(2019-04-03). Legislation Would End Debt-Based Driver's License Suspensions in Minnesota. aclu.org Courts are supposed to deliver justice, not act as debt collectors. | Minnesota is one of more than 40 states across the country that suspends people's driver's licenses for outstanding tickets and fees, a practice that disproportionately harms low-income people. But the Minnesota Legislature may act to end this wealth-based penalty through legislation introduced in both chambers. If it becomes law, more than 50,000 Minnesotans will have their licenses restored. | The bill would repeal the provision of Minnesota law that allows…
(2019-04-03). 'A Lot of That Science They Point to Is Science They Paid For' – CounterSpin interview with Carey Gillam on Monsanto lawsuit. fair.org 
Janine Jackson interviewed Carey Gillam about Hardeman v. Monsanto for the March 29, 2019, episode of CounterSpin. This is a lightly edited transcript. | Media…
(2019-04-03). A Rare Win for Water Quality. counterpunch.org 
Montana's environment isn't getting much help from the legislature, but thanks to a lawsuit filed by the Upper Missouri Waterkeeper group, the state is going to have to re-do its 20 year variance on acceptable discharge levels for the nutrients/pollutants nitrogen and phosphorus. Make no mistake, this is a definite win for Montana's water quality More
(2019-04-03). DOJ: Conditions in Alabama prisons likely unconstitutional. splcenter.org The Alabama prison system is already fighting a years-long SPLC lawsuit over the neglect of prisoners with medical and mental health needs. Now, the U.S. Justice Department is threatening to sue the state because its prisons are beset by "rampant violence," "unchecked extortion," and "severe and widespread sexual abuse."
(2019-04-03). NAACP Shows How Fossil Fuel Industry Manipulates Communities of Color. truthout.org The fossil fuel industry regularly deploys manipulative and dishonest tactics when engaging with communities of color, often working to co-opt the respect and authority of minority-led groups to serve corporate goals. That is according to a new report, " Fossil Fueled Foolery," published this week by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), which outlines the top 10 manipulation tactics that the group's member…
(2019-04-03). NAACP supported Violence Against Women Act reauthorization and strengthening coming to House floor tomorrow. naacp.org H.R. 1585, legislation to strengthen and support programs authorized by the hugely successful and NAACP-supported Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) is expected to be voted on by the full U.S. House tomorrow, 4-4-19. We need to pass it by a strong majority of Members to demonstrate our support for strengthening VAWA and protecting all survivors. …
(2019-04-03). Italy: Firefighter Faces 20 Yrs in Prison For Rescuing Migrants. telesurenglish.net Spanish firefighter, Miguel Roldan, has been accused by the Italian government of aiding human trafficking and illegal immigration after he helped save thousands of migrants from drowning in the Mediterranean Sea in 2017. | RELATED: | EU Suspends Migrant Rescue Operations Despite Saving Thousands | Roldan, a 32-year-old firefighter from Malaga, Spain,…
(2019-04-03). 'Cheat Working Americans, You'll Go to Jail': Warren Unveils Bill to Punish Criminal CEOs. commondreams.org "For far too long, CEOs of giant corporations that break the law have been able to walk away, while consumers who are harmed are left picking up the pieces." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/elizabeth_warren_3.jpg…
(2019-04-03). Chelsea Manning files motion for immediate release pending appeal. wsws.org Manning was imprisoned by District Judge Claude Hilton on civil contempt charges for courageously refusing to testify before a secret grand jury preparing a frame-up case against WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange.
(2019-04-03). Day After Fed Judge Okays High Capacity Gun Magazines in CA, Teenagers Rally in San Jose. indybay.org South Bay teenage activists demonstrated for legislation to stop senseless gun use in America. Supporters from Black Lives Matter and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense stood with them in solidarity at a "Rally for Change" on March 30. | Photos by Chris Cassell, Pro-Bono Photo. Please credit the photographer.
(2019-04-03). Brunei's Death Penalty for Gay Sex a Human Rights Violation: UN. telesurenglish.net Brunei is violating human rights by imposing an extremist interpretation of Islamic Law that would allow death by stoning for adultery and homosexuality, the United Nations said Wednesday. | RELATED: | Brunei to Stone Those Convicted of Homosexual Sex to Death | U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "believes that human rights are to be upheld in relation to every person everywhere without any kind of discrimination," said U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric. | "The legislation app…
(2019-04-03). Demonstrations to Free Lula Start in Brazil and Worldwide on April 7. plenglish.com Brasilia, Apr 3 (Prensa Latina) April 7 will be the beginning of new acts in Brazil and in 15 countries, advocating the freedom of former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who will serve one year in political prison on that date, the Workers" Party (PT) reported Wednesday.
(2019-04-03). Brunei Laws Allow Stoning for Gay Sex, Adultery. truthdig.com SINGAPORE—New Islamic criminal laws that took effect in Brunei on Wednesday, punishing gay sex and adultery by stoning offenders to death, have triggered an outcry from countries, rights groups and celebrities far beyond the tiny Southeast Asian nation's shores. | The penalties were provided for under new sections of Brunei's Shariah Penal Code. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah instituted the code in 2014 to bolster the influence of Islam in the oil-rich monarchy of around 430,000 people, two-thirds of whom are Muslim. | Even before 2014, homosexuality was already punishable in Brunei by a jail term of up to 10 year…
(2019-04-02). The Government's System of Censoring Its Former Employees Is Unconstitutional. aclu.org Our lawsuit argues that the government's review process for writings by millions of former government employees violates the First Amendment. | Individuals don't lose their First Amendment rights by entering into government service. By now, that is black letter law. You wouldn't know this, though, from the system of lifelong censorship that the government imposes on former intelligence agency employees and military personnel. | Under this system, known as "prepublication review," millions of former public servants must submit their writing to the government for review prior to publication. And the government can…
(2019-04-02). America's Pretrial System Is Broken. Here's Our Vision to Fix It. aclu.org We envision a country where pretrial incarceration is all but eliminated. | Every year, millions of people are arrested, required to pay money bail they cannot afford, separated from their families and loved ones, or subjected to long periods of incarceration based on the mere accusation of a crime. This all occurs while people are presumed innocent under the law. Black and brown people, their loved ones, and those without the economic resources to thrive suffer the worst harms. | Yet while there is broad consensus that our money bail system is in dir…
(2019-04-02). White Supremacist Symbol Found Spray-Painted at the Site of Fire, Civil Rights Center Says. splcenter.org Someone painted a white supremacist symbol at the scene where fire ravaged a building tied to the civil rights movement, according to a statement from the Highlander Research and Education Center.
(2019-04-02). Chelsea Manning's Attorneys Challenge Prolonged Solitary Confinement, Demand Her Release From Jail. shadowproof.com Chelsea Manning remains in conditions of prolonged solitary confinement, and her attorneys argue she should be released from jail pending her appeal. | "Ms. Manning's conditions of confinement must either be modified so as not to constitute punishment or she must be released," Manning's attorneys declared. "Since the jail cannot turn back the clock on punishment that has already occurred, her confinement in adseg in excess of 15 days already constitutes an incurable due process violation. She must therefore be released." | On March 8, Manning was detained at the William G. Truesdale Adult Detention Center in Alex…
(2019-04-02). Young Black Excellence at 50th Image Awards. naacp.org 
Over the weekend we celebrated 50 years of the NAACP Image Awards in Los Angeles, California. The Image Awards celebrates the accomplishments of people of color in television, music, literature and film. Black excellence radiated through the theater as the stars celebrated their achievements over the past year. There was huge presence of young talent in …
(2019-04-02). Challenging South Carolina prison officials' lies. liberationnews.org 
On January 8, members of the Party For Socialism and Liberation secured a meeting with Bryan Sterling, the director of the South Carolina Department of Corrections, along with Nena Walker-Staley and Wayne McCabe. This meeting came as the result of the months of struggle before, during and after the National Prison Strike of 2018.
(2019-04-02). NAACP Condemns GOP Rule-Breaking to Pack the Courts. naacp.org April 2, 2019 Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP, made the following statement in response to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's reckless move to shorten the Senate's consideration for district court nominees and certain executive nominees. "The NAACP strongly condemns Senate Majority Leader McConnell's approach for breaking the rules once again to harm our justice system. "This power grab should fail. Contrary …
(2019-04-02). The Forever Wars Will Go On Without Me. counterpunch.org "Patriotism, in the trenches, was too remote a sentiment, and at once rejected as fit only for civilians, or prisoners." — Robert Graves, Goodbye To All That (1929) I'm one of the lucky ones. Leaving the madness of Army life with a modest pension and all of my limbs intact feels like a genuine escape. Both More
(2019-04-02). Widespread Censorship of Former Government Employees Violates the First Amendment, Lawsuit Says. theintercept.com For officials in the Trump administration, leaving the government and writing a book has become a reliable and lucrative exit strategy — so much so that it has created a small army of literary agents who specialize in snapping up the next tell-all memoir. For anyone with name recognition in D.C., it has perhaps never been easier to scoop up a sizable advance and make the best-seller list. | But for rank-and-file members of the intelligence community, the process is not so easy. Employees who formerly had access to sensitive in…
(2019-04-02). 'My body should be celebrated': Teacher sacked over topless selfie sues for sexual discrimination. rt.com 
A 25-year-old middle school teacher claims she was fired from her job after a topless selfie she sent to a boyfriend ended up in the hands of a student. Now she wants "to fight back," filing a $3 million discrimination lawsuit.
(2019-04-02). US Supreme Court declares inmates have no constitutional right to 'painless death'. rt.com 
The Supreme Court has declared prisoners have no constitutional right to a "painless death," allowing the execution of a convicted murderer to go forward despite his protestations that lethal injection would cause him to suffer.
(2019-04-01). Civil Rights Leaders and Advocates to Hold Press Conference Ahead of First-Ever, Historic Equality Act Hearing. naacp.org FOR PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY: March 29, 2019 Will McCullough | HRC | Will.McCullough@hrc.org | 559-892-3038 Shin Inouye | Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights | Inouye@civilrights.org | 202-869-0398 LGBTQ advocates will meet on the Hill to discuss historic federal civil rights legislation that will protect millions of LGBTQ Americans and their families from discrimination WASHINGTON — …
(2019-04-01). WitchHunt: Controversy Over Anti-Semitism and the British Labour Party. therealnews.com 
Filmmaker Jon Pullman discusses his film WitchHunt, about the suppression of critical voices in the Labour Party and the influence of the Israeli lobby…
(2019-04-01). Islamophobic attack on San Diego area mosque: interview with Yusef Miller of Islamic Society of North County. liberationnews.org 
"There is no such thing as a time, since the colonization of this country, when this country has been free of racism, or sexism, or any type of xenophobia."
(2019-04-01). Politicians Silent on Chelsea Manning's Imprisonment on Trans Day of Visibility. mintpressnews.com 
Almost nine in 10 young trans people have considered suicide, according to LGBT charity Stonewall. Chelsea Manning is no exception, having attempted multiple times to take her own life.
(2019-04-01). New NAACP Report "Fossil Fueled Foolery": Group Highlights Top Ten Ways in Which Fossil Fuel Companies Fool the Public. naacp.org BALTIMORE (April 1, 2019) On April Fools' Day, the NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Department is releasing, "Fossil Fueled Foolery: An Illustrated Primer on the Top 10 Manipulation Tactics of the Fossil Fuel Industry." Read the report here The report takes aim at the well-documented strategies and tactics employed by fossil fuel companies, lobbyists and advocates …
(2019-04-01). What to Know About the Census. naacp.org Today marks exactly one year out from the 2020 Census — the official counting of the United States population, a constitutional requirement occurring once every ten years. The decennial Census is a crucial facet of our Republic because its results serve as the basis for redistricting, the enforcement of voting rights laws, and allocating congressional …
(2019-04-01). Hundreds march against NATO. fightbacknews.org Washington DC — Hundreds of people gathered in Lafayette Square, a park opposite the White House, March 30, to respond to the call to action against NATO, racism and war. The organizers also strongly emphasized the slogan "Hands off Venezuela" to protest the Trump administration and NATO's attempts to overthrow the democratically-elected government of Nicolás Maduro. | The park was full of banners, signs and flags held by protesters who loudly cheered and chanted throughout the program. The chants ranged from, "Hands off Venezuela" to "How do you spell racist? N-A-T-O!" | The speakers each masterfully high…
(2019-03-31). Rights for All Will Put Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Front and Center in the 2020 Presidential Race. aclu.org The ACLU will press the candidates for president to adopt bold policies that advance civil liberties in the run-up to the 2020 election. | Jose Ivan Parga is a member of a multi-status, Mexican-immigrant family in Minnesota. Even though he is a citizen, every day he witnesses the fear and uncertainty that his extended family has because of their immigration status. For decades they have worked, worshiped, and raised families in the state. Yet at any moment, immigration agents could — and have — detained a member of his family without warning or cause, despite their deep roots in the community. With no…
(2019-03-31). WINNERS OF 50th NAACP IMAGE AWARDS ANNOUNCED DURING LIVE BROADCAST ON TV ONE HOSTED BY ANTHONY ANDERSON. naacp.org Presenters Included Chris Rock, Viola Davis, Kamala Harris, Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong'o, Kerry Washington, Cory Booker, Issa Rae, Lena Waithe, and more Beyoncé Announced as NAACP Entertainer of the Year LOS ANGELES (March 30, 2019) — The winners of the 50th NAACP Image Awards were announced tonight during the live broadcast on TV One from The Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. The live special was hosted by Anthony Anderson, who also doubled as nominee, and …
(2019-03-31). Violence Against Women Act key re-authorization vote due next week. naacp.org Congresswoman Karen Bass (CA) and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA) have introduced H.R. 1585, the bipartisan Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2019. This legislation not only gives necessary funding increases to NAACP-supported Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) programs, but it also makes modest yet vital enhancements to existing law, based on input from VAWA service …
(2019-03-30). Chelsea Manning's lawyers file an appeal against her detention. thecanary.co Chelsea's Manning's legal team have filed an appeal on her behalf. They've asked that the fourth circuit court order her release from detention. On … | Read more Chelsea Manning's lawyers file an appeal against her detention | By Bryan Wall
(2019-03-30). WINNERS OF THE 50th NAACP IMAGE AWARDS ANNOUNCED LAST NIGHT DURING NON-TELEVISED AWARDS DINNER AT THE BEVERLY HILTON. naacp.org HOSTS ADRIENNE HOUGHTON, LONI LOVE, AND TAMERA MOWRY HOUSLEY OF THE REAL AND PRESENTERS INCLUDING LYNN WHITFIELD, JOY REID, JAY ELLIS AND MORE CELEBRATED THE EVENING WITH WINNERS IN OVER 40 CATEGORIES FROM MUSIC AND TELEVISION TO LITERATURE AND FILM Awards Dinner Ended wtih a Special Performance by Ledisi LOS ANGELES, CA — March 30, 2019 — Winners in over forty categories …
(2019-03-29). Carey Gillam on Monsanto Lawsuit. fair.org 
Media…
(2019-03-29). 43 Years: Meet the Man Held in Solitary Confinement Longer Than Any Prisoner in U.S. History. democracynow.org 
Albert Woodfox is a former political prisoner who was held in solitary confinement for 43 years until he won his freedom just over three years ago. Now he is traveling the world and joins us in studio to discuss his new memoir, "Solitary: Unbroken by Four Decades in Solitary Confinement. My Story of Transformation and Hope." ‚Ä®‚Ä®In it, he writes about his childhood and how his mother struggled to keep the family cared for, how as a teenager and young man he was in and out of jails and prisons, and how he became radicalized when he met members of the Black Panther Party and went on…
(2019-03-29). Headlines for March 29, 2019. democracynow.org NY Sues Sackler Family, Purdue & Other Drug Cos. for Profiting from Opioid Crisis, Dems Press AG William Barr on 300+-Page Mueller Report, HUD Sues Facebook over Discriminatory Housing Ads, Puerto Rico Gov. Rosselló to Trump: "I'll Punch the Bully in the Mouth", Philippines: Rappler Founder Maria Ressa Arrested for 2nd Time, Venezuela: Gov't Bans Opposition Head Guaidó from Running for Office, Saudi Authorities Temporarily Release 3 Women Activists, Somalia: At Least 15 People Killed in al-Shabab Attack, Egyptian Activist Alaa Abd El-Fattah Freed After 5 Years in Prison, U.K.: Lawmakers to Vote on Key Text Two We…
(2019-03-29). 'Love Aotearoa, hate racism' rally draws thousands in Auckland. greenleft.org.au 
A week after the Christchurch mosque attacks, thousands of people mobilised in Auckland for the "Love Aotearoa, hate racism" rally on March 24. | A number of speakers addressed the rally, including Mike Treen, national director of Unite Union and Global Peace and Justice. | "We need to organise, we need to connect," Treen told the rally. "Not just on an individual level to challenge every racist that we come across … not just on an individual level to speak up when we need to speak up. We need to connect, we need to organise in our churches, in our unions, in our schools, in our universities, in every instituti…
(2019-03-28). When Taking a Walk at Night Was an Act of Civil Disobedience. aclu.org Oregon remembers Minoru Yasui, a civil rights icon who broke the law to protest the curfews put on Japanese Americans at the start of World War II. | Seventy-six years ago, Minoru "Min" Yasui sat in a cell at the Multnomah County Jail in Oregon when he read a newspaper article detailing how Walter Pierce, the state's former governor and U.S. congressman, called for Japanese immigrants in the United States to be sent to Japan. Ever the racist and xenophobe, Pierce wasn't done. He even suggested revoking birthright citizens…
(2019-03-28). A Mentally Ill Man in Solitary Cut Off a Body Part at the Broward County Jail. aclu.org Broward County Jail has a sordid history of damage and death due to its dangerously substandard mental health system and unsafe conditions. | Around midnight on Sept. 5, 2018, guards responded to prisoners banging on their cell doors inside a lockdown unit at Broward County Jail's main facility in downtown Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. They went to the solitary cell of J.I.* and made a gruesome discovery. | "I have a real medical emergency," J.I. told an officer. "I just cut my penis off and flushed it down the toilet. I have no need for it anymore." | J.I. had used a razor blade to cut himself. This grisly act of se…
(2019-03-28). Fighting Racial Bias in an Age of Mass Murder: Prejudice from the Coffee Shop to Charlottesville. democracynow.org 
As avowed neo-Nazi James Alex Fields pleaded guilty Wednesday to 29 counts of hate crimes in a federal court for plowing his car into a crowd of anti-racist protesters in Charlottesville in August of 2017, we look at a new book that addresses the tragic event, as well as the rising number of race-based mass shootings, hate crimes and police shootings of unarmed men in the past several years. It also examines cases of discrimination against African Americans for simply sitting in coffee shops or trying to vacation in Airbnb-hosted homes. Professor Jennifer Eberhardt is the author of "Biased: Uncovering the Hidden…
(2019-03-28). All charges dropped against Jussie Smollett, victim of Chicago police. fightbacknews.org Chicago, IL – Immediately after all charges were dropped Tuesday morning, March 26 against actor Jussie Smollett and the record of his arrest and prosecution expunged, Frank Chapman, Co-Chairperson of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, addressed the media. Smollett is a star of the Fox Television series "Empire." | "This is another example of the CPD doing what they do," Chapman declared. "They have falsely accused people, tortured confessions and framed-up innocent people, killed people — there is no justice when it come to the CPD. The people of this city are tired of this. We n…
(2019-03-28). FRSO mobilizes against U.S. wars and racism. fightbacknews.org Washington D.C. – The Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) is building for a rally and march against U.S. wars and racism in Washington D.C. this Saturday, March 30. | "Oppose NATO, War, and Racism! Oppose U.S. intervention in Venezuela!" is the theme for a rally starting at 1 p.m. across from the White House in LaFayette Park. | The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is set to 'celebrate' 70 years on April 4. April 4 is also the anniversary of the day Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. So, a large coalition of anti-war, international solidarity, and anti-racist organizations are gathering to…
(2019-03-28). MUA rally in solidarity with Pakistani dockworkers. greenleft.org.au 
Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) members rallied outside the Pakistani Consulate on March 26 to demand the dropping of all charges against the Karachi Dockworkers Union president and another unionist who were arrested following a dispute at Hutchison Ports' Karachi International Container Terminal (KICT). | The arrests occurred as Karachi dockworkers were protesting about safety conditions on the site after a worker was run over by a vehicle on March 17. The union leaders were released on bail after 10 days in detention. | The KICT Labour Union has joined with the International Transport Workers' Federation…
(2019-03-27). The Department of Homeland Security's Attack on Asylum Seekers at the Border Continues. aclu.org The U.S. is systematically violating the rights of asylum seekers and turning them back into Mexico where they are often abused. | In a desperate attempt to escape immediate threats to their life, the Castro* family fled their home country of El Salvador, hoping to make it to the U.S.-Mexico border to seek refuge. What they found instead at the port of entry in Eagle Pass, Texas, were cruel U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and no protection to be found. | After being physically pushed back into Mexico by CBP officers, the Castro family was told that they must get on a list in Mexico and wait. In…
(2019-03-27). Mass Incarceration Since 1492: Native American Encounters With Criminal Injustice. shadowproof.com Critical accounts of police abuse and mass incarceration overlook structural violence visited upon Native peoples for centuries, and how it relates to and differs from Black peoples' experiences.
(2019-03-27). "The Opioid Crisis Isn't White": How the Lethal Epidemic Affects Communities of Color. democracynow.org 
As Oklahoma and Purdue Pharma reach a $270 million agreement in a lawsuit claiming the company knowingly helped create the opioid crisis responsible for nearly 50,000 deaths per year in the United States, we look at how the opioid crisis affects communities of color with Abdullah Shihipar, a graduate student of public health at Brown University who wrote an op-ed about his research for The New York Times headlined "The Opioid Crisis Isn't White."
(2019-03-27). OxyContin Maker Purdue Pharma to Pay $270 Million Legal Settlement That Will Fund Addiction Center. democracynow.org 
The state of Oklahoma has reached a $270 million agreement with Purdue Pharma—the makers of OxyContin—settling a lawsuit that claimed the company contributed to the deaths of thousands of Oklahoma residents by downplaying the risk of opioid addiction and overstating the drug's benefits. The state says more Oklahomans have died from opioids over the last decade than have been killed in vehicle accidents. More than $100 million from the settlement will fund a new addiction treatment and research center at Oklahoma State University in Tulsa. "It's really just the first move in what is a very complicated…