(2020-05-02). Louisiana prisons are 'death concentration camps'. workers.org By: Quess Moore/transcribed by Mirinda Crissman This slightly edited talk is by Quess Moore speaking at the April 9 Workers World Party webinar. Moore organizes with New Orleans Workers Group and Take 'Em Down NOLA, a group which has been working to take down symbols of white supremacy and slavery. . . . |
(2020-05-02). [Editorial] COVID-19: remaking the social contract. thelancet.com "Allegiance, after all, has to work two ways; and one can grow weary of an allegiance which is not reciprocal." The British playwright David Hare quoted this line by the American writer James Baldwin in his recent reflections on the UK Government's response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Baldwin's reminder and warning in the context of civil rights in the mid-20th century USA speak now in the pandemic to communities the world over who are unsure of their governments' allegiances to them.
(2020-05-02). Trump, Pence, G W Bush, Hannity and Sen. Rick Scott's best sheriff fried under DOJ investi. indybay.org The Justice Department and Florida Department of Health are investigating Sheriff Carmine Marceno for civil rights abuses, human rights abuses, ADA violations and felony abuse of a disabled adult.
(2020-05-02). State Water Contractors sue California over incidental take permit for endangered fish. indybay.org "We note that with the filing of this latest lawsuit, the State Water Contractors have joined Westlands Water district and the Metropolitan Water District in pronouncing the voluntary agreement process dead," said John McManus, President of the Golden State Salmon Association (GSSA).
(2020-05-02). May Day Caravan in Santa Cruz. indybay.org #COLA4ALL activists in Santa Cruz organized a May Day Caravan to support those "striking and fighting for their right to live in this city". Beginning on the UC Santa Cruz campus to support the striking COLA graduate students, the caravan traveled downtown to the Santa Cruz Main Jail, and then on to support Food Not Bombs at Front and Laurel Streets. (Photos taken downtown by Keith McHenry of Santa Cruz Food Not Bombs.)…
(2020-05-02). Brazil: Prisoners Riot in Manaus and Take Hostages. telesurenglish.net Inmates at the Puraquequara prison in Manaus city started a riot on Saturday morning and took seven prison officers hostage. They demand better living conditions inside the prison, which have been notoriously degraded because of the COVID-19 crisis. | RELATED: | "Through social media, the prisoners indicated that they want improvements such as light, mattresses, fans, good food, and medicine for the sick," local outlet UO…
(2020-05-02). UN urged to take action for release of Iranian prof. imprisoned in US. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 03 (MNA) — Vice Chairman of Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Mohammad Javad Jamali Nobandegani on Sat. called on the UN Secretary General António Guterres to take necessary actions for the release of Iranian Scientist Dr. Sirous Asgari, imprisoned in the US, due to the critical situation of the United States in terms of COVID-19 outbreak.
(2020-05-02). [World Report] Prisons are "in no way equipped" to deal with COVID-19. thelancet.com Prisons are a hotspot for COVID-19. In theory, prisoners have the same right to health as anyone else, but the reality is very different. Talha Burki reports.
(2020-05-02). [Perspectives] Death of a courtier. thelancet.com A plague sweeps the nation, the head of state's health is threatened, and the business of government is rendered fragile and unsteady. It has been over a decade since Hilary Mantel began her Thomas Cromwell trilogy with Wolf Hall in 2009, and 8 years since 2012's Bring Up the Bodies, but what felt like an arduous wait now seems like nothing but impeccable timing. Cromwell even ends the novel under his own version of lockdown as a prisoner in the Tower of London. The world has been uncannily prepared for The Mirror & the Light.
(2020-05-02). PA prisoners tortured for protesting racist policies. workers.org Eric McGill was locked up in Lebanon County Correctional Facility in Lebanon, Pa., on Jan. 19, 2019. For 15 months now he has been held there, not because he has been convicted of a crime, but because he cannot afford the preposterous $1 million bail the judge set. And during . . . |
(2020-05-01). A County Jail Battles COVID-19 and the Opioid Crisis—At the Same Time. progressive.org The pandemic and an increase in immigration detainees create a double whammy for the rural Ohio jail.
(2020-05-01). A COVID-19 Balancing Act: Public Health and Privacy. aclu.org Some states are officially loosening their stay at home restrictions, and more will join in the coming months as Americans attempt to inch their way back to pre-COVID-19 life. Some of us will return to work, gather in small groups, and maybe even dine at a neighborhood restaurant. , , As we proceed, what will it take to keep us safe and prevent new spikes in infections? Many experts say we won't be out of the woods until there's a vaccine, but how would a national vaccination plan even work? At the same time, technological solutions are being proposed, especially related to contact tracing, the process b…
(2020-05-01). How to Protest in a Pandemic. aclu.org 
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(2020-05-01). McDonald's Employees are Working through the COVID-19 Pandemic. So Why Don't They Have Access to Paid Sick and Family Leave? aclu.org Essential workers are on the front-lines during the COVID-19 pandemic, and have suffered
(2020-05-01). What Happened When I Needed an Abortion During the Pandemic. aclu.org I am a 30-year-old woman and mother of three kids living in Tennessee. My oldest is just over two years old. My two girls are nine-month-old twins. Because the twins were born prematurely, they have significant medical needs. I have no family living nearby, and very little caregiving support. I tried to get my son into daycare earlier this year, but the childcare facility — anticipating that they might have to shut down temporarily because of COVID-19 — declined to accept new enrollments., , After my girls were born, I knew I could not handle another child; I am already stretched almost to the brea…
(2020-05-01). Holding true to the abolitionist framework. workers.org 
Here is a slightly edited transcript of Amber-Rose Howard's talk during the April 9 Workers World Party webinar. Howard is the executive director of CURB, Californians United for a Responsible Budget. Experiencing a felony conviction as a young adult propelled Howard into a lifetime commitment of organizing against the prison-industrial . . . |
(2020-05-01). McConnell's Stimulus Scam: Vaccinate Businesses, Expose Workers. thenation.com McConnell's Stimulus Scam: Vaccinate Businesses, Expose Workers…
(2020-05-01). Chicago Tribune lends its press to racism. fightbacknews.org Chicago, IL – The headline in the Chicago Tribune Wednesday, April 19 blared: "Two charities have bailed scores of felony defendants out of Cook County Jail. Some were soon charged with new crimes." The headline could have said, with equal validity, that "Millions of Chicagoans were not arrested last year. Some were charged with new crimes." | The article is filled with racist 'dog whistles' about [Black and brown] people with guns and hysteria regarding violent crime. In actual fact, in the past three years the rate of violent crime in Chicago has declined significantly. The Tribune is blowing the racist 'get to…
(2020-05-01). Colombia: Medical Team to Assist Villavicencio Prison Inmates. telesurenglish.net Colombia's National Penitentiary and Prison Institute (INPEC) Thursday decided to send a medical team to the Villavicencio prison, a public facility located in the Meta department that has 1,738 inmates and at least 421 COVID-19 cases. | RELATED: | "They will have to ensure that the social isolation protocol is respected," the INPEC Director Norberto Mujica said. | He also explained that the Penitentiary Services Unit will be in charge of hi…
(2020-05-01). El Salvador's President faces criticism for violating rights of imprisoned gang members. peoplesdispatch.org National and international human rights organizations have condemned the president's actions as the crackdown on inmates comes amid fears over the spread of the novel coronavirus…
(2020-04-30). Prisoners Affairs Committee: Majority of Palestinian Prisoners Belong to the Labor Sector. imemc.org Head of the Ramallah-based Palestinian Prisoners Affairs Committee, Qadri Abu Baker, said on Thursday, on the eve of International Workers Day, that majority of Palestinian prisoners, inside Israeli jails and detention centers, belong to the labor sector and that their lives have been spent in jail. In his remarks, Abu …
(2020-04-30). How the ACLU is Responding to the Pandemic, Visualized. aclu.org 
The COVID-19 pandemic has closed down many businesses, but the ACLU's work of defending and expanding civil liberties and civil rights continues, essential as ever. At the ACLU, our most immediate focus has been on issues arising from the government's response — or lack thereof — to the pandemic., , Since the start of the outbreak, we've filed over 90 legal actions and have seen thousands of people released from prisons, jails, and immigration detention. | We and ACLU offices across the country are working in nearly every state to save lives, advocate for vulnerable communities, safeguard the r…
(2020-04-30). How to turn Colombia's prisons into coronavirus death camps and stay positive. colombiareports.com It took months of inaction, but Colombia's government finally turned Villavicencio's prison into the perfect coronavirus petri dish from where its prison chief infected at least three more prisons. The…
(2020-04-30). Utah's Shiny Surveillance Technology to Address COVID-19 Fails Miserably. aclu.org 
How many times have you failed to get a new digital device working properly the first time? While toddlers can (amazingly) master iPhones in minutes, some tech gadgets require many troubleshooting attempts to activate. And even then, they might fizzle., , Last month, the state of Utah learned that simple tech lesson in a very public way., , As part of a series of measures to respond to the coronavirus outbreak, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert issued an executive order requiring every adult crossing the Utah border to submit an electronic State of Utah Travel Self-Declaration Form with details about their contact info…
(2020-04-30). In ICE Detention, Forced to Pay for Soap. thenation.com In ICE Detention, Forced to Pay for Soap…
(2020-04-30). Democrats fume as armed protesters descend on Michigan Capitol to protest lockdown. rt.com 
Crowds of protesters, some carrying weapons, descended on the state capitol in Lansing, Michigan, as legislators considered extending Covid-19 lockdown measures. Democrats blamed President Donald Trump. | Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued a stay-at-home order late last month, as the coronavirus epidemic took hold in her state. When the governor — a Democrat and fierce critic of Trump — extended the order by 15 days last week, a group of residents filed a lawsuit claiming Whitmer had infringed their constitutional rights. | After the Michigan Court of Claims rejected the suit, the state legislature sat…
(2020-05-02). Three Civilians Killed in Bomb Blast Near Prison in Afghanistan's East – Governor's Office. sputniknews.com KABUL (Sputnik) – Three civilians were killed and four others sustained injuries after a motorcycle bomb went off near a prison in Afghanistan's eastern province of Laghman on Saturday, the governor's spokesman said.
(2020-04-30). Four Myths About Trans Athletes, Debunked. aclu.org For years state lawmakers have pushed legislation attempting to shut trans people out of public spaces. In 2020, lawmakers zeroed in on sports and introduced
(2020-05-02). A Delaware prisoner's plea for PPE. workers.org This letter is from a prisoner at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in New Castle County, Delaware. Two prisoners have died from COVID-19 in the Vaughn facility, and a combined 30 more have tested positive for the virus there and at a neighboring Sussex Community Corrections Center. On April 25, . . . |
(2020-05-01). 'A New Low': Betsy DeVos Sued for Garnishing Wages of Nearly 300,000 Student Loan Borrowers During Pandemic. commondreams.org A home health aide who earns just under $13 per hour is the lead plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit against Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, whose department has continued collecting garnished wages from hundreds of thousands of student loan borrowers during the coronavirus pandemic. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/betsy_devos_3_0.jpg …
(2020-04-30). Self-harm incidents in prisons jump to record high. thecanary.co The number of incidents of self-harm in jails in England and Wales jumped 14% last year to the highest recorded figure. | In the year to December, there were 63,328 reported incidents of self-harm in prisons, according to Ministry of Justice (MoJ) data. | This is up 14% on the previous 12 months (55,615) and the highest figure on record since data was documented in 2009 (24,184). The lowest figure recorded so far was 23,158 in 2012. | Quarterly figures from the three months to December show the number of incidents started to decrease slightly towards the end of the year. | The number of prisoners self-harming als…
(2020-04-29). Federal Bill Would Release Vulnerable People from Prisons to Help Stop Spread of COVID-19. aclu.org A month ago, Congress gave the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP)
(2020-04-29). CARES Act Funding For Native Tribes Reveals Continued US Colonization. therealnews.com 
The recent CARES Act is another example of the continued effort to dismiss Indigenous peoples' sovereignty, and doesn't provide adequate funding to fight COVID-19.
(2020-04-28). Trump attacks trans health access during a pandemic. liberationnews.org 
Under an expected rewrite of part of the ACA, discrimination against trans people in health care would be legally permitted.
(2020-04-28). White Collar Criminals, Celebrities, Wealthy Use Privilege For Early Release Amidst Pandemic. therealnews.com 
Michael Cohen and Michael Avenatti were released, and some Los Angeles prisons offer pay-to-stay rooms for celebrities. But a huge number of people are still imprisoned and at risk of COVID-19 just because they can't afford cash bail.
(2020-04-28). Headlines for April 28, 2020. democracynow.org Known U.S. Deaths Top 56,000 as New Study Shows True Number Likely Much Higher, Trump Ignored Early Intelligence Reports as Coronavirus Spread, Trump Denies Responsibility for Spike in Disinfectant Poisonings, Texas Reopens Businesses, California Warns Against Violating Restrictions | , Trump's Plan to Give Commencement Address at West Point Could Bring Back 1,000 Cadets to Campus, NY Cancels Primary After Removing Bernie Sanders from the Ballot , U.N. Calls for Release of Immigrant Prisoners as San Diego Facility Refuses to Allow Face Mask Delivery, More Cases Reported at Prisons as New Study Shows 96% of Inmate…
(2020-04-28). Long-Acting Injectable HIV Therapy Noninferior to Daily Pills. jamanetwork.com A pair of trials in the New England Journal of Medicine found that long-acting monthly injectable therapy for HIV-1 infection was noninferior to standard daily oral regimens for maintaining viral suppression.
(2020-04-24). Despite Pandemic, Police Continue To Retaliate. therealnews.com 
We speak with cop watcher and auditor John Filax and find out first hand what police retaliation looks like as we interview Deja, Ramsey Orta's fiancee who has spent months in prison after filming Eric Garner's death from an illegal chokehold.
(2020-04-23). Headlines for April 23, 2020. democracynow.org ACLU Warns Spread of Coronavirus in Jails Could Add 100,000 Deaths to U.S. Toll, Government Scientist Claims Reprisal for Opposing Trump's Unproven Coronavirus Treatment, As Coronavirus Reached the U.S., Trump Admin Tapped Ex-Labradoodle Breeder to Lead Task Force, President Trump "Disagrees Strongly" with Governor's Plans to Reopen Georgia, Scientists Skeptical of Reports of High Rates of Coronavirus Antibodies in California Residents, Funeral Directors Association Warns U.S. COVID-19 Deaths Are Underreported, Doctors Report Life-Threatening Blood Clotting in COVID-19 Patients, More Human Trials of Experimental…
(2020-04-22). First person to die in Alabama's prisons with COVID-19 spent more than four decades behind bars. splcenter.org …
(2020-04-20). Massachusetts #FreeHer car protest demands the release of incarcerated women during COVID-19. liberationnews.org 
COVID-19 is spreading in Massachusetts prisons and jails. As reported by WBUR, five incarcerated people have already died of the virus in Massachusetts, and over 150 cases of the virus have been confirmed among prisoners and prison staff.
(2020-04-18). "All gas no mask!": In life and death situation, inmates rebel amid pandemic. liberationnews.org 
Spontaneous prison actions of resistance have become increasingly regular in the face of the Coronavirus pandemic.
(2020-04-18). David Meiswinkle Interview — Ongoing Suppression Of 9/11 Truth & Proof Of Controlled Demolition. thelastamericanvagabond.com Joining me today is the President and Executive Director of the Lawyers' Committee for 9/11 Inquiry, David R. Meiswinkle, Esq. David is a retired New Brunswick police officer and a United States Army veteran, as well as a criminal defense attorney. He is here today to discuss the continuing cover up of 9/11 truth, and …
(2020-04-17). SPLC lawsuit challenging Mississippi's failure to provide a uniform public school system moves forward. splcenter.org When Precious Hughes looked down the long, dark halls of Raines Elementary School in Jackson, Mississippi, she saw lights flickering, water spots staining the ceilings and paint chipping off the walls.
(2020-04-15). CROWN Act movement seeks to protect Black people from racial discrimination based on hairstyles. splcenter.org Jordan Winder did not apply to the high school of his choice, because the dreadlocks he's been growing nearly half his life are not allowed there.
(2020-04-01). Evaluation of Association Between Gastric Acid Suppression and Risk of Intestinal Colonization With MDROs. jamanetwork.com This systematic review and meta-analysis examines the association of use of gastric acid suppressants with the risk of colonization with multidrug-resistant microorganisms (MDROs).
(2020-03-31). [Comment] Ensuring global access to COVID-19 vaccines. thelancet.com The current response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic involves aggressive implementation of suppression strategies, such as case identification, quarantine and isolation, contact tracing, and social distancing. However, models developed by the Imperial College COVID-19 Response Team suggest that "transmission will quickly rebound if interventions are relaxed".1 WHO warns of multiple simultaneous outbreaks of COVID-19 worldwide.2 The development of COVID-19 vaccines that can be used globally is therefore a priority for ending the pandemic.
(2020-02-28). Carol Anderson on Voter Suppression. fair.org 
Media…
(2020-02-04). Biden Threatens Lawsuit to Halt Release of Real Iowa Caucus Results. theantimedia.com American democracy—ain't it grand?>