(2019-05-24). The Only Solution to America's Political Crisis. truthdig.com Hardly a day has gone by over the last two years when one hasn't been able to learn of yet another soul-numbing outrage on the part of President Donald Trump and his administration. The stories have been relentlessly disturbing: | Trump's suggestion of moral equivalency between neo-Nazis and civil rights protesters in Charlottesville, Va. | The vicious separation of children from their migrant parents at the southern border. | The concoction of a fake na…
(2019-05-24). Despite Lawsuit, TBSC Leader Calls for Hosing Down a Sleeping Homeless Man. indybay.org Samantha Olden, a leader of the "public safety" group Take Back Santa Cruz (TBSC), recently made a comment on social media suggesting a homeless man be hosed down with water to discourage him from trespassing in the area in which he was sleeping. The comment from Olden comes just over a month after homeless residents in Santa Cruz named Take Back Santa Cruz in a federal civil rights lawsuit, which calls for TBSC to, "be enjoined from dangerous inflammatory hate speech and ordered to publicly alert its members and followers to refrain from performing or inciting acts of physical violence against homeless persons."
(2019-05-24). Support the Coalition for Police Accountability's Lawsuit Intervention. indybay.org Federal Courthouse, Dept 2, 17th Floor | 450 Golden Gate Ave., San Francisco…
(2019-05-24). Inmate Dies at Rountree Rehabilitation and Re-Entry Facility in Watsonville. indybay.org According to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office, 35-year-old inmate Carlos Bolanos was found dead at 5: 30 am today in the Rehabilitation and Re-entry Facility located at the Rountree Lane Sheriff's Detention Facilities in Watsonville. Carlos was in custody at the Rehabilitation and Re-Entry facility since December of 2018.
(2019-05-24). When President Trump Rejects Congressional Subpoenas, He Rejects the Constitution and the Powers it Gave Congress. aclu.org What President Trump objects to so strenuously is nothing more than a system of accountability. | President Trump really, really doesn't like the fact that congressional committees are investigating him. On Wednesday, he was so mad that he stormed out of a meeting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi about critically needed infrastructure legislation after only three minutes, much like the proverbial boy who takes the football home if he loses a disputed call. | Trump's tantrum reflects the fact that the American people and their representatives are getting closer to seeing behind the curtain of secrecy that Trump has…
(2019-05-24). Alabama Is Trying to Ban Abortion. Today We Filed Suit to Stop Them. aclu.org Abortion is a right and this attack on abortion rights won't succeed. | Last week, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed legislation banning nearly all abortions. The law, which threatens doctors with up to 99 years in prison for performing abortions, is the anti-abortion opposition's true agenda on display: ban abortion, jail doctors, and push this essential health care out of reach. | These are undoubtedly dark times in the fight for reproductive freedom as Alabama and states across the South and Midwest aggressively push to place such onerous restrictions on abortion so that the procedure is all but rendered inaccessib…
(2019-05-24). Will Biden's dog whistles for racism catch up with him? nationofchange.org In | a party that officially condemns dog-whistle appeals to racism, Joe Biden is | running on Orwellian eggshells. Whether he can win the Democratic presidential | nomination may largely depend on the extent of "doublethink" that George Orwell | described in 1984 as the willingness | "to forget any fact that has become inconvenient." | It | is an inconvenient fact that Biden has a political history of blowing into dog | whistles for racism. More than ever, the Democratic electorate is repelled by that | kind of pitch. If his dog-whistling past becomes a major issue, the former vice | president and his defende…
(2019-05-24). Will Biden's Dog Whistles for Racism Catch Up with Him? counterpunch.org 
In a party that officially condemns dog-whistle appeals to racism, Joe Biden is running on Orwellian eggshells. Whether he can win the Democratic presidential nomination may largely depend on the extent of "doublethink" that George Orwell described in 1984 as the willingness "to forget any fact that has become inconvenient." It is an inconvenient fact that Biden More
(2019-05-24). Real history: Memorial Day was born in struggle against the Klan. peoplesworld.org 
We must not forget that Memorial Day, which we celebrate on Monday, belongs to the foes of racism. The day people place flowers on the graves of fallen veterans was founded by the enemies of the Ku Klux Klan. Memorial Day belongs to the democratic traditions of the American people. It sprang out of the …
(2019-05-24). Will Biden's Dog Whistles for Racism Catch Up with Him? indybay.org Inconvenient facts for the former vice president…
(2019-05-24). The mainstream media is exploiting 'veganism' for clicks in an article about serious child neglect. thecanary.co British media reported that Swedish parents were convicted for "gross negligence" after their child became dangerously malnourished. But headlines have focused on the family's plant-based diet. And by doing so, the media is pushing myths about veganism. | "VEGAN": | A court in Gothenburg, Sweden, jailed two paren…
(2019-05-24). US abortion rights attacks escalate. greenleft.org.au 
Legislative attacks on abortion rights in the US have escalated this year, as social conservatives have shifted tactics with an unprecedented wave of state abortion bans adopted. | The most restrictive legislation was signed into law by Alabama's governor on May 15. It bans abortion altogether, except for cases of medical emergency. Pregnancy resulting from sexual assault is no exception and doctors performing abortions are criminalised with penalties of up to 99 years in jail. | On May 7, Georgia became the fourth state this year (after Kentucky, Mississippi and Ohio) to sign into law an abortion ban from t…
(2019-05-24). Oxford University student calls for defence of Julian Assange. wsws.org The following letter was received from a student at Oxford University who attended the May 12 public meeting in London convened by the SEP, in defence of jailed WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and whistleblower Chelsea Manning.
(2019-05-24). Jeremy Scahill: New Indictment of Assange Is Part of a Broader War on Journalism & Whistleblowers. democracynow.org 
The Espionage Act charges filed against Julian Assange mark just the latest attempt by the Trump administration to criminalize journalism and whistleblowers. Army whistleblower Chelsea Manning is back in jail for refusing to testify before a grand jury. Two weeks ago, drone whistleblower Daniel Hale was arrested in Tennessee. We air a new video by The Intercept titled "Why You Should Care About Trump's War on Whistleblowers," featuring Jeremy Scahill. We also speak to Scahill and Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg about how the corporate media has failed to stand up for Assange and others.
(2019-05-24). Assange Faces 175 Years in Prison with 17 More Charges. globalresearch.ca The U.S. justice department has filed 17 new charges against Wikileaks co-founder Julian Assange. In reaction, NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden tweeted: It's a war on journalism. Journalists have reacted: "Modern fascism is breaking cover". | The new charges expand the …
(2019-05-24). Daniel Ellsberg: Espionage Charges Against Assange Are Most Significant Attack on Press in Decades. democracynow.org 
As the Justice Department charges WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange with 17 counts of violating the Espionage Act, we speak to Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg. In 1971, he was charged with violating the Espionage Act for leaking a top-secret report on U.S. involvement in Vietnam to The New York Times and other publications. At the time, Ellsberg faced over 100 years in prison. He tells Democracy Now!, "There hasn't actually been such a significant attack on the freedom of the press … since my case in 1971."
(2019-05-24). War Crimes Pardons: A Terrible Memorial Day Idea. counterpunch.org On May 16, 2008, near the town of Baiji in Iraq, 1st Lieutenant Michael Behenna, US Army, murdered a prisoner. That was the verdict of the jury in his 2009 court martial, anyway. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison, but paroled in less than five. On May 6, 2019, US president Donald Trump More
(2019-05-24). MintCast Episode 3: Iran, Chelsea Manning, ElectionGuard and the Embassy Protection Collective. mintpressnews.com MinCast hosts Alan MacLeod and Whitney Webb discuss the week's top stories, including U.S. attempt to escalate the situation in Iran, the unjust re-imprisonment of Chelsea Manning, Microsoft's new ElectionGuard product and get a first-hand account of the Venezuelan Embassy Protection Collective from Alex Rubenstein.
(2019-05-24). Fearmongering accompanies release of John Walker Lindh after 17 years in prison. wsws.org Lindh, an American captured with other foreign Taliban fighters in 2001, was released from a federal penitentiary Thursday, having served his full sentence for carrying arms on behalf of the then government of Afghanistan.
(2019-05-24). In Latest Attack on Women and Trans People, Trump Invites Medical Providers to Discriminate Against Already-Marginalized Patients. commondreams.org The Trump administration unveiled its latest attack in recent days on the rights of transgender people and women, proposing a rule that would gut Obama-era protections against discrimination in the medical field. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/screen_shot_2018-10-25_at_9.03.09_am_0_0.png…
(2019-05-23). Selected Articles: Risk of Nuclear War Now Highest Since World War 2: UN. globalresearch.ca Online independent analysis of US-led wars, rampant corruption, corporate greed, civil rights and fraudulent monetary transactions is invariably relegated to the bottom rung of search engine results. | As a result we presently do not cover our monthly running costs which …
(2019-05-23). SpaceX sues US Air Force for awarding lucrative contracts to 'paper rocket' builders like Bezos. rt.com 
Elon Musk's SpaceX is taking the US government to court over what it claims was an "arbitrary and capricious" move to favor its rivals, including Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin, with multimillion contracts and turn down SpaceX's bid.
(2019-05-23). Flu outbreak leads to quarantine at Texas immigrant detention center. wsws.org The death of a migrant teenager on Monday has highlighted the inhumane conditions at one of the largest immigration detention centers in the US.
(2019-05-23). An Outright Reversal of Roe V. Wade Isn't All We Should Fear. aclu.org The anti-abortion movement can decimate the right to abortion even without getting it overturned. | Across the country, people are talking about abortion as legislatures in the South and Midwest mount a full-scale attack on our reproductive freedom. Naturally, people are stressed and angry. I am too. I've been fighting to protect abortion access for more than 25 years. | I'm worried about the future of Roe v. Wade — deeply worried. But I'm worried about more than that. I'm worried that the courts will gut the right to abortion and that there won't be an ou…
(2019-05-23). The EU Opens to Colonialism Reparations. "Fundamental rights of people of African descent" globalresearch.ca Colonialism Reparation welcomes that the European Parliament has approved by a large majority the resolution on the "Fundamental rights of people of African descent" recognising the current situation of structural racism and asks that the former colonising Member States follow …
(2019-05-23). The Indian elections and the fight to free the Maruti Suzuki class war prisoners. wsws.org Completely blacked out from the election campaign has been any discussion of the plight of the 13 Maruti Suzuki workers who have been jailed for life on frame-up murder charges.
(2019-05-23). Assange Faces 170 Years in Prison as US Files 17 New Charges Under Espionage Act. theantimedia.com (ANTIWAR.COM) — As the US prepares to try to acquire WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange through extradition, the Justice Department has revealed a new series of charges against him. Assange would face 170 years in US prison if convicted. The new charges are 17 separate charges under the Espionage Act. According to the Justice Department, the charges are all …
(2019-05-23). Connecticut's Democratic Governor Is Stonewalling a Bill That Would Make Phone Calls From Prison Free. theintercept.com With two weeks left in the legislative session, Gov. Ned Lamont has yet to express support for the bill, which is the first of its kind in the country.
(2019-05-22). We're Suing Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery to Release the Records He's Hiding From Arizonans. aclu.org Prosecutorial transparency serves everyone. But in Maricopa County, Arizona, secrecy trumps transparency, and the people suffer for it. | Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery claims to be a big believer in data. As reported last year, Montgomery has blocked effective, commonsense criminal justice reform proposals from becoming law in part by criticizing them as having "no data to support" them, and as being "pet projects" "base…
(2019-05-22). How ICE Is Using Solitary Confinement to Punish Asylum Seekers, Including LGBT & Disabled Immigrants. democracynow.org 
Since 2012, ICE has used solitary confinement as a routine punishment for thousands of immigrants and asylum seekers locked up in immigration jails across the country. We look at a new, damning investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists that has revealed this widespread abusive use of solitary confinement in immigration jails overseen by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The United Nations special rapporteur on torture says solitary confinement should only be used in exceptional circumstances, and defines extended use of solitary as "inhuman and degrading treatment." Despit…
(2019-05-22). Watch: Interview With Brazil's Ex-President Lula From Prison, Discussing Global Threats, Neoliberalism, Bolsonaro, and More. theintercept.com 
Among the planet's significant political figures, no one is quite like Lula. Born into extreme poverty, illiterate until the age of 10, forced to quit school at the age of 12 to work as a shoe shiner, losing a finger at his factory job at 19, and then becoming a labor activist, union leader, and founder of a political party devoted to a defense of laborers (the Workers' Party, or PT), Lula has always been, in all respects, the exact opposite of the rich, dynastic, oligarch-loyal, aristocratic prototype that has traditionally wielded power in Brazil. | That's precisely what makes Lula's rise to power, and his i…
(2019-05-22). In a World of Legal Weed, Michael Thompson Languishes in Prison for Selling It in 1994. theintercept.com 
The criminal justice reform movement's focus on "nonviolent" offenders has hurt people like Michael Thompson: "Where's the violence coming in at?"
(2019-05-22). CONTACT YOUR HOUSE MEMBER TO "VOTE YEA" FOR H.R. 1500, THE "CONSUMERS FIRST ACT" TODAY! naacp.org The NAACP worked with friends, colleagues, the Obama Administration and coalition partners on Capitol Hill, to create The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) as part of the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. It was crafted to help consumers navigate the often-complicated world of finances; to ensure that high-cost, unsustainable loans of …
(2019-05-21). A Homeland Security Whistleblower Goes Public About ICE Abuse of Solitary Confinement. theintercept.com 
Ellen Gallagher was stunned when she first learned that immigrants detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement were sometimes placed in isolation with no human contact for 22 hours a day. It was February 2014, only a few months into her stint as a policy adviser at the Department of Homeland Security's Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, where she thought she'd be empowered to ensure that the department did not violate the rights of those who came into its crosshairs. | For the next several months, Gallagher educated herself on solitary confinement, a controversial practice used frequently in penal i…
(2019-05-21). Detained, Abused & Denied Medical Care: How Trump Immigration Policies Led to Child Deaths at Border. democracynow.org 
A 16-year-old Guatemalan boy died in U.S. custody Monday after spending a week in immigration jail. Carlos Gregorio Hernandez Vasquez was found dead at a Border Patrol station at Weslaco, Texas, just one day after being diagnosed with the flu. He was not hospitalized. This marks the fifth death of a Guatemalan child apprehended by Border Patrol since December. Before last year, it had been more than a decade since a child died in the custody of U.S. immigration officials. We speak with Fernando Garcia, the founding director of the Border Network for Human Rights, an advocacy organization based in El Paso, and Jen…
(2019-05-21). Thousands of Immigrants Suffer in Solitary Confinement in ICE Detention. theintercept.com Dulce Rivera lived for the one hour a day she was allowed outside, to pace alone on a patch of concrete encased in metal fencing. | They called it "the yard," but it was really a metal cage. Still, it was far better than the misery she endured the other 23 hours a day, locked alone in a cell with no one to talk to and nothing to distract her from her increasingly dark thoughts. | Rivera, a 36-year-old transgender woman from Honduras and a longtime U.S. resident, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in 2017. She was placed in the Cibola County Correctional Center in New Mexico, and moved into s…
(2019-05-21). Children of ISIL terrorists likely held in 'secret detention facilities', UN human rights office warns. un.org In Syria, it is suspected that children whose fathers fought for terrorist group ISIL are being held in unidentified "settlements" and "secret detention facilities" away from their mothers, the UN human rights office (OHCHR) said on Tuesday.
(2019-05-21). How the 'war on gangs' feeds mass incarceration. liberationnews.org 
Why gang databases and raids are not a solution.
(2019-05-21). Family of Jailed Saudi Feminist Loujain Al-Hathloul: She Was Waterboarded, Flogged & Electrocuted. democracynow.org 
It's been a year since women's right activist Loujain Al-Hathloul was detained and jailed in Saudi Arabia for leading a movement to lift the kingdom's ban on female drivers and overhaul its male "guardianship" system. Despite international outcry, she's been imprisoned ever since. During that time, her family says, she's been held in solitary confinement and faced abuse, including electric shocks, flogging and threats of sexual violence. The Saudi government has resisted calls from human rights groups and lawmakers from around the world to release Loujain and the other jailed activists. We speak with two of Louja…
(2019-05-21). U.S. HOUSE PASSES THE NAACP-SUPPORTED EQUALITY ACT. naacp.org On May 17, 2019, by a bipartisan vote of 236 yeas to 173 nays the U.S. House voted to approve and send to the Senate H.R. 5, the NAACP-supported Equality Act. We must now do all we can to ensure the U.S. Senate takes up and passes the Equality Act as soon as possible, so …
(2019-05-20). Headlines for May 20, 2019. democracynow.org Trump Threatens "Official End of Iran" Via Tweet If It Provokes the U.S., First Phase of Kushner's Middle East Peace Plan to Focus on Palestinian Economy, Sweden Requests Detention of Assange as WikiLeaks Accuses U.S. of Illegally Seizing His Property, Australian Voters Choose Conservative PM Morrison Over Opponent Who Vowed to Tackle Climate Change, Austria Calls Snap Election After Far-Right Leader Caught in Corruption Scandal, Protesters Take to the Streets Ahead of European Parliament Elections, Narendra Modi on Track for Second Term as Prime Minister as Voting Ends in India, Taiwan Legalizes Same-Sex Marriag…
(2019-05-20). Alabama's Abortion Ban Is a Political Stunt That Will Cost Its Taxpayers. aclu.org The draconian law is a flagrantly unconstitutional attack on more than 40 years of established Supreme Court precedent. | This piece originally appeared at the Alabama Political Reporter. | For years, the Alabama legislature has been passing laws that push abortion out of reach. Now politicians have finally shown their true colors and are trying to ban abortion outright. | On Wednesday, Governor Ivey signed H.B. 314 — one of the most extreme attacks on the ri…
(2019-05-20). What's Trending: Black News Recap. naacp.org 
Washington Post: Billionaire Robert F. Smith pledges to pay off Morehouse College Class of 2019‚Ä≤s student loans Smith told the graduates how he launched his lucrative career. He gave them wise words on grit and success. Then he deviated from his prepared remarks. "My family is going to create a grant to …
(2019-05-17). NAACP and Civil Rights Groups Hold Rally on the 65th Anniversary of Brown v. Board. naacp.org 
On May 16, NAACP along with civil rights organizations and members of Congress held a rally on Capitol Hill to make the promise of Brown v. Board of Education a reality for all. In honor of the 65th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, speakers addressed the still urgent struggle for education equity as well …
(2019-05-17). New York Passes a Bill to Ensure No One Loses Their Home for Calling the Police. aclu.org 
Americans shouldn't be threatened with losing housing because they called for help. | In cities and towns across New York state — and around the country — you can be evicted just for calling for police or emergency assistance. Fortunately, that's about to change in New York. The State Legislature recently passed a bill — unanimously in the Assembly and 58 to 1 in the Senate — to prote…
(2019-05-17). Ohio Lawmakers Ignored Us When They Banned Abortion. They Can't Ignore Us in the Courtroom. aclu.org When Ohio legislators decided to sign the bill into law, we knew we had to both continue to provide care and defend access to that care in the courts. | Last month, Gov. Mike DeWine signed the Ohio Legislature's abortion ban into law. The law recklessly prohibits abortions starting around six weeks. As an abortion provider, I can tell you this is, in fact, a ban on all abortions in Ohio. Approximately 90% of abortions in Ohio take place at or after six weeks. Before six weeks, most people do not even know they are pregnant. | In defense of people across Ohio, I knew that our clinic couldn't stand by and do nothin…
(2019-05-17). Meet The Alabama Doctor Who Could Face 99 Years In Prison For Providing Abortions Under New Law. democracynow.org 
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed the nation's most restrictive abortion ban into law on Wednesday, effectively banning the procedure except in cases where a pregnant person's life is at serious risk. The law does not make exceptions in cases of rape or incest and doctors could face 99 years in prison for performing abortions. We speak with Dr. Yashica Robinson, the medical director of the Alabama Women's Center for Reproductive Alternatives, one of only three clinics left in the state that offer patients abortion services. She is one of only two abortion providers living and working in Alabama. Under the new Alab…
(2019-05-17). Headlines for May 17, 2019. democracynow.org Trump Immigration Plan Favors Job Skills Over Asylum Claims and Family Ties, Trump Officials Reportedly Clash Over U.S. Sabre-Rattling With Iran, UNICEF Chief Calls Yemen War "a Test of Our Humanity" That "We Are Badly Failing", Venezuelan Government Blasts U.S. Seizure of Embassy as Vienna Convention Violation, Brazilian Teachers and Students March Against Education Cuts, Mexican Journalist Francisco Romero Killed in Playa del Carmen, Lawyer Says Tennessee Prisoner "Suffered Excruciating Pain" During Execution, Alabama Prisoner Put to Death After "Pro-Life" Governor Denies Reprieve, Senate Confirms Anti-Choice A…
(2019-05-16). Our Government Has Failed to Defend the Sixth Amendment. aclu.org There is a crisis in our nation of disregard for protecting the right to counsel for people accused of crimes. | On May 8, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) elevated the crisis of federal and state governments' disregard for protecting the right to counsel for people charged with crimes. She did so by introducing the Ensuring Quality Access to Legal Defense Act (EQUAL Defense Act) a bill that uses federal money — $250 million dollars annually for five years — to incentivize pay parity between public defenders and prosecutors, ensure manageable defender caseloads, and reauthorize the student loan repayment pro…
(2019-05-16). Chelsea Manning Faces More Jail And Steep Fines To Force Compliance With Grand Jury Subpoena. shadowproof.com *Listen to the story by clicking the above player. Unable to break Chelsea Manning's spirit by jailing her, the United States escalated efforts to force her to testify before a grand jury investigating WikiLeaks by imposing steep financial penalties. Judge Anthony Trenga held Manning in civil contempt and ordered her…