When Patty Hearst was kidnapped from her apartment in Berkeley‚ California‚ she was an unwilling victim. When the group that took her‚ the Symbionese Liberation Army‚ shoved Patty blindfolded into a closet‚ she was still a victim. So why‚ just a few months later‚ was she seen‚ rifle in hand‚ robbing a bank with the very people that had stolen her away so violently? Who was Patty Hearst‚ and how did she go from kidnapping victim to willing member of the SLA in so short a time? Even today there is debate on whether Patty did what she did for the SLA willingly. Or was she forced‚ or even brainwashed into doing so? Below‚ we will look closer at the kidnapping of Patty Heart‚ the time that she was held hostage‚ and what happened when she was finally separated from the SLA.  Convicted bank robber‚ Patty Hearst arrest photo Heiress and Socialite: The Background of Patty Hearst   Patricia Hearst was born on February 20‚ 1945‚ to Randolph Apperson Hearst and Catherine Wood Campbell. The family lived in San Francisco‚ California at the time of her birth‚ and she was the third of five daughters. The Hearst’s were wealthy‚ to say the least. Patty’s grandfather was newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst. While her father wasn’t the direct heir of the Hearst fortune‚ he did receive a portion of it and this wealth allowed Patty a very privileged upbringing. She attended a slew of private schools as a child. After graduation‚ she enrolled at the University of California‚ Berkeley as an art history major.  The 1970s were rife with political unrest and all sorts of small uprisings amongst younger people of the day. But Patty was still somewhat sheltered by the time she started attending college.  In 1974‚ Patty’s life for the first time was somewhat tumultuous. She had defied her parents and moved in with a boyfriend at Berkeley‚ but the gild was off the lily by the time of her kidnapping. The young heiress and socialite felt adrift. She didn’t want to admit to her parents that she had been wrong to move in with her lover‚ but she was also over living with the man already.  She was 19‚ in her sophomore year of college‚ and no one could expect what would happen to Patty Hearst next.  The Symbionese Liberation Army  The Symbionese Liberation Army‚ or SLA‚ was a short-lived radical far-left movement. It caused an absurd amount of chaos in the two years it was active. Focused on social justice‚ particularly issues related to race and class‚ the SLA had no problem resorting to violence to get their point across. Because of this‚ the group is considered to be the first terrorist organization to come out of the political left. Despite the notoriety the organization would gain for taking Patty‚ they weren’t a large group‚ never rising above 22 members. When they targeted Patty Hearst‚ the initial hope was that they could bargain the freedom of the heiress for the release of two of the SLA’s founding members who had been jailed‚ Russell Little and Joseph Remiro.  When this didn’t pan out‚ they decided to keep Patty. This set into motion the events that would have the public wondering if Patty Hearst was a victim‚ or a radical domestic terrorist herself.  The Kidnapping of Patty Hearst  The SLA didn’t have anything against Patty Hearst specifically–it was more of a wrong place‚ wrong time situation for the young woman.  Earlier in the year‚ local newspaper The San Francisco Chronicle had announced Hearst’s engagement to the boyfriend she had been living with‚ Steven Weed‚ with her full address included. Her apartment was close to the SLA headquarters. Therefore‚ on February 4‚ 1974‚ the group decided to strike.  They took Patty Hearst from her apartment and back to one of their safe houses. From there‚ things become less clear.  Early Days in Captivity  Patty Hearst’s kidnapping was huge news‚ but the initial search for her turned up nothing. The SLA moved her from house to house‚ where Patty claimed to have been bound‚ blindfolded‚ and shoved into a closet for days at a time. She would only be released to use the restroom and eat. Later‚ they would allow her to attend SLA group meetings. It was here that‚ according to Patty and her mother‚ the brainwashing began.  When authorities refused to trade Hearst for the imprisoned SLA members‚ the group changed their demands. Instead‚ they wanted $70 of food provided to every Californian in need. While not the vast undertaking the SLA wanted‚ Patty’s dad did try to assuage his daughter’s captors by donating 2 million dollars of food to the poor in the area.  Despite this‚ Patty wasn’t let go. She was given SLA propaganda to read and was integrated more and more into the group. Eventually‚ the SLA group leader‚ Donald DeFreeze‚ gave Patty a choice–be released‚ or join the SLA. Patty chose the latter.  Joining the SLA‚ Bank Robberies and Patty Hearst’s Arrest The next few months were a whirlwind of activity involving Patty Hearst and the SLA. She recorded and released pro-SLA propaganda messages‚ renaming herself Tania and announcing her willingness to join the organization.  Most notable was the bank robbery that took place on April 15‚ 1974‚ just a few months after Patty’s kidnapping. Patty Hearst and a number of other SLA members held up the Sunset District Hibernia Bank in San Francisco and were all caught on camera.  Patty Hearst takes part in the April 1974 Hiberna bank raid with other SLA members‚ 1974 On the recordings‚ Patty was enthusiastically participating in the robbery. This led investigators to believe that she was no longer a victim‚ but a willing‚ active member of the SLA‚ making her just as guilty as all the others.  The bank robbery was pulled off‚ and the next sighting of Patty Hearst would come on May 16 of the same year. Two other members of the group‚ William and Emily Harris were shopping at a sporting goods store‚ attempting to shoplift before leaving the store.  Hearst‚ who was waiting in the car‚ watched as security for the store tried to tackle William to the ground. She exited the car and fired multiple shots into the storefront‚ giving the Harrises time to escape.  The trio hijacked cars to get away. However‚ they were forced to go on the run when it came to light that police had found the main SLA base and raided it‚ resulting in a firefight that killed multiple SLA members.  From there things descended into chaos for Hearst. She assisted the Harris’s in making makeshift explosive devices‚ but none of their attempts to injure and kill police officers ever worked. She was also linked to a separate bank robbery where it was discovered that Emily Harris had shot and killed a mother named Myrna Opshal. The charges against the heiress were building and building.  Finally‚ on September 18‚ 1974‚ Hearst was arrested inside a San Francisco apartment that was serving as an SLA hideout.  The Trial–Insanity‚ Stockholm Syndrome‚ or Willing Participant?  Immediately‚ claims were made by Hearst’s family that the young woman was suffering from Stockholm Syndrome. Some experts were dubious. However‚ signs did point to Patty having undergone some sort of psychological damage as part of the SLA–she was only 87 pounds upon arrest. Also‚ her IQ score was found to be significantly lower than before she was kidnapped.  Patty held firm to her SLA beliefs for a short time‚ before reversing and agreeing that she had been brainwashed. She told the court that her life had been threatened‚ and that she had been forced to participate in the bank robbery. Ultimately‚ Patty Hearst was found guilty of bank robbery and using a firearm during the commission of a felony. She was initially sentenced to 35 years in prison–the maximum amount of time for her crimes‚ but she wouldn’t serve nearly that much.  Her sentence was first changed to 7 years‚ and she served a total of 22 months before her sentence was commuted by President Jimmy Carter. Later‚ President Bill Clinton granted her a full pardon.  Life After the SLA  After being released from prison‚ Patty Hearst went on to live a relatively normal life. She married and had children. She used her short-lived notoriety to gain roles in television and films‚ including a large number of John Waters films.  Whether Patty Hearst chose to join the SLA or was coerced‚ the days of her kidnapping are long behind her. References  “Whose Side Was She On? ‘American Heiress’ Revisits Patty Hearst’s Kidnapping”-Jeffery Toobin https://www.npr.org/2016/08/03/488373982/whose-side-was-she-on-american-heiress-revisits-patty-hearst-s-kidnapping “Patty Hearst” https://www.britannica.com/biography/Patty-HearstThe post Was Patty Hearst Brainwashed into Committing a Bank Robbery? first appeared on History Defined.

If you are tired of TV shows like “The Bachelor” where women demean themselves by competing for the “love” of a man; if you are sick of all the shootings and explosions on TV‚ the canned laughter on sitcoms that mostly aren’t funny (which is why they have to insert canned laughter in the first place); if you want to have your spirit lifted out of the mundane and into the heavens‚ there is a place you can go. Visit PBS and the brilliant‚ fun‚ entertaining blessing you will get from watching a new docuseries called “Gospel.” Hosted by Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr.‚ “Gospel” traces the history of gospel music‚ which has sustained African-Americans through toils and troubles. Gates‚ who has created and hosted programs examining the family history of prominent Black Americans and others‚ has created an uplifting program that will bless all but the hardest of hearts. “ From the blues to hip hop‚” says PBS‚ “African Americans have been the driving force of sonic innovation for over a century. Musical styles come and go‚ but there’s one sound that has been a constant source of strength‚ courage‚ and wisdom on any given Sunday. GOSPEL … digs deep into the origin story of Black spirituality through sermon and song.” As I’ve written before about Gates’ work‚ he doesn’t judge people for the historical plight of Black Americans. Instead‚ he presents facts and lets viewers reach their own conclusions. His is a soft touch but with a powerful message. What amazes about “Gospel” is that in the midst of much suffering – from slavery to more contemporary discrimination and hate — there is so much joy. Historians and other scholars fill in the facts about this unique musical style‚ but it’s the music‚ itself‚ that transforms listeners to another level. When I have visited Black churches‚ I have experienced something decidedly different from what I encounter in majority white churches. First‚ I am usually greeted by people who clearly identify me as a visitor. The spiritual energy is noticeable from the start. The preacher doesn’t just preach a sermon. He (and sometimes she) exhorts. No one falls asleep in the Black church. It is not something to be witnessed‚ as on TV‚ but experienced. Gates’ program recalls how some of these great gospel hymns were written. He even demonstrates the influence some of the music has had on rock and roll. Chuck Berry makes a brief appearance with his famous guitar riff. As in more staid hymns composed by white writers‚ many gospel songs were inspired by pain and suffering. In both genres‚ those twin experiences are overcome by hope and then joy. Some critics of this up-tempo music once called it “the Devil’s music‚” but that’s what some called Rock and Roll. Gospel music isn’t about the Devil‚ but God and Jesus. While emotional at times‚ its base and theology are mostly solid. Listen to Mahalia Jackson sing “Precious Lord‚” which she sang at the funeral of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. There is no Devil in that song. You can’t stay quiet while listening to gospel music. It is so powerful I have seen white people stand up and shout‚ which is akin to raising the dead in some white churches. Here’s a thought: how about a performance of gospel songs during halftime at next year’s Super Bowl? It would beat some of what we’ve witnessed in recent years‚ including this year. “Gospel” is viewable on your local PBS station‚ or at PBS.org. If you aren’t smiling‚ joining in the singing‚ and experiencing a blessing‚ you may want to check your vital signs. “Gospel” is more than great TV. It is a warm spiritual bath.

After news broke that four financial leviathans managing trillions of dollars had abandoned a massive environmental‚ social and governance (ESG) pressure group‚ ABC News‚ NBC News‚ and CBS News ignored the story in their evening coverage. Financial giants including BlackRock‚ State Street‚ JP Morgan and Pimco withdrew from Climate Action 100+ over apparent fears that such a meeting would violate federal antitrust law‚ The New York Times reported. In particular‚ these companies reportedly feared the next phase of the Climate Action 100+ plan to move from pressuring companies to disclose ESG data to pressure companies to lower their emissions or use “fewer fossil fuels.”  Despite the incredible impact of this ESG apocalypse which a number of lawmakers responded to‚ the big three networks ignored this monumental victory for consumers. NBC Nightly News‚ ABC World News Tonight and CBS Evening News ignored the story during their Feb. 15 and Feb. 16 evening broadcasts. Instead‚ the outlets expectedly found time for less-consequential news. All three networks somehow managed to find time to cover Stephanie Clifford‚ professionally known as Stormy Daniels‚ the evening after this massive ESG news broke. The same night‚ ABC World News Tonight brought its viewers the heartwarming news that someone’s lost wedding ring had been recovered from a dumpster‚ alongside the important news that one professional athlete had punched another. The following day‚ ABC ignored the story again‚ in favor of reporting on a lost-and-found guitar and interviewing Prince Harry.  Beyond keeping viewers updated on Daniels‚ CBS Evening News checked in on how Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner is preparing for spring break on Feb. 16. CBS also covered the story of the missing guitar‚ but not the hasty demolition of a massive threat to American energy and freedom. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) celebrated the mass exit from Climate Action 100+‚ which he described as a “collusion to advance radical net-zero ESG climate policies” on an X post. “We just scored a big victory against the woke takeover of American financial organizations‚” he said. We just scored a big victory against the woke takeover of American financial organizations. After Chairman Jordan and I called them out for potential violations of antitrust law‚ major corporations dropped their involvement with an Environment‚ Social‚ and Governance ESG group.… — Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) February 16‚ 2024 Massie mentioned his work with House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) and Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC) warning companies not to engage in illegal activity in pursuit of ESG investing. “This is great news for economic freedom‚” he added. Meanwhile‚ Jordan offered his remarks in a separate post‚ “Today’s decisions by JPMorgan and State Street are big wins for freedom and the American economy‚ and we hope more financial institutions follow suit in abandoning collusive ESG actions.” Conservatives are under attack! Contact ABC News (818) 460-7477‚ CBS News (212) 975-3247 and NBC News (212) 664-6192 and demand they report on BlackRock‚ State Street and JP Morgan leaving the Climate Action 100+ in a win for the movement against ESG investing.

A top Meta executive admitted on live television that the majority of his company’s employees are involved in censoring speech. While on CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street” Feb. 16‚ Meta President of Global Affairs Sir Nick Clegg proudly estimated around 40‚000 Meta employees‚ or almost 60 percent‚ help silence free speech on the company’s platforms (including Facebook‚ Instagram and WhatsApp). One of the network’s employees was then caught on hot mic‚ giving context to Clegg’s shocking claim. Clegg also declared his company weaponizes artificial intelligence (AI) as a censorship tool‚ including in regard to elections‚ constituting blatant election interference. The CNBC host‚ Sara Eisen‚ babbled about “disinformation‚ misinformation‚ [and] interference with the election.” She claimed that the “government should be” targeting this speech‚ an apparent endorsement of unconstitutional government censorship. “How many people do you have working on this issue‚ and how do you know what’s enough?” she pressed Clegg. But the tech executive’s response shocked even CNBC.  “We have around 40‚000 people working on kind of safety and integrity‚” Clegg stated‚ using a leftist euphemism for censoring speech. Clegg claimed Meta has spent around $20 billion‚ including $5 billion in the last year‚ to fight for alleged “election integrity.” One CNBC employee was so startled that a whisper was heard on a hot microphone at this point. “Forty thousand? They only have 67‚000 employees‚” a seemingly stunned voice can be heard commenting. Based on Clegg’s comment‚ nearly 60 percent of Meta’s total workforce is involved in censoring free speech‚ likely using a leftist bias. Clegg‚ meanwhile‚ boasted about how his company uses AI to crush speech. AI is “our most powerful tool to identify and deal with the kind of content we don’t want to see on our platforms‚” Clegg said. This includes “hate speech‚” he added‚ using a vague term that can mean anything that the left does not agree with. Clegg asserted that hate speech has “been reduced by over 50 percent” in recent years through “improvements in AI technology.” While AI has its risks‚ Clegg concluded‚ “it’s ironically also the same technology that helps … established players from making sure that their … policies are being properly respected and enforced.” Meta has censored content on its platforms repeatedly based on federal government demands‚ for instance crushing the Hunter Biden laptop scandal in 2020 after FBI priming. A Media Research Center poll found in November 2020 that 17 percent of then-presidential candidate Joe Biden’s voters would not have voted for him had they been aware of the president’s scandals that Big Tech and the legacy media censored. Yet Meta’s Oversight Board members recently advocated for increased censorship. Conservatives are under attack. Contact Facebook headquarters at (650) 308-7300 and demand that Big Tech be held to account to mirror the First Amendment while providing transparency‚ clarity on “misinformation” and equal footing for conservatives. If you have been censored‚ contact us using CensorTrack’s contact form‚ and help us hold Big Tech accountable.

In the fallout from San Francisco’s Super Bowl LVIII loss‚ Kyle Shanahan and the team parted ways with defensive coordinator Steve Wilks. Of course‚ the mainstream sports media is already playing the race card — claiming that Kyle Shanahan used Wilks as a scapegoat because of his race. Jason Whitlock doesn’t agree. “I don’t think Steve Wilks maxed out the best defensive personnel in the National Football League‚” Whitlock says. While others have claimed Shanahan never cared for Wilks and needs to hire someone he actually believes in‚ Whitlock doesn’t think that’s possible anymore. “He’s really not free to do that in this diversity‚ equity‚ and inclusion National Football League‚” he explains. “Sometimes‚ you get forced into making compromised decisions because you want to play the optics game — you want to make sure there’s enough diversity on your team.” Not only that‚ but the defense didn’t play a winning game on Super Bowl Sunday‚ and most 49ers defensive coordinators of the past have always utilized their strong defensive line. “I wasn’t impressed with San Francisco’s defense on Super Bowl Sunday‚” Whitlock says‚ adding‚ “Steve Wilks had a top-five defense‚ with that personnel‚ you should.” To learn more‚ watch the clip below. Want more from Jason Whitlock?To enjoy more fearless conversations at the crossroads of culture‚ faith‚ sports‚ and comedy with Jason Whitlock‚ subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America‚ defend the Constitution‚ and live the American dream.

Medicaid's new guidelines‚ which allow states to direct a portion of funding to new health care initiatives such as rent or utilities‚ mirror the World Economic Forum's guidelines for "health equity;" ideas that have been decades in the making.The Biden administration's Medicaid guidelines recently expanded to allow states to devote up to 3% of their Medicaid spending to experimental subsidies so long as they add in their own funding and evaluate the outcomes.Guidance comes out of the Biden administration's U.S. Playbook to Address Social Determinants of Health‚ which lists housing security‚ food security‚ education access‚ and "healthy environment" as the top causes for inequal outcomes.The push for "health equity" comes at the same time the World Economic Forum has published guidelines for health care and "urban transformation.""Improving health and health equity for vulnerable populations requires addressing the social determinants of health‚" the WEF stated‚ citing a study from the Kaiser Family Foundation. The KFF refers to itself as a "nonpartisan" and "independent source for health policy research."The nonprofit out of San Francisco published a study in 2018 titled "Beyond Health Care: The Role of Social Determinants in Promoting Health and Health Equity."The study lists a series of "social determinants" of health care‚ all of which are included in the U.S. playbook."Socioeconomic status‚ education‚ neighborhood and physical environment‚ employment‚ and social support networks‚" as well as "access to health care" are listed as the determining factors for a citizen's health.In fact‚ the study directly mentions state programs and "Medicaid-specific initiatives focused on addressing social needs."The Biden administration's foray into "social determinants" as a basis for health care needs goes back to at least April 2022‚ when it released graphics that were nearly identical to the KFF's determinants study.Searching farther back‚ the WEF has been promoting the social determinants strategy since at least January 2020. "It’s time for the healthcare sector to take bold action‚" wrote Kelly Barnes and Dr. Rana Mehta. Both authors penned just that single article for the WEF on behalf of PwC‚ a global consulting firm.PwC has been heavily pushing "inclusion" and ESG through its many partnerships. The company dates back approximately 170 years and has alumni that include the CEOs of Delta Airlines and Alaska Airlines‚ founder of Nike Phil Knight‚ Richard Kramer‚ CEO of Goodyear Tire‚ and the CFO of payment processor Stripe.The strategies go farther back‚ however — all the way to 2017 when the National Academy of Medicine cited the World Health Organization. Even then‚ the document cited that "responding to nonmedical needs of patients such as transportation‚ housing‚ and food" was a key strategy for Medicaid.The U.K. government predates all of these findings however‚ with its 2014 "health equity briefing" document. In the handout‚ the government cited the Institute of Health Equity‚ which appears to be the source of social determinant dogma.The institute's director‚ Michael Marmot‚ is listed as having "led research groups on health inequalities for over 40 years." Marmot was responsible for the U.K.'s review of health inequalities in 2010‚ followed by Europe's in 2014. It is Marmot's work with the WHO in 2005 that seems to be the origin of all health equity initiatives still being undertaken 20 years later. His 2005 study titled "Social Determinants of Health Inequalities" mimics much of the language westerners have become all too used to."Inequalities highlight systemic and structural issues contributing to differential health experiences among various population groups."It was from there that the WHO established its framework for such legislation in 2008‚ in which it sought to "to support countries and global health partners in addressing the social factors leading to ill health and health inequities."The final report started just as you imagine‚ and stated "social justice is a matter of life and death."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Leftists from across the state of New Hampshire became incensed after a Republican state representative read excerpts from sexually explicit materials that Democrats want kept on the shelves of middle and high school libraries.Last Thursday‚ state Rep. Glenn Cordelli stood before the House chamber to defend HB 1419‚ which would have banned public school libraries and online libraries from offering "patently offensive" materials that contain "nudity‚ sexual conduct‚ sexual excitement‚ or sadomasochistic abuse" without any attending "literary‚ scientific‚ medical‚ artistic‚ or political value." The bill would also empower parents to take action‚ should they ever find such materials in libraries or schools.As part of his speech‚ Cordelli told colleagues that he intended to read passages from some of the problematic books‚ warning listeners that such passages might not be suitable for young audiences. Before he could continue‚ though‚ other members of the House objected‚ claiming that they had a right to guard their ears from graphic content."Do we not have a rule that says that when a member objects to the reading from a paper that the member must suspend unless the House votes to let them continue?" Democrat Rep. Lucy Weber later asked in a point of order.The House then voted whether to "let [Cordelli] continue‚" and a majority voted in his favor. However‚ a sizeable 173-person minority voted to silence him‚ and the popular anti-woke X account Libs of TikTok reported that all nay voters were Democrats.As a result‚ Cordelli read into record passages from two books‚ including "Here and Queer: A Queer Girl's Guide to Life" by Rowan Ellis. "But just think about it for a second — apparently‚ straight cis people lose their virginity when a penis goes into a vagina‚" Cordelli quoted. "So‚ what happens when a penis isn't involved?"He likewise read a passage depicting sexual assault from the 1999 young adult novel "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson."Let’s be honest: These explicit sexual and age-inappropriate materials have no place in our schools‚" Cordelli added during his remarks. "And I repeat: This is not about banning books; it is making sure that your children have access to educational‚ age-appropriate materials‚ period."At first‚ the House voted to table the bill before voting to postpone it indefinitely later that same day. New Hampshire Dems then faced a barrage of criticism after word spread that they had recoiled in horror over listening to inappropriate content‚ even as they worked to keep the content available to children. Perhaps because the hypocrisy is difficult to defend‚ Democrat state Rep. Corinne Morse went on offense‚ calling Cordelli "a creepy old man" who had tried "to force" people to hear sexual material without their "consent." "Choosing to read a book is different than a creepy old man trying to force you to listen to him read out loud‚" she tweeted on Sunday morning. "I guess some of you need to learn about consent." — (@) The American Civil Liberties Union of New Hampshire also weighed in‚ celebrating the bill's failure to pass as a win in the fight against "book banning" and "censorship." "The N.H. House of Representatives today voted against a bill that would have created a state-run book banning process‚" said legal director Gilles Bissonnette‚ "and we commend them for affirming that New Hampshire schools are places of learning‚ not censorship."That so many powerful leftists in the state have voted to keep sexually graphic books in schools in the name of freedom has angered many New Hampshire Republicans who supported the bill in the name of protecting children. One Republican state representative even suggested that some of his opponents were "groomers" who posed a threat to traditional American families. "The purpose of government has been flipped on its head‚" Republican state Rep. Michael Belcher told Blaze News in a statement. "Government thinks it owns your children. It has become an existential threat to your family."Get your kids out of government schools and vote these groomers out."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The Alabama Supreme Court ruled Friday that frozen embryos have the same legal rights as "unborn children." The ruling could impact the future of in-vitro fertilization in the state‚ according to the Alabama Political Reporter.Mobile County Circuit Court Judge Jill Parrish Phillips previously dismissed lawsuits filed by three couples who claimed that their frozen embryos were destroyed while being stored at the Mobile Infirmary Medical Center by the Center for Reproductive Medicine‚ a fertility clinic. According to Phillips‚ the couples' embryos were not covered by the state's Wrongful Death of a Minor Act."The cryopreserved‚ in vitro embryos involved in this case do not fit within the definition of a 'person‚'" the court ruled. The incident occurred when a wandering Mobile hospital patient entered the area where the embryos were stored. According to the lawsuit‚ the rogue patient removed the embryos from the freezer and dropped them.The hospital "allowed one of its patients to leave and/or elope from his or her room in the Infirmary's hospital area and access the cryogenic storage area‚" one of the lawsuits stated."[I]t is believed that the cryopreservation's subzero temperatures burned the eloping patient's hands‚ causing him or her to drop the cryopreserved embryonic human beings on the floor‚ where they began to slowly die‚" the complaint continued.According to the filings‚ by the time hospital staff became aware of the incident‚ all of the embryos had already died.The lawsuits‚ filed in 2021‚ accused the hospital of wrongful death‚ negligence‚ and breach of contract.The Alabama Supreme Court recently reversed the lower circuit court's decision to dismiss the couples' case.Supreme Court Justice Jay Mitchell explained that the state's Wrongful Death of a Minor Act "applies to all unborn children‚ regardless of their location.""[T]he Wrongful Death of a Minor Act is sweeping and unqualified. It applies to all children‚ born and unborn‚ without limitation. It is not the role of this Court to craft a new limitation based on our own view of what is or is not wise public policy. That is especially true where‚ as here‚ the People of this State have adopted a Constitutional amendment directly aimed at stopping courts from excluding 'unborn life' from legal protection‚" Mitchell added.In a concurring judgment‚ Supreme Court Chief Justice Tom Parker referenced scripture. "When the People of Alabama adopted [the 'sanctity of life' provision of the state constitution]‚ they did not use the term 'inviolability‚' with its secular connotations‚ but rather they chose the term 'sanctity‚' with all of its connotations‚" Parker stated. "This kind of acceptance is not foreign to our Constitution‚ which in its preamble 'invok[es] the favor and guidance of Almighty God‚'… and which declares that 'all men … are endowed [with life] by their Creator.' The Alabama Constitution's recognition that human life is an endowment from God emphasizes a foundational principle of English common law‚ which has been expressly incorporated as part of the law of Alabama."Parker cited Christian text to define the "sanctity of life‚" arguing that life begins at conception. He noted that "all human beings bear God's image from the moment of conception."Justice Greg Cook‚ who held the only dissenting opinion‚ warned that the ruling could impact the IVF process in the state."No court — anywhere in the country — has reached the conclusion the main opinion reaches. And‚ the main opinion's holding almost certainly ends the creation of frozen embryos through in vitro fertilization ('IVF') in Alabama‚" Cook wrote.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Benjamin Crump‚ an attorney who has at one time or another represented the families of George Floyd‚ Jacob Blake‚ Breonna Taylor‚ Tamir Rice‚ Malcolm X‚ and Ahmaud Arbery‚ has come up with a radical solution to the problem of crime in America: rather than fight crime‚ the powers that be ought to simply redefine it. Crump made the case for redefining crime to accommodate "black culture" in a new race-centered program that debuted on MSNBC earlier this month entitled "Black Men in America: Road to 2024." According to the network‚ the program highlights "the intersection of society‚ race and culture to provide a candid and intimate look at America through the eyes of an overlooked voting block [sic] — Black men." In one scene‚ Crump tells MSNBC contributors Charles Coleman Jr.‚ Trymaine Lee‚ and Al Sharpton during a distracted game of pool‚ "We can get rid of all the crime in America overnight‚ just like that. And people ask‚ 'How‚ attorney Crump?' Change the definition of crime." "Of course‚" responded Charles Coleman. "If you get to define what conduct is going to be made criminal‚ you can predict who the criminal's gonna be‚" added Crump. The Daily Caller noted the stunning proposal came about after the pool-table panelists broached the subject of the criminal justice system under President Joe Biden. Coleman‚ a former prosecutor‚ bemoaned the "circular argument" concerning authorities going "where the crime is." "I tell people all the time‚ if you looking for something‚ you gonna find it‚" said Coleman. "So it becomes self-fulfilling in terms of‚ 'Well‚ we go where the crime is.' No‚ you're going and you're finding crime. And if you went somewhere else‚ guess what? You find it there too." After Trymaine Lee aborted his attempt to make the case that black men are treated as criminals simply on account of their skin color‚ Crump suggested that American laws were created to specifically target black citizens. "They made the laws to criminalize our culture‚ black culture‚" said Crump. "So when I think of Eric Garner‚ I would think of stuff like that." "They come up with things to profile us for‚" continued the attorney‚ citing baggy pants and garbage-littered front lawns as supposed examples of racially-specific causes for interventions by the law. Crump suggested further that profiling was involved in the case of George Floyd when he allegedly attempted to buy cigarettes with counterfeit money — an act that would have been unlawful for men of all races. — (@) Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The White House is "extremely upset" over the New York Times' coverage of President Joe Biden. But Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger is refusing to kowtow.Speaking in an interview with the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism‚ Sulzberger promised his newspaper will cover Biden and Donald Trump fairly‚ meaning the paper will accurately report on the good and the bad of both candidates."We are not anyone's opposition and we're not anyone's lap dog‚" he said. "We are going to continue to report fully and fairly‚ not just on Donald Trump but also on President Joe Biden."Sulzberger then dropped the cold‚ hard truth about Biden and why the White House is upset at his newspaper."[Biden] is a historically unpopular incumbent and the oldest man to ever hold this office‚" he admitted. "We've reported on both of those realities extensively‚ and the White House has been extremely upset about it."Not only is the Times reporting on Biden's age and the concerns about his cognitive decline‚ but in the wake of special counsel Robert Hur's description of Biden as "an elderly man with a poor memory‚" the Times is publishing more opinion essays about Biden's age. — (@) In addition to the White House's anger‚ members of the Biden campaign have reportedly also voiced their frustrations. Recently‚ the campaign invited reporters and editors from the newspaper to campaign headquarters. The mission? To correct what the campaign believes the newspaper is "getting wrong."In fact‚ the campaign has met with journalists from most major news outlets about their coverage of Biden. Those meetings have been "substantive" and "productive‚" according to Semafor‚ with one exception: the New York Times.And while even Margaret Sullivan‚ former public editor of the Times‚ is criticizing her former employer for covering Biden's faults‚ Sulzberger recognized why even-handed coverage is important and why the Times cannot ignore Biden's problems."We are not saying that [Biden's age and unpopularity are] the same as Trump’s five court cases or that they are even. They are different. But they are both true‚ and the public needs to know both those things‚" he said. "And if you are hyping up one side or downplaying the other‚ no side has a reason to trust you in the long run‚" he acknowledged.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!