Monthly Archives: May 2020

2020-05-08: Social Media Postees

Please be social by posting these 'POSTEES' on social media! (Copy the text of the postee below, then paste it on social media and the story images will also appear.)

"A Lynch Mob": After Months of Inaction, 2 White Men Are Charged with Murder of Ahmaud Arbery in GA
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-05-08
The two white men caught on camera shooting and killing Ahmaud Arbery, an unarmed 25-year-old African American man, were arrested and charged Thursday with murder. The arrests came two days after video of the attack in February was shared with the public, sparking widespread outrage. Today would have been Arbery's 26th birthday. We speak with civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, who represents the Arbery family and formerly represented Trayvon Martin.
www.democracynow.org/2020/5/8/ahmaud_arbery_murder_benjamin_crump

Crowded Prisons Are About to Create a Coronavirus Crisis in Rural America
Tana Ganeva | zcomm.org | 2020-05-08
For the past several decades, rural America's economic lifeline has been the construction and operation of prisons and immigrant detention centers, both public and for-profit…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/crowded-prisons-are-about-to-create-a-coronavirus-crisis-in-rural-america/

The Pandemic's Impact on Immigration Detention Centers
Andrea Arroyo | thenation.com | 2020-05-08
The Pandemic's Impact on Immigration Detention Centers…
thenation.com/article/society/pandemic-impact-on-immigration-detention-centers/

Navajos receive federal coronavirus funds after filing lawsuit, deaths increase
Brenda Norrell | indybay.org | 2020-05-08
The Navajo Nation receives coronavirus funds after filing a federal lawsuit to halt the U.S. from its funding scam to Interior Secretary's former employers. Navajo coronavirus cases and deaths increased in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 2,654 cases and 85 deaths from coronavirus.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/05/07/18832858.php

HIGH-FREQUENCY failure of combination antiretroviral therapy in paediatric HIV infection is associated with unmet maternal needs causing maternal NON-ADHERENCE
Jane R. Millar, Nomonde Bengu, Rowena Fillis, Ken Sprenger, Vuyokazi Ntlantsana, Vinicius A. Vieira, Nisreen Khambati, Moherndran Archary, Maximilian Muenchhoff, Andreas Groll, Nicholas Grayson, John Adamson, Katya Govender, Krista Dong, Photini Kiepiela, Bruce D. Walker, David Bonsall, Thomas Connor, Matthew J. Bull, Nelisiwe Nxele, Julia Roider, Nasreen Ismail, Emily Adland, Maria C. Puertas, Javier Martinez-Picado, Philippa C. Matthews, Thumbi Ndung'u, Philip Goulder, the Ucwaningo Lwabantwana Consortium | thelancet.com | 2020-05-08
The success of early infant testing and cART initiation strategies is severely limited by subsequent cART non-adherence in HIV-infected children. Although there are practical challenges to administering paediatric cART formulations, these are overcome by mothers who themselves are cART-adherent. These findings point to the ongoing obligation to address the unmet needs of the mothers. Eliminating the particular barriers preventing adequate treatment for these vulnerable women and infants need to be prioritised in order to achieve durable suppression of viraemia on cART, let alone HIV cure/remission, in HIV-infecte…
thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(20)30088-2/fulltext?rss=yes

Court intervenes as coronavirus spreads to six of Colombia's prisons
Adriaan Alsema | colombiareports.com | 2020-05-08
Colombia's Constitutional Court ordered the country's prison authority to speed up prison releases after the coronavirus infected 709 prisoners and guards in at least six prisons. The court ordered prison…
colombiareports.com/court-intervenes-as-coronavirus-spreads-to-six-of-colombias-prisons/

Court intervenes as coronavirus spreads to six of Colombia's prisons
Adriaan Alsema | colombiareports.com | 2020-05-08
Colombia's Constitutional Court ordered the country's prison authority to speed up prison releases after the coronavirus infected 709 prisoners and guards in at least six prisons. The court ordered prison…
colombiareports.com/court-intervenes-as-coronavirus-spreads-to-six-of-colombias-prisons/

No One, Not Even Trump, is Above the Law
David Cole | aclu.org | 2020-05-07
Next week, on May 12, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in three cases about whether President Trump can block subpoenas issued to his banks and accountant to hand over his personal financial documents in connection with investigations of potential crimes. We argue that Trump, no less than anyone else, has no right to block such subpoenas. No one, not even the president, is above the law. , , Our amicus curiae briefs for the cases, Trump v. Mazars/Trump v. Deutsche Bank AG and…
aclu.org/news/civil-liberties/no-one-not-even-trump-is-above-the-law

PDF download of May 7 issue
A. Majumdar | workers.org | 2020-05-07
Click to download entire 12-page PDF May Day coverage. Also: COVID‚Äë19 North Carolina protest; Genocide on Detroit; Cuban medical team; Trump and China; Pennies vs. billions; Tear down the walls A world without prisons; Mumia: On prison guards; Louisiana death camps; ‚ÄÇEditorial Fascists = bosses' tools; World Palestine Britain Venezuela . . . | Continue reading PDF download of May 7 issue at Workers.org
workers.org/2020/05/48326/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pdf-download-of-may-7-issue

Our Vision for Equitable Marijuana Reform
aclu.org | 2020-05-07

| Legalizing marijuana, while vital, is not enough to remedy the harms of deca…
aclu.org/news/criminal-law-reform/our-vision-for-equitable-marijuana-reform

Federal Court Green-lights Bear Baiting Lawsuit
commondreams.org | 2020-05-07
______________________________…
commondreams.org/newswire/2020/05/07/federal-court-green-lights-bear-baiting-lawsuit?cd-origin=rss

Women In Prison Need More Than Cuomo's Order To Help Against COVID-19
Staff | therealnews.com | 2020-05-07
Incarcerated women still face inadequate testing and an inability to self-isolate, and few will be helped by Cuomo's announcement releasing pregnant and elderly women.
therealnews.com/stories/women-prison-cuomo-release-covid-19

How being a passenger almost put a man behind bars for life in Alabama
splcenter.org | 2020-05-07
When Roberto Cruz dozed off in the passenger seat of a blue Jeep Cherokee on June 23, 2003, he had no idea that he'd end up in Alabama, let alone sentenced to life without parole in a prison there.
splcenter.org/news/2020/05/07/how-being-passenger-almost-put-man-behind-bars-life-alabama

Ecuador's Moreno govt persecutes opponents as coronavirus catastrophe exposes its neoliberal war on public sector
Denis Rogatyuk | thegrayzone.com | 2020-05-06
Sentencing former President Rafael Correa and Jorge Glas to eight years in jail and barring them from public office for…
thegrayzone.com/2020/05/06/ecuadors-moreno-persecutes-coronavirus/

SPLC's Civil Rights Memorial Center, closed due to COVID-19, publishes children's activity book online
splcenter.org | 2020-05-06
splcenter.org/news/2020/05/06/splcs-civil-rights-memorial-center-closed-due-covid-19-publishes-childrens-activity-book

Israeli army bombs three different locations inside besieged Gaza strip
Peoples Dispatch | peoplesdispatch.org | 2020-05-06
Israel continues its oppressive policies against Palestinians and has seized fresh Palestinian lands and demolished houses. It is also refused calls to release Palestinian prisoners in light of the COVID-19 emergency…
peoplesdispatch.org/2020/05/06/israeli-army-bombs-three-different-locations-inside-besieged-gaza-strip/

Army Abducts Fateh Secretary In Al-Jalazoun
IMEMC News | imemc.org | 2020-05-06
Israeli soldiers abducted, on Wednesday evening, the secretary of Fateh movement in the al-Jalazoun refugee camp, north of the central West Bank city of Ramallah. The Palestinian Prisoners' Society (PPS) has reported that the soldiers abducted Tha'er Nakhla, while he was heading back home after a visit to the al-'Ezariyya …
imemc.org/article/army-abducts-fateh-secretary-in-al-jalazoun/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=army-abducts-fateh-secretary-in-al-jalazoun

The Case for Prison Abolition: Ruth Wilson Gilmore on COVID-19, Racial Capitalism & Decarceration
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-05-05
The spread of COVID-19 threatens the lives of more than 2.3 million people locked up in prisons and jails throughout the United States. We look at how the call to release prisoners during the coronavirus pandemic makes the case for prison abolition, with scholar Ruth Wilson Gilmore, co-founder of California Prison Moratorium Project and Critical Resistance and the author of "Golden Gulag: Prison, Surplus, Crisis, and Opposition in Globalizing California." Her forthcoming book is "Change Everything: Racial Capitalism and the Case for Abolition."
www.democracynow.org/2020/5/5/ruth_wilson_gilmore_abolition_coronavirus

Calls Grow for Mass Release from Ohio's Marion Prison as 80% of Prisoners Test Positive for COVID-19
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-05-05
We get an update on one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in the United States, at the Marion Correctional Institution in Ohio, where 11 prisoners and one staff member have died, and at least 80% of prisoners and half of the prison staff tested positive. Despite growing calls to release thousands of Ohio's nearly 50,000 incarcerated people as the coronavirus spreads, Governor Mike DeWine has only approved the release of more than 100 people in the state's prisons. "We're seeing a few people being released … but not anywhere near the 20,000 [we are] demanding," says Azzurra Crispino, whose husband, James, is in…
www.democracynow.org/2020/5/5/marion_correctional_institution_coronavirus_outbreak_calls

Solitary Confinement Used For Children As Young As 11 After COVID-19 Exposure
Staff | therealnews.com | 2020-05-05
Lawyers say Maryland's Department of Juvenile Services and the Department of Correctional Services aren't being transparent about conditions in juvenile detention centers.
therealnews.com/stories/solitary-confinement-juvenile-detention-eleven-coronavirus-exposure-maryland

Moral Choices for Today's Physician
Berwick DM. | jamanetwork.com | 2020-05-05
In this essay, Don Berwick considers moral choices physicians face personally, organizationally, and globally and exhorts them to understand that the health of humanity depends on their speaking out against the social injustice of overpricing drugs and services, mass incarceration, and the lack of environmental responsibility.
jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2765426

My Name Is Not "Interpreter"
Montenegro RE. | jamanetwork.com | 2020-05-05
In this essay, the author relays his personal experience with ethnicity-based discrimination and discusses the "microaggressions" that medical trainees from underrepresented groups based on race/ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation experience.
jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2765422

Palestinian Prisoner Re-Detained on the Day of his Release
Ali Salam | imemc.org | 2020-05-05
Israeli forces, on Monday morning, arrested Nihad Zgheir, as soon as he was released from Israel's Gilboa jail, Quds News Network reported. The Committee of the Families of Jerusalem Prisoners told QNN that Zgheir, 42, who was released from prison Monday morning, after serving 35 months, was re-arrested by the …
imemc.org/article/palestinian-prisoner-re-detained-on-the-day-of-his-release/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=palestinian-prisoner-re-detained-on-the-day-of-his-release

Detainees put at high risk for COVID-19 at Madison, Wi., jail
Annika Lee | liberationnews.org | 2020-05-05
To protect them from COVID-19, incarcerated people must be freed.
liberationnews.org/detainees-put-at-high-risk-for-covid-19-at-madison-wi-jail/

We should never forget Bobby Sands, nor the brutality of the Thatcher government in Ireland
Peter Bolton | thecanary.co | 2020-05-05
Today marks the 39th anniversary of the death of Bobby Sands inside the H-blocks of Long Kesh internment camp. On 5 May 1981, Sands laid down his life for his and his comrades' right for recognition as political prisoners. On this day, we should remember the sacrifice he made for the cause of Irish freedom. But his struggle does not just provide an example that all anti-imperialists should follow. It also serve…
thecanary.co/opinion/2020/05/05/we-should-never-forget-bobby-sands-nor-the-brutality-of-the-thatcher-government-in-ireland/

COVID-19: UN teams step up efforts to protect rights in prisons, as revolts intensify worldwide
news.un.org | 2020-05-05
As senior UN officials spread the alarm over the rapid spread of COVID-19 through prisons

Spy Plane Resumes Flights Over Baltimore Amid COVID-19
Staff | therealnews.com | 2020-05-04
The expensive aerial surveillance program won't help heavily disinvested Baltimore, say Ceasefire co-founder Erricka Bridgeford and author Brandon Soderberg.
therealnews.com/stories/spy-plane-aerial-surveillance-baltimore-appeal-aclu

Consumer Groups Warn Against Shielding Corporate Giants From Covid-19 Liability Lawsuits
Jessica Corbett, staff writer | commondreams.org | 2020-05-07
In a joint letter Wednesday to the Democratic and Republican leaders in Congress, six consumer rights groups expressed concern that "a broad range of businesses are seeking immunity from potential liability related to contracting Covid-19" and urged the federal lawmakers to block any attempts to weaken state-level protections. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-121190503211.jpg
commondreams.org/news/2020/05/07/consumer-groups-warn-against-shielding-corporate-giants-covid-19-liability-lawsuits?cd-origin=rss

South Africa to grant 19,000 inmates parole to curb coronavirus spread
yenisafak.com | 2020-05-08
Around 19,000 people would be freed by the move, taken in response to a U.N. call on all countries to reduce prison populations so that social distancing and self-isolation conditions could be observed, Ramaphosa said.South Africa, which long battled high crime rates and violence against women and children, has 155,000 prisoners. The country of 58 million has recorded 8,232 cases of COVID-19 as of Thursday and 161 deaths."In South Africa, as in many other countries, correctional facilities have witnessed outbreaks of coronavirus infections among inmates and personnel," Ramaphosa's statement said.Ramaphosa said th…
yenisafak.com/en/world/south-africa-to-grant-19000-inmates-parole-to-curb-coronavirus-spread-3518992

Turkey: 44 inmates infected with COVID-19 in Istanbul
yenisafak.com | 2020-05-08
Turkish prosecutors on Friday said that 44 inmates in an Istanbul prison have tested positive for COVID-19.In a statement, Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office said two inmates and 42 others who came in contact with them tested positive at Silivri Prison.The treatment of four prisoners continues at the prison hospital, while others who are asymptomatic are being kept in isolation under the supervision of a doctor.The virus officially known as COVID-19 emerged in Wuhan, China last December, and has spread to at least 187 countries and territories. Europe and the US are currently the worst-hit regions.The glob…
yenisafak.com/en/news/turkey-44-inmates-infected-with-covid-19-in-istanbul-3518989

Venezuela: 45 Killed in Guanare Prison Riot
Paul Dobson | venezuelanalysis.com | 2020-05-04
The government pledged to investigate the May 1 riot, which it described as an attempted breakout.
venezuelanalysis.com/news/14863

A County Jail Battles COVID-19 and the Opioid Crisis–At the Same Time
Marcia Brown | progressive.org | 2020-05-01
The pandemic and an increase in immigration detainees create a double whammy for the rural Ohio jail.
progressive.org/dispatches/county-jail-battles-covid19-and-opioid-crisis-brown-200501/

What Happened When I Needed an Abortion During the Pandemic
Anonymous Mother in Tennessee | aclu.org | 2020-05-01
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

How to Protest in a Pandemic
Emerson Sykes | aclu.org | 2020-05-01
For centuries, Americans have taken to the streets when they've had grievances to share. We've taken to the streets to make our voices heard, to effect change, and to feel and display the power and solidarity of mass gatherings. But with physical distancing and shelter in place orders prevalent throughout the U.S. and the world, how do we responsibly exercise our First Am…
aclu.org/news/free-speech/how-to-protest-in-a-pandemic

McDonald's Employees are Working through the COVID-19 Pandemic. So Why Don't They Have Access to Paid Sick and Family Leave?
Nicole Regalado | aclu.org | 2020-05-01
Essential workers are on the front-lines during the COVID-19 pandemic, and have suffered higher infection rates because of it. Yet too many of these workers do not have access to paid sick leave and family leave. That means that if an employee comes down with COVID-19, they must choose between safeguarding their own health and the health of others, and potentially losing their job. Nobody should have to make this choice. , , Essential businesses include ubiquitous fast-food chains like McDo…
aclu.org/news/racial-justice/mcdonalds-employees-are-working-through-the-covid-19-pandemic-so-why-dont-they-have-access-to-paid-sick-and-family-leave

A COVID-19 Balancing Act: Public Health and Privacy
aclu.org | 2020-05-01
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…
aclu.org/news/civil-liberties/a-covid-19-balancing-act-public-health-and-privacy

How the ACLU is Responding to the Pandemic, Visualized
aclu.org | 2020-04-30
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

Utah's Shiny Surveillance Technology to Address COVID-19 Fails Miserably
Jason Stevenson | aclu.org | 2020-04-30
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…
aclu.org/news/privacy-technology/utahs-shiny-surveillance-technology-to-address-covid-19-fails-miserably

Four Myths About Trans Athletes, Debunked
Chase Strangio | aclu.org | 2020-04-30
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 20 bills seeking to ban trans people from participating in athletics. These statewide efforts have been supported through a coordinated campaign led by anti-LGBTQ groups that have long worked to attack our communities. , , Before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down most state legislatures, Idaho became the first state to pass a sweeping ban on trans people's participation in a…
aclu.org/news/lgbt-rights/four-myths-about-trans-athletes-debunked

Trump attacks trans health access during a pandemic
Aviva Levine | liberationnews.org | 2020-04-28
Under an expected rewrite of part of the ACA, discrimination against trans people in health care would be legally permitted.
liberationnews.org/trump-attacks-trans-health-access-during-a-pandemic/

Trump attacks trans health access during a pandemic
Aviva Levine | liberationnews.org | 2020-04-28
Under an expected rewrite of part of the ACA, discrimination against trans people in health care would be legally permitted.
liberationnews.org/trump-attacks-trans-health-access-during-a-pandemic/

First person to die in Alabama's prisons with COVID-19 spent more than four decades behind bars
splcenter.org | 2020-04-22
splcenter.org/news/2020/04/22/first-person-die-alabamas-prisons-covid-19-spent-more-four-decades-behind-bars

2020-05-07: News Headlines

A. Majumdar (2020-05-07). PDF download of May 7 issue. workers.org Click to download entire 12-page PDF May Day coverage. Also: COVID‚Äë19 North Carolina protest; Genocide on Detroit; Cuban medical team; Trump and China; Pennies vs. billions; Tear down the walls A world without prisons; Mumia: On prison guards; Louisiana death camps; ‚ÄÇEditorial Fascists = bosses' tools; World Palestine Britain Venezuela . . . |

Insult to Black Lives Matter, Insult to All (2020-05-07). SFPD Wore "Blue Lives Matter" Face Masks While Responding to Protests. indybay.org Photos of the scene at a May 1 housing protest in San Francisco show a row of police wearing face masks that depict the "thin blue line" flag. At least one policeman at a reopen rally the same day wore the same mask. Police regulation states that officers cannot alter their uniform. City Police Chief Bill Scott says he is seeking "neutral" face coverings for the city's rank and file.

Alice Speri (2020-05-07). Mass Incarceration Poses a Uniquely American Risk in Pandemic. zcomm.org Mass incarceration is not only causing people to die of Covid-19 behind bars. As corrections facilities become hot spots, the virus is also rapidly spreading into the surrounding communities…

(2020-05-07). Lawsuit Targets Toxic Copper Mine Threatening Minnesota's Boundary Waters Wilderness. globalresearch.ca Conservation groups The Wilderness …

Azzurra Crispino (2020-05-07). 80% of Prisoners at Ohio's Marion Prison Test Positive for COVID-19. zcomm.org Calls Grow for Mass Release…

Mumia Abu-Jamal (2020-05-06). Mumia Abu-Jamal: 'On Prison Guards'. workers.org This slightly edited commentary from April 24 by political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal is available at prisonradio.org/media/audio/mumia. Mumia Abu-Jamal By Mumia Abu-Jamal I remember in [State Correctional Institute] Huntington and even in [SCI] Green. You know, when I was alone with a [guard] talking man-to-man, the guy said: "Listen, I'm a . . . |

Denis Rogatyuk (2020-05-06). Ecuador's Moreno govt persecutes opponents as coronavirus catastrophe exposes its neoliberal war on public sector. thegrayzone.com Sentencing former President Rafael Correa and Jorge Glas to eight years in jail and barring them from public office for…

Vanessa Beeley (2020-05-06). PLANDEMIC, a film about the global plan to take control of our lives, liberty, health & freedom. thealtworld.com "ABOUT THE FILM Humanity is imprisoned by a killer pandemic. People are being arrested for surfing in the ocean and meditating in nature. Nations are collapsing. Hungry citizens are rioting for food. The media has generated so much confusion and fear that people are begging for salvation in a syringe. | Billionaire patent owners are pushing for globally mandated vaccines. Anyone who refuses to be injected with experimental poisons will be prohibited from travel, education and work. No, this is not a synopsis for a new horror movie. | This is our current reality. | Let's back up to address how we got here… In…

commondreams (2020-05-06). First COVID-19 Death in Immigration Detention a Result of Continued Dehumanization of People by ICE. commondreams.org ______________________________…

splcenter (2020-05-06). SPLC's Civil Rights Memorial Center, closed due to COVID-19, publishes children's activity book online. splcenter.org

IMEMC News (2020-05-06). Army Abducts Fateh Secretary In Al-Jalazoun. imemc.org Israeli soldiers abducted, on Wednesday evening, the secretary of Fateh movement in the al-Jalazoun refugee camp, north of the central West Bank city of Ramallah. The Palestinian Prisoners' Society (PPS) has reported that the soldiers abducted Tha'er Nakhla, while he was heading back home after a visit to the al-'Ezariyya …

Peoples Dispatch (2020-05-06). Israeli army bombs three different locations inside besieged Gaza strip. peoplesdispatch.org Israel continues its oppressive policies against Palestinians and has seized fresh Palestinian lands and demolished houses. It is also refused calls to release Palestinian prisoners in light of the COVID-19 emergency…

Staff (2020-05-05). Solitary Confinement Used For Children As Young As 11 After COVID-19 Exposure. therealnews.com Lawyers say Maryland's Department of Juvenile Services and the Department of Correctional Services aren't being transparent about conditions in juvenile detention centers.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-05-05). Víctor Polay: Incarceration in a Peruvian Naval Base. peoplesdispatch.org The political prisoner has spent the past two decades in complete isolation in a special penitentiary center on a Naval Base in Peru. Amid the spread of COVID-19 the incarcerated population is especially at risk…

Staff (2020-05-05). The Case for Prison Abolition: Ruth Wilson Gilmore on COVID-19, Racial Capitalism & Decarceration. democracynow.org The spread of COVID-19 threatens the lives of more than 2.3 million people locked up in prisons and jails throughout the United States. We look at how the call to release prisoners during the coronavirus pandemic makes the case for prison abolition, with scholar Ruth Wilson Gilmore, co-founder of California Prison Moratorium Project and Critical Resistance and the author of "Golden Gulag: Prison, Surplus, Crisis, and Opposition in Globalizing California." Her forthcoming book is "Change Everything: Racial Capitalism and the Case for Abolition."

Staff (2020-05-05). Calls Grow for Mass Release from Ohio's Marion Prison as 80% of Prisoners Test Positive for COVID-19. democracynow.org We get an update on one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in the United States, at the Marion Correctional Institution in Ohio, where 11 prisoners and one staff member have died, and at least 80% of prisoners and half of the prison staff tested positive. Despite growing calls to release thousands of Ohio's nearly 50,000 incarcerated people as the coronavirus spreads, Governor Mike DeWine has only approved the release of more than 100 people in the state's prisons. "We're seeing a few people being released … but not anywhere near the 20,000 [we are] demanding," says Azzurra Crispino, whose husband, James, is in…

Staff (2020-05-05). Headlines for May 5, 2020. democracynow.org Dire Forecasts Warn U.S. Death Toll Could Surge in Coming Weeks as States Move to Relax Restrictions, China Rebukes Trump Admin Claim That Coronavirus Was Man-Made, Report Says Brooklyn Jail Destroying Medical Records to Hide Toll of COVID-19, J. Crew Files for Bankruptcy, Betsy DeVos Sued for Garnishing Wages of Student Loan Holders During Pandemic, EU, World Leaders Pledge Billions to Fund Coronavirus Vaccine; U.S. Sits Out, Questions Raised After 3 Doctors in Russia Fall from Hospital Windows, U.K. May Have Second-Highest Coronavirus Death Toll; France Identifies COVID-19 Case from December, Venezuela Detains…

Berwick DM. (2020-05-05). Moral Choices for Today's Physician. jamanetwork.com In this essay, Don Berwick considers moral choices physicians face personally, organizationally, and globally and exhorts them to understand that the health of humanity depends on their speaking out against the social injustice of overpricing drugs and services, mass incarceration, and the lack of environmental responsibility.

Montenegro RE. (2020-05-05). My Name Is Not "Interpreter" jamanetwork.com In this essay, the author relays his personal experience with ethnicity-based discrimination and discusses the "microaggressions" that medical trainees from underrepresented groups based on race/ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation experience.

Ali Salam (2020-05-05). Palestinian Prisoner Re-Detained on the Day of his Release. imemc.org Israeli forces, on Monday morning, arrested Nihad Zgheir, as soon as he was released from Israel's Gilboa jail, Quds News Network reported. The Committee of the Families of Jerusalem Prisoners told QNN that Zgheir, 42, who was released from prison Monday morning, after serving 35 months, was re-arrested by the …

news.un (2020-05-05). COVID-19: UN teams step up efforts to protect rights in prisons, as revolts intensify worldwide. news.un.org As senior UN officials spread the alarm over the rapid spread of COVID-19 through prisons — where physical distancing is nigh on impossible, and hygiene is often inadequate — UN Corrections, Justice and Human Rights teams are working to protect prison staff and detainees from the ravages of the virus.

Staff (2020-05-04). Spy Plane Resumes Flights Over Baltimore Amid COVID-19. therealnews.com The expensive aerial surveillance program won't help heavily disinvested Baltimore, say Ceasefire co-founder Erricka Bridgeford and author Brandon Soderberg.

Staff (2020-05-04). Headlines for May 4, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. Makes Up a Third of Known Cases as Trump Revises Predicted Death Toll, NYC Nursing Home Reports Nearly 100 Deaths Linked to COVID-19, Trump Admin Continues Attack on China, Insists COVID-19 Developed in Wuhan Lab, White House Blocks Anthony Fauci from Testifying to House, Senators Return to Work in Coronavirus Hot Spot Washington, D.C., SCOTUS to Hear Cases by Phone, Arguments Will Be Open to Public, NYPD Violently Attack Two Black Men During Social Distancing Enforcement, Guards Sue ICE Jail for Failing to Protect Workers, Georgia Restaurants Refuse to Reopen After Gov. Kemp Lifts Lockdown, Spain, Italy Eas…

Fight Back (2020-05-04). Boyle Heights celebrates May Day for the 6th consecutive year. fightbacknews.org Los Angeles, CA – On Friday, May 1, a car protest of over 40 vehicles driven by workers, teachers and activists took to the streets for the sixth consecutive year to celebrate International Workers Day, May Day, in the Boyle Heights neighborhood. Organized by Centro CSO, this year's May Day protest focused on Trump's attacks on immigrants and called for free healthcare for COVID-19 patients, support for public education, jailing killer cops and community control over the police. | "The coronavirus pandemic has affected oppressed nationalities like African Americans, Chicanos and American Indians the most. Unsafe…

Paul Dobson (2020-05-04). Venezuela: 45 Killed in Guanare Prison Riot. venezuelanalysis.com The government pledged to investigate the May 1 riot, which it described as an attempted breakout.

The Lancet (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.

news.un (2020-05-02). Sudan bans female genital mutilation, UNICEF vows to help support new law. news.un.org The United Nations Childen's Fund (UNICEF) welcomed the landmark move by Sudan's transitional government this week to criminalize female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), with a three-year jail sentence for offenders.

Sarah Ditum (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.

Talha Burki (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.

Tehran Times (2020-05-04). Coronavirus-positive scientist to return home from U.S. jail: Tehran. iranian.com Sirous Asgari, an Iranian scientist imprisoned in the United States who has contracted the novel coronavirus, will return home soon, according to Iran's Foreign Ministry. During a press conference on Monday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said the ministry is following up on Asgari's case both in Iran and in the U.S. Asgari, who has …

Emerson Sykes (2020-05-01). How to Protest in a Pandemic. aclu.org For

Marcia Brown (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.

Nicole Regalado (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

Anonymous Mother in Tennessee (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…

ACLU (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…

ACLU (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…

Jason Stevenson (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…

Chase Strangio (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

Kanya Bennett (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)

Aviva Levine (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.

Staff (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…

splcenter (2020-04-22). First person to die in Alabama's prisons with COVID-19 spent more than four decades behind bars. splcenter.org

Ryan Cristián (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 …

Gavin Yamey, Marco Schà§ferhoff, Richard Hatchett, Muhammad Pate, Feng Zhao, Kaci Kennedy McDade (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.

CounterSpin (2020-02-28). Carol Anderson on Voter Suppression. fair.org Media…

Tyler Durden (2020-02-04). Biden Threatens Lawsuit to Halt Release of Real Iowa Caucus Results. theantimedia.com American democracy—ain't it grand?>