North Carolina State Flower: Flowering Dogwood

State Flowers 2 Minutes

Flowering dogwood is a woody, deciduous, showy, understory tree in the dogwood family (Cornaceae) that is native from southeastern Canada through eastern North America to eastern Mexico, where it is commonly found growing in woodland margins. The species epithet is Latin for “floriferous.”

Flowering dogwood can be a tricky plant to grow in a landscape setting. Locate flowering dogwood in a site that receives full sun to partial shade, though in the piedmont and along the coast it may need more shade, especially in the afternoon. Plant in well-drained soil that is high in organic matter and has a slightly acidic to neutral pH. A 2- to 4-inch layer of mulch will help keep the roots cool and moist in hot summers. Propagate flowering dogwood by seeds or stem cuttings. 

Flowering dogwood is a small tree 15 to 25 feet tall. The tree is found throughout the state, usually growing under larger forest trees and at woodland edges. It is quite tolerant to heat once established and has a low flammability rating. The showy dogwood “flower” is actually a cluster of small, true flowers surrounded by four petal-like bracts. It is the state flower of North Carolina. The flowers are visited by butterflies and specialized bees, and the red fruits are a food source for songbirds and other wildlife from fall through winter.  

With multi-season interest, it has many uses in the landscape such as a butterfly, pollinator, or children’s garden, a native or winter garden, accenting a patio or play area, a specimen, or shade tree.  

Quick ID Hints:

Showy bracts emerge before the leaves.

Leaves are opposite with veins that arch up toward the tip.

Leaves have a smooth to wavy margin. 

Bark becomes scaly to finely blocky as it matures.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Calico scale, dogwood borer, dogwood sawfly, Japanese maple scale, leafhoppers and oyster shell scale are a problem. Dogwood anthracnose is not all that common, only occurring at 1800 feet or higher elevation. Spot anthracnose is more common. Trees are also susceptible to powdery mildew, leaf spot, canker, root rot and leaf, twig blight crown canker, bacterial leaf scorch, powdery mildew and septoria leaf spot. The foliage is browsed by white-tailed deer, and these trees do not withstand pollution.  This tree can be challenging to grow in urban settings, other native trees should be considered.

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Published by pat frederick

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72 thoughts on “North Carolina State Flower: Flowering Dogwood”

    1. Good morning, Pat! Yep, same here – light rain & 49 at the moment. Wheezer was sleeping in the chair when I got up – he didn’t even jump down to eat – and he’s still there. I purposely left the flag up overnight – I know, you’re not supposed to let it get rained on but the rain took care of all the folds and wrinkles from it being folded up in the package. I knew I should have grabbed some potting soil yesterday but did I do it? No! And, of course, now I need some to plant the wave petunias in their baskets & 2 more red ones in the buckets. This time I’ll run over to Osmond – it’s only about a 5 minute drive.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Morning Filly!
        I see people’s flags out 24/7 in all kinds of weather.
        we’re already making a list of things to do around here next weekend hopefully. nothing major, but things you need good weather to do.
        i want to “hand” till our little garden–pull out the weeds, get the ground ready for plants. but there are a lot of trees need to cut up and we have one dead limb on a one apple tree that we need to prune. we need to straighten and fix the fencing around the one cherry and 2 newer winter pear trees–they look great this year!
        and we need to discuss what to do with the grapevines–whether to remove the fencing altogether and let the deer continue to munch on the grass and the plants or not. i’m voting yes. lol…less to weed whack and they can get in there anyway.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. I know – I do, too, and people don’t bring them in at night either – technically, the flag shouldn’t be up after dark unless it’s lighted. Oran/Lois always leave theirs up 24/7. It’s tough for me to give up old ways vis-a-vis our flag….set in my ways and it is difficult for me to change.

          Wow! A lot of work ahead of you! I agree about the fencing – as you say, they get in anyway and there is a slight risk of them getting their legs caught in it, especially the smaller ones.

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              1. oh no. we never used the grapes for that. we never got enough. hubby buys a kit with the grape juice in it. he has to mix in the flavorings or whatnot and ferment it and make sure it clears and stuff like that. his pino grapes come from chile i think and his riesling comes from another region…i forget at the moment. we started with 16 plants. between the birds, the raccoons and the occasional bear? we never got more than a bowlful a year. you needs lots to make wine.

                Liked by 1 person

  10. Gudthots(@gudthots)Offline
    Coyote
    May 2, 2025 00:43

    Thank you Elon for making it stop.

    “The computers at Treasury pay about $5 trillion per year. When payments are made, there was formerly not a budget code on there. So if a payment was made you didn’t know what it was for.”

    “There was a $4 billion COVID fund in the Department of Education. There was no receipts recquired so people could just draw down on it. They found out money was being used to rent out Ceasers Palace for parties, rent out stadiums, etc.”

    “So the one change that DOGE made was the simple requirement that if you drawdown money, you must first upload a receipt, and upon doing so, nobody drew down any money anymore.”

    “Generally, the fraud starts out small and they try to hide it. But year after year, if nobody stops the fraud, it gets more and more brazen, and every year it gets bigger until they are literally renting out stadium.”

    Liked by 1 person

  11. BREAKING: DOGE staffer reveals the ‘Institute of Peace’ had a $130,000 contract with a former member of the Taliban and deleted 1 Terabyte of accounting records when DOGE entered headquarters.

    The data was recovered and evidence was referred to the FBI and DOJ.

    Liked by 1 person

        1. Well, tbh, I don’t agree with it. Whether you like it or not, it IS a worldwide religion, albeit a fucked up one! Problem is that they won’t follow the rules and will literally fight and kill people over it. The most straight-forward, simple way to do it is the way it’s supposed to be here – CIVIL LAW TAKES PRECEDENCE! As long as your religious law doesn’t conflict with that, have at it!!! That also applies to local building ordinances. If the mosque doesn’t meet those requirements = no mosque! Simple!

          Liked by 1 person

          1. i disagree. I think a better word for it is theocracy. it’s forbidden in their religion for women to be out without coverings and they can be arrested or it. that’s governing and not worshiping.

            Liked by 1 person

            1. Exactly – that is Sharia Law (which not all Muslims follow, BTW) and it violates civil non-discrimination laws. Problem solved!

              Like

  17. the cost of illegals
    FTA
    Illegal aliens cost Texas hospitals more than $100 million in just a single month, brand new data from the Lone Star State shows.

    Texas hospitals are on the hook for a $121.8 million bill incurred by illegal aliens across 31,000 visits in November 2024 alone, according to data collected by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (THHSC).
    Advertisement

    The findings came after Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed an order directing THHSC to collect and provide quarterly data on the cost of illegal aliens to the state’s hospitals and the number of visits from illegal aliens. The first full year of data from THHSCC will be released in January 2026.

    https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-aliens-racked-up-a-nine-figure-bill-at-texas-hospitals-in-just-one-month

    Liked by 1 person

  19. Just The News: “President Donald Trump signed an executive order late Thursday instructing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to end taxpayer funding for PBS and NPR, the nation’s two largest public broadcasters that long have been regarded as biased by conservatives.

    The White House announced the executive order in a post on social media site X,  just weeks after Congress confronted executives of both broadcasters with evidence of political imbalance and liberal leanings in their coverage.

    Trump “just signed an executive order ENDING the taxpayer subsidization of NPR and PBS — which receive millions from taxpayers to spread radical, woke propaganda disguised as ‘news,'” the White House wrote.

    The president’s order stated that NPR and PBS no longer served a meaningful purpose warranting taxpayer funding because there are so many private media choices in the digital era.

    “Today the media landscape is filled with abundant, diverse, and innovative news options. Government funding of news media in this environment is not only outdated and unnecessary but corrosive to the appearance of journalistic independence,” the order stated.

    The order instructs CPB’s governing board to terminate direct funding for NPR and PBS to the “maximum extent allowed by law” and take steps to “minimize or eliminate” indirect funding to the outlets.”

    Liked by 1 person

  20. Just The News: “President Trump said Friday that he will take away Harvard University’s tax-exempt status.

    “We are going to be taking away Harvard’s Tax Exempt Status. It’s what they deserve!” Trump posted on Truth Social.

    The announcement comes amid Harvard’s lawsuit against the White House for cutting federal funding to the university over refusing to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.

    In mid-April, the Internal Revenue Service began making plans to strip the Ivy League school of its exempt status. Trump’s social media post Friday did not indicate when the agency will do so.”

    Liked by 1 person

  22. Just The News: “The Tennessee Highway Patrol on Thursday released its bodycam footage of a traffic stop interaction it had with alleged MS-13 gang member Kilmar Abrego Garcia in 2022. 

    Abrego Garcia was deported by the Trump administration earlier this year, but has become the face of one of the biggest deportation cases in recent history. Democrats have argued that Abrego Garcia was a peaceful, law-abiding man from Maryland prior to his deportation.

    The footage, which was obtained by Fox News through a public records request, appeared to show highway patrol troopers being concerned that the illegal migrant was involved in human trafficking because he had eight other people in his car.

    “How many rows have you got in here? Four seats? Four rows of seats?” one state trooper can be heard saying in the video. “Did y’all put an extra one in? Huh? Did y’all put another one in? No? They come like this? I’ve never seen one with that many seats in it.”

    Abrego Garcia was initially pulled over for a speeding violation, highway patrol said, but they got suspicious of human trafficking when they saw the amount of people in the car. The migrant also kept changing his story about what he was doing, and carried $1,400 in cash they suspected was his payment.

    A source told the outlet that an unreleased part of the video includes officers discussing calling Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to pick up Abrego Garcia, which they did, but ICE did not show. The source also said they were warned the migrant was suspected of being a gang member or terrorist when they put his name into a national database.” 

    Liked by 1 person

  23. Just The News: “President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order that establishes a new commission on religious liberties, which will be led by Texas’ GOP Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson.

    https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/05/establishment-of-the-religious-liberty-commission/

    The order was signed during a National Day of Prayer event in the Rose Garden of the White House. Patrick will serve as the chairman and Carson is expected to serve as vice chair.

    Here is a list of the other people who will serve on the commission:

    Author and Ethics and Public Policy Center President Ryan Anderson

    Bishop Robert Barron

    Author and former Miss USA runner up Carrie Prejean Boller

    New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan

    Pastor and Samaritan’s Purse CEO Franklin Graham

    Attorney Allyson Ho

    Best-selling author and television host Dr. Phil McGraw 

    Best-selling author and radio host Eric Metaxas

    President and CEO of First Liberty Institute Kelly Shackelford

    Rabbi Meir Soloveichik

    Pastor Paula White

    Liked by 1 person

  24. Just The News: “The arrest of a Wisconsin judge could be just the start.

    Former Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director and border czar Tom Homan said “wait to see what’s coming” when he was asked Thursday what should happen to sanctuary cities and specifically what should occur in Wisconsin, where Gov. Tony Evers and the state Department of Administration sent out a memo asking state employees not to answer questions from federal agents, give access to systems or information, and to call the state Office of Legal Counsel if approached.

    “You cannot support what we’re doing and you can support sanctuary cities if that’s what you want to do,” Homan said. “But if you cross that line of impediment or knowingly harboring and concealing an illegal alien, that is a felony. And we are treating it as such.”

    A group of 41 Wisconsin Assembly Republicans sent a letter this week to Evers requesting that he rescind the memo. “As the Trump administration continues its efforts to deport thousands of non-citizens who entered our country illegally during the Biden administration, our caucus believes it is imperative that our laws reflect the need for local law enforcement to comply with these efforts,” the letter said.

    The letter also referenced the Friday arrest of Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan on accusations that she helped a defendant who was illegally in the country escape from immigration officials.

    Dugan is accused of concealing Eduardo Flores Ruiz, who was previously deported and came back to the U.S., where he was facing charges in Milwaukee of domestic battery and abuse.

    Dugan was suspended this week by the Wisconsin Supreme Court after being charged with obstruction of a federal proceeding and concealing an individual to prevent discovery or arrest. The obstruction charge could result in up to a $100,000 fine and a year in prison, while the second concealment charge can result in up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.”

    Liked by 1 person

  25. “Eulogy of the Dog — If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog.” President Harry Truman

    John A. Lucas, Apr 25, 2025

    “This is a bit different than my normal fare, but if you are a dog lover, or just someone who values a keen insight into human nature and the love of a true friend, read on. I hope you enjoy it.

    In 1869 or 1870, a farmer in rural Missouri shot and killed “Old Drum,” the favorite hunting dog of one of his neighbors. Old Drum’s owner sued. He hired a local lawyer, George Vest, to speak for him and Old Drum.

    George G. Vest

    Mr. Vest’s 150-year-old closing statement to the jury provides an insight into both the value and vagaries of friendship. Any attempt to describe it any further would serve no purpose other than to detract from its truth and eloquence.

    * * * * *

    23 September 1870 Warrensburg, Missouri

    Gentlemen of the jury —

    The best friend a man has in the world may turn against him and become his enemy. His son or daughter whom he has reared with loving care may prove ungrateful. Those who are nearest and dearest to us, those whom we trust with our happiness and our good name, may become traitors to their faith. The money that a man has he may lose. It flies from him perhaps when he needs it most. A man’s reputation may be sacrificed in a moment of ill-considered action. The people who are prone to fall on their knees to do us honor when success is with us may be the first to throw the stone of malice when failure settles its cloud upon our heads. The one absolutely unselfish friend that a man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is the dog.

    Gentlemen of the jury, a man’s dog stands by him in prosperity and in poverty, in health and in sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground when the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely, if only he can be near his master’s side. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer, he will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounter with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince.

    When all other friends desert, he remains. When riches take wings and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens. If fortune drives the master forth an outcast into the world, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog asks no higher privilege than that of accompanying him, to guard him against danger, to fight against his enemies. And when the last scene of all comes, and death takes his master in its embrace and his body is laid in the cold ground, no matter if all other friends pursue their way, there by his graveside will the noble dog be found, his head between his paws and his eyes sad but open, in alert watchfulness, faithful and true, even unto death.

    * * * * *

    George Vest went on to serve in the U.S. Congress from 1879 until 1903. Eulogy of the Dog was later put in the Congressional Record (October 16, 1914), vol. 51.”

    Liked by 1 person

  29. EXCERPT: “California governor Gavin Newsom (D.) recently awarded taxpayer funds under a state antiterrorism program to a San Diego mosque that has been linked to 9/11 hijackers and whose imam defended the Hamas attack on Israel.

    Newsom, considered a top 2028 presidential contender, awarded nearly $200,000 to the Islamic Center of San Diego in March as part of a program to help religious institutions and nonprofits beef up security to protect against potential terrorist attacks, according to state records.

    “Today more than ever, our state stands together to support our communities. Californians deserve the right to worship, love, and gather safely, without fear of violence,” said Newsom, whose administration has given another $500,000 to the San Diego mosque in previous years.

    The Islamic Center of San Diego, led by Imam Taha Hassane, has condoned anti-Israel violence over the years. Hassane, who joined the center in 2004, defended Hamas’s slaughter of Israeli civilians on Oct. 7, saying in a sermon weeks later that “resistance [against Israel] is justified,” the Washington Free Beacon previously reported.

    “We cannot accuse somebody who is fighting for his life to be a terrorist. The terrorist is the one who started the occupation, not the one who is defending himself,” said Hassane, whose remarks prompted his removal from San Diego’s Human Relations Commission.

    Hassane’s wife, Lallia Allali, resigned from her job with the San Diego school district after she posted a cartoon following the Oct. 7 attacks that showed a Star of David beheading five children. She currently teaches courses on “Islamophobia” at the Islamic Center of San Diego.

    The Islamic Center of San Diego gained notoriety in the wake of 9/11 after revelations that two of the al Qaeda operatives who flew the plane that hit the Pentagon—Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar—prayed regularly at the mosque. An official at the mosque also allegedly helped the terrorists receive a $5,000 wire transfer from the nephew of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind of 9/11. Other mosque leaders hosted a welcoming party for the hijackers when they arrived in San Diego in 2000, according to the 9/11 Commission report…..”

    https://freebeacon.com/california/gavin-newsom-awards-antiterrorism-grant-to-mosque-linked-to-9-11-hijackers-pro-hamas-cleric/

    Like

  30. O.M.G!!! Colorado is well and truly fucked!!! Such a beautiful state….ruined!!!

    “Former Rep. Yadira Caraveo, Now Looking To Reclaim House Seat, Drove Staffers to Therapy With Abusive Behavior”

    Free Beacon, Ethan Barton, May 1, 2025

    ENTIRE ARTICLE: “Former Rep. Yadira Caraveo’s (D., Colo) staffers had to enter therapy after enduring the Colorado Democrat’s abusive behavior as she dealt with mental health struggles, including two suicide attempts witnessed by aides, the Colorado Sun reported Thursday.

    Caraveo’s “frightening and traumatizing” behavior while serving in Congress and running for reelection last year prompted her aides to propose a safety plan, according to the Colorado Sun. They requested that sharp objects be removed from her offices and said they didn’t want to be responsible for talking her “through suicidal thoughts” or “keeping her company during a crisis.”

    The plan was rejected and the aides were told they had to put up with Caraveo or resign within a day. But apparently it wasn’t just Caraveo’s well-being that was at risk. Former aides told the Colorado Sun that Caraveo—who’s again running for office in 2026—would snap at them and cancel events due to mental health issues, then blame her staff for frayed relationships with community leaders and fundraising problems.

    “It’s completely fine to struggle with mental illness,” one former staffer told the Colorado Sun. “But it is one thing to struggle with mental illness and it’s another thing to weaponize it.” “Everyone left the office because of the way Yadira treated people and her mental stability,” another said. The aides, who requested anonymity to avoid retaliation, said they were speaking to provide a warning for anyone considering working for Caraveo, who had one of the highest turnover rates in Congress last year.

    Caraveo is aiming to reclaim Colorado’s Eighth Congressional District after losing to Rep. Gabe Evans (R.) in 2024 by less than a single percentage point. The swing district’s 2026 outcome could decide which party controls the House—and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is not actively supporting Caraveo.

    The Democrat admitted in March that she leaned on her aides and claimed she apologized to them.

    “Many times [my staffers] were the only ones that I felt like I could be open with and not pretend to be OK all the time, because that was the rest of my life — pretending that I was OK,” Caraveo told Colorado Public Radio. “I know that it placed undue pressure on them, and I’ve apologized to them many times. But also, [I] needed them to understand and acknowledge that it was an illness and that I couldn’t completely control how I was reacting to that illness until I finally got help.”

    But Caraveo’s former aides told the Colorado Sun they never received an apology and felt mistreated from the outset. Some have entered therapy.

    Caraveo’s first known suicide attempt came in February 2024 when staffers rushed to her home after she sent them concerning messages. They learned that she’d taken 19 sleeping pills and was drinking alcohol. She was rushed to the hospital and was placed on an emergency mental health hold. A police officer noted in an application for the hold that Caraveo, a licensed physician, said “this will put me to sleep for awhile.”

    The Colorado Sun, which obtained the application, learned of the suicide attempt the Saturday before Election Day. Caraveo’s team responded to the outlet’s inquiries with a cease-and-desist letter, threatening to sue if it published a story.

    Then, in April 2024, emergency responders were called to Caraveo’s district office to treat a woman suffering from an overdose after taking about 20 lorazepam—an anxiety and sleep drug recently made famous by a suicidal character on HBO’s White Lotus. Multiple sources confirmed to the Colorado Sun that the woman was Caraveo.

    She was meeting with local Latino leaders when the drugs took effect, causing the meeting to be cut short. She also had to miss an event later that day opening up her 2024 campaign headquarters. Caraveo, however, told Colorado Public Radio, that she took a “handful” of medications for a foot injury, resulting in an emergency room trip.

    Caraveo’s 2026 campaign did not respond to a request for comment. The Democrat also didn’t answer the Colorado Sun’s questions, including whether she took the lorazepam before or after driving to the April 2024 events at her office, and instead provided a more general written statement.

    “As I’ve been open about, I was in a dark place when I was suffering from depression and I know the disease led me to treat my friends, family and my staff in ways that I regret. I’m deeply sorry,” Caraveo wrote. “[S]uffering from depression does not disqualify anyone from doing hard things or working to make their communities better.”

    “Through treatment I have seen profound changes in my illness and I wish I had sought this kind of treatment decades ago. It has changed how I interact with others and see the world, as well as how I see and treat myself,” she added.”

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  31. Absolutely appalling behavior from that cop! And then he lied to the other cop, saying “he fell out of his wheelchair,” when in reality, he tried to force the guy’s arms up and HE pulled him out of the chair!!! I see a HUGE lawsuit and rightfully so!!!! (Atlanta, GA)

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  32. Marica: “Just spoke with PAVACA/CV !! She’s strong and BIG MAD!! Solas is recovering Praise God ! She’s channeling Her Irish Heritage and getting an attorney to go after this awful dog and owners! Keep them in your prayers but She does sound strong and committed to getting her world safe and secure again!!”

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  33. EXCERPT: “The German Evangelical Church (EKD) is being accused of racism after banning White children from attending a workshop on being “courageous and strong” during its Church Congress in Hanover on Wednesday. The Church is now being questioned about its commitment to anti-racist and universalist principles.

    The “Become Courage and Strong” workshop was only open to Black, indigenous and children of color. However, while ethnic Germans and ethnic Europeans are indigenous to Germany and Europe, the designation did not apply to them, only indigenous people from other continents.

    “This offer is aimed exclusively at Black, Indigenous and children of color,” reads the program website. The Church’s official program featured the seminar as a “protected space where children can sing or beatbox.” The church program for the day states children who attend will “develop strengths and strategies for dealing with experiences of racism.”

    The Church is not only being racist towards White children with its program, but the logic of its program is that White people cannot experience racism, a complete contradiction of the universalist principles taught in the Bible.

    Workshop on ‘Critical Whiteness’

    It did not end there. In fact, there was a workshop on “Critical Whiteness” where only White people were allowed to attend, namely White adults “who are not affected by racism.”

    However, there is also a workshop that immigrants are not allowed to participate in called “Critical Whiteness.” There, white adults “who are not affected by racism” are supposed to critically examine their perceived privileges. This also implies that White people are not affected by racism and the only group that needs to address the issue of racism…..”

    https://rmx.news/article/german-evangelical-church-bans-white-children-from-workshop-on-being-courageous-and-strong-at-national-congress/

    Like

  34. EXCERPT: “The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has been declared “definitely right-wing extremist,” by the powerful domestic spy agency, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV). The party is reacting with outrage.

    The BfV claims that the party is pursuing efforts against the “free democratic order,” which the agency now says is “certain.”

    Previously, the party was only declared as a “suspected case,” with this new designation paving the way for not only a ban but also mass surveillance of the entire party, including all its members. With this new designation, the BfV can surveil members, including their emails, phone calls, and chats, without a warrant. In addition, the BfV can now legally infiltrate the entire party with informants and use other spy techniques.

    Already, other parts of the AfD at the state level were classified as “definitely right-wing extremist,” but the new designation now applies this label to the entire national party.

    The party is reacting with outrage, with Alice Weidel, the co-leader of the party, writing:

    “The decision of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution is a severe blow to German democracy!”

    Regarding the statement by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, AfD federal spokespersons Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla said:

    “Today’s decision by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution is a severe blow to German democracy: In current polls, the AfD is the strongest force. The federal government only has four days left in office, the intelligence agency doesn’t even have a president anymore. And the classification as a so-called suspected case is not yet legally binding.

    Nevertheless, the AfD, as an opposition party, is now being publicly discredited and criminalized shortly before the change of government. The associated, targeted interference in the democratic decision-making process is therefore clearly politically motivated. The AfD will continue to defend itself legally against these defamations that endanger democracy.”

    The BfV, however, is attempting to justify its decision, which will be seen by many as an attack on the country’s largest opposition party.

    Due to the “extremist character of the entire party, which disregards human dignity,” the BfV noted in its statement. Vice presidents of the authority, Sinan Selen and Silke Willems, further indicated that statements and positions of the party “violate the principle of human dignity.”…..

    https://rmx.news/article/breaking-germanys-afd-party-is-declared-definitely-right-wing-extremist-by-bfv-spy-agency-paving-the-way-for-a-ban/

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  36. “It’s the only animal that we eat before it’s born and also after it’s dead. Never thought of it that way, didja?”

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  37. “Friday Funnies: Time Out! Fight Club: Aliens versus Predators!”

    Robert W Malone MD, MS, May 02, 2025

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  44. “Some Justice for Ashli Babbitt–Finally: It appears the Trump Department of Justice has reached an agreement in the wrongful death lawsuit related to the killing of the unarmed Trump supporter on January 6, 2021.”

    Julie Kelly, May 02, 2025

    ENTIRE ARTICLE: “The Department of Justice today confirmed a settlement “in principle” has been reached in the $30 million wrongful death lawsuit filed on behalf of the estate of Ashli Babbitt, who was killed by a police officer inside the Capitol on January 6, 2021.

    Terms of the settlement have not been disclosed; during a hearing today before D.C. Judge Ana Reyes, both sides indicated it could be at least a month before the agreement is finalized and made public.

    In January 2024, Judicial Watch, representing Babbitt’s widower, Aaron, filed a complaint under the Federal Tort Claims Act accusing the government of causing “personal injury and death…caused by the negligent or wrongful acts or omissions of one or more employees of the federal government.”

    At around 2:44 p.m. on January 6, Capitol Police Lt. Michael Byrd shot Babbitt in the shoulder as she and other protesters were packed inside a small area outside the Speaker’s Lobby where two protesters had smashed in windows. “Ashli was ambushed when she was shot by Lt. Michael Byrd,” the lawsuit reads. “Multiple witnesses at the scene yelled, ‘you killed her.’” Babbitt, 35, was unarmed.

    Joe Biden’s DOJ announced in April 2021 that it had closed an investigation into the killing, determining Byrd did not violate Babbitt’s civil rights. “As this requirement has been interpreted by the courts, evidence that an officer acted out of fear, mistake, panic, misperception, negligence, or even poor judgment cannot establish the high level of intent required,” an April 2021 DOJ press release stated.

    Byrd was cleared under a separate internal investigation conducted by Capitol Police in August 2021. He was promoted to captain last year despite a long record of personal and professional misconduct including abandoning his firearm in a Capitol Visitor’s Center bathroom in 2019 and failing a background check to personally purchase a gun in 2021.

    Byrd’s name was concealed by the media and Capitol Police for months as anger mounted over Babbitt’s killing. During a softball interview with NBC News anchor Lester Holt in August 2021, Byrd revealed himself for the first time and acted as the victim rather than the perpetrator. His name was withheld from the public for more than seven months, Byrd explained, due to “vile threats” he received. (Holt did note the names of officers involved in fatal shootings are often immediately released.) “They talked about killing me, cutting off my head, very vicious, cruel things.” When prompted by Holt, Byrd claimed some of the threats were “racist” in nature. (Never mind he’s a black cop who shot and killed a white woman.)

    “I believe I showed the utmost courage on January 6,” Byrd told Holt.

    It was later learned in response to a FOIA request from Judicial Watch that Byrd and his pet had been housed in a VIP suite at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland for more than six months—between August 2021 and February 2022—costing taxpayers roughly $30,000. Representative Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga) also discovered Byrd received a $36,000 “retention” bonus in August 2021.

    President Donald Trump has remained a big supporter of Babbitt, frequently raising her name during campaign rallies and interviews. According to reports, Trump called Micki Witthoeft, Ashli’s mother, on January 9, 2025 and asked her to tell J6ers that “I love them, to keep their chins up.” On January 20, the president issued a blanket pardon with the exception of 13 J6ers for individuals charged in the sweeping investigation and prosecution conducted by the Biden DOJ.

    Trump recently told Newsmax’s Greg Kelly that he would “look into” both the progress of the lawsuit and the actions of Byrd. “I’m a big fan of Ashli Babbitt,” the president told Kelly during a March 2025 interview. “And Ashli Babbitt was a really good person who was a big MAGA fan, Trump fan. And she was innocently standing there; they even say trying to sort of hold back the crowd. And a man did something to her that was unthinkable when he shot her. And I think it’s a disgrace.”

    Another hearing in the matter is set for May 12.”

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