(2018-11-07). Headlines for November 7, 2018. democracynow.org Democrats Take the House of Representatives as GOP Gains in Senate, Democrat Stacey Abrams Refuses to Concede Georgia Governor's Race, Republican Ron DeSantis Defeats Andrew Gillum in Florida Senate Race, Maryland GOP Gov. Larry Hogan Defeats Former NAACP Head Ben Jealous, Democrat Beto O'Rourke Falls Short of Upsetting Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Incumbent Senate Democrats Lose in North Dakota, Indiana and Missouri, Democrats Win Governor's Races in Maine and Midwestern States, Wave of Women Voters Brings Historic Firsts in Midterm Elections, Florida to Restore Voting Rights to 1.4 Million with Felony Convictions, Colo…
(2018-11-07). NAACP President Derrick Johnson's Response to the Results of the 2018 Midterm Election. naacp.org 
President and CEO of the NAACP Derrick Johnson issued the following statement regarding the results of the 2018 midterm election: "This was a remarkable wave of grassroots activism that swept across the country — with women and people of color leading the way. From a U.S. House of Representatives that reflects the will of the […]
(2018-11-07). More Foul Murders, in a System That Survives on Racism. counterpunch.org 
We live in a nation totally beholden to racism. Founded on racism, built on racism, surviving by virtue of racism. From the near total eradication of Native Americans by disease, slaughter, and death marches; to the enslavement of 12 million Africans and the continued oppression, imprisonment, impoverishment and wanton killing of their descendants; to the More
(2018-11-06). Civil Rights Groups Warn of DOJ Efforts to Intimidate Voters. mintpressnews.com "Attorney General Jeff Sessions does not have his eyes set on voter suppression but is instead exploiting this moment to push a false narrative about voter fraud."
(2018-11-06). NAACP Organizes Voter Protection Command Center at Baltimore Headquarters. naacp.org Volunteers, Attorneys and Staff Provide Answers and Resources for Voters on Election Day BALTIMORE (ELECTION DAY)—Volunteers ranging from local members, sororities and fraternities to both volunteer and staff attorneys, are taking calls, responding to email and sharing website resources for voters all around the nation on Election Day. The NAACP has incorporated the latest SMS […]
(2018-11-06). Headlines for November 6, 2018. democracynow.org Huge Turnout for Early Voting in Midterms as Technical Issues Surface, Trump Attacks Democrats and Migrants on Eve of Midterm Elections, Fallout from Racist Trump Campaign Ad Continues as Networks Pull Ad, Georgia Dem. Gov. Candidate Abrams Responds to Kemp Hacking Probe, Racist Robocalls Attack Georgia Dem. Gov. Candidate Abrams, Students Across Country Walk Out of Class to Cast Ballots in Midterms, NYC: Trial Begins over 2020 Census Citizenship Question, Coloradans to Vote on Divisive Oil and Gas Ballot Measures, Washington State Voters to Vote on Fee for Large Carbon Polluters, NYC: Local Leaders Decry Racist…
(2018-11-06). Women of Color Hope to Make History in 2018 Election with Wins in Congress and Governor's Races. democracynow.org 
A historic number of women of color are running for public office in today's election. At least 255 women are on the ballot as congressional candidates, including a record number of women of color. In Georgia, Stacey Abrams hopes to become the state's first black governor—and the country's first black woman governor. Meanwhile in New Mexico, Deb Haaland could become the nation's first Native American woman to serve in Congress. Amid a rash of racist ads by Abrams's opponent Brian Kemp, there is something "deeply transformational about the electoral organizing and the campaign that Stacey Abrams represents,"
(2018-11-06). TODAY: NAACP PRESIDENT DERRICK JOHNSON JOINS ATLANTA COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO TURN OUT VOTERS IN HISTORIC 2018 MIDTERM ELECTION. naacp.org PART OF NATIONAL ELECTION DAY OUTREACH IN KEY STATES WHO: NAACP National President and CEO Derrick Johnson will join a delegation of community canvassers to knock on doors and turn out voters in Stockbridge, Georgia — a community just south of the Atlanta metro area between 4: 00pm and 5: 00pm. WHAT: The NAACP has been on the ground conducting a […] | The post
(2018-11-06). 'Charleston and Tree of Life Are Connected Struggles' – CounterSpin interview with Audrey Sasson on antisemitism, racism and resistance. fair.org 
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…
(2018-11-06). The Supreme Court Will Decide Whether Maryland Can Display a 40-Foot Latin Cross. aclu.org The case could drastically alter longstanding precedent protecting the separation of church and state and send a devastating message to non-Christians | Last Friday, the Supreme Court announced that it will decide whether a state government's display of a gigantic, 40-foot Latin cross as a war memorial in Bladensburg, Maryland, violates the separation of church and state. | On the surface, the case appears to be about one religious monument located at one busy intersecti…
(2018-11-06). ICE Detention Center Says It's Not Responsible for Staff's Sexual Abuse of Detainees. aclu.org Officials at the detention facility are trying to avoid responsibility by arguing that the detainee "consented" to sexual abuse. | All 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the federal government impose criminal liability on correctional facility staff who have sexual contact with people in their custody. These laws recognize that any sexual activity between detainees and detention facility staff, with or without the use of force, is unlawful because of the inherent power imbalance when people are in custody. Yet, one immigration detention center is trying to avoid responsibility for sexual violence within its…
(2018-11-06). The West is Failing Julian Assange. consortiumnews.com While the media focused on Julian Assange's cat rather than his continuing arbitrary detention, evidence shows that Britain worked hard to force his extradition to Sweden where Assange feared he could then be turned over to the U.S., as Stefania… Read more →
(2018-11-06). Saudi Journalist Tortured to Death in Prison. theantimedia.com 
(MEMO) — Saudi journalist and writer Turki Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Jasser has died after being tortured while in detention, the New Khaleej reported yesterday. Reporting human rights sources, the news site said that Al-Jasser was arrested and tortured to death after Saudi authorities claimed he administered the Twitter account Kashkool, which disclosed rights violations committed by the Saudi authorities and …
(2018-11-06). NAACP Unites in Demand to Make Panama City Florida Polling Sites Accessible to Hurricane Victims. naacp.org Groups Want Equal Access to the Polls for Communities Displaced by Hurricane Michael BALTIMORE—(November 6, 2018) Florida officials have rejected a formal request from voting rights advocates to make polling locations more accessible to African-American residents of Panama City, Florida, who were hard hit by Hurricane Michael. Late last week, a coalition of voting rights […] | The post
(2018-11-05). A Tax-Funded Child Welfare Agency in Philadelphia Wants to Turn Away Same-Sex Couples Like Us. aclu.org Faith-based child welfare agencies are challenging the city's nondiscrimination policies, which protect LGBTQ foster parents and the kids they serve. | Editor's Note: On Nov. 6, a federal appeals court will hear a challenge by Catholic Social Services to the city of Philadelphia's requirement that tax-funded child welfare organizations accept all qualified parents, including same-sex couples. Shannon Graves and Paige Davis are following the case closely for good reason: They are same-sex foster parents who often take care of LGBTQ kids. | When we learned that
(2018-11-05). Headlines for November 5, 2018. democracynow.org U.S. Reinstates Harsh Sanctions on Iran After Nuclear Deal Withdrawal, Florida: Self-Proclaimed Misogynist Kills 2, Injures 5 in Tallahassee, Georgia Secretary of State and GOP Candidate Launches Probe into Dem. Party, Obama Campaigns for Vulnerable Senate Democrats Ahead of Midterms, Kansas Republican Kris Kobach Took Donations from White Nationalists, Trump Praises "Beautiful" Razor Wire as Soldiers Deploy to Border, NBC Airs Racist Anti-Immigrant Trump Campaign Commercial, Nigerian Military Tweets Trump Video to Justify Shooting Protesters, U.N.: A Yemeni Child Dies Every 10 Min. from War-Caused Disease, Hunge…
(2018-11-05). In Trump's Hands, the Census Becomes a Weapon. aclu.org We use the census as a tool to build power in communities. The administration wants to use it against those communities. | Almost a decade ago, I ran the Minkwon Center for Community Action, a grassroots organization serving the Korean-American community in Queens. Getting immigrants to participate in the 2010 census was one of our top priorities. Why? Because I knew we could use the census to build power for our communities, just by standing up and being counted. And we did, but it wasn't easy. | First, we had to educate people about the census's importance. After all, it's not just a head count. The…
(2018-11-05). The ACLU Mourns the Passing of Ramona Ripston. aclu.org For nearly four decades, Ripston led the ACLU of Southern California and turned it into a civil liberties and civil rights powerhouse. | Ramona Ripston, who led the ACLU of Southern California for nearly four decades, died on Saturday. She was 91. | Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union, issued the following statement: | "On Saturday, we lost my friend Ramona Ripston, a civil liberties icon in Los Angeles and one of the country's most dynamic advocates for justice and equality., , "In her nearly four decades as leader of the ACLU's Southern California affiliate, Ramona's off…
(2018-11-05). SPLC urges Trump administration to preserve measures that protect immigrant children from detention. splcenter.org Jenny Lisette Flores came to America at 15, fleeing civil war in El Salvador to find protection with family members in the U.S.
(2018-11-04). Civil Rights Leaders Unite to Deliver Message to Voters Ahead of Midterm Elections. naacp.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACT: Vanessa Mbonu/ vmbonu@naacpnet.org Message Underscores the Importance of Elections Taking Place on November 6 BALTIMORE ≠(November 4, 2018)—With the midterm elections on Tuesday, NAACP has partnered with other prominent civil rights groups to release a special public service announcement (PSA) aimed at mobilizing voters in the last days of […]
(2018-11-03). Michelle Obama Urges NAACP Supporters to Get Out and Vote on Election Day. naacp.org BALTIMORE (November 3, 2018)—Former First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, joins NAACP, the nation's largest civil rights organization, in its civic engagement campaign to increase African American voter turnout on Election Day, November 6. Mrs. Obama's collaboration comes in form of a Public Service Announcement (PSA) where she urges viewers to use their […]
(2018-11-03). WATCH NOW: NAACP President and CEO Talks Voter Suppression with CNN's Don Lemon. naacp.org Days before the 2018 midterm elections, Derrick Johnson, NAACP President and CEO, debriefs the nation on voter suppression incidents across the country.
(2018-11-03). Watch Now: Michelle Obama Makes Special NAACP PSA. naacp.org Former First Lady of the United States of America, Michelle Obama, makes a galvanizing call to NAACP members and supporters ahead of the 2018 midterm elections.
(2018-11-03). Does Florida Believe in Second Chances? Election Day will Tell. naacp.org On Tuesday, Floridians will decide if 1.6 million people deserve a second chance. As the law stands now in the sunshine state, when it comes to the right to vote, 1.6 million ex-felons are left in the dark. This is the greatest number of ex-offenders who have lost their right to vote in any state. […]
(2018-11-03). Assange Case Shows Support for Free Speech Depends on Who's Talking. fair.org 
by Joe Emersberger Julian Assange, whom the UN has declared to be "arbitrarily detained" by Britain and Sweden, is used by the Guardian ( 10/17/18) to illustrate a gag story on "nightmare flatmates." | The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded in February 2016 that the governments of the UK and Sweden had forced WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange into a condition of arbitrary detention in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where he has been since 2012. The group's (2018-11-02). Black solidarity with the struggle of Central American immigrants and refugees. fightbacknews.org Jacksonville, FL – There are around 8000 Central American immigrants and refugees making their way from Honduras and other Central American nations to the United States-Mexico border. Currently the caravan is over 1000 miles from the nearest border city. These are Central American immigrants and refugees escaping poverty and instability in their home countries due to U.S.-backed governmental regimes and violence fueled by U.S. interference. These immigrants and refugees have pleaded for humanitarian assistance and a better life. However, they have been met by Donald Trump and his racist presidential administratio…
(2018-11-02). As Trump complains, Mexicans support Central American refugees. greenleft.org.au 
United States President Donald Trump has resorted to racist comments and extreme measures in response to a procession of refugees and migrants heading towards the US. | In mid-October, thousands of Hondurans left for a journey of many weeks through Guatemala and Mexico to the US. At its peak, the procession of refugees and migrants has included more than 7000 people fleeing unemployment, poverty and gang violence. | In Spanish and some English press, the procession has been referred to as a "caravan", but Irineo Mujica, director of Pueblo sin Fronteras (People without Borders)
(2018-11-02). Catholic Social Services Wants a License to Discriminate Against LGBTQ Foster Families. aclu.org The needs of those in the child welfare system should come first, not the religious preferences of agencies receiving taxpayer funds to care for them. | On Tuesday, a federal appeals court will hear oral argument in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, a case of great concern to advocates for children in foster care, the LGBTQ community, faith leaders, and states that are committed to ensuring non-discrimination in government programs. The ACLU is arguing in court for the Support Center for Child Advocates and Philadelphia Family Pride, who have inter…
(2018-11-02). United States: Trump lays basis for worsening racist violence. greenleft.org.au 
A white man in Jefferson, Kentucky, shot and killed two African Americans at a grocery store on October 24. Gregory Bush was seen trying unsuccessfully to break down the doors to a predominantly Black church before he turned his attention to the store and opened fire. | After the killings he was confronted by an armed bystander, also white, who held him at bay until police arrived. Bush told the man who captured him that they shouldn't shoot each other, because "whites don't kill whites". | Two days later, packages containing bombs were found, addressed to people President Donald Trump has being publicly attackin…
(2018-11-02). Broad City's Ilana Glazer: Why I Canceled My Event at a NY Synagogue After Anti-Semitic Vandalism. democracynow.org 
A political event hosted by Ilana Glazer of Comedy Central's "Broad City" at the Union Temple Synagogue in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, was canceled Thursday night after anti-Semitic and racist messages were found scrawled on walls throughout the building. Among the messages were "Jew Better Be Ready" "Insert Oven Here" "End is now," "Hitler," "Free Smoke for [N-word] Jews" and "FPEE PR." The graffiti comes amid a surge in anti-Semitic hate crimes nationwide, including Saturday's massacre of 11 Jewish worshipers at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. Amy Goodman was scheduled to speak at the event about cove…
(2018-11-02). Get Ready for the Shake-Up: Grassroots Candidates Drive Midterm Surge. progressive.org 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.
(2018-11-02). Signature Match Laws Disproportionately Impact Voters Already on the Margins. aclu.org Absentee ballots should make voting more accessible. Signature match laws should not be used to disenfranchise marginalized voters. | We sign things all the time — to pay for groceries with a credit card or end a letter to a friend, for example. Rarely do our signatures come under scrutiny. Yet, a number of states are denying people the right to vote because the signature on their absentee ballot — and sometimes even on their application for a ballot itself— doesn't exactly match their signature on the voter registration rolls. And in many cases, the state does not even tell the affected voter t…
(2018-11-02). Children Cruelly Handcuffed Win Big Settlement Against the Police in Kentucky. aclu.org For years, a sheriff's office defended its use of handcuffs on elementary school students. Now it will pay up. | On Thursday, a sheriff's office in Kentucky has agreed to pay more than $337,000 for the painful and unconstitutional handcuffing of elementary school students with disabilities. The two plaintiffs, both of whom were children of color and both of whom have disabilities, were so small that the deputy sheriff locked the handcuffs around the children's biceps, forcing their hands behind their backs. | One of the cuffings was recorded in a
(2018-11-01). Headlines for November 1, 2018. democracynow.org Pittsburgh Funerals Continue as Trump Focuses on Protests and "Fake News", Racist Kentucky Shooter Indicted for Murder, Trump Threatens to Send 15,000 Troops to U.S.-Mexico Border, Trump Attacks Paul Ryan for Birthright Citizenship Rebuke, Trump Tweets Racist Campaign Ad Ahead of Midterms, Multiple Caravans Head to U.S. Border as Humanitarian Concerns Grow, Trump Tells Reporter "When I Can, I Tell the Truth", Native American Tribe Sues over North Dakota Voter ID Law, Judges Order Ohio to Let Purged Voters Cast Midterm Ballots, Turkey Says Khashoggi Strangled in Consulate as International Fallout Continues, U.S. C…
(2018-11-01). Parkland Dad Fred Guttenberg: Voters Must Reject Racist, Anti-Semitic NRA on Election Day. democracynow.org 
In the wake of a series of hate-fueled gun attacks in the United States, we speak with Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter Jaime was killed by a gunman at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history this February. As the nation reels from the Pittsburgh synagogue massacre and the Kentucky grocery store killing of two African Americans, Guttenberg is calling on voters to elect politicians who stand for gun control in next week's midterm elections.
(2018-11-01). Hatewatch Headlines 11/2/2018. splcenter.org Trump's immigration ad is flat-out racist; tech firms needs to take online hate seriously; funding for anti-extremism work is cut; and more.
(2018-11-01). Warehousing Immigrant Children in the Texas Desert. aclu.org 
The Tornillo detention camp represents a major shift in the policy and practice of putting the best interests of the child first. | Since June, the federal government has been operating a massive tent city in the West Texas desert to detain immigrant children who have traveled to the United States seeking protection from persecution and abuse in their home countries. | Last week, I visited the Tornillo detention camp with colleagues from the ACLU of Texas. There are currently over 1,000 unaccompanied immigrant kids at Tornillo, most from Central America, who were transferred from long-term shelter placements. Th…
(2018-10-31). Ohio's Congressional Map Is Broken. Here Are 3 Ways to Fix It. aclu.org 
Ohio's map consistently gives Republicans 75 percent of the states' congressional seats, regardless of the votes they earn. | As Ohio voters head to the polls next week, many will struggle to overcome congressional districts that have allowed politicians to choose their voters instead of the other way around. | Thanks to an aggressive redistricting operation, Ohio's current congressional map, enacted in December 2011, is gerrymandered to lock in a 12-to-4 district advantage for Republican candidates. | In each subsequent election, it has w…
(2018-10-29). Trump Plays Pocahontas Card Again. . . And Takes the Trick! progressive.org When I hear people like the Cherokee Nation's Hoskins Jr. bashing Warren for her claim, it occurs to me that Trump's racism has found a footing in tribal politics.
(2018-10-29). Why We Need More School Leaders of Color, Especially in White Districts. progressive.org Racism in the classroom leaves white students racially illiterate.
(2018-10-18). Trump Administration's Warped View of Religious Freedom Abroad. zcomm.org Religious freedom arguments are increasingly being used to challenge anti-discrimination policies and access to services…
(2018-10-18). A Tribute to Ron Dellums, Radical. zcomm.org Ron Dellums appreciated the struggle against racism is permanently joined with those against sexism, militarism, and capitalism…
(2018-10-11). Dreaming political concepts in Iran and the US: Huey Newton and Ali Shariati, through the movie Black Panther. zcomm.org Dreaming political concepts in Iran and the US: Huey Newton and Ali Shariati, through the movie Black Panther In the movie Black Panther, N'Jobu is residing in Oakland, California as a Wakandan spy when he's troubled by the racism faced by black Americans. T'Chaka, the king of Wakanda, considers N'Jobu's plot of Read more…
(2018-09-05). Censored Documentary Exposes the Israeli Government's Attack on Black Lives Matter. grayzoneproject.com Exclusive footage from the censored Al Jazeera documentary, "The Lobby — USA," shows Israeli government officials taking credit for attacks…