Month: October 2022

German satisfaction with the traffic light coalition has reached new heights since they took office in December 2021. At 68 percent, more than two thirds are less or not at all satisfied with the work of the SPD, Greens and FDP, as the ARD Deutschlandtrend has shown. Only 29 percent stated that they were satisfied or very satisfied with the traffic light coalition.

Of the governing parties, the Greens are still doing the best in the poll and around 34 percent give them good marks. In August it was 43 percent. The SPD has also deteriorated by seven percentage points to 27 percent. Around 20 percent of Germans are currently satisfied with the FDP, compared to 24 percent in August.

The war in Ukraine is causing great concern: Around 56 percent fear that Germany could be drawn into the conflict. Only 43 percent are concerned less or not at all. As the cause of the crisis, more and more Germans – quite rightly – are holding the current traffic light coalition responsible. Their poll numbers are in free fall.

Impressive human tide in Berlin against Olaf Scholz, Ursula von der Leyen, EU, NATO, sanctions on Russia and increases in gas and energy prices. pic.twitter.com/yKixWlStLv

— RadioGenova (@RadioGenova) October 8, 2022

Overall, the attitude of the population towards military support for Ukraine has changed. Almost half, or 47 percent warned the federal government to behave cautiously so as not to provoke Russia. In June it was 43 percent. Seven percent have moved away from their call to be tough on Moscow. Currently, 43 percent of those surveyed still believe in a tough stance. The gap between east and west is particularly large. In the eastern federal states, the desire for restraint dominated at 60 percent. In the West it was 44 percent.

However, there is pessimism about the development of the economic situation, because 80 percent perceived the situation as bad or very bad. That is twice as many as before the federal elections in September 2021. The rating is the worst since 2009. And 53 percent were also convinced that the situation would be even worse in a year’s time.

Overall, the economic conditions in Germany give cause for concern for 85 percent. Only eleven percent stated that they felt confident. This is a record negative value since measurements began in 1997.

If there were a federal election on Sunday, the Christian Democrats would win with 28 percent. In second place in the survey are the Greens with 19 percent, followed by the SPD with 17 percent. The FDP would come to 7 percent. The AfD is currently at 15 percent.

The most recent ZDF political barometer reveals a similar mood: Here, too, satisfaction with the Scholz government has fallen massively since the beginning of the Ukraine war. In March of this year, 75 percent believed that the government was doing a good job; today only 49 percent think so, and 44 percent of those surveyed expressly gave the traffic light coalition a bad rating.

A current survey by the opinion research institute INSA also showed that a good 69 percent of Germans, more than two thirds, were dissatisfied with the work of the federal government under Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), in Central Germany, 74 percent. Only 23 percent (in the east) were satisfied with the activities of the traffic light coalition.

With price explosions, looming energy shortages and blatant war rhetoric – it’s hardly a surprise that many Germans have had enough of it and want the stable, predictable lives they once had back.

https://freewestmedia.com/2022/10/09/dissatisfaction-with-scholz-administration-growing/

Deplatorming wasn’t enough. PayPal decided to launch a trial balloon in which it would add spreading misinformation to its acceptable use policy (without defining it) and then fine users $2,500 for every violation. That could easily spiral into the tens of thousands of dollars for conservatives or someone who believes that men and women are a biological reality.

After a social media backlash that went beyond the usual conservative influencers, PayPal announced that it was pulling back.

“An AUP notice recently went out in error that included incorrect information,” a PayPal spokesperson said in an emailed statement. “PayPal is not fining people for misinformation and this language was never intended to be inserted in our policy. Our teams are working to correct our policy pages.”

PayPal isn’t denying that such a policy went out. It’s claiming that it went “out in error” and included “incorrect information”. That means the policy existed, it was either an internal proposal that was being hashed out or a trial balloon it intended to implement. Either way it shows what’s coming next and not just on PayPal, but any Big Tech payment system.

Disagree with our views and we’ll clean out your funds.

The specific PayPal TOS terms described, “sending, posting or publication of any messages, content or materials that, in PayPal’s sole discretion, (a) are harmful, obscene, harassing or objectionable, (b) depict or appear to depict nudity, sexual or other intimate activities, (c) depict or promote illegal drug use, (d) depict or promote violence,  criminal activity, cruelty or self-harm (e) depict, promote or incite hatred or discrimination of protected groups or of individuals or groups based on protected characteristics (e.g. race, religion, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation etc.) (f) presents a risk to consumer safety or (financial) wellbeing, (g) are fraudulent, promote misinformation or are unlawful, (h) infringes the intellectual property rights or other proprietary rights of any party or (i) are otherwise unfit for publication.”

The sheer elasticity of these criteria are really something. Especially ‘i’.

PayPal’s sole discretion allows it to define what is “misinformation”. And then charge users for “damages”.

“If you are a seller and receive funds for transactions that violate the Acceptable Use Policy, then in addition to being subject to the above actions you will be liable to PayPal for the amount of PayPal’s damages caused by your violation of the Acceptable Use Policy. You acknowledge and agree that $2,500.00 U.S. dollars per violation of the Acceptable Use Policy is presently a reasonable minimum estimate of PayPal’s actual damages.”

This kind of thing is exactly what Democrat government authorities were demanding in the fight against “misinformation”. It’s China’s social credit system outsourced to Big Tech monopolies.

https://www.frontpagemag.com/paypals-2500-fine-for-views-they-disagree-with-shows-whats-coming/

This article is 100% unadulterated propaganda designed to intimidate people into thinking that it’s wrong to oppose jihad violence and Sharia oppression of women and others. It offers as evidence of “racism” and “Islamophobia” the fact that “nearly 48 percent of respondents said they believe ‘Islam is not compatible with the German society,’” and then claims that “German authorities registered at least 662 anti-Muslim hate crimes in 2021.”

The article goes on to claim that “Islamophobia” is “fueled by the propaganda of far-right groups and parties, which have exploited the refugee crisis and attempted to stoke fear of immigrants.” So we are supposed to get the idea that these “anti-Muslim hate crimes” stem from people believing that “Islam is not compatible with the German society.” The implication is that if such beliefs are prohibited and criminalized, “Islamophobia” will subside and all will be well.

No indication whatsoever is given of the fact that people think that “Islam is not compatible with the German society” not because of the rhetoric of “far-right groups and parties,” but because of the statements and behavior of all too many Muslims in Germany. Nor does the article explain exactly what it considers to be an “anti-Muslim hate crime.” Is it an actual violent act against an innocent Muslim? Such acts are always and everywhere to be condemned. Is it simply noting that there are aspects of Islam that are incompatible with Western pluralism? If so, then the agenda here is not to protect Muslims, it’s to destroy the freedom of speech in service of an authoritarian agenda.

Read more:

Germany: New study finds that ‘Islamophobia’ is widespread and growing https://t.co/jYvkH3vMCz pic.twitter.com/HgFrWKEQpH

— Robert Spencer روبرت سبنسر रॉबर्ट स्पेंसर 🇺🇸 (@jihadwatchRS) October 8, 2022

By Eric Utter

How quickly the “First World” can become the Third.  How fast people can pivot from sanctimonious, virtue-signaling hypocrites into realists trying to survive.  How ironic it is that this occurs concurrently with the assault on free-market capitalism and the abundance of wealth, food, comfort, and infrastructure that only it can provide.  And the simultaneous abandonment of standards and abasement of history, tradition, and culture that has led to chaos and destruction in too many of our cities.

We are seeing the tragic onset of all of these phenomena now, in Europe, America, and most Western nations.  Ironically — or perhaps not — it seems that extended periods of unprecedented prosperity sow the seeds of eventual decadence, decay, and diminution — if not outright destruction — by making people soft, lazy, and entitled. This seems to be a historical pattern, one exacerbated by today’s technology and social media.  To paraphrase Churchill, if the free world dispenses with capitalism and the Western Canon, the world “will sink into the abyss of a new Dark Age made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted science.”  (And we have seen far too much perverted science recently, especially as regards the plandemic, climate change, and the supposed existence of a virtually limitless number of genders.)

Another well known Englishman, the Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger, wrote a song titled “Under My Thumb.”  Sadly, the vast majority of the world’s citizens are now under the thumb of elites who could not care less about them — could not, in fact, disdain them more.

Alexander Fraser Tytler was yet another resident of the United Kingdom.  He was a Scottish judge, writer, and historian who was a professor of universal history and Greek and Roman antiquities at the University of Edinburgh in the second half of the eighteenth century.  Tytler famously stated: “A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government.  It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury.  From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship.  The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations has been 200 years.”

Tytler added, “These nations have progressed through this sequence: From bondage to spiritual faith; From spiritual faith to great courage; From great courage to liberty; From liberty to abundance; From abundance to selfishness; From selfishness to apathy; From apathy to dependence; From dependence back into bondage.”

We are at step seven now. Let’s hope we don’t take the next step…into bondage…no matter how frequently and aggressively Democrats bid us to do just that.

Ronald Reagan noted that “freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.”  Some of us doubted that statement then, deeming it too pessimistic.  Now we’ve seen what can happen in under two years, from 2020 to 2022, and we realize that Reagan was an optimist.

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2022/10/how_quickly_the_first_world_can_become_the_third.html

On Saturday, actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas was attacked for extending her support to the Iranian women protesting against the death of a 22-year-old woman named Mahsa Amini. Amini was arrested by the ‘morality police’ in Tehran for not properly wearing a hijab as per mandatory hijab laws of the country and she was then killed by the police on 16 September 2022. Since then, dozens of young people have been killed and hundreds jailed in the ongoing protest against the Islamist regime.

Priyanka directed a message to Iranian protesters, stating that she admires their bravery in fighting for their rights. “Women in Iran and around the world are standing up and raising their voices, publicly cutting their hair and many other forms of protest for Mahsa Amini, whose young life was taken away so brutally by the Iranian Morality Police for wearing her hijab ‘improperly’. The voices that speak after ages of forced silence, will rightfully burst like a volcano! And they will not and MUST not be stemmed”, the message read.

“I am in awe of your courage and your purpose. It is not easy to risk your life, literally, to challenge the patriarchal establishment and fight for your rights. But, you are courageous women doing this every day regardless of the cost to yourselves. To ensure that this movement will have a lasting effect, we must hear their call, understand the issues and then join in with our collective voices”, the 40-year-old actress further said.

However, netizens on Twitter and her followers on Instagram could not digest the fact that the actress was supporting the Iranian protest against the hijab and attacked her for allegedly not standing by her country amid the hijab row. “I appreciate this post but also point out your hypocrisy for not extending the same supportive voice to Hijabi women from your own country who are being harassed by your country’s government for their freedom of choice and being forbidden from taking exams because of their hijab. Can you stand up for them too? Can’t probably”, one of her Instagram users commented.

Meanwhile, another one said that the actress had failed to stand by the women in India, France, and Germany who want to wear hijab. “Why didn’t you say anything when women were brutally treated in India, France, and Germany who wanted to wear hijab? It’s everyone’s own choice. Why just show support when they don’t want to wear hijab? Is it really about rights or agendas?”, the comment read?

A thread of similar opinions piled up her comment section box which read, “Start by standing with Muslim women of India being forced to take off their hijab. Smh. Your selective activism is…appalling”, and, “First speak for the women in your country who don’t have the freedom of choice!”.

One of the Instagram users also blatantly targeted the actress and accused her of portraying a biased stance toward the minority community in India. “These are the celebrities who chose the topic very wisely just to add show that they care. You are just like another typical Modi Indian who doesn’t like Muslims and speaks for self-interested topics”, the user said.

Chopra’s support was also condemned by the leftists and Islamist citizens who accused her of maintaining silence in many incidents favoring the Islamist community. “Priyanka Chopra’s concern for Iranian women is hugely appreciated, but her silence on Bilkis Bano and the state-enabled persecution of Muslims, especially marginalized women in her home country, India is worth introspection”, commented claimed journalist Rana Ayyub.

Here are a few more reactions of netizens-

Amini’s custodial death sparks anti-hijab protests across Iran

According to the reports, 22-year-old Mahsa Amini was abducted by the ‘morality police’ in Tehran for not complying with the mandatory hijab laws of the country. Amini who was on a pleasure trip to Tehran had not covered her hair properly in the hijab. She was arrested by the police and then beaten in the police van while being taken to a detention centre, dubbed as a ‘re-education class’ for not conforming to the country’s mandatory hijab rules.

The police took the woman to the police station on Vozara Avenue where already dozens of other women were being held for not following the hijab rules. They beat the women and schooled them about the proper dress rules of the country. Mahsa was brutally beaten and taken to the hospital after she stopped responding in the custody. The doctors at the hospital stated that her heart continued to beat but her brain was no longer functioning. The woman breathed her last three days after the incident.

Her killing sparked massive protests in Iran, with women taking to the streets to up raise their voices against the regime. Several ladies including school-going girls burnt their hijabs in sympathy with the tragedy, while women all throughout the world trimmed their hair in the protest. Protests erupted in dozens of places around the country in the aftermath of her death after which the government retaliated with a harsh crackdown.

However, three weeks after the death of Amini, Iran’s Forensic Organisationrevealed a report stating that the woman had died due to illness and not due to blows and beatings given to her in police custody. Earlier, the Police had also tried to cover up the matter claiming that Mahsa was already suffering from a heart problem and that she was never beaten in the custody.

https://www.opindia.com/2022/10/priyanka-chopra-attacked-for-supporting-iranian-women-protesting-against-hijab/

Attaque au couteau, six personnes blessés dont sa mère et son frère #ChâteauThierry @BFMTV @CNEWS pic.twitter.com/zt1YKESWEN

— Kouki dz (@koukidz23) October 7, 2022

A man armed with a knife attacked several passers-by in Château-Thierry (Aisne) on Friday evening. The attacker was incapacitated by police shots, as can be seen on a video posted by a witness on social media.

The crime was committed at around 10pm, apparently near the town’s police station. The mother and brother of the attacker are said to be among the victims. One source reported six injured, a second source eight injured. “The prefecture of the department of Aisne informed on Twitter at around 2 a.m. that all the victims had been treated and were not in danger of losing their lives, without giving an exact count. Actu 17

The perpetrator, who had been shot in the leg, continued to run for 150 metres “before stopping to fetch a prayer rug and a Koran from his bag” and then began “kneeling to recite incantations, which enabled his arrest”, continued Julien Morino-Ros, the Soissons prosecutor. (…) France Bleu

https://www.fdesouche.com/2022/10/08/chateau-thierry-02-une-attaque-au-couteau-fait-6-blesses/