(2019-04-11). The Martyrdom of Julian Assange. truthdig.com The arrest Thursday of Julian Assange eviscerates all pretense of the rule of law and the rights of a free press. The illegalities, embraced by the Ecuadorian, British and U.S. governments, in the seizure of Assange are ominous. They presage a world where the internal workings, abuses, corruption, lies and crimes, especially war crimes, carried out by corporate states and the global ruling elite will be masked from the public. They presage a world where those with the courage and integrity to expose the misuse of power will be hunted down, tortured, subjected to sham trials and given lifetime prison terms in soli…
(2019-04-11). Betsy DeVos Uses a Racist Research Study to Defend Rescinding Obama-Era Discipline Guidance. progressive.org To defend her decision to rescind a piece of civil rights legislation, DeVos has cited an academic known for research with an anti-black bias.
(2019-04-11). The American Public Deserves to See the Mueller Report With as Few Redactions as Possible. aclu.org Considering the "extraordinary public interest" in the Mueller report, any redactions made by Attorney General Barr must be limited and defensible. | Few matters are of greater public interest than the contents of the report produced by Special Counsel Robert Mueller on his recently completed investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election, alleged collusion with the Trump administration, and any interference with the Mueller investigation. Attorney General William Barr has conceded that there is extraordinary public interest in the report. Yet there remain grave concerns that he will r…
(2019-04-11). Sacked Tory bigot generates as much media controversy as you'd expect. thecanary.co 
The Tory adviser Roger Scruton indulged in some choice racism the other day — a move which saw him lose his position: On Roger … | Read more Sacked Tory bigot generates as much media controversy as you'd expect | By John Shafthauer
(2019-04-11). The Unfinished Gaza War: What Netanyahu Hopes to Gain from Attacking Palestinian Prisoners. dissidentvoice.org The current violence targeting Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails dates back to January 2. It was then that Israel's Public Security Minister, Gilad Erdan declared that the "party is over." "Every so often, infuriating pictures appear of cooking in the terrorist wings. This party is coming to an end," Erdan was quoted in the Jerusalem …
(2019-04-11). Ahmed Abu Artema on the Palestinian Great March of Return. progressive.org "The only possible option for them is to continue knocking on the walls of their prison with the hope that the world will hear them."
(2019-04-11). 'Love After Lockup' and Its Subtle Message of Prison Abolition. thenation.com 'Love After Lockup' and Its Subtle Message of Prison Abolition…
(2019-04-11). Palestinian Landowners Move to Proceed With Claims Against Israeli Settlers In Airbnb Lawsuit. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2019-04-11). British police arrest Julian Assange in Ecuadorian embassy. wsws.org "Assange's expulsion from the embassy and his arrest are unprecedented crimes," said James Cogan, the national secretary of the SEP (Australia). "A journalist and publisher, who has committed no crime, has had his asylum terminated and has been dragged off to prison in violation of repeated UN rulings upholding his status as a political refugee."
(2019-04-11). Assange's prosecution would be 'unconstitutional' & may backfire on US journalists — ACLU. rt.com 
In response to the arrest of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in London, the American Civil Liberties Union's (ACLU) Ben Wizner released a statement highlighting the serious danger his prosecution would pose for all journalists.
(2019-04-11). ACLU Letter to Santa Cruz City Council Opposes Ross Camp Closure. indybay.org On April 8, the ACLU of Northern California and the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty sent a joint letter to the Santa Cruz City Council opposing the closure of the Ross homeless encampment. "[W]e are concerned about any plan to criminalize the living behaviors of residents of the Ross Camp, either directly or indirectly. Due to the lack of available shelter bed, Martin bars the City from carrying out such a plan," the letter states.
(2019-04-11). Parkland victims file 22 lawsuits claiming negligence led to bloodshed. rt.com 
A barrage of lawsuits filed by Parkland victims and survivors blame Broward County Sheriff's Office and the school district for their failure to prevent the massacre, alleging gross negligence by officials.
(2019-04-11). No fair trial awaits Assange at US 'Espionage Court,' only more charges — CIA whistleblower Kiriakou. rt.com 
WikiLeaks' Julian Assange is facing extradition and a trial at a US court infamous for sending whistleblowers to jail. CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou, whose case was tried there says there won't be a fair trial for Assange.
(2019-04-10). The American People Support LGBTQ Equality. Congress Should Too. aclu.org Opponents of equality are spewing myths about transgender people and nondiscrimination protections on Capitol Hill. | In the past seven days, the House of Representatives has held two historic hearings on the Equality Act, HR 5, a bipartisan bill that would add explicit protections from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity to our civil rights laws, and update the laws to provide increased protection for all women and people of color. What was most notable from…
(2019-04-10). The BE HEARD Act Will Overhaul Workplace Harassment Laws. aclu.org The groundbreaking, comprehensive bill takes on workplace harassment and discrimination. | For more than a decade, Tarana Burke and survivors across the country have used #MeToo to share their experiences of sexual violence, raise women's voices, and respond to the needs of survivors. In its current incarnation, #MeToo has sparked an unprecedented examination of sexual harassment, including sexual assault, in our workplaces, and illuminated the multiple manifestations of workplace discrimination. | In the midst of this historic reckoning, the ACLU and coalition partners drafted and shared with members of Congress…
(2019-04-10). Congressional Action to End the Bans—Now and Into the Future. aclu.org Trump thought he won, but Members of Congress are pushing back. | For the first time since President Trump issued his Muslim ban, Congress proposed a legislative solution today to protect immigrant communities from discriminatory bans, immediately and permanently. | The long-awaited NO Ban Act, introduced by Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Representative Judy Chu (D-Calif.), would immediately rescind the Muslim ban as well as President Trump's asylum ban and refugee ban, definitively ending these discriminatory abus…
(2019-04-10). Freed MOVE 9 revolutionaries tie the knot. workers.org 
Mike and Debbie Africa, MOVE 9 members unjustly imprisoned in 1978, were finally released in 2018. The MOVE 9 were falsely convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the killing of a white cop during a brutal police assault on their house. On April 6 Debbie and Mike were . . . | Continue reading Freed MOVE 9 revolutionaries tie the knot at Workers.org
(2019-04-10). What Netanyahu Hopes to Gain from Attacking Palestinian Prisoners. mintpressnews.com 
Considering the direct impact of the situation in Israeli prisons on the collective psyche of all Palestinians, any more reckless steps by Netanyahu will soon result in greater collective resistance, a struggle that Israel cannot easily suppress.
(2019-04-10). It's Time to End US Military Aid to the Philippines. counterpunch.org Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's bloody "War on Drugs" has now claimed over 27,000 lives — almost all poor and indigent people, including children, summarily executed by police or vigilantes. Over 140,000 pre-trial detainees are being held in overcrowded Philippine prisons, many on trumped up drug charges; 75 percent of the total prison population still awaits More
(2019-04-10). Cuban men thrown into Louisiana prisons despite legal asylum requests. splcenter.org Suicide. Self-harm. Medical neglect. Isolated in segregation. Quarantined and left without legal counsel.
(2019-04-09). Utah Passed a Law to Protect Noncitizens From Automatic Deportation. aclu.org By reducing the maximum penalty for a misdemeanor by one day, lawmakers reduced the harm of an unfair federal immigration law | Utah is known for its red rock canyons, steep ski slopes, and a mega-majority Republican legislature. And now it can be recognized as one of just a handful of states to pass legislation that helps noncitizens avoid deportation if they are convicted of a misdemeanor. | The bill, which was signed into law by Gov. Gary Herbert on March 25, clarifies that misdemeanor convictions in Utah can no longer be interpreted as aggravate…
(2019-04-09). Trump Picks Family Separation Advocate Kevin McAleenan to Be Acting Secretary of Homeland Security. aclu.org By elevating McAleenan, the president has signaled that he seeks to maximize cruelty. | With his selection of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Kevin McAleenan to serve as acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), President Trump has once again shown that he has no regrets over his administration's disastrous policy of separating families. | McAleenan was one of the three DHS officials to recommend the cruel and inhumane policy to outgoing Secretary Kirstjen…
(2019-04-09). Stephen Miller's Uncle: Trump's Anti-Immigrant Comments Demonize Asylum Seekers & Stir Racist Hatred. democracynow.org 
As his administration intensifies anti-immigrant policies at the border, President Trump has reportedly put adviser Stephen Miller in charge of the administration's immigration policy. The Wall Street Journal reports Miller has backed the reinstatement of Trump's family separation policy and has been pushing officials at the Homeland Security and Justice Departments to "get in line" with a more hard-line immigration approach. This news comes as Trump told the Republican Jewish Coalition leadership Saturday, "Our country's full. What can you do? We can't handle any more. Our country is full." We speak with Stephen…
(2019-04-09). Protests Across Brazil and the World for the Release of Lula, "Political Prisoner" therealnews.com 
On the anniversary of the imprisonment of former Workers Party president Lula da Silva, tens of thousands protested in Brazil and around the world demanded his release. Mike Fox reports from Curitiba, Brazil…
(2019-04-09). Kyle Korver Challenges Every White Athlete to Listen and Act. thenation.com Kyle Korver Challenges Every White Athlete to Listen and Act…
(2019-04-09). Iran says U.S. military forces in Middle East are part of terrorist group, after U.S. puts terrorist tag on Iran's military. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – Iran's authoritative FARS News Agency is reporting the Supreme National Security Council has designated the United States Central Command as a terrorist entity, following a decision by the U.S. to put the terrorist tag on an important part of Iran's military – the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps. | The U.S. move to designate Iran's military as 'terrorist' violates international law and raised concerns about future treatment of prisoners of war. | The U.S. administration has been angered by Iran's support for progressive and anti-imperialist movements in Yemen, Iraq, Palestine and Lebanon. Iran ha…
(2019-04-09). Pornhub joins Twitter users targeting Nunes with #YachtCocaineProstitutes hashtag trending. rt.com 
Rep. Devin Nunes has filed a $150 million lawsuit against McClatchy for derailing his probe into Clinton campaign corruption and 'Russian interference' with claims about prostitutes and cocaine, sparking extreme Twitter trolling.
(2019-04-09). A Harvard Professor Filed a Shareholder Lawsuit to Restrict Shareholder Rights. theintercept.com Over the past two years, some senior officials at the Securities and Exchange Commission have indicated that they would be open to corporations foisting mandatory arbitration on their shareholders, and now a team of pro-corporate players are ready to put them to the test. Two lawyers have joined with a high-profile Harvard professor on a pivotal case that could strip away shareholders' rights to sue public companies. The Harvard professor, Hal S. Scott, runs a Wall Street advocacy group support…
(2019-04-08). Battle of Dignity 2 Begins: Statement by the PFLP in the Occupation Prisons. fightbacknews.org Fight Back News Service is circulating the following April 8 statement from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). | The organization of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine inside the prisons calls for a general mobilization among its ranks, announcing the first to enter the hunger strike. | In the context of the Battle of Dignity (Karameh) 2, which was decided upon by the prisoners' movement inside the Zionist detention camps immediately after the prison administration disavowed their own agreements, the organization declares that the Popular Front in the prisons is mobilizing in…
(2019-04-08). Kirstjen Nielsen's Brutal and Calamitous Leadership of the Department of Homeland Security Comes to an End. aclu.org She implemented some of the Trump administration's most vicious policies and repeatedly violated the law. | Late yesterday, President Trump announced that Kirstjen Nielsen has resigned as the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Trump said that Kevin McAleenan, the commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), will serve as Acting Secretary. | Nielsen's tenure as head of one of the country's largest government agencies was a humanitarian catastrophe, consistently showing a clear disregard for civil rights and people's lives. Indeed, just over a week prior to her resignation, CBP age…
(2019-04-08). La violencia contra las mujeres negras: aprendiendo de feministas socialistas negras. liberationnews.org 
Solo mediante un movimiento socialista revolucionario anti-sexista, antirracista lograremos las mujeres negras nuestra liberación colectiva; °Un futuro libre de explotación y violencia!
(2019-04-08). Kings Bay Plowshares: Peace Activists Face 25 Years for Action at U.S. Nuclear Submarine Base. democracynow.org 
A group of peace activists have been jailed for over a year before trial for entering the Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base in Georgia last April to protest U.S. nuclear weapons. The action took place on April 4, 2018—the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King's assassination. Armed with hammers, crime scene tape and baby bottles containing their own blood, seven anti-nuclear activists secretly entered Kings Bay—one of the largest nuclear submarine bases in the world—under the cover of night. Their goal was to symbolically disarm the six nuclear ballistic missile submarines kept there. Each submari…
(2019-04-08). Praising Roma's contributions in Europe, UN expert urges end to rising intolerance and hate speech. un.org An independent United Nations expert called on Monday for immediate action to end discrimination and combat racist rhetoric against Roma, Europe's largest minority group.
(2019-04-08). NAACP TROUBLED BY BLACK CHURCH BURNINGS IN THE SOUTH. naacp.org BALTIMORE — Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP, made the following statement in response to recent outbreak of Black church burnings: "What is happening in Tennessee and Louisiana is domestic terrorism and we must not turn a blind eye to any incident where people are targeted because of the color of their …
(2019-04-07). 25 years on from genocide against the Tutsi, UN Chief warns of 'dangerous trends of rising xenophobia, racism and intolerance'. un.org In a message to commemorate the 25-year anniversary of the genocide against the Tutsi, during which Hutu and others who opposed the genocide were also killed, UN chief António Guterres has warned of dangerous trends of rising xenophobia, racism and intolerance in many parts of the world.
(2019-04-05). Chicago elections and what's coming next. fightbacknews.org Chicago, IL – The corporate media has missed what is most important about Chicago's April 2 elections. Its focus on the uninspiring mayoral contest between Toni Preckwinkle and Lori Lightfoot helped contribute to the lowest voter turnout ever. Only 29% of registered voters went to the polls. | What this election did see was a record number of young candidates challenging incumbents, and the greatest amount was in the Black wards of the city. According to Aislinn Pulley, an organizer with Black Lives Matter-Chicago, "What was significant were the young activists – mostly Black and Latino – that fought neighborhood…
(2019-04-05). Willie McCoy Should Be Alive Today. aclu.org We need use of force bills to pass in California and nationwide to change police standards. | The events that led to the murder of Willie McCoy by City of Vallejo police began with a 911 call came from a Taco Bell employee. In the recording, the employee sounds perplexed: "I have a person unresponsive to car horn honks in my drive-through," he said. He then added, "He's unresponsive. I've already had, like people try to knock on the window. I have no idea what's going on." The dispatcher sent out Vallejo police officers for what's known as a "wellness check." Officers arrived…
(2019-04-05). Calling Racism by Its Real Name. fair.org 
Note that the New York Times' headline ( 1/10/19) was not "Steve King Defends White Supremacy"—though that was surely the most newsworthy aspect of this profile. | It should go without saying that things we don't have names for…go without saying. For years, that's been the deal with corporate media and racism. Actions, policies, statements and ideas that regular people have no trouble identifying as racist become, in elite media hands, "racially tinged," "racially charged," "race-related." And if racism isn…
(2019-04-05). Meet the Family Suing Boeing in First U.S. Wrongful Death Suit Since Ethiopia Crash Kills 157. democracynow.org 
The first American lawsuit has been filed against Boeing for its role in the Ethiopian Airlines crash that left 157 people dead last month. The family of 24-year-old Samya Stumo, who died in the crash, sued Boeing and filed a claim against the Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday. They filed the suit in federal court in Chicago, where Boeing is headquartered. It reads in part, "Blinded by its greed, Boeing haphazardly rushed the 737 MAX 8 to market, with the knowledge and tacit approval of the United States Federal Aviation Administration … Boeing's decision to put profits over safety … and the regulat…
(2019-04-05). Maisha Simmons to Lead NAACP Foundation Relations Efforts. naacp.org BALTIMORE (April 5, 2019)—Maisha Simmons, MPA recently joined the NAACP as the Deputy Chief Director of Development/ Sr. Director of Foundation Relations. Most recently Simmons served as a Senior Program Officer at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) in an administrative role supporting the management of team operations and functions. "We are excited to have …
(2019-04-05). NAACP-supported bill updating the Violence Against Women Act passes the US House! naacp.org Earlier today the U.S. House of Representatives passed, by a margin of 263 yeas to 158 nays, H.R. 1585, a bill to update and strengthen the NAACP-supported and very successful Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (VAWA). VAWA has been reauthorized and strengthened by strong bipartisan majorities in 2000, 2005, and 2013. The law is seen today …
(2019-04-05). Jeremy Corbyn calls for lawyers to be allowed to visit Abdullah àñcalan. greenleft.org.au 
British Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn met with Kurdish solidarity activists on March 30, according to the campaign website freedomforocalan.org. | The activists have been working with Imam Sis, a Kurdish activist living in Wales who has been on hunger strike since December 17, protesting the isolation of imprisoned Kurdish leader, Abdullah à&ntil…
(2019-04-04). Corporate Media More Worried About Avocado Toast Than Human Lives. fair.org 
The New York Times ( 4/1/19) describes the impact that closing the southern border would have on "American manufacturers," "grocery shoppers and farmers," "business owners," "border residents" and, finally—in the last two paragraphs of a 33-paragraph story—on "migrants." | Trump's border policies display zero regard for human rights, but for several news outlets, as Trump foments xenophobia, what's at stake is brunch.
(2019-04-04). SPLC seeks release of detained journalist whose work challenged ICE, a year after he was arrested. splcenter.org Memphis journalist Manuel Duran filed a habeas petition yesterday, seeking his immediate release from detention.
(2019-04-04). How VAWA Takes on the Systems That Perpetuate Domestic and Sexual Violence. aclu.org VAWA goes beyond support for survivors to addressing laws that perpetuate violence | Today the House of Representatives passed the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019 (H.R. 1585). This VAWA bill authorizes programs and funding that support survivors of gender-based violence. But it also does more: It tackles some of the laws and institutions that perpetuate domestic violence and sexual assault across the country. Dismantling these structural causes of gender-based violence is essential to ensuring the security and dignity of survivors, their families, and communities. | Protecting the Right to…
(2019-04-04). Mandatory detention: A history of bipartisan cruelty. greenleft.org.au 
How did Australia go from a place where its migrant hostels fostered some of the world's most famous bands to one where the detentions centres it presides over are described as "hell on Earth"? | Prior to May 1992, there was no mandatory detention in Australia. | At most, a couple of hundred people came via boat to seek asylum each year. They were housed in places such as the Villawood Migrant Hostel. | Some of the migrants who first met and jammed at these hostels went on to form iconic bands such as the Easybeats and AC/DC. It was…
(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). 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). Beyond Prisons: Rachel Herzing On Political Education. shadowproof.com Rachel Herzing joins Beyond Prisons for a conversation on political education, transformation, and more. | Rachel is the co-director of Center for Political Education, a resource for political organizations on the left, progressive social movements, the working class and people of color. She has been an organizer, activist, and advocate fighting the violence of policing and imprisonment for over 20 years. | She is a co-founder of Critical Resistance, a national grassroots organization dedicated to abolishing the prison industrial complex. She was also the director of research and training at Creative Intervention…
(2019-04-03). Supreme Court Deems Torture Of Prisoners During Executions Permissible. shadowproof.com The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Missouri may use lethal injection against a prisoner with a medical condition that will cause him to choke to death on his blood.