(2023-06-19). Reparations, in Our Lifetime. aclu.org 
Once dismissed by many as impractical, the quest for reparations for the descendants of African people enslaved in the United States is now being embraced as a legitimate concept to be taken seriously. The remedy is not only being sought to address harms from the enslavement era, but also for lingering impacts which manifest today. The illegal kidnapping, cultural assault, and nearly 300 years of forced free labor, followed by 100 years of convict leased labor, Black codes, sharecropping, the peonage system, lynchings, mass murders, systemic racism, Jim Crow, gerrymandering, redlining, educational inequities,…
(2023-06-18). Calls for Systemic Transformation of US Policing Follow Damning DOJ Report on Minneapolis PD. scheerpost.com 
"Reform isn't what we need! 'Reform' means more money for the killer cop industry that will never erase its origins out of slave patrols," asserted Black Lives Matter.
(2023-06-19). "Get Down to Business": Harry Belafonte in 2016 on Trump, Socialism & Fighting for Justice. democracynow.org 
We continue our Juneteenth special with more from Harry Belafonte, the legendary actor, singer and civil rights activist, who died in April at the age of 96. Belafonte last appeared on Democracy Now! in 2016 at a special event at the historic Riverside Church in New York to celebrate Democracy Now!'s 20th anniversary. He co-headlined the event with Noam Chomsky. It was the first time they had done a public event together. Belafonte spoke about Donald Trump, who had just been elected president, and ongoing struggles for freedom and justice in the United States. "We just have to get out our old coats, dus…
(2023-06-19). "Sing Your Song": Remembering Harry Belafonte, Who Used His Stardom to Help MLK & Civil Rights Movement. democracynow.org 
We dedicate part of our Juneteenth special to remembering the life and legacy of the legendary actor, singer and civil rights activist Harry Belafonte, who died in April at the age of 96. Belafonte appeared on Democracy Now! numerous times, and we feature two interviews. We begin with our 2011 interview at the Sundance Film Festival, where a documentary about his life, titled Sing Your Song, premiered, and discuss his political awakening and activism in detail. "Going into the South of the United States, listening to the voices of rural Black America, listening to the voices of those who sang out against th…
(2023-06-19). Addressing cancer concerns in the LGBTQ+ community. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org During June, many cities and towns around the U.S. and the world celebrate and raise awareness of the LGBTQ+ community's accomplishments and the ongoing fight for equality and acceptance. When it comes to health, the LGBTQ+ community faces increased cancer concerns. Stigma and discrimination create barriers to health care, placing the LGBTQ+ community at heightened risk for certain forms of cancer. Being aware of cancer risks and finding ways to overcome these challenges can be lifesaving. Mayo…
(2023-06-19). Redacted: Massachusetts Withholding Plans For New Women's Prison. shadowproof.com When the state House and Senate passed a five-year moratorium on building any new prisons and jails last year, those who had spent years fighting against the construction of a new women's prison thought that the Legislature was finally listening. But, in one of his last moves in office last August, former Gov. Charlie Baker …
(2023-06-19). A Juneteenth call to close prisons. therealnews.com 
(2023-06-19). What Juneteenth Looks Like For Prisoners. popularresistance.org Juneteenth is a bittersweet day for us — and all Black people in prison holding onto the promise of freedom. | Let's start with history. The Emancipation Proclamation — issued by Abraham Lincoln on Sept. 22, 1862, during the American Civil War — declared that all slaves in the Confederacy would be "forever free." Unfortunately, that freedom didn't extend to the four slaveholding states not in rebellion against the Union, and the proclamation was of course ignored by the Confederate states in rebellion. For the roughly 4 million people enslaved, Lincoln's declaration was symbolic; only after the…
(2023-06-19). Swaziland: Campaign launched for release of political prisoners. greenleft.org.au 
(2023-06-19). Criminalized Survivors Face Judgement and Abuse From Their Own Defense Attorneys. truthout.org "They're offering you 40, I think you should take it." This was Kwaneta Harris's first interaction with her lawyer. Forty years in prison for protecting her life from a man she once cared for deeply. She declined the plea offer, and her lawyer promptly left. Writing about criminalized survivors often focuses on the harms inflicted by prosecutors, judges, prisons and parole commissions. |
(2023-06-19). Daniel Ellsberg and Julian Assange. wsws.org If the courageous Vietnam-era whistleblower carried out his actions today, he would undoubtedly face the same fate as Julian Assange: imprisonment and media vilification.
(2023-06-19). The Imminent Extradition of Julian Assange and the Death of Journalism. transcend.org 17 Jun 2023 – Julian Assange's legal options have nearly run out. He could be extradited to the U.S. this week. Should he be convicted in the U.S., any reporting on the inner workings of power will become a crime. Julian may be imprisoned for journalism, but he won't be the only one.
(2023-06-18). For Many Black People Behind Bars, Juneteenth Comes With Joy and Grief. truthout.org Juneteenth is a bittersweet day for us — and all Black people in prison holding onto the promise of freedom. Let's start with history. The Emancipation Proclamation — issued by Abraham Lincoln on Sept. 22, 1862, during the American Civil War — declared that all slaves in the Confederacy would be "forever free." Unfortunately, that freedom didn't extend to the four slaveholding states not in… |
(2023-06-18). Prison Has Robbed Me of Father's Day 25 Times. All I Want Is to Be With My Sons. truthout.org Father's Day in prison is disheartening. Far away from a "rainbows and flower pots" type of celebration. Far away from festivities where your children give you gifts and tell you how much they love and care about you. Being a father from behind bars is utterly impossible, something unattainable. The 15-minute phone calls hardly do justice. The number of letters you can mail in and out are few. |
(2023-06-19). Wang urges U.S. to stop hyping threat and lift sanctions. ecns.cn Wang Yi has asked the United States to stop hyping up China's threat, lift illegal unilateral sanctions against China, stop its suppression of China's scientific and technological development, and refrain from interfering in China's internal affairs.
(2023-06-18). For Many Black People Behind Bars, Juneteenth Comes With Joy and Grief. truthout.org Juneteenth is a bittersweet day for us — and all Black people in prison holding onto the promise of freedom. Let's start with history. The Emancipation Proclamation — issued by Abraham Lincoln on Sept. 22, 1862, during the American Civil War — declared that all slaves in the Confederacy would be "forever free." Unfortunately, that freedom didn't extend to the four slaveholding states not in… |
(2023-06-18). Prison Has Robbed Me of Father's Day 25 Times. All I Want Is to Be With My Sons. truthout.org Father's Day in prison is disheartening. Far away from a "rainbows and flower pots" type of celebration. Far away from festivities where your children give you gifts and tell you how much they love and care about you. Being a father from behind bars is utterly impossible, something unattainable. The 15-minute phone calls hardly do justice. The number of letters you can mail in and out are few. |
(2023-06-19). Wang urges U.S. to stop hyping threat and lift sanctions. ecns.cn Wang Yi has asked the United States to stop hyping up China's threat, lift illegal unilateral sanctions against China, stop its suppression of China's scientific and technological development, and refrain from interfering in China's internal affairs.