The writer and director of Unplanned says Google and Twitter engaged in a form of censorship and discrimination against the popular pro-life movie. 

Chuck Konzelman, who co-wrote and co-directed the film, appeared Wednesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Constitution, which was examining the confluence of technology, public discourse and free speech. Experts on free speech and a representative from Facebook also appeared. 

“In a digital age, exclusion from the digital arena isn’t just discriminatory,” Konzelman said. “It’s the most insidiously effective form of censorship imaginable.”

Konzelman said Google Ads blocked Unplanned banner -s. Google, he added, referenced a company policy against abortion-related ads. 

“Just one problem: We weren’t doing abortion-related ads. We were marketing a movie,” he told senators. “We firmly believe they were sharpshooting us — hiding behind highly selective and discriminatory enforcement of their own guidelines. It is impossible for me to quantify the damage done by Google’s refusal, but it’s absurd to think that there wasn’t damage done.”

Konzelman — who appeared alongside co-director and co-writer Cary Solomon — also mentioned Twitter’s suspension of the Unplanned account. It was restored after about three hours. 

“The reason for the suspension…

U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Muslim Democrat from Minnesota, is once again in the national spotlight after portraying the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks as a day when “some people did something.” She made the comments last month during a fundraising speech in Los Angeles for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which has been linked to Hamas. Her appearance drew hundreds of protesters.

Previous coverage of the speech detailed remarks in which she encouraged fellow Muslim Americans to “raise hell” and “make people uncomfortable” with their activism.

“So, to me, I say raise hell. Make people uncomfortable,” Omar said as the crowd cheered. “Because here’s the truth, here’s the truth: Far too long we have lived with the discomfort of being a second-class citizen and frankly I’m tired of it, and every single Muslim in this country should be tired of it.”

But contents from another part of the speech, which downplayed al Qaeda’s role in the terror attacks, only began to surface on social media this week.

“CAIR was founded after 9/11 because they recognized that some people did something and that all of us were starting to lose access to our civil liberties,” Omar said at the event.

Reaction has been swift. Omar’s colleague, Texas Rep. Dan Crenshaw, slammed the freshman representative for her depiction of the…

After Indiana’s openly-gay mayor Pete Buttigieg condemned Vice President Mike Pence for his Christian values for the second time over the weekend, Pence responded on Wednesday noting that Buttigieg “knows better.”

As Christian Headlines previously reported, at an LGBTQ Victory Fund bunch on Sunday Buttigieg – who shared in March that he tries to live his life “consistent with Christian teachings” – said that Vice President Mike Pence’s Biblical view of marriage should call his view of God’s authority into question. 

Buttigieg said, “If me being gay was a choice, it was a choice that was made far, far above my pay grade.” 

He continued, “And that’s the thing I wish the Mike Pences of the world would understand. That if you got a problem with who I am, your problem is not with me — your quarrel, sir, is with my creator.”

In an interview with CNBC’s Joe Kernen of the “Squawk Box,” Kernen asked Pence if he had a chance to respond to Buttigieg’s comment.

Pence shared that he was not surprised by the claims despite the fact that the two worked “very closely” when Pence was the governor of Indiana.

Pence said, “I worked very closely with Mayor Pete when I was governor of the state of Indiana. We had a great working relationship.”

He continued, “He said some critical things that are critical of my…

Rev. Sid Burgess, a retired pastor of a 250-member church in Alabama, was found alive after missing for three days. The 70-year-old reverend went on a day hike on Saturday but wasn’t heard from again for three days. 

“Please pray for my nephew, Rev Sid Burgess, who went on a day hike in Ala on Saturday and has not been heard from since. An intense search is still underway for him,” Kay Burgess, Sid’s aunt, posted to Facebook, according to the Christian Post.

Burgess’ car was found at the Randolph Trailhead on Sunday. However, there was no cell service, so authorities were unable to track him. They continued the search over the weekend. 

Church members were understandably concerned. “As you can imagine we were all in shock, devastated, heartbroken, scared, anxious,” Edgewood Presbyterian Church member Julie Metheny told AL.com. “There was a very poignant prayer at the end of our service on Sunday.”

Monday’s search was also unsuccessful because of bad weather. However, Burgess’ family didn’t give up hope. On Tuesday, his daughter was optimistic. 

“We are ever faithful that today is the day Dad will be rescued. Service dogs headed into the forest first thing this morning. Several groups of rescuers followed. Horses are hitting the trail now. Drones are in the air. Today’s search has seemed extremely well organized and rescuers are…

A California Senate Committee recently affirmed a law which, if enacted, would require public universities in California to provide students with free access to “the abortion pill.” 

According to CBN News, Senator Connie Leyva, D-Chino, proposed the legislation, known as SB 24, in December 2018. The bill passed out of the Senate Health Committee last week by a vote of 7-3.

If passed, the bill would require student health care clinics at California State University and University of California campuses to “offer abortion by medication techniques” beginning January 1, 2023. In addition, it would create the “College Student Health Center Sexual and Reproductive Health Preparation Fund” which would provide grants to the student health clinics so they can make the necessary upgrades they need to provide the services. 

According to the Daily Californian, Leyva characterized the bill as “an important step toward ensuring the right to abortion is available to all Californians and that our college students don’t face unnecessary barriers.” She continued, “Students should not have to travel off campus or miss class or work responsibilities in order to receive care that can easily be provided at a student health center.” 

The text of the bill declares that “Students seeking early pregnancy termination, especially…