Child sex trafficking: Learn what you can do to stop it.

Kudos to Attorney General Gurbir Grewal who last week arrested two dozen men for using social media to lure underage girls and boys for sex. Thankfully, the children targeted turned out to be undercover officers, part of an operation put together by our AG called “Open House”. 

Attorney General Grewal said that most of the defendants were arrested when they arrived at a location in Toms River, where they allegedly expected to find their victim home alone. What they found instead, were law enforcement officers ready to arrest them..

"It is a frightening reality that sexual predators are lurking on social media, ready to strike if they find a child who is vulnerable," AG Grewal said. "To counter that threat, we are working collaboratively and aggressively across all levels of law enforcement to apprehend these sex offenders. We want child predators to know that we are on social media too - and the child they target may be the undercover officer who puts them in handcuffs. That is the message of Operation Open House."

The arrests were made over a five-day period from September 5th through September 9th.   All 24 were arrested and charged with second-degree luring, and other crimes, including second-degree attempted sexual assault on a minor and third-degree attempted debauching the morals of a child. Five of those arrested face third-degree charges of attempted sharing obscene materials with a child for allegedly sending photos of their genitals to undercover detectives.

Those who deal in the trafficking of women and children for America’s booming sex industry use the same on-line methods that those arrested last week used. This isn’t a victimless crime.  Many of the victims have been brought to America to be sold into this modern slavery.  A United Nations study estimated that the criminal cartels who control the trafficking of human beings and illegal narcotics into the United States collect $6.6 billion annually. 

And who is being trafficked?  Here, meet some of the victims…

The United Nations has issued reports showing human trafficking is the fastest growing organized criminal activity on earth.  Secure borders help prevent human trafficking and the exploitation of children.  Secure borders fight modern day slavery.

Porous borders are not only a boon to modern day slavery – the trafficking and sale of human beings, especially children – they facilitate the trafficking of illegal narcotics, opioids, and illegal firearms to. There have been irresponsible calls to abolish ICE (Immigration & Customs Enforcement) and to open the doors to a nightmarish wild west scenario.  If ICE is gone, who will be around to prevent the living horror of modern slavery? 

Some have adopted dangerously naïve views about border security.  A lot of those on the Far-Left want to permit the border to grow more and more porous – allowing thousands more victims (mainly women and children) to be shipped and sold like cattle, welcoming more dangerous illegal drugs into our communities, and providing illegal firearms for organized criminal gangs.  We must address this in no uncertain terms.

On Thursday, there will be a reception to discuss the Human Trafficking & Child Exploitation Prevention Act.  This is a bi-partisan initiative aimed at stopping the trafficking of children in the United States at the source… the Internet.

We hope you can attend.

BLM’s Kaepernick joins Nike to sell a company built on modern slavery

Colin Kaepernick – the man who made “taking a knee at football games” fashionable and who became an icon for the Black Lives Matter movement – has agreed to shill for human trafficker Nike sportswear.  How is this for a mixed message? 

For at least twenty years, Nike has been criticized for its labor practices – including the offshoring of jobs to sub-contractors who use child labor and who practice human trafficking or modern day slavery to help Nike turn a very handsome profit.

Yes, Nike has been caught…

Kaepernick will be the face of Nike’s “Just Do It” 30th anniversary ad campaign.  The initial image is a close up of Kaepernick’s face with the caption: “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.”  Yeah, believe in something… slavery.

According to Wikipedia and numerous sources, “Nike has been criticized for contracting with factories (known as Nike sweatshops) in countries such as China, Vietnam, Indonesia and Mexico… The company has been subject to much critical coverage of the often poor working conditions and exploitation of cheap overseas labor employed in the free trade zones where their goods are typically manufactured.”

“Nike has faced criticism for the use of child labor in Cambodia and Pakistan… Nike continues to contract their production to companies that operate in areas where inadequate regulation and monitoring make it hard to ensure that child labor is not being used.  A BBC documentary uncovered occurrences of child labor and poor working conditions in a Cambodian factory used by Nike.  The documentary focused on six girls, who all worked seven days a week, often 16 hours a day.”

“As of July 2011, Nike stated that two-thirds of its factories producing Converse products still do not meet the company's standards for worker treatment. A July 2011 Associated Press article stated that employees at the company's plants in Indonesia reported constant abuse from supervisors.”

Sources for this criticism include Naomi Klein's book No Logo and Michael Moore documentaries… including the clips from the one below…

This brings us to Tom Malinowski, a candidate for Congress in New Jersey’s 7th District.  Tom used to be one of the good guys… or maybe it was just a stepping stone, a career move?  Back in 2007, when Tom was a lobbyist for a human rights organization, he chastised the Bush administration for its “double-standard” on issues like Human Trafficking – putting foreign policy before principle and allowing regimes viewed as “allies” to get away with murder.

Fast forward to 2015, with Tom Malinowski now a member of the Obama administration and the top State Department appointee concerned with human rights.  The Obama administration decides to put business interests before principle and in an effort to broaden the markets included in the Trans-Pacific Partnership, reclassifies Malaysia’s human trafficking problem.  The downgrade of the human trafficking crisis in that country comes just as hundreds of bodies of trafficking victims are discovered, buried in the forest.

160 members of Congress – a bi-partisan outpouring – condemn the Obama administration and its State Department for ignoring the plight of victims of modern day slavery.  Here are some headlines…

State Department Watered Down Human Trafficking Report

Senators: State Department ‘Heartless,’ Lacks ‘Integrity’ After Politicized Human Trafficking Report

Lawmakers threaten to subpoena all information about inflated grades for countries that have failed to crack down on forced labor, prostitution

Earlier in May, 139 graves in camps for human trafficking victims were found near Malaysia’s northern border with Thailand.

160 Members of Congress Call on State Department to Not Upgrade Malaysia Ranking in 2015 Trafficking in Persons Report

These headlines are from May 2015.  In June 2015, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Tom Malinowski testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and claims that it is all about the trade and passing the Trans-Pacific Partnership.  Malinowski argues:

“I am convinced that, on balance, TPP will greatly aid the effort to advance human rights in the Asia-Pacific region.”

Apparently the double-standards that he decried in 2007, under the Bush administration, were okay in 2015, under the Obama administration.  See how the cookie crumbles?

In July 2015, Ranking Democrat Congressman Lloyd Doggett sent a letter to the State Department chastising Tom Malinowski and others responsible for the Obama administration’s policies.  Congressman Doggett wrote:

“Once again trade is being prioritized over trafficking enforcement.  Bending the standards to reward a country that accepts trade in women, children and forced laborers is wrong.  Malaysia adopting some new provision that will not be consistently enforced is no substitute for effective prosecution… It is easier to lower the standard than to insist that Malaysia protect trafficking victims… this (is) another indication that the Trans-Pacific Partnership is not being used to bring about meaningful change on critical issues.”

We couldn’t agree more.

Another case of child trafficking stopped by police

NJ101.5 News Radio reported yesterday that Middlesex Borough police had uncovered a case of child trafficking that could have ended in something even worse.  Fortunately, police arrested the suspected trafficker and reported there were as many as twenty victims:

A man who threatened to share pictures he received from a local girl if she didn't send him more is now behind bars thanks to a multi-state investigation.

Police in New Jersey and Illinois worked together on the investigation that led to the arrest of Joshua P. Breckel, 19, of Mascoutah Illinois. Breckel was identified after Middlesex police were notified back in April that the girl had been "coerced to send a suggestive photo of herself to an online acquaintance," Chief Matthew P. Geist said. The man then asked the girl for more pictures and videos, and also offered to pay her if she got her friends to send him images as well, Geist said.

After refusing to send anything else the man, later identified as Breckel, threatened to share the photo she had sent him with her family and friends "through various online means." Working with the police in Mascoutah as well as the FBI it was determined that Breckel had extorted several girls, "including one that appeared to be 9 or 10 years old." Geist said.

When police came to his home Breckel admitted to attempting to exploit the girl and also told police that he had child pornographic images on his computer. He pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court in East St. Louis.

http://nj1015.com/nj-girl-one-of-as-much-as-20-extorted-for-child-porn-cops-say/?utm_source=sailthru&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=newsletter_14076946

Human Trafficking is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world, second to drug dealing and tied with arms dealing.  The FBI recently uncovered and arrested 42 child sex traffickers in New Jersey.  The Star-Ledger reported that the 42 were arrested on charges that included sex trafficking, child exploitation and prostitution.  A total of 84 children were rescued during the operation.  Human Trafficking is modern day slavery and it is happening TODAY -- in the HERE and NOW!  

Modern technology is rapidly expanding the means by which human beings are ensnared and trapped into modern slavery and then trafficked as though they were meat.  The modern "slave ship" is embodied by certain websites and social media -- its "ocean" is the Internet.  The media recently reported about the rescue by the FBI of a "3-month-old girl and her 5-year-old sister" who were being trafficked by a child predator "who was offering to sell the children for sex" using the Internet.  Isn't it time to adopt the technology to blast these scumbags from the Internet?

Child trafficking is a $32 billion-a-year industry and is on the rise in all 50 states, according to the U.S. government.  4.5 Million of trafficked persons have been sexually exploited and nearly 300,000 Americans under 18 have been lured into the commercial sex trade.  The National Human Trafficking Hotline reported that in 2016, human trafficking in the United States increased by 35.7% -- in one year!  But we have the technology to stop it.  So why aren't we adopting it?

We have the legislation.  It's called the Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Prevention Act (S-540/ A-878).  And it offers a constitutional way to prevent predators from using the Internet to sexually exploit children.  It is supported by Thorn, an anti-human trafficking group that uses technology to defeat child sex traffickers.

Some members of New Jersey’s political establishment have undermined this legislation by making excuses for the actions of Senator Bob Menendez and his friend, a wealthy man who was convicted of ripping-off taxpayers and who brought women into the United States.  Some have been reluctant to support the Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Prevention Act on the state and federal level.  We certainly hope that this attitude changes soon and that New Jersey adopts the Act.  For more information about what you can do, visit…

https://www.gardenstatefamilies.org/

http://www.calvarynj.com/c-a-n-church-abolition-network/

https://justice-network.org/tag/mandy-leverett/

Democrats and Human Traffickers: The party of the old slavery is the party of the new.

How was your Thanksgiving?

For most members of the New Jersey Legislature -- and their staffs -- we bet is was pretty good, surrounded by family, nice food, drink, warmth, love, and friendship.  But for the victims of human trafficking -- our modern slavery epidemic -- it was just another day in hell, made more poignant by the fact that, for almost all of those trafficked, there are memories of when they enjoyed the holidays as much as the members of the New Jersey Legislature and their staff members do.

Human Trafficking is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world, second to drug dealing and tied with arms dealing.  Just last month, the FBI announced that it had uncovered and arrested 42 child sex traffickers in New Jersey.  The Star-Ledger reported that the 42 were arrested on charges that included sex trafficking, child exploitation and prostitution.  A total of 84 children were rescued during the operation.  Human Trafficking is modern day slavery and it is happening TODAY -- in the HERE and NOW! 

But many Democrats don't want to admit that it is happening, because too many are in hock to contributions from special interests who benefit from the massive profits generated by everything from goods made with indentured labor to Internet porn.  Instead of addressing this modern crime against humanity, many Democrats console themselves by virtue signaling about the slavery ended by the Civil War -- in 1865.  This allows them to (1) ignore modern slavery, (2) keep taking the money, and (3) feel good about themselves. 

Imagine if the British government had taken this line in 1807 and -- instead of abolishing the slave trade -- they had merely congratulated themselves on the end of their enslavement by the Romans, centuries before.  But no, they were focused on their modern times, and sent the Royal Navy out to blast every slave trader from the seven seas.

Modern technology is rapidly expanding the means by which human beings are ensnared and trapped into modern slavery and then trafficked as though they were meat.  The modern "slave ship" is embodied by certain websites and social media -- its "ocean" is the Internet.  In October, the media reported about the rescue by the FBI of a "3-month-old girl and her 5-year-old sister" who were being trafficked by a child predator "who was offering to sell the children for sex" using the Internet.  Isn't it time to adopt the technology to blast these scumbags from the Internet?

Child trafficking is a $32 billion-a-year industry and is on the rise in all 50 states, according to the U.S. government.  4.5 Million of trafficked persons have been sexually exploited and nearly 300,000 Americans under 18 have been lured into the commercial sex trade.  The National Human Trafficking Hotline reported that in 2016, human trafficking in the United States increased by 35.7% -- in one year!  But we have the technology to stop it.  So why aren't we adopting it?

We have the legislation.  It's called the Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Prevention Act (S-2928).  And it offers a constitutional way to prevent predators from using the Internet to sexually exploit children.  It is supported by Thorn, an anti-human trafficking group that uses technology to defeat child sex traffickers.

So why is a staffer at Assemblyman John McKeon's office doing everything in his power to undermine and block this legislation -- and to kill the hope that it offers to the victims of human trafficking and their families?  That's right, John McKeon -- the same politician who wants to hold Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen accountable for everything President Trump does -- is allowing his staff (who are paid by the taxpayers on his say-so) to kill the hope of victims of human trafficking and their families.  And what a time to do it.

Merry Christmas, John McKeon and taxpayer-funded staff.  While you are exchanging presents and enjoying good food, in a nice house, all warm and cozy, and happy in the company of family and friends -- you are killing the hope of someone who is on the cold street, malnourished and in poor health, who is made to "service" as many as twenty scumbags a day (perhaps some of them politicians and their staff?).  And when they don't, they are physically beaten.  That is how they will spend their holiday.  And their families -- what do you think their Christmas will be like?

Why don't you take some responsibility for your staff, Assemblyman John McKeon?  After all, what did you think would happen when you recruit an emotionally volatile young man from a boy band and hand him power over vulnerable people?  He can't help but hurt people, can he?  But you can do something about it John McKeon.

So why don't you... and do it in time for Christmas.

It is time for flannel-mouthed politicians like John McKeon to step up and squarely oppose the slavery that we face TODAY.  How about it?

Will you join your bi-partisan colleagues who care enough to sponsor the Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Prevention Act (S-2928)?  Instead of ignoring modern slavery, why not adopt the use of technology to end it?   We're waiting for your answer.

Exchange outs Politico reporter as anti-Catholic bigot

Read this exchange between a woman from Sussex County and Politico reporter Matt Friedman.  It perfectly illustrates what is wrong with so-called "journalism" today.  Politico's Matt Friedman behaves like an ideological combatant -- as if he were the media wing of ANTIFA. 

In this exchange, Friedman places our Judeo-Christian tradition alongside Wicca (the worship of Satan) and trashes Roman Catholicism.  Friedman defends Islam and its practices, including Sharia Law,  as "no worse" than what Christians and Jews get up to.  Friedman also trashes Buddhism. 

Friedman willfully ignores modern day slavery -- with its human trafficking and child exploitation.  He clearly shows that he would rather try to attach someone to the slavery that happened over 150 years ago than to address the slavery happening today.  He even stoops to trashing the Roman Catholic church in an attempt to deflect blame away from his ideological comrades. 

No Republican, conservative, decent Democrat, or traditional liberal should ever be foolish enough to place their trust in this shill again.

From: Sussex Gal
Date: Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at 1:09 PM
To: Matthew Friedman <mfriedman@politico.com>
Subject: LD 24

Good afternoon Matt,

Take a look at this.  Can you believe our Democrat candidates are standing next to a flag with Wiccan symbols on it?  The purpose of this flag is to show that witchcraft is on equal footing with our Judeo-Christian tradition.  Please look into this and let me know what you are doing about it.

- - -

From: Matthew Friedman <mfriedman@politico.com>
Date: Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at 1:13 PM
To: Sussex Gal
Subject: Re: LD 24

Hey. I don’t think I’m interested. Unless Wiccans fought a war to preserve and spread slavery…

I’d need something more than the murder of Hansel and Gretel.

NOTE:  Who is Friedman accusing of fighting a war "to preserve and spread slavery"?   A Hank Williams Jr. flag, a Dukes of Hazard tattoo, is not the same as fighting a war "to preserve and spread slavery". 

Subject: FW: LD 24
From: Matthew Friedman < mfriedman@politico.com>
Date: Tue, September 05, 2017 1:16 pm
To: Sussex Gal

*attempted murder. Gotta brush up on my fairy tales.

- - -

From: Sussex Gal
Date: Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at 1:40 PM
To: Matthew Friedman < mfriedman@politico.com>
Subject: RE: FW: LD 24

So you are good with devil worship?  I guess you forget all those child-molestation trials a few years ago.  Short memory.  

Well, if slavery is your issue, then how about that Islamic crescent? 

Check out where the FIFA cup will be played:   https://www.amnestyusa.org/press-releases/qatar-abuse-of-world-cup-workers-exposed/

This is happening today.  Now will you do something?

- - -

Subject: Re: LD 24
From: Matthew Friedman <mfriedman@politico.com>
Date: Tue, September 05, 2017 1:45 pm
To: Sussex Gal

So in that case I guess you’re going to condemn the Catholic church, too?   

- - -

From: Sussex Gal
Date: Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at 1:52 PM
To: Matthew Friedman <mfriedman@politico.com>
Subject: RE: LD 24

Why did you go there?  Condemn the Catholic church for what Matt?  Why would I condemn the Catholic Church?  Did a Bishop use slave labor to build the new FIFA stadium?

- - -

Subject: Re: LD 24
From: Matthew Friedman < mfriedman@politico.com>
Date: Tue, September 05, 2017 1:54 pm
To: Sussex Gal

You are saying that Wiccans are somehow responsible for child molestation because some people who practice the religion went on trial for it. And you don’t see how that idea is turned around on Catholicism?

- - -

From: Sussex Gal

Date: Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at 2:21 PM
To: Matthew Friedman <mfriedman@politico.com>
Subject: RE: LD 24

Matt, are seriously trying to argue that the Roman Catholic religion is the same as the practice of Wicca witchcraft?  Are you saying that Church practice uses sex in the same way that Wiccans do?  What is wrong with you?  The Church calls what some clergy did by its proper name: evil.  Wicca rejects that.  There is no evil in Wicca.  

Why have you deflected on the issue of the slavery happening today?  Why won't you address that?

- - -

Subject: Re: LD 24
From: Matthew Friedman < mfriedman@politico.com>
Date: Tue, September 05, 2017 2:27 pm
To: Sussex Gal

This is one of the dumbest exchanges I’ve ever had.

You’re painting an entire religion with the actions of a few. If Wicca is responsible for child molestation because a Wiccan priest committed the act, then by your logic Catholicism is responsible for the child molestation committed by some of its priests. That’s your logic, not mine.

And why do the abhorrent labor practices in Qatar represent the entirety of the world’s biggest religion? You’re not going to get an argument from me on how horrible Qatar and some other oil-rich middle-eastern countries treat migrant workers. But don’t you think you could find examples of horrible labor practices and atrocities in predominantly Christian countries? Hindu countries? Buddhist countries? And yet, you’re not holding those religions responsible for the sins committed by some of their practitioners. Why’s that?

- - -

From: Sussex Gal
Date: Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at 2:58 PM
To: Matthew Friedman < mfriedman@politico.com>
Subject: RE: LD 24

Why the insults?  Matt, the Roman Catholic church recognizes evil.  Wicca witchcraft does not.  You put forward YOUR argument that Roman Catholicism and Wicca are on equal footing.  YOU attempted to paint the worship of God and the worship of Satan as one in the same.  It is not my logic, it is your logic.  You raised it.  You argued it.  You own it.  That makes you a bigot.

As for your deflection on behalf of Islam.  Name some religious states (Qatar is an Islamic state) that are doing the same as Qatar?  Name some Christian countries? Hindu countries? Buddhist countries? Name some.  

Now why don't you do your job as a journalist and report fairly on this?  I remember when it was BIG NEWS that a Republican Senate candidate in Delaware was involved in Wicca (but then became a Christian).  Her PAST was a BIG DEAL and got lots of ink.  This is the present.  Report on it.  

- - -

From: Sussex Gal
Date: Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at 3:00 PM
To: Matthew Friedman <mfriedman@politico.com>
Subject: RE: LD 24

Let me add this.  At a time when slavery is happening right NOW.  When the United Nations says there are 48 million in slavery TODAY.  No candidates should be carrying around banners with symbols on it of nations or ideologies that are involved in the slave trade TODAY!

Instead of dredging in the muck of the past, try opening your eyes to what is going on TODAY.

- - -

Subject: Re: LD 24
From:Matthew Friedman <mfriedman@politico.com>
Date: Tue, September 05, 2017 3:16 pm
To: Sussex Gal

Kind of amazing that you don’t even recognize you threw the first insult. Look back at the exchange.

It’s also funny that you’re generalizing about entire religions and calling me a bigot. You can find atrocities committed by people in virtually every major country in the world, by people of virtually every major religion. Yet you only demonize a couple of those religions.

Here’s an example of religious oppression going on in a Buddhist country right now: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/09/05/rohingya-muslims-driven-myanmar-pictures/. What about ethnic cleansing in Serbia in the early 90s?  It goes on and on and on and on…  

Our constitution does not elevate any religion above any others. If you do, that’s your business. But it’s not my concern.

There is nothing newsworthy about some people holding a banner with the symbol for every religion they could think of. There is something newsworthy about an elected official standing in front of the symbol of the confederacy, which launched a war to separate from the United States so it could perpetuate slavery. That’s my news judgement. I really don’t care if you disagree.  

- - -

Subject: RE: LD 24
From: Sussex Gal
Date: Tue, September 05, 2017 4:09 pm
To: "Matthew Friedman" <mfriedman@politico.com>

Did you forget Hansel and Gretel?  Yeah, it is amazing.  

I guess you never read up on Wahhabism.  Under some of the most wealthy, dominant sects of Islam, slavery is not only doctrine but it is practiced.  Nations like Qatar practice state slavery.  You don't care.  You called it in one of your emails a "migrant worker" problem and a "labor practices" problem.  No, not "migrant workers", they are slaves.  They have been trafficked.  No, not "labor practices", it is called slavery.

Am I "generalizing" about Sharia law and what it means to women who must live under it?  In your "news judgment" (whatever that is) I guess I am.

Then there is Wicca.  You call it a "religion" and place it on the same level as our Judeo-Christian tradition.  That's sick.  There is nothing religious about the worship of evil.  

Then you smear Buddhism by claiming that a "Buddhist country" is committing religious oppression.  You obviously don't understand Buddhism, because to do that is a rejection of Buddhism, not the practice of it.  That is not the way with Islam, which clearly instructs believers to wage jihad.  When Christians act un-Christian, you cannot blame the teachings of Christ.  But you do and that makes you a bigot.  You look for an excuse to hate and nurture your excuses.

It is much more important for you to play with symbols because you lack the balls to take on the real evil around you.  Wally Edge taught you well. 

- - -

Subject: Re: LD 24
From: Matthew Friedman < mfriedman@politico.com>
Date: Tue, September 05, 2017 4:18 pm
To: Sussex Gal

Wait a second. Didn’t you write that Wicca rejects the concept of evil? Now you’re saying Wicca is “about the worship of evil.” That’s contradictory. But who am I to argue with you, an expert on religion?

- - -

Subject: RE: LD 24
From: Sussex Gal
Date: Tue, September 05, 2017 5:00 pm
To: "Matthew Friedman" <mfriedman@politico.com>

No Matt, when you reject the Judeo-Christian concept of good and evil and embrace "evil" things for their own sake you do end up worshipping evil.  But why am I even trying with you?  You are obviously an apologist for Wiccan witchcraft and maybe you know more than you are letting on.  

Who would have ever thought that we'd get a member of the media to go on the record in defense of Wicca.

- - -

Subject: Re: LD 24
From: Matthew Friedman < mfriedman@politico.com>
Date: Tue, September 05, 2017 3:19 pm
To: Sussex Gal

This is the Qatari flag. I don’t see it on the banner. Do you?

https://www.google.com/search?q=qatar+flag&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjJwtbL4Y7WAhUJrFQKHdBSATMQ_AUICigB&biw=1242&bih=559#imgrc=608buoVMPNRIbM:

- - -

From: Sussex Gal

Date: Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at 3:44 PM
To: Matthew Friedman < mfriedman@politico.com>
Subject: RE: LD 24

It is all symbols with you isn't it?  Very childish.  Qatar is an absolute monarchy and its official religion is Islam.  Their particular kind of Islam is Wahhabism.

- - -

Subject: Re: LD 24
From: Matthew Friedman <mfriedman@politico.com>
Date: Tue, September 05, 2017 3:44 pm
To: Sussex Gal

Your. Whole. Story. Pitch. Was. About. Symbols.

- - -

From: Sussex Gal
Date: Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at 4:18 PM
To: Matthew Friedman <mfriedman@politico.com>
Subject: RE: LD 24

And no, it was about a political rally.  It was about a flag flown at a political rally, not a rock concert.  But you focus on the rock concert and ignore the political rally.  Some reporter!

You are looking at a long dead emblem of a dead country, with nobody alive today who ever carried it into battle, and you are desperately trying to connect people to it.  To apply meaning to it.  That is a punk move.  So that you can feel better than them "redneck" and go home and buy your cheap products made with slave labor and maybe take a look at something on the internet made with slave labor too. 

- - -

Subject: Re: LD 24
From: Matthew Friedman < mfriedman@politico.com>
Date: Tue, September 05, 2017 4:29 pm
To: Sussex Gal

You are sad.

- - -

Subject: RE: LD 24
From: Sussex Gal
Date: Tue, September 05, 2017 4:55 pm
To: "Matthew Friedman" <mfriedman@politico.com>

Not as sad as a political reporter who ignores campaign rallies but trolls rock concerts looking for a gotcha.  What a joke!

- - -

Subject: Re: LD 24
From: Matthew Friedman <mfriedman@politico.com>
Date: Tue, September 05, 2017 4:57 pm
To: Sussex Gal

And Parker Space’s confederate flag tattoo?

- - -

Subject: RE: LD 24
From: Sussex Gal
Date: Tue, September 05, 2017 5:18 pm
To: "Matthew Friedman" <mfriedman@politico.com>

You obviously know his body a whole lot better than I do.

- - -

What is most shocking about this exchange is that Politico's Friedman refuses to call what is happening in Qatar by its real name -- slavery.  In Friedman's eyes it is an issue about how "Qatar and some other oil-rich middle-eastern countries treat migrant workers."  Friedman likens it to an immigration issue (the better to bash Trump?) when, in fact, the United Nations and groups like Amnesty International have clearly identified it as a case of human trafficking and slavery.   But Friedman dismisses it as merely an issue of "labor practices."  So on top of being a bigot, Politico's Matt Friedman is a slavery-denier too. 

Migrant workers in Qatar helping to construct offices for the 2022 World Cup reportedly haven't been paid after a year of toiling in the desert heat in slum like conditions. Sharan Burrow from the International Trade Union Confederation thinks Qatar should be boycotted until fundamental labor laws are in place.