Content might be opinionated.

Also, the video in question appeared to feature narration from a voice that had been generated by an artificial intelligence (AI) tool.

Commenters who praised Wahlberg for speaking out about things he never said did not seem to remark about the narration being fake.

At the 4:03 mark in the YouTube video, displayed on screen was a screenshot from an online article that showed the headline, "Mark Wahlberg: Hollywood Pedophiles Have 'Nowhere Left To Hide.'"

The article was originally reported byThe People's Voice, then was republished to SGT Report. The narrator in the video mentioned that the former has since been deleted.

Story continues

According to the article, Wahlberg made remarks about "blood drinking pedophiles" in Hollywoodin front of "hundreds of people at a Sunday school meeting in Los Angeles."

However, the screenshot of the article that appeared in the video showed a large label that said it was "fake."

This screenshot with the "fake" label originally came from a tweetthat had been posted by BBC Verify journalist ShayanSardarizadeh. In Sardarizadeh's tweet, he mentioned that former Fox News and "60 Minutes" reporter Lara Logan appeared to believe the article was real, having shared it to her followers. He also said, "The People's Voice, aka YourNewsWire, [is] one of the biggest fake news websites on the internet."

Despite the "fake" label that was displayed on top of the article screenshot, the YouTube video's narrator continued on as if the story was real.

At the 5:08 mark in the video, a quote from the article was read by the narrator that claimed Wahlberg said "Sound of Freedom" actor Jim Caviezel, as well as Mel Gibson, who had promoted the film but was not involved in its creation,were "'American heroes'with 'balls of steel'for daring to take on the Hollywood system and play their part in raising awareness about the scourge of elite pedophilia in the entertainment industry."

However, at the 5:33 mark in the video, the narrator said that everything they had just talked about, apparently including the remarks in the video's title and thumbnail image, was fake.

"This news was remarked as fake," the narrator said. "Nevertheless, there is currently no substantiated evidence to support the claim that Wahlberg made such a statement, and his representative has categorically denied any association with it."

In reporting from PolitiFact, the site noted that the picture of Wahlberg used in the article was from 2017 and had nothing to do with the subject.

Further, and most important, a representative for Wahlberg told bothLead Stories and Reuters that the article was "completely false."

We reached out directly to Wahlberg to ask about the YouTube video, but did not receive a response within two days.

Other popular YouTube videos that seemed to come from the same network of bogus celebrity news sites included the following misleading titles: "7 MINUTES AGO: Mark Wahlberg Shares New TERRIFYING Details About Hollywood," "Hollywood FREAKS OUT After Mel Gibson & Mark Wahlberg DESTROY Them," and "Mark Wahlberg CONFRONTS Hollywood For Blacklisting 'Sound Of Freedom.'"

We previously published a similar storyabout a rumor that falsely claimed Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey had also made remarks about "Sound of Freedom" and Hollywood.

"Fact Check - Fabricated Mark Wahlberg Comments about Pedophiles in Hollywood." Reuters, 20 July 2023. http://www.reuters.com, https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL1N396261.

Liles, Jordan. "Did Matthew McConaughey Speak About 'Sound of Freedom,' Saying Hollywood 'All Sold Their Soul'?" Snopes, 2 Aug. 2023, https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/matthew-mcconaughey-sound-of-freedom/.

Malashenko, Uliana. "Fact Check: NO Evidence Mark Wahlberg Said 'Hollywood Pedophiles' Have 'Nowhere Left To Hide.'" Lead Stories, 14 July 2023, https://leadstories.com/hoax-alert/2023/07/fact-check-no-evidence-mark-wahlberg-said-hollywood-pedophiles-have-nowhere-left-to-hide.html.

O'Rourke, Ciara. "Fabricated Story Stars Mark Wahlberg Denouncing 'Blood Drinking Pedophiles.'" PolitiFact, 18 July 2023, https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2023/jul/18/viral-image/fabricated-story-stars-mark-wahlberg-denouncing-bl/.

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Fact Check: Did Mark Wahlberg Comment About 'Sound of Freedom' and Hollywood, Saying 'Enough Is Enough'? - Yahoo Entertainment