In this mailing: Judith Bergman: Germany's Selective Fight against Anti-Semitism Majid Rafizadeh: Iran's Lobbyists and Agents in the West Can Taking Cannabis Have a Long-Term Effect on Your Brain? Germany's Selective Fight against Anti-Semitism by Judith Bergman  •  January 28, 2020 at 5:00 am       "[T]here is no reason to give the all-clear. The threat situation in Germany remains tense; it has stabilized on a high level...Germany continues to be a target of jihadist organizations such as ISIL or al-Qaeda. Consequently, Germany as well as German interests in various regions in the world are facing a constantly serious threat, which may any time manifest itself in terrorist attacks motivated by jihadism." — 2018 Annual Report on the Protection of the Constitution, Germany. The new governmental initiative, however, appears to be directed only against anti-Semitism committed by right-wing extremists. The question, then, is why jihadi anti-Semitism does not appear to have been included in the German government's package of initiatives to combat anti-Semitism? Given the official threat scenario, the German government owes all its citizens an explanation as to why it is so "selective" in its response to anti-Semitism. German authorities do not always appear to take Islamist anti-Semitism seriously, even when it has obviously deadly potential. On October 4, a knife-wielding Syrian man tried to enter a Berlin synagogue (pictured) while shouting "Allahu Akbar." The police released him the next day. (Photo by John MacDougall/AFP via Getty Images) The German government recently announced that it would be cracking down on free speech, with Justice Minister Christine Lambrecht claiming that the German government "is confronting right-wing extremism and anti-Semitism by all means enabled by the rule of law." The government presented a package of measures, including some that will limit free speech. According to German news outlet Deutsche Welle: "[O]nline service providers, such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter will be obliged to report hate speech to German authorities, and also pass on the IP address of the conspicuous user. Until now, such social media giants have only been required to delete hate speech within a certain time period." Continue Reading Article Iran's Lobbyists and Agents in the West by Majid Rafizadeh  •  January 28, 2020 at 4:30 am       Recently, three Republican senators, Ted Cruz (TX), Tom Cotton (AK) and Mike Braun (IN) have called on the U.S. Department of Justice to open an investigation into the National Iranian American Council (NIAC). According to the Iranian American Forum: "Some of these documents are posted here and reveal NIAC's relation and collaboration with Iranian officials and business interests inside Iran. They show that NIAC coordinated its lobby with the Iranian ambassador to the UN to influence the US policy with Iran." Why do those who may lobby for the mullahs attempt to fly under the radar, act less conspicuously and fail to register? Now is the time for the US and other Western governments to investigate and closely watch those who beat the drum for the anti-American and anti-Israeli Islamic Republic of Iran. Iran's Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi (center) has boasted that Tehran runs a lobby group in Washington that promotes the hardline agenda of his country's ruling mullahs. (Photo by Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images) Iran's leaders have freely admitted that they have lobby groups and operatives in the West, including the US, working hard to advance Tehran's anti-Western, anti-American, fundamentalist ideas. Iran's Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi even boasted that Tehran runs a lobby group in Washington that promotes the hardline agenda of his country's ruling mullahs. According to the Washington Examiner: "A 'lobby group for the Islamic Republic of Iran' is actively bolstering Tehran's status in the international stage and helping to sell and legitimize its nuclear ambitions as just causes to the globe, Alavi claimed." Continue Reading Article Can Taking Cannabis Have a Long-Term Effect on Your Brain? January 28, 2020 at 4:00 am       (Image source: iStock) Gatestone Institute to examine the impact of legalized marijuana in 2020. Details to follow...