Progressives, Please Don't Defend Broken Promises on Immigration
Shared by Merula Furtado | truthout.org | 2018-11-16
In recent weeks, many on the left and right of the US political spectrum have been riveted by the spectacle of thousands of families from Central America trekking across Mexico with the migrant caravans. On the right, President Trump has used these images to gin up racism and fear, curtailing migrants' opportunities to seek asylum. On the left, activists and academics have attempted to counter his lies by insisting that it is legal to seek asylum under US and international law. These assertions, while correct, wo…
truthout.org/articles/progressives-please-dont-defend-broken-promises-on-immigration/

NAACP GRASSROOTS & VOTER TURNOUT EFFORTS SPUR INCREASED BLACK VOTER PARTICIPATION
Vanessa Mbonu@naacpnet | naacp.org | 2018-11-16
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 16, 2018 CONTACTS: NAACP@sunshinesachs.com and Malik Russell / mrussell@naacpnet.org / 410-580-5761 NAACP civic engagement campaign helped generate record midterm election turnout among Black Voters BALTIMORE — From the passage of Amendment 4 in Florida, which restored voting rights to convicted felons to the record number of early voting among voters of color — including a 77% increase among […] | The post NAACP GRASSROOTS & VOTER TURNOUT EFFORT…
naacp.org/latest/naacp-grassroots-voter-turnout-efforts-spur-increased-black-voter-participation/

At its convention, Portugal's Left Bloc gears up for year of crucial fights
stuart_m | greenleft.org.au | 2018-11-16
In 2019, European and legislative elections will take place in Portugal in a national political context different from anywhere else in the European Union (EU), where austerity policies still reign and the racist and xenophobic right is rising, writes Dick Nichols from Lisbon. | Over the past three years in Portugal, the minority Socialist Party (PS) government has been supported from outside by the Left Bloc, the Communist Party of Portugal (PCP) and the Ecologist Party-The Greens (PEV). | During that time wages and welfare payments have risen, privatisations have stopped, unemployment has halved to 6.3%, casual…
greenleft.org.au/content/its-convention-portugals-left-bloc-gears-year-crucial-fights

Is shaming or outing racists online out of their job OK? Mounting pressure campaigns
Tim Rumford | indybay.org | 2018-11-16
Shaming Racists with Pressure tactics out of their job. Examples. Details recent ongoing pressure campaign on Proud Boy Member Comcast Employe who throws white power hand signals wearing his comcast jacket uses as profile pic next to his Comcast logo for employment on Facebook.
indybay.org/newsitems/2018/11/14/18819146.php

NAACP Strongly Urges Senate Rejection of Farr Nomination
Vanessa Mbonu@naacpnet | naacp.org | 2018-11-15
BALTIMORE (November 15, 2018)–The NAACP strongly condemns Thomas Farr's nomination and the Senate's scheduling of his vote. The nation just experienced national elections which are not yet over and which were tainted by egregious voting rights violations. That Majority Leader McConnell chooses this moment in time to vote on a judicial nominee known as the vote-suppressor-in-chief […] | The post NAACP Strongly Urges Senate Rejection of Farr Nomination appeared first on NAACP
naacp.org/latest/naacp-strongly-urges-senate-rejection-farr-nomination/

The Watergate Blueprint for Impeaching Donald Trump
Elizabeth Holtzman | theintercept.com | 2018-11-15
When Donald Trump's presidential election victory was announced in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016, like many Americans, I rubbed my eyes in disbelief and dismay. Two questions raced through my mind: | What had become of America that a man so unfit, so small-minded, so mean-spirited could be elected? A man whose ethnic and racial bigotry had set the stage for his presidential run when he called Mexicans rapists and made racist birther attacks on President Barack Obama. Whose vulgarity and misogyny were laid bare in the Access Hollywood tape when he bragged about forcibly grabbing women by their genita…
theintercept.com/2018/11/15/donald-trump-impeachment-watergate/

Court rejects neo-Nazi's free speech defense in SPLC case
splcenter | splcenter.org | 2018-11-15
A federal judge has rejected neo-Nazi leader Andrew Anglin's attempt to dismiss an SPLC lawsuit seeking to hold him accountable for orchestrating a campaign of terror against a Jewish woman and her family in Montana.
splcenter.org/news/2018/11/15/court-rejects-neo-nazi%25E2%2580%2599s-free-speech-defense-splc-case

Vermont Immigrant Rights Group Sues ICE for Monitoring, Infiltrating & "Hunting Down" Organizers
Democracy Now! | democracynow.org | 2018-11-15
A major new federal lawsuit claims that immigration agents are targeting undocumented organizers for their activism in Vermont. The suit accuses Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Department of Homeland Security and the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles of carrying out a multiyear campaign of political retaliation against members of the group Migrant Justice. According to the lawsuit, Migrant Justice was infiltrated by an informant, and its members were repeatedly subjected to electronic surveillance. At least 20 active members of Migrant Justice have been arrested and detained by ICE. We speak with Will…
www.democracynow.org/2018/11/15/vermont_immigrant_rights_group_sues_ice

Congressional proclamation honors slain man at center of historic SPLC lawsuit
splcenter | splcenter.org | 2018-11-15
Thirty years ago this month, a group of racist skinheads savagely beat an Ethiopian college student to death on a street in Portland, Oregon — an attack that sparked an SPLC lawsuit that decimated the neo-Nazi group responsible for the murder.
splcenter.org/news/2018/11/15/congressional-proclamation-honors-slain-man-center-historic-splc-lawsuit

The Blue Wave Keeps Rolling On
Ruth Conniff | progressive.org | 2018-11-15
By leaning into racism and voter suppression, the Republicans are trading their future for a few hard-fought, short-term victories. And despite that, across the country organized citizens delivered a rebuke to the politics of Donald Trump.
progressive.org/dispatches/the-blue-wave-keeps-rolling-on-181114/

Prisoners Are Getting Paid $1.45 a Day to Fight the California Wildfires
aclu | aclu.org | 2018-11-15
Incarcerated workers fighting wildfires deserve the same wages and protections that civilian workers receive. | As firefighters in California battle the deadliest wildfires in the state's history, they are joined by unlikely allies against the blaze. About 200 prisoners in California's Conservation Camp program are fighting the fires alongside civilian employees, earning just $1.45 a day for their work. Their pay as workers is a fraction of minimum wage. The hazard to their lives is real, as evidenced by a death toll that has…
aclu.org/blog/prisoners-rights/prisoners-are-getting-paid-145-day-fight-california-wildfires

NAACP Statement on FDA Plan to Ban Sale of Menthol and E-Cigarettes
Vanessa Mbonu@naacpnet | naacp.org | 2018-11-14
NAACP released the following statement following reports of the Food and Drug Administration's proposal to ban menthol cigarettes: "The NAACP is pleased to hear of the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) plan to ban the sale of menthol cigarettes and restrict the sale of flavored e-cigarettes. For decades, data have shown that the tobacco industry […] | The post NAACP Statement on FDA Plan to Ban Sale of Menthol and E-Cigarettes appeared first on NAACP.
naacp.org/latest/naacp-statement-fba-plan-ban-sale-menthol-e-cigarettes/

Attorney General Jeff Sessions is Fired
Adam Lee | naacp.org | 2018-11-14
On November 7, 2018, Jefferson "Jeff" Beauregard Sessions III resigned his position as U.S. Attorney General at the request of President Trump. The NAACP had strongly opposed then-Senator Sessions' confirmation to this position in early February, 2017. Going forward, the NAACP strongly urges President Trump to nominate an individual to serve as Attorney General who has […] | The post Attorney General Jeff Sessions is Fired appeared first on NAACP.
naacp.org/latest/attorney-general-jeff-sessions-fired/

Police and Data Collection: Why Louisiana Needs Reform
splcenter | splcenter.org | 2018-11-14
If Louisiana were a country, it would have the second-highest incarceration rate in the world, behind only Oklahoma.1…
splcenter.org/20181115/police-and-data-collection-why-louisiana-needs-reform

Fox News Joins CNN in Lawsuit Against Trump
Tyler Durden | theantimedia.com | 2018-11-14
(ZHE) — Update: NBC WILL BE JOINING AMICUS BRIEF SUPPORTING CNN: CNN * * * Fox News said it is supporting CNN's lawsuit to regain White House reporter, Jim Acosta's, press credentials, and has filed an amicus brief in the case, Bloomberg reports citing an emailed statement from Fox News president Jay Wallace. "FOX News supports CNN in its …
theantimedia.com/fox-news-joins-cnn-lawsuit-trump-white-house/

Interview with former Black Panther Thomas "Blood" McCreary and Frank Chapman
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2018-11-14
Thomas "Blood" McCreary is a veteran of the Black liberation movement of the 1960s and 70s, having been a member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), then the Black Panther Party (BPP), and then the Black Liberation Army. Today he continues to press for release of the former Panthers who are still in prison, many for 45 years. He also advocates for the dropping of the cases against the Panthers abroad, including Assata Shakur. | Frank Chapman is the Field Organizer of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression. | McCreary was in Chicago for an event celebrating the 50th anniv…
www.fightbacknews.org/2018/11/14/interview-former-black-panther-thomas-blood-mccreary-and-frank-chapman

How Georgia's Probation System Squeezes the Poor and Feeds Mass Incarceration
aclu | aclu.org | 2018-11-13
Poor Georgians are falling victim to probation policies that enrich private companies and contribute to recidivism rates. | Charles " Skip" Eckartz, a 63-year-old disabled veteran, and his wife, Virginia "Ginny" Eckartz, were arrested in their Georgia home for manufacturing marijuana. They were incarcerated for five days until Ginny was able to use the small inheritance she'd received after her mother's death as collateral for their bond. | Although all of the charges were dropped…
aclu.org/blog/criminal-law-reform/how-georgias-probation-system-squeezes-poor-and-feeds-mass-incarceration

Call to unite against racism
kathy_f | greenleft.org.au | 2018-11-13
About 300 people rallied against racism in Melbourne on November 10. The rally was organised in response to the continued vilification of Melbourne's African community by politicians and the media. | Praise and Shema, two high school students from the Liberian and Sudanese communities, addressed the rally. They called for an end to media attacks on the African community. | The Islamic Council of Victoria's Adel Salman told the rally that the media needs a code of ethics and to stop promoting hate speech. | Taqi Azra, a Hazara refugee and National Union of Workers organiser, said: "They are trying to divide u…
greenleft.org.au/content/call-unite-against-racism

Trump Points to Polls in France, Where 80 Percent Say He's a Dangerous, Incompetent Racist
Robert Mackey | theintercept.com | 2018-11-13
Donald Trump mocked Emmanuel Macron for having a low approval rating in France, apparently unaware that French citizens have a far lower opinion of him. | The post Trump Points to Polls in France, Where 80 Percent Say He's a Dangerous, Incompetent Racist appeared first on The Intercept.
theintercept.com/2018/11/13/trump-points-polls-france-80-percent-say-hes-dangerous-incompetent-racist/

"Rock Stone Mountain II" permit denied
Hatewatch Staff | splcenter.org | 2018-11-13
A planned racist gathering at Georgia's Stone Mountain monument has encountered its first stumbling block after park authorities denied the planners a permit for 2019's Super Bowl weekend.
splcenter.org/hatewatch/2018/11/13/rock-stone-mountain-ii-permit-denied

White cop kills Black security guard in Chicago suburb
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2018-11-13
Chicago, IL — Black Community leader Frank Chapman condemned the November 12 killing of an African American security guard, Jemel Roberson, by a white police officer from the Midlothian Police Department in the Chicago suburb of Robbins. | "Every city in the U.S. where Black people live has the same crisis of police accountability. Until Black people have the power to determine who polices them and how they are policed, cops will brutalize, torture and murder us with impunity," said Chapman, of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression. | When he was killed by the police officer, Robers…
www.fightbacknews.org/2018/11/13/white-cop-kills-black-security-guard-chicago-suburb

SPLC sues Trump administration over president's asylum ban
splcenter | splcenter.org | 2018-11-09
The SPLC filed a federal lawsuit today against the Trump administration's asylum ban, challenging an interim final rule that was issued yesterday and a presidential proclamation that President Trump signed this morning.
splcenter.org/news/2018/11/09/splc-sues-trump-administration-over-president%25E2%2580%2599s-asylum-ban

President Trump's Proclamation Suspending Asylum Rights Is Illegal, So We're Suing
aclu | aclu.org | 2018-11-09
Refugees fleeing violence have a right to declare asylum regardless of how and where they enter the country. | Claiming that the illegal entry of immigrants across the southern border of the United States is a national crisis, President Trump on Friday issued a proclamation purporting to bar the entry of all persons entering the United States at any place other than an official port of entry. | The Trump administration's action is contrary to the founding values of the country — welcoming homeless refugees to our shores. It also violates U.S. law, so we, along with the Cen…
aclu.org/blog/immigrants-rights/deportation-and-due-process/president-trumps-proclamation-suspending-asylum

NAACP Demands for Georgia Election Officials to Promptly Investigate Pattern of Georgia Students Being Denied the Right to Vote
Vanessa Mbonu@naacpnet | naacp.org | 2018-11-09
BALTIMORE(November 9, 2018)–NAACP, the nation's foremost civil rights organization, sent a letter to Georgia elections officials just two days after the state's too-close-to-call elections, demanding a prompt investigation into reports that Georgia student voters were turned away from polling stations, unable to vote. Others were improperly required to vote provisional ballots. The letter cites two instances where university students […] | The post NAACP Demands…
naacp.org/latest/naacp-demands-georgia-election-officials-promptly-investigate-pattern-georgia-students-denied-right-vote/

Jeff Sessions Was the Worst Attorney General in Modern American History
aclu | aclu.org | 2018-11-09
From immigration to transgender rights, Attorney General Jeff Sessions showed contempt for American civil rights and liberties. | On Wednesday, the Trump administration bid farewell to one of its most infamous members: Attorney General Jeff Sessions. In his brief tenure, Sessions managed to dismantle and rescind an astounding range of efforts by prior administrations to protect civil rights and civil liberties and introduced new policies that endanger some of the most vulnerable citizens in the U.S. | From his draconian approach to immigration policy to his efforts to erase protections for transgender people to h…
aclu.org/blog/criminal-law-reform/jeff-sessions-was-worst-attorney-general-modern-american-history

Before Resigning, Jeff Sessions Handcuffed the Justice Department's Ability to Police the Police
aclu | aclu.org | 2018-11-09
The former attorney general's last action all but eliminates federal oversight of abusive law enforcement agencies. | In his final move as attorney general, Jeff Sessions on Wednesday issued a new policy that all but eliminates federal oversight of state and local law enforcement agencies that engage in unconstitutional and unlawful policing. While Sessions — a white man with money and political connections — will likely never be personally affected by this policy change, his decision to sabotage the legal instruments of federal civil rights enforcement is going to harm people and communities of color…
aclu.org/blog/criminal-law-reform/reforming-police-practices/resigning-jeff-sessions-handcuffed-justice

NAACP Statement on Brian Kemp's Resignation as Georgia Secretary of State
Vanessa Mbonu@naacpnet | naacp.org | 2018-11-08
NAACP President and CEO, Derrick Johnson, released the following statement after reports of Georgia Secretary of State and Gubernatorial Candidate, Brian Kemp's resignation: "It's unfortunate that Brian Kemp did not step down months ago as Secretary of State to ensure that Georgia had a fair election. Whether it's malicious intent or benign neglect, Kemp's actions […] | The post NAACP Statement on Brian Kemp's Resignation as Georgia Secretary of State appeared first on NA…
naacp.org/latest/naacp-statement-brian-kemps-resignation-georgia-secretary-state/

NAACP Youth and College Division National Director, Tiffany Dena Loftin Responds to 2018 Midterm Election Results
Rachel Johnson | naacp.org | 2018-11-07
National Director of the NAACP Youth and College Division, Tiffany Dena Loftin issued the following statement regarding the results of the 2018 midterm elections: "The 2018 midterm elections confirmed once again that young Black voters are some of the most trustworthy and dedicated voters in the country. Over the course of the last few months […] | The post NAACP Youth and College Division National Director, Tiffany Dena Loftin Responds to 2018 Midterm Election Results…
naacp.org/latest/youth-college-division-national-director-tiffany-dena-loftin-responds-2018-midterm-election-results/

NAACP STATEMENT ON JEFF SESSIONS RESIGNATION
Regan Farley | naacp.org | 2018-11-07
"U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions' resignation might be a welcomed reprieve from his jurisdiction over the justice department. His odious record has done little to impact the civil liberties of African Americans, confirming our deepest concerns when it comes to criminal justice and equal rights. However, given the administration's track record on appointing problematic people […] | The post NAACP STATEMENT ON JEFF SESSIONS RESIGNATION appeared first on NAACP.
naacp.org/latest/naacp-statement-jeff-sessions-resignation/

'Charleston and Tree of Life Are Connected Struggles' – CounterSpin interview with Audrey Sasson on antisemitism, racism and resistance
Janine Jackson | fair.org | 2018-11-06
Janine Jackson interviewed Audrey Sasson about antisemitism, racism and resistance for the November 2, 2018, episode of CounterSpin. This is a lightly edited transcript. | Media…
fair.org/home/charleston-and-tree-of-life-are-connected-struggles/

Get Ready for the Shake-Up: Grassroots Candidates Drive Midterm Surge
Ruth Conniff | progressive.org | 2018-11-02
While Donald Trump rallies the rightwing base with flagrant appeals to fear, anger, and racism, the most diverse slate of candidates in U.S. history is poised to change the direction of the nation's politics for a long time to come.
progressive.org/dispatches/get-ready-for-the-shake-up-grassroots-candidates-midterms-181102/

Trump Administration's Warped View of Religious Freedom Abroad
Claire Provost | zcomm.org | 2018-10-18
Religious freedom arguments are increasingly being used to challenge anti-discrimination policies and access to services…
zcomm.org/zmagazine/trump-administrations-warped-view-of-religious-freedom-abroad/

A Tribute to Ron Dellums, Radical
Peter Cole | zcomm.org | 2018-10-18
Ron Dellums appreciated the struggle against racism is permanently joined with those against sexism, militarism, and capitalism…
zcomm.org/zmagazine/a-tribute-to-ron-dellums-radical/