(2019-01-16). I'm Out of a Job Because My Boss Didn't Think I Look Like a Woman. aclu.org 
A former Chili's employee speaks out after being forced to quit for not dressing more "gender appropriate." | I didn't look the part, so I was forced to quit. | Chili's, where I worked for nearly two years, was starting a new management training program and my superiors encouraged me to apply. It was a great opportunity, and I was excited about the prospect of a promotion. | I was planning to buy a home for the first time, and the pay increase would have helped a lot. I'm a single mother, so what I earn matters. I'm also a lesbian, a part of my identity that influences how I dress. | I'd started working at a Phoe…
(2019-01-16). Trump's Anti-Iran Campaign & NDAA Clause Behind 'Inhumane' Detention of PressTV Anchor Marzieh Hashemi. mintpressnews.com The government's failure to comment on Hashemi's detention makes it difficult to analyze specifically what her arrest means. However, her detainment should serve as a chilling wake-up call for journalists, Muslim Americans, and all U.S. citizens.
(2019-01-16). Could Trump's Attorney General Pick William Barr Be "Worse Than Jeff Sessions" on Civil Rights? democracynow.org 
Senate confirmation hearings began Tuesday for William Barr, President Trump's nominee for attorney general to replace Jeff Sessions. Barr served as attorney general for George H.W. Bush from 1991 to 1993. During that time, he was involved in the pardon of six Reagan officials for the Iran-Contra scandal and oversaw the opening of the Guantánamo Bay military prison, which was initially used to indefinitely detain Haitian asylum seekers. Barr also openly backed mass incarceration at home and helped develop a secret Drug Enforcement Administration program which became a "blueprint" for the National Security Agency'
(2019-01-16). US court rejects effort to require stricter Pentagon gun checks. aljazeera.com The lawsuit was filed after a man invaded a church in Texas and killed 26 people.
(2019-01-16). Imprisoned Neo-Nazi Leader Says His Hate Group Is a Religion, Court Says No. splcenter.org A federal appeals court has ruled that Matthew Hale's hate philosophy, Creativity, isn't a religion because it focuses almost exclusively on preserving the white race and lacks a coherent set of "ultimate ideas."
(2019-01-16). Chili's Denied Meagan Hunter a Promotion Because She Needed to 'Dress More Gender Appropriate'. aclu.org 
The ACLU is taking action against Chili's, which discriminated against a server for not fitting her boss' idea of what a woman should look like. | Meagan Hunter loved her job as a server at Chili's Grill & Bar in Phoenix, Arizona — and she excelled at it. She was thrilled when her supervisors suggested that she apply for a new training program to become a manager. | In order to learn more about the opportunity, she attended a seminar on Chili's Certified Shift Leader program. She wore a men's button-up shirt, fitted slacks, and boat shoes — an outfit similar to what male managers at Chili's wear. So s…
(2019-01-16). Judge Blocks Trump Plan to Add Citizenship Question to Census, Citing "Smorgasbord" of Broken Rules. democracynow.org 
A federal judge in New York City has ruled against the Trump administration's decision to put a citizenship question on the census. In a lengthy opinion, U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman wrote that in deciding to add a citizenship question to the census, U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross violated a "veritable smorgasbord" of federal rules and "alternately ignored, cherry-picked, or badly misconstrued the evidence in the record before him." Ross announced the citizenship question in March, touting it as a way to enforce the Voting Rights Act and protect minorities against voter discrimination. Voting rights acti…
(2019-01-16). Peru: Judge in Keiko Case Ruled 'Partial' to State Prosecutors. telesurenglish.net A Peruvian appeals court has ruled to dismiss Judge Richard Concepcion Carhuancho from the controversial case against legislator Keiko Fujimori who, along with several Fuerza Popular party advisors is accused of accepting at least US$1.2 million in bribes from Odebrecht for her 2011 presidential bid. | RELATED: | Peru: Court Upholds Preventive Prison For Keiko Fujimori | Lawyers of Fujimori's former campaign chief Jaime Yoshiyama requested the change. | "The Second National Criminal App…
(2019-01-16). Steve King's Racism Must Be Formally Censured. thenation.com Steve King's Racism Must Be Formally Censured…
(2019-01-16). 12 California kids 'disciplined' for forming human swastika, secretly exchanging racist messages. rt.com 
A middle school in California invoked disciplinary measures against a dozen kids after shocked parents discovered that they shared hateful messages in a private chat room and laid together in the shape of a swastika.
(2019-01-16). Congress Considers Bill to Defend Freedom of People With Disabilities. truthout.org On January 15, disability justice activists celebrated the reintroduction of the Disability Integration Act (DIA). This monumental piece of legislation is an important step forward for the full civil rights of those with disabilities. | The DIA would ensure that people with disabilities have the right to live in their homes and receive services to do so. Insurance companies and state governments would be barred from discriminating against people with disabilities through imposing what is essentially segregation. Far too many of those with disabilities are…
(2019-01-16). Tech Companies Urged Not to Sell Facial Recognition to Governments. truthout.org In a trio of letters sent Tuesday to executives at Amazon, Google, and Microsoft, a coalition of 90 civil and human rights groups called on the companies to refuse to sell facial recognition technology to governments across the globe, c…
(2019-01-16). William Barr Is a Danger to Civil Rights. truthout.org When William Barr served as attorney general in the early 1990s, the war on drugs and the public panic it generated was reaching a fever pitch. In the years that followed, intensifying law enforcement and mandatory minimum sentencing for drug crimes caused prison populations to explode, devastating communities of color and making the United States the most incarcerated country on the planet. Now, president Trump has nominated Barr to serve as attorney general again. | Has Barr changed since the early 1990s? Civil rights groups demanded to know in the lead-up to the confirmation hearing before the Senate Judici…
(2019-01-16). Born Disposable: Trump's War on Youth. truthout.org We live in an age in which the welfare of children is no longer a measure of the degree to which a society lives up to its democratic ideals. In an age of growing fascism, those in power no longer view children as the promise of a future but as a threat to the present. | In particular, poor Black and Brown children are being treated as what Teju Cole calls " unmournable bodies." Rather than being educated, many are being imprisoned; rather than living in communities that are safe and clean, many are relegated to cities where the…
(2019-01-16). #SaveHakeem: Stop the deportation of a Bahraini refugee. greenleft.org.au 
Bahraini refugee Hakeem Al-Araibi has been held in detention in Thailand since last November 27. He faces the terrifying prospect of being deported to the country where he was tortured. | Al-Araibi, a semi-professional footballer and former member of the Bahraini national football team, was on his honeymoon and had just landed in Thailand. Australian authorities alerted Thai authorities, whereupon he was arrested. Bahrain is demanding his extradition. | Yahya Alhadid, a spokesperson for the Gulf Institute for Democracy and Human Rights, said if Al-Araibi is extradited back to Bahrain he will face "continuous elec…
(2019-01-16). Indian transit workers in Mumbai defy authorities, continue strike. wsws.org As soon as the strike began, Maharashtra's BJP state government invoked essential services legislation, threatening the strikers with mass incarceration, fines and dismissals.
(2019-01-16). French worker sentenced to six months' jail over Facebook call for demonstrations. wsws.org The French government has intensified police-state repression aimed at crushing "yellow vest" protests against social inequality.
(2019-01-16). Grenfell Tower: Class action lawsuit in US against flammable cladding manufacturer. wsws.org The suit claims Arconic "knowingly or recklessly supplied its highly flammable Reynobond polyethylene (PE) cladding panels for use in high-rise buildings."
(2019-01-16). PG&E's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing: Corporate executives again to get away with murder. wsws.org The company faces widespread litigation, including government investigation into the deadly Californian wildfires over the past two years, lawsuits from victims and over $30 billion in potential liabilities.
(2019-01-16). San Francisco March: Annual MLK March/Parade Honoring Civil Rights History. indybay.org San Francisco Caltrain Station then march to Yerba Buena Gardens 700 4th Street, San Francisco…
(2019-01-16). Pack to Court to Support Anti-Racist and Anti-Fascist Protesters in Sacramento. indybay.org Sacramento Superior Court | Dept. 18 | 720-9th St. | Sacramento, CA…
(2019-01-15). NFL Coaching Hires: How Racist Is This League? thenation.com NFL Coaching Hires: How Racist Is This League?
(2019-01-15). Will Trump's AG Pick William Barr Face Questions over Gitmo, Mass Incarceration & NSA Surveillance? democracynow.org 
Senate confirmation hearings begin today for William Barr, President Trump's nominee for attorney general to replace Jeff Sessions, who was fired in November. Barr served as attorney general for George H.W. Bush from 1991 to 1993. During that time, he was involved in the pardon of six Reagan officials for the Iran-Contra scandal and oversaw the opening of the Guantánamo Bay military prison, which was initially used to indefinitely detain HIV-positive asylum seekers from Haiti. Barr also openly backed mass incarceration at home and helped develop a secret Drug Enforcement Administration program which became a "blu…
(2019-01-15). Court Blocks Trump's Plan to Add a Citizenship Question to 2020 Census. aclu.org A federal judge has ruled that the citizenship question violated federal law. | A federal court has blocked the Trump administration's decision to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census, stating that it constitutes an "egregious" violation of federal law. The ruling deals a serious blow to the administration's plan to use the 2020 census to attack the financial and political resources of immigrants and communities of color. | In a decision released Tuesday, Judge Jesse M. Furman deter…
(2019-01-15). NAACP Statement on CBS Election 2020 News Team. naacp.org Contact: Malik Russell/mrussell@naacpnet.org BALTIMORE (January 15, 2019) — The nation's leading civil rights organization issued the following statement: "CBS News' decision to not include Black reporters on their 2020 Election news team further proves the voting power and voices of Black America continue to be undervalued. As the voting bloc which will most certainly heavily determine […]
(2019-01-15). NAACP President Derrick Johnson Responds to Federal Judge Jesse Furman's Ruling on the 2020 Census. naacp.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 15, 2019 CONTACT: Malik Russell/mrussell@naacpnet.org Derrick Johnson, President of NAACP, issued the following statement on federal Judge Jesse M. Furman's ruling to block of the Trump Administration's plan to put a question about citizenship on the 2020 census: "The ruling by Judge Jesse M. Furman is a step in the right direction to […]
(2019-01-15). At Root a Radical. A New Book Re-Examines Martin Luther King's Quest for Economic Justice. progressive.org He refused to choose between economic equality and an end to racially-based discrimination.
(2019-01-15). The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute's Insult to Angela Davis Has Boomeranged. thenation.com The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute's Insult to Angela Davis Has Boomeranged…
(2019-01-15). Arizona Activists Face Jail Time for Providing Life-Saving Aid to Migrants Crossing Sonoran Desert. democracynow.org 
As the longest government shutdown in U.S. history heads into its 25th day and President Trump continues to crack down on immigrants, we look at how the Trump administration is criminalizing humanitarian aid at the border. In Tucson, Arizona, activists with the humanitarian group No More Deaths go to trial today facing charges for a slew of federal crimes, all due to their efforts to leave water and food in the harsh Sonoran Desert to help refugees and migrants survive the deadly journey across the U.S. border. The charges were filed last year in January, just a week after No More Deaths published a report accusi…
(2019-01-15). SPLC statement on U.S. Rep. Steve King. splcenter.org If Republicans think they deserve applause for condemning Congressman Steve King's racism, they're sorely mistaken.
(2019-01-15). Headlines for January 15, 2019. democracynow.org Over 30,000 Los Angeles Teachers Walk Out in First Strike in 30 Years, Barr Pledges to Protect Mueller Probe as He Faces Senate AG Hearings, NYC Prisoners Go on Hunger Strike, Feel Effect of Gov't Shutdown, Poland Mayor, Defender of Immigrant Rights, Dies After Public Stabbing, Afghanistan: Taliban Car Bomb Kills 5, Injures Over 100, Afghanistan: New Defense Minister Accused of War Crimes, Human Rights Abuses, Brexit: Lawmakers Set to Vote on Contested Brexit Deal, Pennsylvania Judge Blocks Trump's Birth Control Restrictions Nationwide, Justice Ginsburg Declared Cancer-Free, Reviews SCOTUS Cases from Home, SCOTUS…
(2019-01-15). Activists Demand Closure of Guantanamo Bay at White House Protest. theantimedia.com 
(MPN) — Friday marked the 17th anniversary of the opening of the United States prison compound in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. President Barack Obama failed to fulfill his promise of closing the facility and little attention has since been given to the issue by the Trump administration, but activists continue to work behind the scenes to shut down …
(2019-01-15). Trump pushes racist wall, but Democrats push racist cruelty too. greenleft.org.au 
When Donald Trump first announced he was running in the Republican primaries for the 2016 election, he signaled that his campaign would rely heavily on anti-Mexican racism, racism against all non-whites, anti-immigrant xenophobia and Islamophobia. | Part of this was his oft-repeated pledge to "build a wall" between the US and Mexico to keep out immigrants from Central America and Mexico. He slandered these migrants as rapists, murderers, thieves, drug dealers, sex traffickers and more. | That a person with such open racism was even able to be a candidate for the most powerful post in Washington is testimony to ho…
(2019-01-15). In North Carolina, Domestic Violence Laws Still Discriminate Against LGBTQ People. aclu.org Not all LGBTQ people can get a protective order for domestic violence under North Carolina law. | Same-sex couples in North Carolina won the freedom to marry in 2014, but LGBTQ people continue to be denied equal protection under the law in many other areas of life. | North Carolina is currently the only state in the nation that prevents those in same-sex relationships from accessing protective orders for domestic violence. The ACLU of North Carolina and attorney Amily McCool of the Scharff Law Firm are challenging that unequal policy in court on behalf of a survivor of domestic violence who was denied a protectiv…
(2019-01-15). India: Administrative detention for facebook posts: Kishorchandra Wangkhem. amnesty.org Kishorchandra Wangkhem, a journalist based in Manipur, India, was arrested in August, and again in November 2018, because of Facebook posts where he criticised the government. While he was released on bail in both cases, on 27 November, he was arrested under the National Security Act (NSA). This draconian administrative detention law allows for him to be imprisoned for 12 months without charge or trial, in violation of regular criminal justice safeguards. The High Court of Manipur will hear his challenge to his detention under the NSA on 1 February 2019.
(2019-01-14). William Barr Has a Long History of Abusing Civil Rights and Liberties in the Name of 'National Security'. aclu.org Barr's ideas of secret trials, profiling, and discrimination must face congressional scrutiny during his confirmation hearings. | On Tuesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee will begin hearings on William Barr's nomination to be the next attorney general of the United States, offering senators an opportunity to scrutinize his record and views. | Such scrutiny is especially crucial in the Trump era. As we've seen throughout his time in office, from imposing the Muslim ban to the recent shutdown fight over border wall funding, President Trump has tried to use "national security" as a pretext to justify discriminator…
(2019-01-14). Headlines for January 14, 2019. democracynow.org Gov't Shutdown Now Longest in U.S. History, Trump Admin Considered Disaster Relief Funds to Build Border Wall, Interior Dept. Pushes Ahead Plans for New Arctic Drilling Leases, Texas: Tornillo Immigrant Prison Camp Shuts Down, Los Angeles: Public Teachers Go on Strike, Dems Vow to Investigate After 2 New Reports on Trump's Relationship with Russia, WSJ: Nat'l Sec. Council Asked About Possible Military Strike on Iran in 2018, Trump Threatens to "Devastate Turkey Economically" If Syrian Kurds Targeted, Saudi Arabia: Sec. of State Pompeo Meets with Crown Prince 3 Months After Khashoggi Killing, Canada Grants Asylum…
(2019-01-14). Venezuela: Self-Proclaimed 'Interim President' Released After 'Irregular' Detention. venezuelanalysis.com The officers responsible have been detained and suspended, reportedly on Maduro's orders.
(2019-01-14). Finland: Submission to the UN Human Rights Committee in advance of the adoption of the list of issues prior to reporting. amnesty.org Amnesty International provides the below information to the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Committee (the Committee) ahead of the adoption of the list of issues prior to reporting in advance of the 7th periodic report of Finland at its 125th session in March 2019. | This submission sets out some of Amnesty International's key concerns about the fulfilment of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (the Covenant), and in particular with regard to violence against women (Articles 2-3, 7 and 26), forced marriage (Articles 2 and 23), discrimination on the grounds of gender, gender identity and sexu…
(2019-01-11). Headlines for January 11, 2019. democracynow.org Protests Target Shutdown as Federal Employees Miss First Paycheck, Trump May Raid Puerto Rico Hurricane Relief Funds for Border Wall, Protesters Gather on Both Sides of U.S.-Mexico Border as Trump Visits, Senate Leader Mitch McConnell Blocks Vote on Bill to Fund Government, Study Finds Oceans Are Absorbing Far More Heat Than Previously Known, Pentagon Says It's Withdrawing from Syria as Turkey Readies Invasion, In Cairo, U.S. Secretary of State Rebukes Obama and Threatens Iran, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Calls Jamal Khashoggi Murder an "Atrocity", Protests Outside Supreme Court Demand Closure of Guantánamo Prison…
(2019-01-11). William Barr's Unsolicited Memo to Trump About Obstruction of Justice. aclu.org Barr's critique of the Mueller investigation raises serious questions about his views of presidential power. Senators should demand answers. | Last month, news broke that in June 2018, President Trump's current nominee for attorney general, William P. Barr, sent an unsolicited 20-page memo to the Justice Department critiquing special counsel Robert Mueller's current investigation into Russian election interference. | Barr, who previously served as attorney general under Preside…
(2019-01-11). Exclusive: Angela Davis Speaks Out on Palestine, BDS & More After Civil Rights Award Is Revoked. democracynow.org 
In a Democracy Now! exclusive, legendary activist and scholar Angela Davis speaks out after the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute rescinded a human rights award for her, reportedly due to her activism for Palestinian rights. In September, the institute announced that it would award Davis the Fred L. Shuttlesworth Human Rights Award, named after the civil rights icon. But last Friday, the institute voted to withdraw the award and cancel this year's gala event. The institute rescinded the award days after the Birmingham Holocaust Education Center sent a letter urging the board to reconsider honoring Davis due to he…
(2019-01-11). NAACP Kicks Off 2019 with Women in Power Town Hall. naacp.org Panel to feature Senator Kamala Harris, Congresswomen Karen Bass, Marcia Fudge and Lucy Mcbath BALTIMORE (January 11, 2019)—NAACP will host its first tele town hall of the year, the Women in Power Town Hall, on Tuesday, January 15, 2019, at 8pm EST. The telephone program, NAACP's first public forum of the year, will provide a […]
(2019-01-11). Tucson protests Trumps border wall threat. fightbacknews.org Tucson, AZ – Around 40 people chanting "No wall, never," joined a protest here January 10 in response to President Trump's bid to finance his racist border wall. Protesters' signs reading "Refugees welcome here!" drew many honks of solidarity from traffic in front the federal building. | Plans continue to build mobilization against the deployment of thousands of troops to the Mexico border and the threat of a border wall. The Tucson protest was organized in response to a call from by the Legalization for All Network for national actions.
(2019-01-11). SPLC releases online tool that tracks rising number of hate group flyers and banners. splcenter.org Emboldened by President Trump's rhetoric, white supremacist groups have increased their distribution of flyers and banners in public spaces across the country, spreading racist and antisemitic propaganda and seeking to recruit new members.
(2019-01-11). Deaths of Women in Custody During Hurricane Florence Could Have Been Prevented. aclu.org Law enforcement and corrections officials must have emergency plans in place to protect any person in their custody when extreme weather strikes. | Amid rising floodwaters from Hurricane Florence in September, two women in the custody of the Horry County Sheriff's Office were left to drown in the back of a transport van. | The facts are as straightforward as they are damning. The two deputies, Joshua Bishop and Stephen Flood, transporting Nicolette Green and Wendy Newton to a hospital for mental health treatment disregarded roadblocks indicating flooded roadways. Floodwaters quickly overtook the van, and it was s…
(2019-01-11). The Scott Warren Case is Part of a Crackdown on Aid to Migrants. progressive.org He offered food, water, and clothing to migrants on a deadly stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border. Now he's facing twenty years in prison. Humanitarian groups fear the situation will only get worse.
(2019-01-10). Facing Mass Deportation, Haitians Sue Trump to Preserve Temporary Protected Status. democracynow.org 
A New York City trial is challenging the Trump administration's attempt to end temporary protected status—known as TPS—for more than 50,000 Haitians living in the U.S. Tens of thousands of Haitians were granted TPS after an earthquake devastated their country nine years ago this week. In November 2017, the Trump administration announced it would revoke TPS for Haitians, sparking protests and multiple lawsuits around the country. We speak with Marleine Bastien, executive director the Family Action Network Movement, or FANM, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit. She testified on Wednesday as a witness i…
(2019-01-10). SPLC launches campaign with NAACP, other organizations to remove Confederate symbols across Georgia. splcenter.org The SPLC joined other advocacy organizations and elected officials today in demanding change to a Georgia state law that prohibits local communities from removing Confederate monuments.
(2019-01-10). Unjustly Jailed Blogger Faces New Charges in Azerbaijan. hrw.org 
| | Mehman Huseynov. | © 2017 Aziz Karimov | Azerbaijan authorities know no limits when it comes to silencing government critics. As everyone was celebrating the New Year, Azerbaijan authorities were busy pressing new charges against one of the country's most popular anti-corruption bloggers, Mehman Huseynov. | Huseynov has been serving a 2-year prison sentence after he was prosecuted for defaming an entire police station in Baku, because he…