Mediaboss Marketing

Originally scheduled to start in May, the conference has been postponed to September due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Despite warnings that expectations would not be met, as it was the case with the European constitution, I believe that it is a unique occasion for a more democratic, sovereign and federal Europe.

It will offer the possibility to put the future of the EU at the heart of the European debate and if managed well it could revitalise the European idea.

The conference is a wonderful project for recognising and respecting the different national dimensions. The selection of Guy Verhofstadt as president is an excellent choice. He is a committed European and has long experience in EU affairs.

The member states of the EU have different opinions depending on their historical, political, socio-economic and media context.

The Conference on the Future of Europe will help to find out why a large part of the Europeans does not endorse the Union. It will launch a discussion on what is a European identity and what our values are.

The Conference on the Future of Europe could be an excellent example of Going Local.

Empowering the citizens and engaging with them, supporting the development of a public European sphere, setting-up a two-way dialogue, listening to the people and being transparent.

The outcomes of this democratic process should not be neglected but respected and analysed.

Most of the main actual problems such as the migrant-crisis, euroscepticism, cooperation on security issues, and lately the coronavirus pandemic require a coordinated European answer.

While the European Parliament was the first EU institution to publish a document on the conference, in fact, the original idea came from France's president Emmanuel Macron.

For the moment, everybody wants to be involved, and the discussion is currently focused on format rather than content.

The conference will focus on involving civil society in large debates about the future of Europe and provide sustainable solutions on how the Union can respond to peoples' needs.

It should identify what the EU does well and what new measures it needs to do better, to increase its capacity to act and to make it more democratic. The whole process should be based on a bottom-up approach.

It should also provide more insights in fields concerning the transparency of the works of the Council of the EU; push forwards the system of pan-European lists for the next European elections and bring the system of 'Spitzenkandidate' back to life.

A call for treaty change should be also discussed by citizens, in particular concerning member states' competency on the health sector.

The Conference could be a useful step in the direction of structuring a public European sphere. Such a sphere is hardly needed for the further unification of the continent.

For the moment, Europe is not yet one nation and the EU is not yet a federal state. It is a kind of confederation.

Europe needs to challenge the myths that surround the block by presenting stories that answer citizens' concerns. The EU needs a real communication revolution if it wants to highlight its achievements and its added value.

However, branding, PR or communication cannot work properly if not backed by real reforms and political will. All communication strategies start with policy, with performance and with action.

Most of the problems of the EU, including euroscepticism and populism, can be tackled if the Union itself begins to change, perform better and is seen to be doing so by EU citizens.

Despite the slow unification process we experienced the last seven decades, divisions are widening even more lately because of Covid-19.

On the other hand, as long as humanity, as a whole undergoes the same traumatic experiences repeatedly, there will be, gradually, a larger sense of unity. However, this will be a slower process than the rise of nationalism.

I strongly believe that the European Union allow us to preserve our welfare-state model of society, our liberal democracies and the diversity of our national cultures.

By joining forces and working together we can find workable solutions to many issues. A politically-unified Europe is the best remedy against the rise of poverty, alt-right, intolerance and racism.

Even after losing Britain, the EU remains one of the main players on the planet despite its slow decision-making process.

If we want to play an important role and have a kind of influence on the international political agenda and the solution of global problems, we must keep our forces together.

Abandoning European unification would be equal to quitting the world stage for good.

See the original post here:
What future for the Future of Europe Conference? - EUobserver

According to a recent article in Wired, the initial link between 5G and coronavirus first appeared in a Belgium newspaper, in an interview with Kris Van Kerckhoven, a general practitioner from the Antwerp area. (An interview which has now been removed.)

But it wasnt until the website Info Wars published a video with the title 5G launches in Wuhan weeks before coronavirus outbreak, that the theory began to gain traction.

In the description of its video presentation as with all good conspiracy theories Info Wars tried to link a series of unconnected events:

In this Infowars Special Report, Greg Reese connects the dots between the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, a Netflix docuseries pitching vaccines as a solution to outbreaks, Wuhans recent launch of 5G and warnings from experts who say 5G could cause flu-like symptoms, the description read.

A quick look at Google Trends, using any manner of phrases including 5G and coronavirus, shows that it was following the publication of this video that interest surged. And it was amongst far-right groups those most engaged with Info Wars, and the views of its founder, Alex Jones that this new conspiracy began to seed itself.

In a recent survey by HOPE not hate, a political action group set up to counter the increasing popularity of the British far-right group the BNP, 8% of the British public agreed that the rollout of 5G was contributing to the spread of coronavirus, while 19% said they were still unsure. The report also looked at the primary groups which were spreading the coronavirus theory, and found that they also contained anti-Semetic and other racist content.

With 59,000 members and hundreds of posts per day, STOP 5G U.K was the largest and most active UK-based anti-5G group prior to its deletion, the site claims. In amongst the anti-5G discussion were hundreds of posts about unrelated conspiracies, including antisemitic posts about supposed Jewish control of the world and the pro-Trump QAnon hoax.

Those seeking to validate the theory have jumped on a video presentation by Dr. Thomas Cowan, M.D which has now been removed by YouTube for violating its community guidelines where he claimed that, because Africa was not as affected by the coronavirus outbreak, you could see how 5G could be the cause of the virus. However, this is very clearly not the case, with the latest World Health Organization figures showing 17,000 cases, amidst fears it could hit 10 million cases within the next six months.

Fast forward to April, and we have seen a spate of 5G tower attacks across the UK (at least 20, according to a Guardian report earlier this month), telecoms engineers have been both physically and verbally assaulted, and mainstream voices - such as sports personalities and TV presenters have shared the erroneous claims.

But the science is clear: 5G has absolutely nothing to do with the spread of the coronavirus, and poses no threat to human health.

In March 2020, following a period of extensive research, the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) deemed 5G to be safe. The research considered other types of effects, such as the potential development of cancer in the human body as a result of exposure to radio waves.

We know parts of the community are concerned about the safety of 5G, and we hope the updated guidelines will help put people at ease," said Dr Eric van Rongen, chairman of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). We find that the scientific evidence for that is not enough to conclude that indeed there is such an effect, concluded van Rongen.

In other tests, the UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, carried out the UKs first safety experiments on 5G base stations and found no identifiable risks since 5G technology was deployed, with radiation levels at tiny fractions of safe limits.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has labelled the spread of these theories an infodemic and a joint statement was recently released by the UKs four mobile network operators, EE, O2, Three, and Vodafone, rubbishing the claims of conspiracy theorists.

And BTs CEO, Marc Allera, went on to state that the theories connecting 5G with Covid-19, most of which are being made in local Facebook groups and on platforms such as Twitter and Instagram, as baseless, and he has urged the public to leave the companys phone masts alone.

Phone masts keep us all connected at this extraordinary time, Allera wrote in a recent tweet. And yet we're seeing reports of masts vandalised because of a conspiracy theory linking 5G tech to the spread of Covid-19. This claim is baseless. We must look after the infrastructure and people keeping us in touch.

At a time when keeping our mobile networks online has never been more important, these mast attacks continue to undermine the efforts of mobile network operators around the world, and 5Gradar will continue to support and champion next-generation wireless network technology, in all its forms.

Read the original here:
Alt-right groups started the coronavirus 5G conspiracy. Now it needs to stop - 5Gradar

A wave of planned anti-lockdown demonstrations that have broken out around the country to protest against the efforts of state governments to combat the coronavirus pandemic with business closures and stay-at-home orders have included far-right groups as well as more mainstream Republicans.

While protesters in Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and other states claim to speak for ordinary citizens, many are also supported by street-fighting rightwing groups like the Proud Boys, conservative armed militia groups, religious fundamentalists, anti-vaccination groups and other elements of the radical right.

On Wednesday in Lansing, Michigan, a protest put together by two Republican-connected not-for-profits was explicitly devised to cause gridlock in the city, and for a time blocked the entrance to a local hospital.

It was organized by the Michigan Conservative Coalition, which Michigan state corporate filings show has also operated under the name of Michigan Trump Republicans. It was also heavily promoted by the Michigan Freedom Fund, a group linked to the Trump cabinet member Betsy DeVos.

But the protest also attracted far-right protest groups who have been present at pro-Trump and gun rights rallies in Michigan throughout the Trump presidency.

Placards identified the Michigan Proud Boys as participants in the vehicle convoy. Near the state house, local radio interviewed a man who identified himself as Phil Odinson.

In fact the man is Phil Robinson, the prime mover in a group called the Michigan Liberty Militia, whose Facebook page features pictures of firearms, warnings of civil war, celebrations of Norse paganism and memes ultimately sourced from white nationalist groups like Patriot Front.

The pattern of rightwing not-for-profits promoting public protests while still more radical groups use lockdown resistance as a platform for extreme rightwing causes looks set to continue in events advertised in other states over coming days.

In Idaho on Friday, protesters plan to gather at the capitol building in Boise to protest anti-virus restrictions put in place by the Republican governor, Brad Little.

The protest has been heavily promoted by the Idaho Freedom Foundation (IFF), which counts among its donors dark money funds linked to the Koch brothers such as Donors Capital Fund, and Castle Rock, a foundation seeded with part of the fortune of Adolph Coors, the rightwing beer magnate.

IFF have added their slogan for the event, Disobey Idaho, to stickers which they plan to distribute among the crowd.

The event is also being promoted on a website dedicated to attacking Little for his response to Covid-19. That website was set up by the Idaho businessman, pastor and one-time Republican state senate candidate, Diego Rodriguez.

Rodriguez launched the website at an Easter service held in defiance of the governors orders on Easter Sunday, which was also addressed by Ammon Bundy, the leader of the militia occupation of the Malheur national wildlife refuge in 2016 that become a rallying point for the anti-government right in the US.

Bundy has been holding similar gatherings for weeks in Emmett, Idaho, where he now lives. On Sunday, he repeated his opposition to the Idaho orders, writing on Facebook: We all have a duty to defend what is right and to make sure, that what God has given, man does not take away. Especially that great gift of agency, YES freedom!

Ada county, Idaho, where the capital, Boise, is located, has so far suffered 541 cases of Covid-19 and nine deaths, in a state which has a far worse outbreak than neighboring Oregon, which is 2.4 times more populous.

Nevertheless, the ad for the rally on Rodriguezs website advises, We feel that wearing face masks and gloves is counterproductive to the movement, and should be avoided.

In Washington state, meanwhile, which for now has brought one of the worst outbreaks in the country under a measure of control, a Republican state committeeman, Tyler Miller, has organized a protest at the state capitol on Saturday.

Miller, who is active in the Kitsap county Republican party, was involved in passing a resolution in January in support of representative Matt Shea, who was excluded from the state houses GOP caucus after a report commissioned by house found that he had participated in domestic terrorism.

Hundreds of Facebook users have indicated that they will be attending his Hazardous Liberty rally, and a parallel event in Richland, Washington.

Included in that number are members of the 3% of Washington, a group which has held a series of open-carry rallies in Seattle, featuring speeches from the far-right protest leader, Joey Gibson.

As for Shea, he is speaking on Saturday at an online Saving America conference which will discuss an alleged erosion of rights thats been ramped up in unprecedented ways during this Covid-19 crisis.

He is scheduled to appear alongside the likes of close ally Pastor Ken Peters, who has been holding monthly services outside Spokanes planned parenthood clinic; the actor, Maga personality and congressional candidate Mindy Robinson; and the New Zealand-based anti-communist speaker and author Trevor Loudon.

Other similar events have been advertised for Saturday by an anti-vaccination activist in Oregon, and for Friday by a Boston group with alt-right connections.

Read the original:
The rightwing groups behind wave of protests against Covid-19 restrictions - The Guardian

There's many right-wing media influencers who have made a name out of being controversial in public.

Kaitlin Bennett, also known as the Kent State Gun Girl, has now been accused of antisemitism after recently leaked messages between her and a group of other young, right wing media figures.

Bennett runs a libertarian media organisation called Liberty Hangout, a kind of alt-right media outlet for young people.

In the screenshots of messages from 2017, first reported by Its Going Down.org, an American news organisation, Kaitlin and other members of the group sent messages where they posted photos of someone else and said that they looked Jewish.

They also criticised other organisations such as Turning Point USA (TPUSA), a right-wing media organisation for young people, and called them Turning Point Israel, and used three sets of parantheses when referring to donors to Turning Point. The three sets of parantheses is an anti semitic dog whistle, used by members of the alt-right to identify people who are Jewish online as targets for harassment.

Another member of the group said that they cant wait to get back to being normal Nazis. Several other interactions in the group include posting photos of people, postingscreenshots mocking kosher meal requests at a TPUSA conference, and drawing a link between Israel and other prominent right wing commentators.

In 2016, Liberty Hangout was the subject of controversy after posting a Twitter poll asking whether the Holocaust had happened as it had been reported, and then doubling down on Holocaust denial after people pointed out what they were doing. Those posts have since been deleted.

Liberty Hangout continues to maintain an active presence on social media, and recently posted in support of Trump declaring himself king after remarks he made at a press conference.

More:
'Gun Girl' Kaitlin Bennett accused of antisemitism after leaked messages from a group chat surface online - indy100

Many right-wing media outlets from Fox News to white AM talk radio have promoted a great deal of misinformation about the coronavirus pandemic, which radio host Rush Limbaugh infamously compared to the common cold. But not only all right-wing media outlets have downplayed the severity of coronavirus: The Bulwark has offered an abundance of quality reporting on the pandemic. And Bulwark journalist Jonathan V. Last, this week, slams some of the bizarre contradictions that have been coming from coronavirus truthers.

Ive been consistently boggled by the loose affiliation of coronavirus-truthers, America Firsters, Catholic rad-trads, and economic boosters who have come together over the last month to insist that: (1) COVID-19 isnt so bad. (2) The real problem is the economy and the lunacy of shutting America down, Last asserts in an article published on Thursday.

Coronavirus truthers, the conservative journalist adds, are demanding that the U.S. economy reopen and insist that social distancing is going too far.

These people all seem to have different reasons for wanting America to reopen, Last explains. The only thing they have in common is that they all from the Taliban Catholics to the alt-right trolls, from the conspiracy cranks to Peter Navarro love them some Trump.

Last adds, however, that coronavirus truthers overlook the fact that Trump himself supports social distancing for the rest of April and that Dr. Anthony Fauci, who many of them hate, is part of Trumps coronavirus task force.

If you have seen someone from the #ReopenAmerica brigade blame Trump, please send me the clip, Last writes. Because as of now, I have literally never seen anyone from that part of the world blame Trump for Americas shutdown. How could that be? Hes the president! Last adds, If Anthony Fauci is the villain in all of this, and Trump hasnt fired him by now, then Trump is at least a dupe and maybe an accomplice.

Moreover, Last writes, the coronavirus truthers are giving Trump a pass for when it comes to social distancing.

On March 16, Trump urged Americans to social distance for 15 days, Last notes. He later extended that timeline. If COVID-19 is really no big deal and if reopening America is the most important thing in the world, then why arent these people flaying Trump every minute of every day and exhorting him to stop this madness? Truly, it is a mystery.

Last is among the conservative journalists who like Jennifer Rubin and Max Boot at the Washington Post or Joe Scarborough at MSNBC certainly cannot be accused of downplaying coronavirus severity. In a separate Bulwark article published on April 15, Last slammed the coronavirus truthers who ignorantly claim that its no worse than the flu.

Pointing to a scientific graph that compared flu and COVID-19 data, Last stressed that COVID-19 is not only deadlier it is also easier to spread.

Coronavirus is so much more dangerous to the American people than the flu that anyone who suggests equivalency is either deliberately lying, or does not know what they are talking about, Last wrote.

then let us make a small request. The COVID crisis has cut advertising rates in half, and we need your help. Like you, we here at Raw Story believe in the power of progressive journalism. Raw Story readers power David Cay Johnstons DCReport, which we've expanded to keep watch in Washington. Weve exposed billionaire tax evasion and uncovered White House efforts to poison our water. Weve revealed financial scams that prey on veterans, and legal efforts to harm workers exploited by abusive bosses. And unlike other news outlets, weve decided to make our original content free. But we need your support to do what we do.

Raw Story is independent. Unhinged from corporate overlords, we fight to ensure no one is forgotten.

We need your support in this difficult time. Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Invest with us. Make a one-time contribution to Raw Story Investigates, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you. Click to donate by check.

then let us make a small request. The COVID crisis has cut advertising rates in half, and we need your help. Like you, we believe in the power of progressive journalism and were investing in investigative reporting as other publications give it the ax. Raw Story readers power David Cay Johnstons DCReport, which we've expanded to keep watch in Washington. Weve exposed billionaire tax evasion and uncovered White House efforts to poison our water. Weve revealed financial scams that prey on veterans, and efforts to harm workers exploited by abusive bosses. We need your support to do what we do.

Raw Story is independent. You wont find mainstream media bias here. Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Invest with us in the future. Make a one-time contribution to Raw Story Investigates, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you.

Follow this link:
Its a mystery: Conservative wonders why coronavirus truthers never blame Trump for anything - Raw Story