The purpose of the “Back to Center” advice column is to provide perspectives for personal realignment and empowered living in the COVID era. Sarah encourages you to reach out to her with requests for advice about self-development and emotional and mental well-being in these complicated times. Please send your questions to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:advice@aflds.org">advice@aflds.org</a>. Looking forward to hearing from you!For all other inquiries, please direct your questions to <a href="mailto:info@aflds.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">info@aflds.org</a>.I know so many people are bitter and angry toward those who have engineered the COVID pandemic…and that’s probably a big understatement. I understand where they’re coming from, and they have every right to feel that way – lives have been severely messed with over the past few years, and it’s ongoing in some places. But for my part, I mostly just feel sadness and pity for the people creating the lies. What happened to them in the past, or what is going on now in their lives that has caused them to turn upon their fellow human beings this way? I’m not sure that many people share this viewpoint – they’re too upset – but I’d be interested to hear what your thoughts are on this. Thanks!Thanks so much for writing in! You offer a really interesting perspective that I haven’t heard from many people.I love how you are looking beyond the wrongful acts to the people – the very real human beings – behind them. What brought them to this point in their lives that is motivating them to do the things they’re doing? I don’t have any clear answers but can offer some thoughts.&nbsp;I believe that behind every malicious action lies personal pain of some kind. Think of a schoolyard bully. He or she picks on other kids, calls them names, spreads lies about them, sometimes even physically hurts them. That behavior doesn’t come out of thin air. It’s likely that that bully has a rough home life…or someone else treats them the same way they’re treating others…or they’re trying to get attention and love but don’t know how to do it in an appropriate way…or they’re just so sad over a loss in their life that they lash out at everyone…or any number of things. It’s all pain.None of the bully’s pain points are an excuse for treating others so cruelly, but they could explain his or her behavior.&nbsp;This is how I think about the grown-up bullies and tyrants of our day. If someone is motivated in their tyrannical behavior by greed for more and more and more money, maybe it’s because they’re desperately unhappy and are trying to fill the hole inside them with all the wrong things.&nbsp;If it’s control over other people they want, maybe it’s because they feel out of control of their own life, were controlled by someone else when they were younger, or just feel so incredibly scared of this world that they need to control something and picking on someone else is far easier than looking within and addressing their fear.&nbsp; &nbsp;Or it could be the ever-popular “I-feel-threatened-by-people-who-are-different-from-me-or-have-different-ideas-about-how-this-world-should-be-run-so-I’m-just-going-to-oppress-them-all-and-make-them-do-it-my-way” approach. Fear. Pain.I can’t speak conclusively to what’s going on in the minds and hearts of others. And again, I’m not suggesting that any of this pain excuses the pain they’re inflicting on the world. I think it’s just important to remember that we’re all human beings with weaknesses and hurts, and that maybe the more we can understand that and have compassion for the pain, the better chance we have of healing this world and moving toward something better.&nbsp;I hope these are helpful perspectives. I appreciate you bringing up this profound topic!May we all love more than we hate, hope more than we fear, and actively work to create the kind of world we’d like to live in. All the best!****My extended family has been really divided about COVID issues. Before COVID, we would get together at every holiday, but last year around half of us didn’t come to the Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations because some family members loudly stated their opinion that anyone who wasn’t vaccinated shouldn’t come. Unfortunately, some really ugly things were said between people. Now, Memorial Day is coming up, and our annual barbeque get-together is going to be happening as usual. I guess that certain people feel more comfortable now that COVID seems to be easing up. But the offenders are acting like nothing happened a few months ago…like no unkind words were said, like nobody got hurt. I feel like we have to talk about it, that apologies need to be made; it was NOT right for them to treat us like that. But they are literally saying nothing; it’s all smiles and avoidance. Do you have any advice about how to handle this? How can we feel like a family again?Wow, it sounds like your family was really close before this conflict. I can tell they are very special to you, and that the hurt is very deep. I hope what I have to say is helpful in bringing healing to these relationships.So, the people who said the worst things now seem to be acting like it’s all smoothed over. I can speak from personal experience when I say that behavior like this is nothing short of shocking. How could they possibly feel it’s okay to say nothing after all that?? I would venture to guess that they’re either oblivious to the severity of their behavior, or they’re extremely embarrassed about how they acted and don’t know what to do now except act as though everything is rosy.But let’s turn to you now. It sounds like what you want is a recognition of the wrong that was done and an apology, for things to be mended, and for all of you to feel close again.Since the only behavior we can control is our own, I’ll ask you: What do you want your role to be in this situation? How would you ideally like to handle it? It sounds like you feel a strong urge to talk about it; what do you want to say to them?&nbsp;If it feels helpful, I would suggest either getting all your thoughts and emotions out on paper or speaking them out to a trusted friend or family member. Don’t censor yourself; let it all come out – the good, the bad, and the ugly – and see what’s there. It may give you clarity on what you’d like to say and how you want to say it. It may also just help you to vent things that you’re feeling but would never actually want to say out loud to your family.&nbsp;You may also want to consider talking with other family members who feel similarly wronged, and see what approaches they suggest or might like to join you in. It may be important for the offending family members to see that the hurt they inflicted extends beyond just you.&nbsp;I’m encouraged by your last question: “How can we be a family again?” It seems clear that that’s your goal, as opposed to telling people off or getting even. You want things to be made right and to heal between you. If you keep that as your main objective in whatever way you choose to express your feelings, I believe it will go a long way towards the reconciliation you’re longing for.&nbsp;Best wishes to all of you for many years of family love and celebration ahead!&nbsp;****&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;I have what is maybe kind of a strange question. I feel bad to say it, but I don’t feel like the last few years of COVID have ruined my life in any way. Actually, many things have gotten better for me! My online business went from making next to nothing to totally booming as so much more shopping moved online due to COVID. I’m so happy about my success, but a friend recently kind of gave me a guilt trip about it. “How can you be so happy when so many others have suffered terribly because of COVID?” she said. It’s not like I’m happy about the pandemic and the pain of others – it’s awful. I just feel good about how things have gone for me. Is it okay to feel this way?Thank you for your question! It’s not a strange one at all; it’s a very real situation that we can all learn from. What happens when things are going well for us, but badly for others? Are our good feelings about our own success something to express and celebrate, or are they shameful and unwarranted because of others’ misfortune?It seems to me that we need to make a differentiation here. Having good feelings about your success is one thing; how you choose to express those feelings in front of others who may be struggling is another. Let’s take them one at a time.&nbsp;First, the good feelings. Yes, go for it! Celebrate your success!! And I’ll say congratulations too! What has happened in your business and your life is amazing, and I want you to own every bit of that goodness. The fact that your success came against the backdrop of COVID doesn’t have anything to do with you, and as you said, you are not celebrating anybody’s pain or taking advantage of it for your own gain. In fact, you should feel free to celebrate yourself, because you did the hard work to create and run your business in the first place!&nbsp;It's a funny thing, but many of us have a hard time allowing ourselves to just feel good about our lives. The moment we’re feeling happy, content, and successful, our natural inclination is to self-sabotage, to doubt, to let some worry through the door of our minds that takes us out of our happy place. In your case, it was the voice of your friend that set off the worry alert within you. I want to encourage you to trust the statement you made in your message: “I’m so happy about my success” and remove the “but” that came after it when you started talking about your friend. You are allowed to feel happy about how well things are going for you. Success is a great thing!Now, as for how we choose to express our celebratory feelings in front of others who are in pain, or those like your friend who are feeling very sensitive: It is, of course, important to be tactful. You can choose to practice sensitivity and empathy for others in a way that doesn’t undermine your own good feelings. And actually, the fact that you are in a good place could make you an even better listener and supporter for others who are hurting because you’re not distracted by personal struggle. Know which people in your life you can safely share all your good feelings with, those who will be truly happy for you, and use good judgment with everyone else.&nbsp;I am very happy to hear your wonderful news, and hope that you can truly own it and let yourself enjoy it fully. Wishing you only success in the future as well!&nbsp;Previous columns:<ul style="list-style-type:initial;"><li><a href="https://aflds.org/news/post/back-to-center-the-anger-and-hurt-feelings-are-costing-you-too-much/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">‘The anger and hurt feelings are costing you too much’</a></li><li><a href="https://aflds.org/news/post/back-to-center-people-who-once-treated-each-other-with-so-much-love-and-kindness-are-now-at-odds/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">‘People who once treated each other with so much love and kindness are now at odds’</a></li><li><a href="https://aflds.org/news/post/back-to-center-struggling-with-my-relationship-with-god-since-covid/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">‘Struggling with my relationship with God since COVID’</a></li><li><a href="https://aflds.org/news/post/back-to-center-i-have-lost-confidence-in-our-healthcare-system-including-my-own-personal-doctors/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">'I have lost confidence in our healthcare system, including my own personal doctors'</a></li><li><a href="https://aflds.org/news/post/back-to-center-can-you-forgive-yourself-for-the-years-you-couldnt-be-there-with-your-daughter/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">'Can you forgive yourself for the years you couldn’t be there with your daughter?'</a></li><li><a href="https://aflds.org/news/post/back-to-center-my-wife-is-willing-to-take-the-sacrifice-for-her-sister-and-im-sick-to-my-stomach-thinking-about-it/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">'My wife is willing to take the sacrifice for her sister and I'm sick to my stomach thinking about it'</a></li><li><a href="https://aflds.org/news/post/back-to-center-i-deeply-regret-taking-the-vaccine/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">'I deeply regret taking the vaccine'</a></li><li><a href="https://aflds.org/news/post/back-to-center-married-39-years-and-i-thought-we-were-on-the-same-page-when-it-came-to-things-that-mattered-most/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">'Married 39 years and I thought we were on the same page when it came to things that mattered most'</a></li><li><a href="https://aflds.org/news/post/back-to-center-how-do-i-repair-this-relationship-or-accept-that-i-may-never-see-my-son-again/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">‘How do I repair this relationship or accept that I may never see my son again?’</a></li><li>‘<a href="https://aflds.org/news/post/back-to-center-how-can-i-stop-fear-from-controlling-my-every-thought-and-ruining-my-dreams/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">How can I stop fear from controlling my every thought and ruining my dreams?’</a></li><li><a href="https://aflds.org/news/post/how-can-i-pursue-my-dream-to-find-the-person-to-marry-when-its-so-hard-to-connect-with-new-people-because-of-covid/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">'How can I pursue my dream to find the person to marry, when it's so hard to connect with new people because of COVID?'</a></li><li><a href="https://www.americasfrontlinedoctors.org/news/post/how-can-i-feel-safe-these-days/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">'How can I feel safe these days?'</a></li><li><a href="https://americasfrontlinedoctors.org/news/post/advice-column-premier-back-to-center/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Advice column premier: Back to Center</a></li></ul>Sarah encourages you to reach out to her with requests for advice! Please send your questions to <a href="mailto:advice@aflds.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">advice@aflds.org</a><figure class="image image-style-align-left image_resized" style="width:428px;"><img src="https://aflds.rbrdigital.app/uploads/image_def5830ec1.jpeg"></figure>Sarah Perron is a Certified Transformational Life Coach. Her passion is to help people create a powerful vision for their lives, identify and eliminate anything that holds them back, and step into their own unique greatness and mission in the world. She believes deeply in the power of coaching to bring fresh perspectives, ideas, and motivation to anyone who wants to thrive in life. Sarah works with clients one-on-one and in group coaching programs and presents exciting workshops on self-development topics. You can follow her on her YouTube channel <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTlPdMbwe8QAfP5NUR3GRRQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Find Your Fire</a>.You are invited to book a complimentary coaching call with Sarah! Please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalendly.com%2Fsarahperroncoaching%2F45min&amp;data=04%7C01%7Csones%40aflds.org%7C31d93fd5f0224c8ae79008da065d1c0c%7Cb86874a894e144f8891fcd4fa7ac80e6%7C1%7C0%7C637829294605931269%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&amp;sdata=ypWrVm9gI8jDagbivpnoHD1M%2F%2F4CKS4v1YoGUWUGpMQ%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://calendly.com/sarahperroncoaching/45min</a>&nbsp;to choose a time that's convenient&nbsp;for you. She looks forward to meeting you!

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What caused them to turn on their fellow human beings this way?

Back to Center: I pity the people creating the lies

<h2>Faux meat, meet faux dairy</h2>You may not have heard as much about synbio (synthetic biology) milk as about lab-grown meat, which Frontline News recently <a href="https://frontline.news/post/equating-lab-grown-meat-with-animal-meat-is-kooky-thinking-alliance-for-natural-health" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">brought</a> to readers' attention. Lab-grown meat is produced by replicating cells from a cow. Synbio dairy is produced by “precision fermentation,” a process that uses genetically engineered yeast to replicate a whey protein. The Alliance for Natural Health (ANH) <a href="https://anh-usa.org/frankenfoods-v2-exploiting-the-bioequivalence-principle/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">describes</a> how the Bored Cow company uses precision fermentation to make its synbio milk.<blockquote>This involves taking a gene for whey protein and inserting it into a GE yeast. The yeast is put into fermentation tanks with other nutrients to help it grow. At the end the GE yeast is supposed to be filtered out, leaving only the milk protein. Bored Cow takes this protein and adds vitamins, minerals, and other ingredients to mimic the taste, consistency, and nutritional content of real cow’s milk.</blockquote><a href="https://www.nongmoproject.org/blog/new-gmo-alert-animal-free-dairy-products-to-watch-out-for/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">According</a> to the Non-GMO Project Standard, all products of genetic engineering, including synthetic biology, are GMOs.Bored Cow's synbio milk is <a href="https://tryboredcow.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">sold</a> in stores such as Sprouts Market, Fairway, Save Mart, and others. It advertises its genetically engineered faux milk as "The first milk alternative to do it all."&nbsp;Does it really “do it all?” For people interested in fake foods, synbio milk certainly seems to fit the bill; it's animal-free, vegan-friendly, said to be nutritionally equivalent to milk, and can be used in foods, cooking, and baking in the same ways as real milk. In her article about Bored Cow for HuffPost, Su-Jit Lin <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bored-cow-dairy-milk-no-animal_l_646292d2e4b018d846bf9f1f" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">sings</a> the faux milk's praises.&nbsp;<h3>Animal free&nbsp;</h3>Lin explains that the milk-like product does not involve any animals because the genetic sequencing of the Montana cow named Dominette used to make it was already on file with the Bovine Genome Project. Because no animals were involved, the company claims it is vegan-friendly, although unsafe for those with milk allergies.<h3>Better than the real thing?</h3>Ben Berman, co-founder and CEO of Bored Cow, stated that their product, created to “replicate the taste, texture, nutrition and functionality of conventional dairy milk,” has a nutrition panel nearly identical to, if not better than, the generic milk he had in his fridge, according to the report:&nbsp;<blockquote>Like other milk alternatives, we combine our protein with plant-based ingredients, vitamins and minerals.” But unlike those alternatives, in a side-by-side comparison to the generic market milk I had in my fridge, I found the nutrition panel to be nearly identical, if not better.“Just like conventional dairy milk, a serving of Bored Cow has 8 grams of complete protein, amino acids and all, and is an excellent source of calcium, vitamin D and B12,” Berman said.</blockquote><h3>Bored Cow passes the cereal and coffee tests</h3>Lin stated that Bored Cow was similar to 2% milk in taste and texture in her cereal and coffee and, according to Berman, it could be used in the same ways as milk.&nbsp;<blockquote>The viscosity of it in a glass, in cereal, and in my iced coffee mimicked that of 2% or whole milk, and unlike plant milks, didn’t break in hot coffee. Even better news, Berman said: “It froths, foams, cooks and bakes just like cow’s milk.”</blockquote><h3>Real milk is much cheaper</h3>The only downside she reported was pricing, since it was much more expensive per quart than real milk and some families who drink a lot of milk would be hard-pressed to buy Bored Cow's. She hoped that, as it gained popularity and production increased, the price would come down. &nbsp;<h2>Bored Cow has a lot of company &nbsp;</h2>Bored Cow is not the only company developing synthetic milk based on precision fermenting.&nbsp;This tweet by Organic Garden Coach &amp; Business Strategist links to an article by the Non-GMO Project highlighting the price difference between Bored Cow and real milk and reviewing companies in Europe that are developing their own versions of synbio milk.&nbsp;<div class="raw-html-embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">"For example, currently, four 32-oz containers of Bored Cow milk made using Perfect Day’s synbio dairy proteins, cost $26, which is approximately three to four times the cost of a gallon of real organic milk." <a href="https://t.co/f3m1b4SmY9">https://t.co/f3m1b4SmY9</a>— Organic Garden Coach &amp; Business Strategist (@debbyward1) <a href="https://twitter.com/debbyward1/status/1752361295695708271?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Other companies that produce synbio dairy by precision fermentation include the ones below, which were <a href="https://www.nongmoproject.org/blog/new-gmo-alert-animal-free-dairy-products-to-watch-out-for/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">reviewed</a> by the Non-GMO Project. These companies also claim, on their websites, that their faux dairy products are equivalent to the real thing yet better for cows, people, and the environment.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.remilk.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ReMilk</a> - Real Dairy. No Cows.™"<blockquote>Dairy crafted Remilk's way is healthy and clean, with no cholesterol, lactose, hormones, and antibiotics – just 100% yum without the scum! It’s identical in taste, requires a fraction of the resources and is 100% cruelty-free. Holy cow!</blockquote><a href="https://formo.bio/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Formo</a> - “Cheese. This Time Animal-Free.”<blockquote>To keep our fondues gooey, forests healthy, cheese boards stinky and climate stable, it’s time to dump industrial dairy and start the path to a better food system.</blockquote><a href="https://www.changefoods.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Change Foods</a> - maker of synbio cheese.<blockquote>. . . by keeping the cows blissfully uninvolved, we can ensure our cheese contains all the good stuff and none of the nasties.Yes to protein, calcium, and deliciousness. Hold the cholesterol, hormones and antibiotics.10x less water. 100x less land. 5x less energy. 25x less feedstock.</blockquote><a href="https://imagindairy.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Imagindairy</a> - “Not all dairy is created equally.”<blockquote>By combining our admiration for dairy, concern for the planet, and expertise in science, we’ve created dairy proteins that possess the same bold flavour, functionality, experience, mouthfeel, and nutrition as the cow-required dairy you’ve always known and enjoyed. Our animal-free dairy products are also lactose-free, growth hormone-free, and cholesterol-free.</blockquote><a href="https://www.newculture.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">New Culture</a> - “Cow Cheese Without The Cow”<blockquote>We love ‘em all, but for the-love-of-pizza we had to start with mozzarella. Our mozz has the same taste and stretch that you expect from your favorite pie, which is why we’re bringing our cheese to pizzerias first.By the time it’s on your plate, it’s just as melty and creamy as the original. But it’s also animal-free, lactose-free, and planet-friendly. And above all, it makes a killer pizza.</blockquote><h2>Faux dairy where you don't expect it</h2>Synbio milk is being used as an ingredient in food products produced by other companies and about which consumers are likely to be in the dark, as the following tweet by B. Maat shows.<div class="raw-html-embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The Urgent Company, California Performance Co. and Betterland Foods. Even General Mills now sells products made with synbio milk, according to Bored Cow. Perfect Day also lists partnerships with Nestlé, Mars, Myprotein, Renewal Mill and Bel Group— b. maat (@bmaat99) <a href="https://twitter.com/bmaat99/status/1740343277684179206?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2>Is fake milk truly equivalent to cow milk?</h2>As Frontline News has shown, the <a href="https://frontline.news/post/lab-grown-meat-not-slaughter-free-not-climate-friendly-as-claimed-can-it-cause-cancer-too" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">claims</a> made by manufacturers of lab-grown meat don't hold up, nor do the <a href="https://frontline.news/post/child-slave-labor-in-producing-ev-batteries-raises-serious-questions-about-clean-green-technologies" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">claims</a> of environmentalists and government authorities promoting the use of EV cars.&nbsp;Considering the magnitude of the synbio dairy industry, it is important to ask if the claims made by Bored Cow and other synbio dairy manufacturers are accurate. That will be the topic of our next article on synbio milk.Related articles:<ul><li><a href="https://frontline.news/post/equating-lab-grown-meat-with-animal-meat-is-kooky-thinking-alliance-for-natural-health" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Equating lab-grown meat with animal meat is 'kooky thinking' - Alliance for Natural Health</a></li><li><a href="https://frontline.news/post/lab-grown-meat-not-slaughter-free-not-climate-friendly-as-claimed-can-it-cause-cancer-too">Lab-grown meat not slaughter-free, not climate-friendly as claimed. Can it cause cancer too?</a></li><li><a href="https://frontline.news/post/a-little-bit-of-pfizer-in-your-cheese-fake-rennet-bypassed-additive-approval-process">A little bit of Pfizer in your cheese? Fake rennet bypassed additive approval process</a></li><li><a href="https://frontline.news/post/can-t-digest-cheese-maybe-you-can-tolerate-cheese-made-with-natural-rennet-instead-of-pfizer-s-gmo-version">Can't digest cheese? Maybe you can tolerate cheese made with natural rennet instead of Pfizer's GMO version</a></li><li><a href="https://frontline.news/post/fake-milk-inferior-to-real-milk-experts-find">Fake milk inferior to real milk, experts find</a></li><li><a href="https://frontline.news/post/fake-meat-sales-plummet-amid-falling-demand">Fake meat sales plummet amid falling demand</a></li><li><a href="https://frontline.news/post/fake-meat-industry-continues-to-plunge">Fake meat industry continues to plunge</a></li><li><a href="https://frontline.news/post/italy-becomes-first-country-to-ban-fake-food">Italy becomes first country to ban fake food</a></li><li><a href="https://frontline.news/post/fakefood-another-safe-ingredient-may-pose-health-threat">#FakeFood: Another ‘safe’ ingredient may pose health threat</a></li></ul>

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Nutrition

Technology

wokeness

'Even General Mills now sells products made with synbio milk'

Got milk? It might not be real

Over 60 years have passed since the thalidomide disaster, when around 10,000 babies were born deformed due to a drug their mothers had taken during pregnancy. Thalidomide was <a href="https://usthalidomide.org/german-family-behind-thalidomide-apologises-to-victims/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">promoted </a>as being “as harmless as a sugar cookie,” but almost half of all children exposed to the drug in the womb <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/thalidomide-babies-birth-defects-caused-by-a-harmless-pill-60-years-ago/a-59952155" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">died </a>shortly after birth. To this day, the majority of healthcare providers are still extremely cautious when it comes to pronouncing any drug safe for pregnant women. Quietly, however, researchers and others are working to change this, and while they claim to have the welfare of pregnant women in mind, their plans indicate that other interests are also at play.&nbsp;<ul style="list-style-type:disc;"><li>An article in a prestigious medical journal points the way toward research on pregnant and lactating women</li><li>Main obstacle: fear of legal liability</li><li>Pregnant women no longer considered “vulnerable” in official guidelines; including them in research to become the default position</li><li>Permitted level of risk raised above “minimal” and to be determined by “stakeholders" (which include Pharma)</li><li>Focus on providing researchers and Pharma with protection from liability in case of injury</li><li>Doctors &amp; other healthcare workers (broadly defined to includes doulas and others) to be barred from warning pregnant women against use of medications</li><li>Doctors to be co-opted to recruit patients as trial participants, using both inducements and implied threats</li><li>Large-scale "public awareness” campaign with the aim of creating a “cultural shift”</li></ul>&nbsp;Breaking tabooA recent article in <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2817621?guestAccessKey=8b28a9e3-629c-4219-b51d-a2548613cb26&amp;utm_source=silverchair&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=article_alert-jama&amp;utm_content=olf&amp;utm_term=041024&amp;adv=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">JAMA </a>(the Journal of the American Medical Association), written by Margaret Foster Riley JD, is titled “Including Pregnant and Lactating Women in Clinical Research; Moving Beyond Legal Liability,” and the clue is in the title. In this article, Prof. Riley notes that research into use of drugs by pregnant and lactating women is being held back by fears of legal action if anything goes wrong, but that such fears are unfounded.<blockquote>... until now, there has never been a systematic examination of legal liability in the US for the inclusion of pregnant and lactating women in clinical research and whether this fear of liability is supported by evidence. A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine asserts that while fear of legal liability is pervasive, actual legal liability is not, and is often conflated with other concerns, such as reputational risk, increased costs, and trial complexity.</blockquote>Riley also expresses concern that the lack of research means that women many cease taking necessary drugs while pregnant or nursing, with adverse results; or that they take drugs regardless, without having safety data to inform them. While her concerns may be well-founded, it is noteworthy that she does not mention even in passing the risk that research itself would pose to women in vulnerable states.<blockquote>By excluding pregnant and lactating women from clinical studies due to perceived liability risks, these populations, as well as their fetuses and breastfeeding children, are harmed. In an ideal world, pregnant and lactating women would have the ability to make informed decisions that optimize their perinatal and postpartum health and the health of their children…</blockquote>Riley has been involved in crafting recommendations for Congress, which, several years ago, tasked the <a href="https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/27595/chapter/2#3" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">National Academies</a> of Science, Engineering, and Medicine with examining the issue of research and associated liability. Their 83-page <a href="https://www.nichd.nih.gov/sites/default/files/inline-files/PRGLAC_Implement_Plan_083120.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">report</a> contains a wealth of information from which one may derive the direction in which research is going, not only in the United States, but also in Europe and beyond.Following is an assessment of the report with selected quotations.&nbsp;Fetuses and neonates no longer considered “vulnerable”Pregnant women have historically been considered “vulnerable” when it comes to research (due to concern for the fetus), as have other populations such as prisoners, who are vulnerable to being coerced into participation, and also children, who are unable to give informed consent. <a href="https://www.nichd.nih.gov/sites/default/files/2018-09/PRGLAC_Report.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">No longer</a>. The report's recommendation that pregnant women no longer be classified as vulnerable has already been implemented, with the report’s authors claiming that:<blockquote>Not surprisingly, a consensus has arisen in recent years that the more ethical and responsible course would be to include pregnant and lactating women in clinical research.&nbsp;</blockquote>&nbsp;Pregnant women to be included in trials absent “strong” evidence of riskThe report also recommends a paradigm shift in the attitude toward including pregnant and/or lactating women in clinical trials, making inclusion the default position:<blockquote>Instead of justifying inclusion of pregnant women or lactating women in clinical research, investigational new drug applications (INDs) for new drugs or biological products (including a proposed study for a new indication to an already approved drug or licensed biological product) should now include justification for excluding these groups…</blockquote>Pharmaceutical companies will only be granted a waiver from including these populations if:<blockquote>… available evidence strongly suggests that the drug or biological product would be ineffective or unsafe in pregnant women and/or lactating women…</blockquote>&nbsp;Permitted level of risk raised above “minimal”The official code of ethics governing the protection of those who participate in domestic research is called the <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/education-and-outreach/about-research-participation/protecting-research-volunteers/principal-regulations/index.html#:~:text=The%20Common%20Rule%20generally%20requires,in%20language%20they%20would%20understand." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Common Rule</a>. Clause 46:204 governing “Research involving pregnant women or fetuses” <a href="https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-A/subchapter-A/part-46" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">includes</a> as one of the necessary conditions permitting this research:<blockquote>(d) If the research holds out the prospect of direct benefit to the pregnant woman, the prospect of a direct benefit both to the pregnant woman and the fetus, or no prospect of benefit for the woman nor the fetus when risk to the fetus is not greater than minimal&nbsp;and the purpose of the research is the development of important biomedical knowledge that cannot be obtained by any other means... [emphasis added]</blockquote>One of the report’s recommendations is to raise the permitted level of risk entailed in research, permitting not only research “of minimal risk” but also research that involves a “minor increase over minimal risk” (as is currently the rule for research on children).&nbsp;‘Stakeholders’ to decide what constitutes acceptable riskWho will define what constitutes a “minor increase” in risk? The report states:<blockquote>… experts and stakeholders should be convened to reach consensus on the definition of what constitutes a minor increase over minimal risk for both the pregnant woman and the fetus…</blockquote>Elsewhere, it defines stakeholders as “government, industry [i.e., Pharma], clinicians, and women":<blockquote>... stakeholders, including industry, could work on topics of mutual interest to further research on therapeutics used by pregnant women and lactating women. Examples include agreeing on the parameters of reproductive/toxicity studies, such as the weight of evidence for reproductive or teratogenic risk required, data standards, and developing a business case around the risk of studying drugs earlier in pregnant women…</blockquote>The report is light on what can be practically done to ensure that research itself does not pose dangers to women, fetuses, and neonates, merely mentioning the need for more funding to develop more preclinical models and methods, given that, “Current preclinical (animal) models have limitations for extrapolating the findings to humans.”<blockquote>Appropriate preclinical studies, such as reproductive toxicology studies using animal models, should be conducted for therapeutics still in development with the potential to be used by pregnant women and/or lactating women. Based on data from preclinical studies, decisions about whether to include pregnant women or lactating women in phase III clinical trials should be refocused; the assumption should be inclusion, with a decision on exclusion only if clearly justified by the preclinical data.&nbsp;</blockquote>&nbsp;Protection for researchers — but what about mothers?It is illegal to bribe citizens to participate in medical research which involves a risk (as much, if not all, medical research does). Providing a substantial safety net for those inadvertently injured due to participation in a clinical trial is not considered an improper inducement. The report, however, does not mention providing enhanced compensation to reassure women that if anything goes wrong, they’re covered. Rather, it focuses on “providing researchers with protection against liability."<blockquote>Convene a panel ... to make recommendations for conducting research that substantially mitigates or avoids incurring liability (absent negligence or malfeasance). These recommendations may include ways to maximize the use of informed consent procedures ... without waiving research participants’ legal rights, while still providing researchers with protection against liability.&nbsp;</blockquote>The report also suggests using the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) as a model for regulating compensation for mothers injured due to their involvement in a clinical study.&nbsp;Doctors who don’t play along may lose their licensesNext, the report turns its attention to the practicalities of recruiting women to clinical trials, and notes that doctors are in a unique position to influence their patients, since,<blockquote>… studies repeatedly show that healthcare providers remain a trusted source of information about health…</blockquote>Furthermore, “any hesitation on the part of the trusted healthcare provider about participation diminishes the chance” that women will join a trial, so various measures are proposed to ensure that healthcare providers actively promote participation in research:<blockquote>… continuing medical education (CME) modules that would be linked to maintenance of board certification or licensure. In addition to content about current knowledge of the therapeutics used by pregnant women and lactating women, these modules should explain how to access and how to communicate this information to a diverse group of potential participants, including information about balancing the risk of taking a medication with that of not treating an underlying condition... [emphasis added]</blockquote>&nbsp;Warning against drug use during pregnancy or lactation to be outlawedFor those doctors who succeed in recruiting patients to clinical trials, the report suggests a program of rewards:<blockquote>Explore incentives for healthcare providers to discuss clinical trials with their patients … Behavioral incentives, such as formal feedback that gives credit to healthcare providers for getting their patients involved in trials, or grading metrics from payers, should also be included in this discussion.</blockquote>However, not only doctors are to be included in the new drive to recruit pregnant and lactating women. The report mentions many other groups who are to be co-opted:<blockquote>… healthcare providers (including but not limited to clinicians, pharmacists, lactation consultants, dietitians, nursing and allied health professionals, nurse midwives, nurse practitioners); academic and industry researchers; medical, health, and pharmacy associations; teratology information specialists and genetic counselors; and pregnant women and lactating women and family members ... organizations representing women’s and family health interests, such as doula and social work organizations...</blockquote>If the report’s recommendations are adopted, all the above-mentioned groups will be barred from warning their patients or clients against using any medication during pregnancy or lactation unless there is clear evidence of risk:<blockquote>For example ... until more studies on medications used by lactating women are completed, the interim messaging to women and their healthcare providers may only reflect that data are lacking, and that they must balance risks and benefits&nbsp;of medication use with continuation of breastfeeding [emphasis added].</blockquote>How healthcare providers can calculate the risk-benefit ratio in the absence of data is not explained. Furthermore, the report stresses that data that becomes available in the future due to new research is to be shared with doctors, who will be responsible for presenting it in the form of “handouts written for a lay audience.” That is to say, the raw data will not be made available to the public.&nbsp;Aim: To create a ‘cultural shift’Parallel to its strategy vis-à-vis the healthcare profession, the report recommends a public awareness campaign to encourage pregnant and lactating women to participate in scientific research:<blockquote>Rec[ommendation]. 5: Create a public awareness campaign to engage the public and healthcare providers in research on pregnant women and lactating women. For any cultural shift to occur, the associated behavioral change requires a targeted communications strategy. When communicating information relevant to treating pregnant women and lactating women, messages must be concise, consistent, tailored, and actionable for women and their healthcare providers … Highlight the importance of research on therapeutic products in pregnant women and lactating women, including the impact of not taking the medication during pregnancy and lactation…</blockquote>To provide maximal impact for public messaging, the report suggests that anecdotal evidence be used, even though in general, the scientific community dismisses this kind of evidence as either inferior or misleading and irrelevant:<blockquote>To assist in illustrating these issues, educational efforts need to include real-life stories about pregnant or lactating women’s experiences to illustrate absolute risk, relative risk, and the trade-off of risks and benefits. These stories may include the consequences of stopping treatment for ongoing conditions, failure to treat emerging conditions, and unintended incorrect dosing due to the physiological changes during pregnancy. Once developed, these messages should be pilot tested to ensure comprehension and acceptability prior to being rolled out to a wider audience.</blockquote>&nbsp;Tax breaks for Pharma companies that include pregnant and/or lactating women in clinical studiesWhile behavioral incentives are proposed to encourage doctors to recruit clinical trial participants, for another group of stakeholders, the pharmaceutical companies, the report suggests financial inducements, as JAMA’s article describes:<blockquote>... the report’s recommendations include a call for Congress to develop incentives, such as extended market exclusivity or tax breaks, to encourage the conduct of clinical studies with pregnant and lactating women…</blockquote>In fact, the government-appointed task force on research in this area is already collaborating with European Union partnerships between industrial and philanthropic interests, such as the ConcePTION initiative,<blockquote>… a public-private partnership between the European Union and the European pharmaceutical industry to develop the next generation of vaccines and medications for pregnant women and lactating women...</blockquote>The report also notes that,<blockquote>The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is funding MHRA in the UK to create repository of information for assessing drug exposure in pregnancy…</blockquote>&nbsp;Abortion laws and experimenting on pregnant womenProf. Riley notes that the recent Supreme Court ruling on abortion “could further discourage the conduct of clinical research with pregnant women.” Her concern may be well-founded, but the parallel between laws governing clinical trials and those governing abortion is an intriguing one.It is claimed, although reliable data are hard to come by, that most pregnant women (perhaps as many as 70 percent) and the majority of lactating women (over 50 percent) use medications during these periods. Riley’s main justification for broadening the permissibility of research rests on the assumption that “drug use is happening anyway, so we should at least find out if it’s safe (even if we risk a few women and babies along the way).” A similar argument is used by those in favor of “safe, legal, and rare” abortions.&nbsp;However, just because people are doing something “anyway” does not mean it should be condoned or encouraged by the government. Furthermore, doing so may have deleterious effects that legislators often fail to anticipate.&nbsp;Large, uncontrolled experiments?Riley also notes that:<blockquote>The absence of a sufficient evidence base means that almost all pregnant and lactating women with a condition for which a medical product might be appropriate are, in effect, participants in large, uncontrolled experiments that typically will not produce useful data.</blockquote>Unwitting and often unwilling participants in another “large, uncontrolled experiment” may have something to say on the topic…

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Medical

US News

Healthcare providers to be co-opted in recruiting trial participants; Pharma to be granted tax breaks

Exclusive: Drug research on pregnant women could become the norm

By Alex Newman&nbsp;What comes after LGBTQIA+ in the rainbow alphabet being taught to captive children? Many critics of the movement assumed it would be P for pederasty and pedophilia, and in some places, it is. But in Australia, it seems that “B” might be the next letter added to the ever-longer list of sexual and gender deviance.&nbsp;According to whistleblowers and outraged parents, children as young as 13 in a South Australia school were forcibly taught about sexual activities with animals as part of a “queer” LGBTQIA+ “sex education” class. The revelations drew outrage from parents and half-hearted apologies from “education” officials.&nbsp;The presentation in question at Renmark High School was delivered to 9th&nbsp;grade students under the guise of teaching about “respectful relationships.” It was so graphic and grotesque that multiple girls asked to leave the classroom to go to the “bathroom” just to get away before seeking help from their parents, according to ABC News Australia.&nbsp;Some students spoke out. “There was a slide for what the ‘plus’ means [in LGBTQIA+], and they just started randomly saying words that no-one knew, like bestiality,” explained Emelia Wundenberg, 14, one of the victims of the homosexuality- and transgenderism-promoting session. “It was on the board when they were showing what the ‘plus’ meant.”&nbsp;After the first refence, the presenter then got even more graphic, explaining human sexual acts with animals in detail while implying that it was normal and accepted by homosexuals, transgenders, bisexuals, and others. “They said [the queer community] just accepts all of it, even though … isn’t it illegal?” Wundenberg wondered.According to Wundenberg, the “sex educator” who presented the material was also extremely graphic when describing her own sexual perversions and fetishes, describing herself as “confused.” The presenter also said that growing up she could not tell whether she idolized people or wanted to have sexual relationships with them.&nbsp;Another student, Courtney White, said she felt “confused” and “blindsided” by the indoctrination session. Among other concerns, White, 14, said teachers left the students alone with the “queer” sex ed staff. And then the brainwashing began. “The first slide of the PowerPoint on the board was ‘You can see queerly now’ and ‘No point hiding,’” she said.&nbsp;As the perversion became increasingly outrageous, Courtney and other girls became so uncomfortable that they had to leave. “We’re all just sitting there like, ‘What the hell? What are we doing here? Why are we learning about animals having sex with humans?’” she said. “It was really disgusting, it was really uncomfortable.”The experience was so extreme that some parents have now formally pulled their children from the school. “My kids are in limbo,” said Courtney’s mom after removing all three of her children. “They’re not in an education department at this point. I’m not putting them anywhere until I know this won’t happen again.”The school, meanwhile, is in damage-control mode, apologizing to parents and offering “counseling” to the traumatized students. “Sexuality educator” and “LGBTQIA+ inclusion” advocate Eleonora Bertsa-Fuchs, who as a “nonbinary” uses “Mix” or “Mx.” Instead of Mr., Ms., or Mrs., said it was important that all children learn about every kind of perversion.However, she added, lessons on gender confusion and perverse sex acts including sodomy, fornication, and more should be conducted in a way that is “safe and appropriate.” Ironically, perhaps, she claimed the LGBTQIA+ “community” was the real victim in this latest scandal, too.The explosive news comes just weeks after a transgender UN “expert” from Australia working on global regulations for children’s medical care from the World Health Organization was exposed sharing photos of bestiality with dogs. The expert, a woman impersonating a man who uses the name “Teddy Cook,” is an LGBTQ+ “community health” director in Sydney.&nbsp;Another perverted sex fiend down under, a popular academic from Charles Darwin University who specialized in crocodiles, was arrested late last year and charged with sexually abusing dozens of dogs, the BBC reported. The perversion was so horrific the judge asked security officers to exit the court. The perpetrator, Adam Britton, was also charged for child-abuse material.&nbsp; &nbsp;In California, as first exposed by The Newman Report years ago, government schools have already been caught normalizing sex between adults and children. When confronted by a mom about why they were teaching pedophilia, Brea Olinda School District Assistant Superintendent responded that raping children is a “sexual orientation that has existed in history” and so, “it’s really important” to teach it. &nbsp;<img class="image_resized" style="width:384px;" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.freedomproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/3364780_1225x377_2500.jpg?resize=696%2C214&amp;ssl=1" alt="">Just as critics warned, it was only a matter of time before the perversion alphabet being forced on captive children in government schools grew to include more letters. It seems that P and B may be next as Western societies turn away from God, truth, morality, and common sense. Unfortunately, the devastating harm done to children is just getting started.&nbsp;Originally published at <a href="https://www.freedomproject.com/2024/04/10/tnr20240410/">FreedomProject Media</a>.<a href="https://libertysentinel.org/author/admin/">Alex Newman</a> is an award-winning international journalist, educator, author, and consultant who co-wrote the book “Crimes of the Educators: How Utopians Are Using Government Schools to Destroy America’s Children.” He writes for diverse publications in the United States and abroad.

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World News

What comes after LGBTQIA+ in government schools?

Bestiality Taught in Australian School’s “Queer” Sex Class

<h2>The Biden Administration keeping pornography in the public schools</h2>Most Americans believe the health and well-being of children should always be first and foremost, yet child pornography has now found its way into public school libraries. This has sparked a fierce debate among parents and officials about what children should be exposed to, as Frontline News recently <a href="https://frontline.news/post/pornography-now-in-public-school-libraries-did-you-know" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">reported</a>. &nbsp;While parents all over the country have been fighting local school boards and some states have passed legislation giving parents control over sexually explicit materials in schools, the federal government may have just made the parents' job more difficult. A Fox News report by Hannah Grossman in July 2023 <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/biden-admin-disrupting-parents-removing-pornography-schools-frighting-civil-rights-office" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">explained</a> that the Biden Administration “is starting to weaponize [the Department of Education Office of Civil Rights] to combat parents' efforts in local districts under the threat of withholding funding, according to education experts.”Grossman quoted Max Eden, a research fellow focusing on K-12 education at the American Enterprise Institute who said “[t]he move signals that the DOE can investigate a district for simply reviewing parents' concerns about sexually explicit content in schools.”Oli London tweeted highlights from the Fox News article:&nbsp;<div class="raw-html-embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The Biden administration has began weaponizing the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights to punish schools that remove sexually explicit books targeting children from libraries. The DOE can investigate a school district simply for reviewing parental concerns about… <a href="https://t.co/V3KGKRAW1L">pic.twitter.com/V3KGKRAW1L</a>— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/OliLondonTV/status/1682191529341861888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In another article, Grossman <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/rhode-island-dad-accuses-district-sick-agenda-use-abuse-children-pornography-book" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">reported</a> on a Fox News Digital interview with Rhode Island father Rob Chiaradio who has been fighting the Westerly School District board to remove the book “Gender Queer,” which includes pornographic images, from its library bookshelves. Chiaradio told Fox that he believed that schoolchildren are being used and abused for a sick agenda:<blockquote>Rather than teaching these kids about math, English, and science…, these kids are being used and abused in order to help these people achieve some kind of sick agenda that they have.</blockquote>He also expressed concern that “destroying” children is one way in which officials may ultimately take down the country:<blockquote>These… so-called leaders of the district are trusted by these kids. The only thing that I can think of here is that these people have other motivations," he said. "And that's the thing that really, really gets me. Because the best way to take down a country or a society… is to destroy a generation of its youth.".</blockquote><div class="raw-html-embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">"Rather than teaching these kids about math, English, and science, these kids are being used and abused in order to help these people achieve some kind of sick agenda that they have," Robert Chiaradio told Fox News Digital in an interview. <a href="https://t.co/KhZM1dydVf">https://t.co/KhZM1dydVf</a>— (@DIHart1727) <a href="https://twitter.com/DIHart1727/status/1616828379914715141?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div><h3>&nbsp;</h3><h3>Books in school libraries “unequivocally erotica”</h3>Senior Fellow of the Education Freedom Center for the Independent Women’s Forum Nicole Solas <a href="https://docs.house.gov/meetings/ED/ED14/20231019/116471/HHRG-118-ED14-20231019-SD004.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">penned</a> a Written Statement Before the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce Hearing: Combatting Graphic, Explicit Books in School Libraries. In her October 19, 2023, statement, she described the gravity of the situation including what is in the pornographic and sexually explicit books available to public school children.&nbsp;<blockquote>. . . This is not an occasional problem. On the contrary, the amount of sexually explicit books in school libraries is extensive and vast. . . . These books do not simply provide clinical sex education describing anatomy and reproduction. They contain numerous pornographic passages and pictures meant to instruct children on sexual pleasure, sexually excite children, or push a radical, ideological viewpoint of sex and sexuality. In many cases, these books are unequivocally erotica with both homosexual and heterosexual storylines framed against the youthful backdrops of high school, family, and friends. In one reported incident, hardcore pornography for adults was removed from a high school library and you can read an excerpt.&nbsp;</blockquote>Solas included a list of the books and links to excerpts, imploring the committee members to “take some time to review the listed excerpts and graphics list provided. . . You will be astonished,” she wrote.<h3>Significant harm to children</h3>To explain the impact that pornography has on children, Solas referred to the American Academy of Pediatrician's description of its harm to children:<blockquote>These negative effects include mental disturbance and unrest for the young school age child, including acting out and violent behavior. Because of its harmfulness to children, pornography must never be used as a tool to teach children human sexuality.”&nbsp;</blockquote>The Academy is quite <a href="https://acpeds.org/position-statements/the-impact-of-pornography-on-children" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">detailed</a> in its description of the harms that pornography holds for elementary school children. The academy lists maladaptive behaviors and psychopathology that young children who have viewed pornography may display.<blockquote>. . . Pornography exposure at these young ages often results in anxiety for the child. &nbsp;Children also report feelings of disgust, shock, embarrassment, anger, fear, and sadness after viewing pornography. These children can suffer all of the symptoms of anxiety and depression. They may become obsessed with acting out adult sexual acts that they have seen, and this can be very disruptive and disturbing to the child’s peers who witness or are victimized by this behavior. Children under twelve years old who have viewed pornography are statistically more likely to sexually assault their peers. In sum, children exposed to pornographic material are at risk for a broad range of maladaptive behaviors and psychopathology.</blockquote>The Academy referred to a study done in the 1980s to explain the effect pornography had on older adolescents and young adults, They found that their moral compass was skewed and that their attitudes toward marriage, rape, and fidelity were compromised.&nbsp;<blockquote>The following observations were noted regarding young adults exposed to pornography compared to the control group:<ul><li>Male subjects demonstrated increased callousness toward women.</li><li>Subjects considered the crime of rape less serious.</li><li>Subjects were more accepting of non-marital sexual activity and non-coital sexual practices such as oral and anal sex.</li><li>Subjects became more interested in more extreme and deviant forms of pornography.</li><li>Subjects were more likely to say they were dissatisfied with their sexual partner.</li><li>Subjects were more accepting of sexual infidelity in a relationship.</li><li>Subjects valued marriage less and were twice as likely to believe marriage may become obsolete.</li><li>Men experienced a decreased desire for children, and women experienced a decreased desire to have a daughter.</li><li>Subjects showed a greater acceptance of female promiscuity.</li></ul></blockquote><h3>UK concerned about effects of porn on kids, too</h3>A 2023 <a href="https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/resource/pornography-and-harmful-sexual-behaviour/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">report</a> by the UK's Children's Commissioner regarding online pornography, in preparation for an online safety bill, emphasizes the harm that pornography inflicts on children. The report was the result of an analysis of 502 cases reports of child-on-child sexual abuse. The commissioner reported that it shapes and fuels violence against women and girls and promotes harmful sexual behaviors and children abusing children. Much of the abuse is like that depicted in pornography. &nbsp;<blockquote>It is incredibly concerning that I found references to specific acts of sexual violence commonly seen in pornography in half of the interviews carried out following these cases of sexual abuse. Additional review of some of these cases found children suggesting direct links between pornography exposure and the harmful sexual behaviour exhibited.</blockquote><h2>&nbsp;</h2><h2>Books that help parents teach kids to stay safe</h2>Fortunately, there are books to help parents educate their children to recognize pornography when they see it and know what to do, as Louise Chambers <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/bright/porn-proof-your-children-mom-pens-book-after-friends-son-sexually-abused-his-siblings-5610160" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">reported</a> for The Epoch Times. <a href="https://www.defendyoungminds.com/about" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kristen Jensen</a> who was shocked to discover that a friend's son sexually abused his siblings after exposure to pornography was surprised that she could find no resources to help the family and soon found herself on a mission to address the issue.&nbsp;To do this, Chambers explained, Jensen met with parents, read a lot, and watched videos on YouTube by experts on the neurological effects of pornography. Her efforts have resulted in the books “Good Pictures Bad Pictures: Porn-Proofing Today’s Young Kids“ for children aged 7 to 11, and ”Good Pictures Bad Pictures Jr.: A Simple Plan to Protect Young Minds“ for children aged 3 to 6, and other resources for parents and children.&nbsp;<blockquote>Mrs. Jenson’s book offers an age-appropriate definition of pornography so kids can recognize porn when they see it.“Bad pictures show the private parts of the body that we cover with a swimsuit,” reads the book, which goes on to explain why these “bad pictures” are harmful, and offers a plan so that kids know what to do when they see them.Mrs. Jenson said: “Educating kids on the harmful effects of pornography gives them good reasons to reject it. The book for older children describes the process of addiction, while the book for younger children presents the analogy of ‘picture poison.’”</blockquote>The books appear to have been successful at accomplishing their goals, as Chambers shared Jensen's stories about two children's experiences with recognizing pornography and reacting appropriately. The first happened on the school playground where one child showed porn to another child.<blockquote>One mom shared on social media that she read ‘Good Pictures Bad Pictures’ to her 9-year-old son, and three days later, he was shown pornography by another student on the playground during recess. Her son came home and told his mom what had happened. He said, ’I was scared, but I knew what to do.' Can’t you just feel the burden coming off of his young shoulders? No child deserves to face the porn industry alone!</blockquote>The second incident occurred when an adult approached a child, showing him porn on his cell phone.&nbsp;<blockquote>The second anecdote came from a mother who had read “Good Pictures Bad Pictures” to her 6-year-old son. The incident occurred while dining at a friend’s home.Recounting the incident, Mrs. Jenson said: “A renovation project caused their friends to put the children’s toys downstairs, so each child was allowed to run down and grab a toy to play with. While the 6-year-old stayed looking at the toys, the man who rented the downstairs apartment approached him and showed him a video of gay porn on his phone. The boy immediately recognized that he was seeing porn, and he ran up and told his mom. He got himself out of a very harmful situation.”&nbsp;</blockquote><h3 style="margin-left:auto;">Look inside the books</h3>Below are two book reviews of Good Pictures Bad Pictures and Good Pictures Bad Pictures Jr.&nbsp;The first is by Katie “a wife and home school mom of 6 kids who range from 13 years to 4,” on her YouTube channel “Life in the Mundane.”&nbsp;<div class="raw-html-embed"><iframe width="853" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wWr9-3PYah0" title="The BIGGEST Mistake We Can Make When Protecting Our Kids Online" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>The second is by Sarah Kimmel on her channel Family Tech. She is a “Microsoft Certified IT Manager, who is also a mom. She currently helps families understand and manage the technology in their homes.”<div class="raw-html-embed"><iframe width="853" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kHwQkLW8Mlk" title="Unveiling the hidden gems in Good Pictures Bad Pictures Jr and the Standard Version - Book Review" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>In a day and age when parents are being marginalized and bypassed, when it comes to their children's welfare, these books can give parents a little peace of mind, knowing they have a resource to help their children navigate a potentially less-than-friendly world.&nbsp;Learn more:<ul><li><a href="https://www.defendyoungminds.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Defend young minds</a> (Jensen's website with additional resources)</li><li><a href="https://www.truthloveparent.com/taking-back-the-family-blog/tlp-339-good-pictures-bad-pictures-kristen-jenson-interview-part-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Taking back the family</a></li><li><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/family-and-trauma/202308/silent-educator-the-impact-of-porn-on-young-minds" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Silent Educator: The Impact of Porn on Young Minds</a></li><li><a href="https://www.commonsensemedia.org/videos/6-things-to-do-if-your-kid-sees-pornography" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">6 Things to Do If Your Kid Sees Pornography</a></li><li><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-64451984" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Children as young as nine exposed to pornography</a></li><li><a href="https://www.catholiceducation.org/en/marriage-and-family/parenting/should-we-teach-kids-about-porn-s-harms-yes-and-here-s-how.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Should We Teach Kids about Porn's Harms? Yes, and Here's How</a></li><li><a href="https://aifs.gov.au/research/research-snapshots/effects-pornography-children-and-young-people" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The effects of pornography on children and young people</a></li><li><a href="https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/research-resources/2022/helplines-insight-briefing-legal-but-harmful-content" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Children's experiences of legal but harmful content online</a></li></ul>Related articles:<ul><li><a href="https://frontline.news/post/pornography-now-in-public-school-libraries-did-you-know" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Pornography now in public school libraries. Did you know?</a></li><li><a href="https://frontline.news/post/appellate-court-upholds-texas-right-to-protect-children-from-online-porn">Appellate court upholds Texas' right to protect children from online porn</a></li><li><a href="https://frontline.news/post/virginia-school-board-official-sworn-in-on-child-pornography-books">Virginia school board official sworn in on child pornography books</a></li></ul>

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