Johanna Silver (2023-11-22). 2023 at the ACLU: Our Year in Stories. aclu.org Across the country, 2023 saw both new and ongoing challenges to civil rights, whether it was reproductive freedom, access to gender-affirming health care, or the ability to speak openly and freely in classrooms. But the ACLU has been there every step of the way, and we've seen many victories amid these challenges. Throughout the year, we brought attention to some of the country's biggest fights to protect our rights, shared the stories of those whose freedoms were assailed, and celebrated hard-won battles. Look back with us on some of the civil rights moments that defined this year. |
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Deepak Bhargava, Stephanie Luce (2023-11-22). Why We Need Bayard Rustin's Practical Radicalism Today. counterpunch.org Ask most Americans what they think of "radicals" and you'll hear skepticism. Ask them about "practical radicals," and you might get a chuckle. Surely practical people don't try to change society in dramatic ways? A new film and books about Bayard Rustin, an organizer and strategist in civil rights, peace, and economic justice movements, bring

Larry Johnson (2023-11-22). Israel Accepts Cease fire Deal to Secure Release OF SOME HOSTAGEs. sonar21.com I would like to have been a fly on the wall of the Tuesday night meeting of the Israeli Cabinet. That meeting lasted well over three hours and pitted Netanyahu against the more radical members of his government. According to Haaretz: | The Israeli cabinet has voted to accept a deal for a temporary cease-fire with Hamas that would involve the exchange of hostages being held by the organization for Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails. According to a senior Israeli official, the plan will see Hamas release 30 kidnapped children, eight mothers and 12 more women during a five-day cease-fire. | According to th…

Staff (2023-11-22). Meet the Israeli History Teacher Arrested & Jailed for Facebook Posts Opposing Killing of Palestinians. democracynow.org On November 9, Israeli police arrested Jerusalem history and civics teacher Meir Baruchin after he posted a message on Facebook about his opposition to the killing of innocent Palestinian civilians. Police seized his phone and two laptops before interrogating him on suspicion of committing an act of treason and intending to disrupt public order. After being in jail for four days, Baruchin was freed but lost his job as a teacher and is still facing charges. "These days Israeli citizens who are showing the slightest sentiment for the people of Gaza, opposing killing of innocent civilians, they are being polit…

Democracy Now! (2023-11-22). Democracy Now! 2023-11-22 Wednesday. democracynow.org Headlines for November 22, 2023; Israel & Hamas Agree to 4-Day Truce & Hostage Release as Netanyahu Threatens War on Gaza Will Go On; Meet the Israeli History Teacher Arrested & Jailed for Facebook Posts Opposing Killing of Palestinians; Gaza in Ruins: Satellite Imagery Researchers Say Israel has Destroyed or Damaged 56,000 Buildings | Headlines for November 22, 2023; Israel & Hamas Agree to 4-Day Truce & Hostage Release as Netanyahu Threatens War on Gaza Will Go On; Meet the Israeli History Teacher Arrested & Jailed for Facebook Posts Opposing Killing of Palestinians; Gaza in Ruins: Satellite Imagery Researchers S…

Editor (2023-11-22). Environmental Pollution Lawsuit May Pump the Breaks on Cop City Construction. scheerpost.com

Jamal Kanj (2023-11-23). Israel's War of Ethnic Cleansing. counterpunch.org In the battle of his political life, Benjamin Netanyahu has nothing to lose. He could, however, gain vainglory and self-exaltation by murdering as many Palestinians as possible to satisfy the unquenchable vengeful Israeli culture. A crime catapult by Western leaders who rallied behind Netanyahu in the aftermath of the prisoners' revolt against…

Rachel Ellis (2023-11-23). The Role of Religion in US Prisons. counterpunch.org In This Place Called Prison offers a vivid account of religious life within an institution designed to punish. Rachel Ellis conducted a year of ethnographic fieldwork inside a U.S. state women's prison, talking with hundreds of incarcerated women, staff, and volunteers. Through their stories, Ellis shows how women draw on religion to navigate lived experiences of

Dave DeCamp (2023-11-23). Israeli Official Says Hamas Hostage Deal Delayed Until Friday. news.antiwar.com The start of a short-term ceasefire to facilitate the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners in Israel will not start until Friday, an Israeli official said on Wednesday. "The contacts on the release of our hostages are advancing and continuing constantly. The start of the release will take place according to the …

Answer Coalition (2023-11-22). A Pause Is Just That: A Pause — We Demand a Permanent Ceasefire! answercoalition.org , This statement was issued by the Palestinian Youth Movement, National Students for Justice in Palestine, The People's Forum, ANSWER Coalition, and the International People's Assembly | The steadfast resilience and resistance of the Palestinian people has delivered a 4-day pause in the ongoing genocide while securing the imminent release of 150 Palestinian political prisoners. | The global movement for Palestinian liberation has played a large role in creating and sustaining the global pressure against the Zionist regime — pressure that has temporarily forced Israel's hand. Nevertheless, a pause is just th…

Bloomington ABC (2023-11-22). Fire Ant: Anarchist Prisoner Solidarity #17. itsgoingdown.org Announcing Fire Ant #17, a publication featuring the writings of anarchist prisoners. [PDF for printing] Fire Ant is a quarterly publication focused on spreading the words of anarchist prisoners and generating material solidarity for our imprisoned friends. Begun as a collaboration between anarchist prisoners and anarchists in Maine, Fire Ant seeks to raise material aid…

Darrell Jackson (2023-11-22). Coming to Terms with a Lifetime of Trauma While in Prison. dissidentvoice.org I am a Black man in prison, and I want to talk about trauma. I want us all to be able to talk about trauma. I'm here because when I was a teenager and young man, I made many bad life choices involving drugs and violence. Living with the consequences of my actions is not …

Liberation Staff (2023-11-22). A Pause Is Just That: A Pause — We Demand a Permanent Ceasefire! liberationnews.org The steadfast resilience and resistance of the Palestinian people has delivered a 4-day pause in the ongoing genocide while securing the imminent release of 150 Palestinian political prisoners.

Mustafa Abu Sneineh (2023-11-22). 'Operation Al-Aqsa Flood' Day 47: Israel and Hamas agree to a temporary truce, release captives and prisoners. mondoweiss.net According to the Qatari-mediated agreement, Hamas would release 50 Israeli captives in exchange for 150 Palestinian children and women prisoners. Meanwhile, Israel airstrikes on Gaza Strip continue, killing at least 200 people overnight.

Orinoco Tribune 2 (2023-11-22). 'Israel' Assassinates Prisoner Thaer Abu Asab in Al-Naqab Prison. orinocotribune.com The Prisoners Club says the Israeli occupation is carrying out systematic operations against Palestinian prisoners. | The Palestinian Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners Club announced that Israeli occupation forces assassinated 38-year-old prisoner Thaer Sameeh Abu Asab from Qalqilya province in the al-Naqab Desert prison. | Israeli occupation forces arrested Abu Asab on May 27, 2005, and sentenced him to 25 years in prison. It is noteworthy that Abu Asab is the sixth prisoner to be assassinated by the Israeli occupation, following the start of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood o…

Peoples Dispatch (2023-11-22). Israel and Hamas agree on deal for four-day truce as Gaza deal toll crosses 14,000. peoplesdispatch.org The deal mediated by Qatar would see 50 Israeli captives being released in return for a four-day halt in attacks by Israel and the release of 150 Palestinian prisoners, most of whom are women and children…

Peoples Dispatch (2023-11-22). Demands grow for a permanent ceasefire. peoplesdispatch.org In the early hours of November 22, Israeli and Hamas officials announced that they accepted the agreement brokered by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States for a 4-day pause in aggression in the Gaza Strip, which includes the exchange of 150 Palestinian political prisoners for 50 non-military Israeli hostages, as well as the entry of 300 trucks of humanitarian aid into the besieged Gaza Strip. | This temporary pause comes after Israel has slaughtered over 14,500 Palestinians in Gaza, with 7,000 still trapped under the rubble and over 35,000 wounded. Israel's airstrikes on hospitals and civilian infrastructure as we…

Staff (2023-11-22). Israel & Hamas Agree to 4-Day Truce & Hostage Release as Netanyahu Threatens War on Gaza Will Go On. democracynow.org Under the terms of a new hostage deal, Hamas will release 50 hostages who were captured in its October 7 attack in exchange for Israel releasing 150 Palestinian women and teenagers held in Israeli prison and agreeing to a four-day pause in fighting to exchange captives and bring urgently needed humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. The four-day pause could be extended if Hamas continues to release hostages, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Israel would continue its 47-day bombardment of Gaza that has killed 14,000 Palestinians. "This is a rare glimmer of hope," says former Israeli p…

Staff (2023-11-22). Truce Reached in Gaza: Temporary Ceasefire and Prisoner Exchange Confirmed. orinocotribune.com Caracas ( On Wednesday, November 22, at dawn, Hamas announced that an agreement has been reached between Palestinian resistance movements and the Israeli entity for a 4-day ceasefire in Gaza, with the provision of possible extension. The ceasefire will enter into effect from 10 a.m. on Thursday, November 23. | The deal, mediated by Qatar and Egypt, consists of clauses much closer to Hamas'—and n…

Jake Johnson (2023-11-22). Israel-Hamas Pause Is Not Enough Say Progressives, We Need a Permanent Ceasefire. truthout.org Israel and Hamas have agreed to a deal under which dozens of Israeli hostages will be freed in exchange for a brief pause in fighting and the release of 150 Palestinian women and children held in Israel's prisons. The pause, set to take effect within the next 24 hours, is expected to last at least four days to allow for the release of 50 hostages held by Hamas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin… |

Marissa Gerchick (2023-11-20). Why Meaningful Algorithm Auditing is Key to Protecting Civil Rights in the Digital Age. aclu.org Employers today rely on various kinds of artificial intelligence (AI) or other

Palestine Legal (2023-11-20). Pro-Palestine Student Group in Florida Sues University System to Prevent Deactivation. indybay.org University of Florida's Students for Justice in Palestine is represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Florida, and Palestine Legal…

Sharon Zhang (2023-11-20). Federal Court Guts Enforcement of Voting Rights Act in "Catastrophic" Ruling. truthout.org On Monday, a conservative three-judge panel on the United State's most right-wing federal court struck down the primary enforcement mechanism of the Voting Rights Act in a ruling that experts are saying would be "catastrophic" for voting rights across the country if upheld. In a 2-1 ruling, the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that private litigants, like voting and civil rights groups… |

Binoy Kampmark (2023-11-20). The Politics of Indefinite Detention in Australia. counterpunch.org The High Court of Australia is not known for its zealotry in protecting human rights, and certainly not when considering the persuasive pull of international law and conventions. The Australian Parliament is usually given a generous hand in making policies that tend to outrage such conventions, a freedom made that much easier by an absence

Yoav Haifawi (2023-11-20). Four more Palestinian students detained in nightly raids for social media posts. mondoweiss.net Israeli police continue to detain students over social media posts in what critics say is a coordinated campaign to crush the Palestinian student movement.

Staff (2023-11-20). Muslim countries should cut political ties with Israel : Ayatollah Khamenei. muslimmirror.com Tehran : Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has described the Zionist regime as a manifestation of racial discrimination, urging Muslim countries to cut the lifeline of the Zionist regime of Israel. Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei made these remarks during his visit to the IRGC Aerospace Forces exhibition on Sunday. Ayatollah …

Mansa Musa (2023-11-20). New Orleans wants to expand a city jail—these former prisoners say no. therealnews.com A $110 million plan to add a new mental health wing to the New Orleans Parish Jail is facing staunch opposition from formerly incarcerated people. Organized under the mantle of Studio Production: Cameron Granadino | Post-P…

Patrick Mazza (2023-11-21). Shutting Down the Space Needle, Standing Up for Gaza. counterpunch.org We shut down the Space Needle yesterday. Close to 500 stood at the base of the Needle while protesters in shirts saying "NOT IN OUR NAME" and "CEASEFIRE NOW" blocked the doors, arms clasped together, willing to go to jail if necessary. But the cops never showed up over the 3-hour action. The Needle closed

Al Mayadeen (2023-11-21). Turkey Files Lawsuit Against Netanyahu with ICC Over Gaza Genocide. globalresearch.ca

Kevin Gosztola, The Dissenter. (2023-11-21). Update On Lawsuit Against Alleged CIA Spying On Assange Visitors. popularresistance.org A United States court held an extraordinary hearing on November 16, where a judge carefully considered a lawsuit against the CIA and former CIA director Mike Pompeo for their alleged role in spying on American attorneys and journalists who visited WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. | Judge John Koeltl of the Southern District of New York pushed back when Assistant U.S. Attorney Jean-David Barnea refused to confirm or deny that the CIA had targeted Americans without obtaining a warrant. He also invited attorneys for the Americans to update the lawsuit so that claims of privacy violations explicitly dealt with the g…

Sonali Kolhatkar (2023-11-21). Americans are Bankrolling Israel's Unfolding Genocide in Gaza. counterpunch.org Palestinians, on the basis of their legal right against being wiped out, have filed a major lawsuit against President Joe Biden's administration for funding Israel's ongoing pogrom in Gaza, one that has killed more than 11,000 people, including 4,700 children. Represented by the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), the plaintiffs include Palestinians who have collectively lost at least 116 family members to U.S.-funded Israeli military attacks.

Joseph Winters (2023-11-20). In First-of-Its-Kind Lawsuit, New York Targets PepsiCo's Plastic Pollution. truthout.org Plastic trash produced by the company PepsiCo has become a "persistent and dangerous form of plastic pollution" for residents of the Buffalo River watershed in upstate New York, according to a new lawsuit filed Wednesday. The suit, brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, is one of the first legal challenges from a state against a major plastic producer. It draws on a 2022 investigation… |

WSWS (2023-11-20). DSA covers for complicity of Biden and Democratic Party in Gaza genocide. wsws.org The DSA has belatedly adopted the call for a ceasefire in an attempt at political damage control internally and an effort to prop up the illusion that war and oppression can be ended through pressure from below on the Democratic Party.

Anonymous Contributor (2023-11-20). Interview with Anarchist Prisoner and Okupa Che Member Jorge "Yorch" Esquivel. itsgoingdown.org The following contains an interview with anarcho-punk political prisoner and member of the Okupa Che collective in Mexico City, Jorge "Yorch" Esquivel. Stay up with news about political prisoners by following our In Contempt column. La versión en español de la entrevista sigue a la versión en inglés. IGD: Can you start by introducing yourself?…

NYC Anarchist Black Cross (2023-11-20). International Call For New Year's Eve Noise Demonstrations. itsgoingdown.org Call from the NYC chapter of the Anarchist Black Cross (ABC) for noise demonstrations this New Year's Eve (NYE). This is a call for a raucous night of strong solidarity with those imprisoned by the state on one of the noisiest nights of the year. On New Year's Eve gather your crew, collective, community, organization,…

Philadelphia Anarchist Black Cross (2023-11-20). Report back from Running Down the Walls Event in Philadelphia. itsgoingdown.org Report back from Philadelphia Anarchist Black Cross (ABC) on their recent Running Down the Walls event in support of political prisoners. We're pleased to report the success from the sixth annual Philadelphia Running Down The Walls in support of political prisoners and prisoners of war, and the movement to #StopCopCity. Before we go any further,…

presstv.ir (2023-11-20). Despite claims to contrary, US intensifying Israel's war on Gaza: Iran. presstv.ir Since October 7, Israel has killed over 13,000 Palestinians in Gaza.

WSWS (2023-11-20). Germany to prosecute slogan calling for freedom for Palestine as a crime. wsws.org The use of the slogan "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" is now being prosecuted in Germany as a criminal offense punishable by imprisonment of up to three years or a fine.

Yoav Haifawi, Mondoweiss. (2023-11-20). First Tel Aviv Anti-War Demonstration Reveals Limits On Protest In Israel. popularresistance.org Since October 7, Israeli police have implemented full dictatorship from the river to the sea. This has included preventing any anti-war protest within the Green Line and filling the prisons with 'freedom-of-expression' prisoners. Today, November 18, after a month and 11 days of massive bloodshed, there was the first anti-war demonstration in Tel Aviv. I joined the protest mostly because I felt obliged to support the call for immediate ceasefire and call for an "all for all" captives and prisoners' exchange. But I also wanted to assess what this demonstration teaches us about the current policies of the repressive…

The Independent (2023-11-21). Kampala lands boss remanded in sh2 billion fraud case. independent.co.ug Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Buganda Road Chief Magistrates Court has remanded Kampala District Land Board chairperson David Balondemu to Luzira Prison on charges of obtaining money by false pretense and conspiracy to defraud. Balondemu on Monday together with Joseph Ibona an Accountant at Bloom Advocates were arraigned before the Grade One Magistrate …

presstv.ir (2023-11-20). Knesset set to discuss death penalty law for Palestinian prisoners: Ben Gvir. presstv.ir Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir says the Knesset is set to discuss a draft law on 'executing Palestinian prisoners' for initial approval this week.

WSWS (2023-11-20). Opposition to crackdown on pro-Palestinian student organizations mounts at Columbia University. wsws.org The opposition by students and faculty to the suppression of free speech on university campuses is beginning to take on an ever more political character and is increasingly directed against the Democratic Party.