Conn. May Exonerate Accused Witches Centuries Later

Wire Editor
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Conn. May Exonerate Accused Witches Centuries Later

(Headline USA) Decades before the infamous Salem witch trials in Massachusetts, Alse Young was killed at the gallows in Connecticut, becoming the first person on record to be executed in the American colonies for witchcraft.

The Windsor town clerk registered the death on May 26, 1647, in a diary entry that read: “Alse Young was hanged.” Young was the first of nine women and two men executed by the colony of Connecticut for witchcraft over 15 years, a period during which more than 40 people faced trial for having ties to Satan.

Now, more than 375 years later, amateur historians, researchers and descendants of the accused witches and their accusers hope Connecticut lawmakers will finally offer posthumous exonerations.

While such requests aren’t new, they have become louder as many genealogy buffs discover they have distant relatives involved in the lesser-known Connecticut witch trials.

“They’re talking about how this has followed their families from generation to generation and that they would love for someone just to say, ‘Hey, this was wrong,’” said Connecticut state Rep. Jane Garibay, who proposed an exoneration resolution after receiving letters from eighth- and ninth-generation relatives of accused witches. “And to me, that’s an easy thing to do if it gives people peace.”

Other states and countries have attempted to atone for a history of persecuting people as witches. Last year, Scotland’s prime minister issued a formal apology to the estimated 4,000 Scots, mostly women, who were accused of witchcraft up until 1736. Of the 4,000, about 2,500 were killed. A Scottish member of parliament last year called for posthumously pardoning them.

In 2022, Massachusetts lawmakers formally exonerated Elizabeth Johnson Jr., who was convicted of witchcraft in 1693 and sentenced to death at the height of the Salem Witch Trials. Johnson is believed to be the last accused Salem witch to have her conviction set aside by legislators.

In 2006, former Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine gave an informal pardon to Grace Sherwood, a widowed midwife who was blamed by neighbors for ruining crops, killing livestock and creating storms and subsequently accused of being a witch. With her hands bound, Sherwood was thrown into a river to see if she floated, which was purported to indicate guilt. She managed to set herself free and spent seven years in prison.

Connecticut’s witch trials were held in the mid-to-late 1600s. In each of the New England colonies, witchcraft was considered a capital offense. According to the earliest laws in the colony of Connecticut, “any man or women (to) bee a Witch, that is, hath or consulteth with a familiar spirit, they shall bee put to death.”

Many historians believe fear and anxiety among the religiously strict English settlers led to the witch trials, noting how life was very difficult, given epidemics, floods, cold winters and starvation. Often, accusations started as a quarrel, or the death of a child or a cow, or even butter that couldn’t be churned.

Many of the people executed as witches were poor, single mothers.

Such was the case of Mary Johnson, a servant in Wethersfield, Connecticut, who was accused of “familiarity with the Devil.”

For years, she was tortured by a local minister who whipped her until she finally confessed to being a witch and admitted to “uncleanness with men,” according to Bridgeport author Andy Piascik, who wrote an article for Connecticut Humanities, an independent, nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Johnson is believed to have been hanged after giving birth to the child of a man she was not married to.

“It’s important to right the wrongs of the past so we learn from them and move on and not repeat those mistakes,” said Joshua Hutchinson, of Prescott Valley, Arizona, who traced his ancestry to accused witches in Salem and is the host of the “Thou Shalt Not Suffer: The Witch Trial Podcast.”

He noted that even in recent decades people have been killed in multiple countries because they were suspected of being witches or sorcerers.

Beth Caruso, an author, co-founded the CT Witch Trial Exoneration Project in 2005 to clear the names of the accused. The group is encouraging people who discovered through genealogy research that they are descendants of victims to contact Connecticut state legislators and urge them to support exoneration legislation.

Connecticut state Sen. Saud Anwar, who also proposed an exoneration bill, said he expects some people might laugh or scoff at the idea of the Legislature taking time to clear the records of accused witches. But he said the descendants are feeling some “serious stuff,” including a constituent who requested the resolution.

“His wish was that if there was a way to give some kind of a closure to the families,” Anwar said, “that would be one way for him to be able to say that he has done his share, even though his ancestors may have not done the right thing.”

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

NYTimes Reverses Course w/ Stories Questioning Trans Dogma

Ezekiel Loseke
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NYTimes Reverses Course w/ Stories Questioning Trans Dogma

(Ezekiel Loseke, Headline USA) The New York Times, the newspaper forming the opinions of elite leftists, has openly transitioned to questioning gender ideology as President Trump promises to protect the rights of parents whose children have adopted a false gender identity.

NYT is the “arbiter of upscale left-liberal opinion,” according to the Christian Post. The alleged paper of record, in a recent article, gave “its readers permission to oppose transgender orthodoxy.”

The article bore the title, “When Students Change Gender Identity, and Parents Don’t Know.”

The article told a long story about a 15-year-old girl, from a liberal family, who hid her gender dysphoria from her parents while presenting and ‘identifying’ as a male at school, without the parent’s knowledge or permission.

The parents were only aware of their child’s transition because the mother “glimpsed a homework assignment with an unfamiliar [and presumably male] name scrawled at the top.”

“There was never any word from anyone to let us know that on paper, and in the classroom, our daughter was our son,” the baffled mother reported. “It felt like a parenting stab in the back from the school system. It should have been a decision we made as a family.”

This family is not alone, according to the NYT. “Dozens of parents whose children have socially transitioned at school told The Times they felt villainized by educators who seemed to think that they — not the parents — knew what was best for their children,” it reported.

NYT somewhat explained its immediate about face.

“How schools should address gender identity cuts through the liberal and conservative divide,” it asserted. “Parents of all political persuasions have found themselves unsettled by what schools know and don’t reveal.”

The feature liberal parents of the story reported refusing to align with conservatives, but that, “It is almost impossible to have these discussions,” with liberals. Which makes these particular liberals feel as if “there is no forum for someone like me.”

NYT reported that other former liberals chose to vote with Republicans or identify as independents because of the issue.

The article also showed the tyranny of the transgender ideologues. NYT reported that Bonnie Manchester, a teacher in Massachusetts, was fired for informing a father that his 11-year-old child had ‘socially transitioned.’ She was fired for revealing “sensitive confidential information about a student’s expressed gender identity against the wishes of the student,” according to her termination letter.

NYT even ran a profile on liberal parents forming support groups where they can have open discussions about what is happening with their children.

“It’s just been such a hard thing to navigate, because on the one hand, I’m dealing with my very extreme liberal values of individuality, freedom, expression, sexuality, wanting to support all of this stuff,” said a mother at one such meeting. “At the same time, I’m afraid of medicalization. I’m afraid of long term health. I’m afraid of the fact that my child might change their mind.”

One parent expressed discomfort with the political alignment he was being forced into.

“It’s politically weird to be a very liberal Democrat and find yourself shoved in bed with, like, the governor of Texas,” he said. “Am I supposed to listen to Tucker Carlson?”

The NYT, by giving its readers a sympathetic view of parental rights regarding their child’s gender, has shifted the acceptable realm of opinion in wealthy leftist circles.

While the NYT was shifting the Overton Window for upper middle-class liberals, President Trump was pushing it Right among conservatives.

“I will declare that any hospital or healthcare provider that participates in the chemical or physical mutilation of minor youth will no longer meet federal health and safety standards for Medicaid and Medicare and will be terminated from the program immediately,” he said as reported by Breitbart News. He said he would also “support the creation of a private right of action for victims to sue doctors who have unforgivably performed these procedures on minor children.”

Ariz. Dems Seek Felony Charges as Kari Lake Exposes Fraud Evidence

Jacob Bruns
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Ariz. Dems Seek Felony Charges as Kari Lake Exposes Fraud Evidence

(Jacob Bruns, Headline USA) Arizona Democrats may try to pin felony charges on Arizona Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake in the wake of a Tweet that included images of voter signatures, Newsweek reported.

Lake, who has yet to concede to Democrat opponent Katie Hobbs, tweeted out a major story line last week, noting that over 40,000 ballots in the state were illegally counted.

The tweet in question contained images of voter signatures:

“Today’s Senate Testimony CONFIRMS nearly 40,000 ballots illegally counted (10% of the signatures reviewed),” she wrote.

“I think all ‘election deniers’ out there deserve an apology,” Lake continued, alluding to the widespread vote fraud that has overrun the state.

But according to Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, Lake’s tweet constitutes a class 6 felony–the least severe class under Arizona law. Penalties include fines, probation, or a prison sentence from four months to 5 3/4 years.

Fontes sent a referral to Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes on Monday, suggesting that posting unauthorized photos of voters’ signatures could be in violation of state law which prohibits “records containing a voter’s signature” from being “accessible or reproduced by any person other than the voter.”

“The protections afforded by this subsection prohibit posting any information derived from voter registration forms or precinct registers to the internet, and under no circumstance may a person other than the voter or [a] statutorily authorized person reproduce a voter’s signature,” reads the referral.

The leftist corporate media jumped all over the opportunity to trash Lake, with numerous outlets publishing hit-pieces despite the fact that no charges have been leveled.

Lake and her legal team have not responded for comment. She has continued to campaign as her case works its way to the Arizona Supreme Court.

Just last week she held a Save Arizona rally that drew thousands of attendees, culminating in a brief phone conversation with 2024 Presidential candidate Donald Trump.

College Board Revises AP Black History Class after Criticism

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College Board Revises AP Black History Class after Criticism

(Headline USA) The official curriculum for a new Advanced Placement course on African–American studies that was released on Wednesday downplays some components that drew criticism from conservatives including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who had threatened to ban the class in his state.

In the new framework, topics including Black Lives Matter and queer life are not part of the exam. They are included only on a list of sample project topics that states and school systems can choose from for assignments.

The course is currently being tested at 60 schools around the U.S., and the official materials are intended to guide its expansion to hundreds of additional high schools in the next academic year.

The College Board, which oversees AP courses, said developers consulted with professors from more than 200 colleges, including several historically black institutions.

The rejection of the course by DeSantis has stirred new political debate over how schools teach about race following widespread parental outrage over student indoctrination in areas including the pro-Marxist Critical Race Theory.

In January, Florida issued a chart that said the course promotes the idea that modern American society oppresses black people, other minorities and women, includes a chapter on “Black Queer Studies” that the administration finds inappropriate, and uses articles by critics of capitalism.

The Florida Department of Education told the College Board it would bar the course unless changes were made.

DeSantis, a possible Republican presidential candidate in 2024, said he was blocking the course in Florida because it pushes a political agenda.

“In the state of Florida, our education standards not only don’t prevent, but they require teaching black history, all the important things. That’s part of our core curriculum,” DeSantis said at a news conference last week. “We want education and not indoctrination.”

In a written statement Wednesday, College Board CEO David Coleman claimed the course is “an unflinching encounter with the facts and evidence of African American history and culture.”

“No one is excluded from this course: the black artists and inventors whose achievements have come to light; the black women and men, including gay Americans, who played pivotal roles in the Civil Rights movements; and people of faith from all backgrounds who contributed to the antislavery and Civil Rights causes. Everyone is seen,” he said.

Among the schools piloting the new course is Baton Rouge Magnet High School in Louisiana.

Earlier this week, students read selections of “The Wretched of the Earth” by Frantz Fanon, which deals with the violence inherent in colonial societies.

In a lively discussion, students connected the text to what they had learned about the conflict between colonizers and Native Americans, to the war in Ukraine and to police violence in Memphis, Tennessee.

“We’ve been covering the gamut from the shores of Africa to where we are now in the 1930s, and we will continue on through history,” said course instructor Emmitt Glynn.

The College Board offers AP courses across the academic spectrum—including math, science, social studies, foreign languages and fine arts. The courses are optional. Taught at a college level, students who score high enough on the final exam usually earn course credit at their university.

The African–American studies course is divided into four units: origins of the African diaspora; freedom, enslavement and resistance; the practice of freedom; and movements and debates.

In Malcolm Reed’s classroom at St. Amant High School in Louisiana, where he teaches the AP class, he tries to be mindful of how the material and discussions can affect students.

“I give them the information and I’ve seen light bulbs go off. I ask them, ‘How does it affect you? How do you feel about learning this?’ ” he said. “It’s also new for me, and I’m just taking it in stride. We’re not just learning history, but we’re making history.”

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

California’s Crypto-Based Car Titles Could Spell Chaos

Molly Bruns
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California’s Crypto-Based Car Titles Could Spell Chaos

(Molly Bruns, Headline USA) The California Department of Motor Vehicles is transitioning vehicle owner’s titles over to digital NFTs on a private blockchain in a move that will allegedly cut costs and modernize the department.

Ajay Gupta, the state’s DMV chief digital officer, plans to move titles onto a Tezos blockchain to increase efficiency, allow transparency and reduce costs.

According to The Register, Gupta plans to duplicate the DMV’s title database onto the blockchain, which will eventually allow vehicle owners to store their NFT title on a mobile app. Ideally, this will make it easier to transfer titles between individuals and jurisdictions.

“The DMV’s perception of lagging behind should definitely change,” Gupta said.

The state is working with a private firm called Oxhead Alpha, which already completed a proof-of-concept database.

The group claims that they are “leveraging technology for the public good,” as well as providing a convenient system “for the efficient and secure transfer of vehicles between jurisdictions.”

The California DMV indicated that they are moving forward with the project and predict they will be implementing the database within the next few months.

“The use of blockchain will allow for a vehicle title to be a secure digital asset (a non-fungible token) that can be held in a DMV digital wallet,” said a representative for the DMV. “This digital asset eliminates the need for a paper title to be presented and provides for indisputable ownership of the asset.”

Neither the DMV nor Oxhead Alpha mention who will host the blockchain, how many nodes there are and who is performing the necessary validation processes.

The matter of the nodes is particularly important. If the DMV processes the nodes internally, the system is essentially the same, just on the internet; if the department outsources the tracking processes, that would raise concerns about security.

Skating over these concerns, Oxhead Alpha president Andrew Smith claimed the California DMV is currently using an “18th-century paper-based technology to solve 21st-century transaction fraud,” and argued that his firm will help solve these issues.

Bernie Sanders Hosts Anti-Capitalist Rally, Charges $100 for Seats

Molly Bruns
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Bernie Sanders Hosts Anti-Capitalist Rally, Charges $100 for Seats

(Molly Bruns, Headline USA) Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is hosting an event to promote his new book and smear capitalism, which will cost $100 per seat for his supporters to attend.

According to Breitbart, tickets for the event, titled “It’s Okay to be Angry about Capitalism,” are being sold via the Ticketmaster platform—which is currently being investigated by the Department of Justice for alleged anti-trust violations.

Tickets range from $35-95, not including processing fees or taxes. Tickets worth $55 and more include a copy of Sanders’s book, also titled It’s Okay to be Angry about Capitalism.

Tickets will be available for purchase on Feb. 3. It is currently unknown whether Sanders has a say in ticket prices or the choice of Ticketmaster as the vendor.

The ticket aggregator, which is owned by Live Nation Entertainment, recently found itself in hot water after Taylor Swift fans came after them for price gouging after the release of her 2022 album, Eras.

The event is meant to stump for Sanders’s up and coming book, which will be released on Feb. 21.

“Senator Bernie Sanders takes on the billionaire class and speaks blunt truths about our country’s failure to address the destructive nature of a system that is fueled by uncontrolled greed and rigidly committed to prioritizing corporate profits over the needs of ordinary Americans,” according to Penguin Random House.

Contrary to the title of his book, Sanders is no stranger to capitalism and Big Tech monopolies. During his 2020 presidential campaign, he received hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations from Alphabet, Amazon, Apple and Microsoft.

Sanders is not the only presidential hopeful writing a book as a prelude to the 2024 race—Republicans Mike Pence, Nikki Haley and Mike Pompeo follow closely behind him with book releases of their own.

GOP Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s book is coming out just a week after Sanders’, on February 28.

Family Wants $51M Refund after Woke School Cancels Slave-Owning Ancestor

Jacob Bruns
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Family Wants $51M Refund after Woke School Cancels Slave-Owning Ancestor

(Jacob Bruns, Headline USA) After Virginia’s University of Richmond tried to cancel one of its biggest donors, his heirs are now demanding that the school refund his original donation—with interest—to the tune of $51 million, RedState reported.

In 1846, Thomas C. Williams had attended the institution—which, at the time, was called Richmond College. Later in life, Williams gave the school a sizable donation to open up a law school, which took on the appropriate name of T.C. Williams School of Law.

But last September, the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to alter the name to “University of Richmond School of Law,” removing mention of Williams because he had owned over 25 slaves who helped him run a tobacco plantation.

University President Kevin Hallock issued a statement at the time of the decision, noting that even though they changed the name, they still recognize Williams’ contribution.

“We recognize that some may be disappointed or disagree with this decision,” he said. “We also recognize the role the Williams family has played here and respect the full and complete history of the institution.”

But in response, T.C. Williams’s great-grandson, Rob Smith, penned a blistering letter to Hallock saying that he wants the money back if the school is going to try to erase his grandfather’s memory.

“If suddenly his name is not good enough for the University, then isn’t the proper ethical and, indeed, virtuous action to return the benefactor’s money with interest?” he asked.

“Is it not a form of fraud to induce money from a benefactor, and then discredit the benefactor after he is long dead?” Smith continued. “Surely the Williams family would not have given a penny to the University knowing that the University would later dishonor the family.”

Smith also noted that, if one calculated the sum plus interest, the school owes his family $51 million.

“At a six-percent compounded interest over 132 years, [Williams’s] gift to the law school alone is now valued at over $51 million, and this does not include many other substantial gifts from my family to the University,” he wrote.

DOJ: Pediatric Urologist Sentenced for Possessing More Than 20K Child Porn Files

Jacob Bruns
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DOJ: Pediatric Urologist Sentenced for Possessing More Than 20K Child Porn Files

(Jacob Bruns, Headline USA) A former pediatric urologist and surgeon in Albuquerque has been sentenced to more than 17 years in prison for possessing and distributing child pornography, including nearly 20,000 pictures and more than 2,000 videos, the Justice Department reported in a press release.

Guy Rosenschein, 68, pleaded guilty in federal court last October to “seven counts of distribution of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and one count of possession of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct” following an investigation that first began in 2016.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children first alerted investigators to the crime after receiving two CyberTipline Reports about child sexual abuse material (CSAM) being posted via the online chat platform Chatstep.

After the source was traced to Rosenschein’s address, the case was handed off to the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office.

Per the final report, “law enforcement located approximately 19,116 images and 2,092 videos depicting CSAM on the devices seized from Rosenschein.”

During the course of the investigation, police learned that Rosenschein—who had worked previously in New York, Arkansas, and Missouri—had allegedly “befriended young male patients” before sexually abusing them.

To date, it has identified three alleged sex-abuse victims, with charges pending in related to two of them.

If and when Rosenschein is released, he also will be subject to 10 years of supervision and must register as a sex offender.

Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen thanked his detectives and noted that the case served as a reminder that beneath the surface of American life there are often dark things lurking.

I am proud of our detective’s hard work on this case and their collaboration with the FBI,” he said.

“This is a heartbreaking example of true evil lurking in our community, and I am relieved knowing Rosenschein has been sentenced to prison.”

According to the United States Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, “Dr. Rosenschein’s conduct was shameful and heinous.”

He also suggested that Rosenschein’s status as a pediatric doctor makes the crime even more perverse, given the trust that children and parents naturally give to him.

“These offenses are horrific when committed by any offender, but it is all the more egregious that the offender in this case was a pediatric surgeon,” Uballez said. “Using a position of trust to exploit the most vulnerable should always come with the maximum penalties under the law.”

‘Diversity’ Hires Caught Gluing Sub’s Nuclear Reactor Back Together

Molly Bruns
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‘Diversity’ Hires Caught Gluing Sub’s Nuclear Reactor Back Together

(Molly Bruns, Headline USA) The British Navy faced scrutiny following a recent report that its woke hiring practices led to civilian members of a submarine crew attempting to jerry-rig a volatile and potentially hazardous piece of equipment.

An investigation has been opened into the crew of the HMS Vanguard, a submarine armed with Trident ballistic missiles, after they were discovered using super glue to “repair” a nuclear reactor chamber.

According to LBC, the civilian workers on the sub are hired out of a third-party hiring agency known as Babcock.

The outsourced staff reportedly over-tightened the bolts holding together the pipes that pump cooling solution to the nuclear reactor, damaging them beyond use. Instead of boring the pipes out and replacing them again, they opted to use super glue to keep the bolts on.

At least seven bolts fell off coolant pipes which are intended the hold insulation in place.

Human Events journalist Jack Posobiec tweeted that one of Babcock’s core tenets for hiring is “diversity, equity and inclusion.”

A bolt fell off during a routine check on the sub, leading to the discovery of the other six attempted repairs. Thankfully, this took place before the test of the full power of the nuclear reactor took place.

Furious Naval officers demanded an investigation, which eventually led to the Babcock employees.

“As part of a planned inspection a defect was found from work done when HMS Vanguard was in dry dock. It was promptly reported and fixed,” said the Ministry of Defence in a statement. “In light of the issue, the Secretary of State spoke with the chief executive office of Babcock to seek assurances about future work.”

As a part of nuclear safety protocols, staff on the submarine always work in pairs.

There is no indication of whether or not employees faced any discipline for their actions, but the defense contractor at Babcock called the issue “a huge disappointment.”

Twitter users had several theories on the situation surrounding the impromptu fix.

GOP Rep. Jim Banks Dares Biden to Release Fang Fang Report

Molly Bruns
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GOP Rep. Jim Banks Dares Biden to Release Fang Fang Report

(Molly Bruns, Headline USA) Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., dared President Joe Biden to make the report into the relationship between Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., and Chinese honeypot spy Christine Fang—also known as Fang Fang.

Banks made the request in a letter last week to the White House following Democrats complaints over Swalwell losing his seat on the House Intelligence Committee, according to Breitbart.

“If the White House’s position is correct and Rep. Swalwell’s past association with a Chinese spy does not preclude him from serving on the House Intelligence Committee, then the White House should immediately declassify its report on Rep. Swalwell,” he wrote.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., has argued that Swalwell’s dalliance with Fang posed a serious security risk and that he should be prohibited from having access to highly classified security briefings.

Banks said that the White House should release the classified report on Swalwell’s relationship with the spy—if it does indeed exist—it in order to clear the representative’s name and allow him back on the committee.

“If the report proves that, as the White House is suggesting, Rep. Swalwell’s relations with Fang Fang were innocuous and do not threaten our national security, then many House Republicans, including me, would support allowing Rep. Swalwell to serve on the House Intelligence Committee,” he added.

Swalwell’s relationship with Fang is said to have started professionally, as she helped him with fundraising and hired at least one intern for his office. Fang left the country “unexpectedly” 2015; there is no recorded contact between the two after that point.

Swallwell claims his involvement with Fang did not compromise the security of the U.S. and always mentions his cooperation with the FBI’s investigation into the relationship when asked about it.

The Biden administration refused to give any opinions on the topic other than the same boilerplate objection that Swalwell—along with ousted Democrat Reps. Adam Schiff of California and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota—brought “a lot to the table when it comes to foreign policy and national security.”

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