(2018-11-10). Fierce Critic of Mueller Probe Now Has Power to Sabotage the Investigation. zcomm.org The day after the midterm elections, Donald Trump fired Attorney General Jeff Sessions and appointed Trump loyalist Matthew Whitaker as acting attorney general. Whitaker, who has criticized the Mueller probe in the past, could fire Robert Mueller or defang his investigation. Although Sessions was faithfully carrying out Trump's draconian agenda on civil rights, immigration and Read more…
(2018-11-10). Florida judge orders voter records inspection, siding with Republicans as recount looms. rt.com 
A Florida judge ruled the Broward County elections supervisor must allow inspection of voter records in response to a lawsuit from outgoing Governor Rick Scott, whose Senate victory is now in jeopardy thanks to late-counted votes.
(2018-11-10). Iranian Cartoonist Ali Dorani Talks About Life In And Out Of Australia's Detention Camps. iranian.com Ali Dorani was 21 when he arrived at Australia's Christmas Island by boat seeking asylum, on July 2013. After six months, he was transferred to Manus Island, Australia's offshore detention camp in Papua New Guinea, where he would stay for the next four years of his life. He began drawing cartoons at Manus to cope with his Obsessive Compulsive […]
(2018-11-10). Israeli Colonists Puncture Tires, Write Racist Graffiti, Near Salfit. indybay.org
(2018-11-09). Myths on Race and Invasion of the 'Caravan Horde'. counterpunch.org 
Now comes the mid-term elections. Perhaps what is most astonishing for me, as both an anthropologist and educator, is the level of racist discourse promoted by the current Trump administration against hapless refugees and the so-called threat they pose. Indeed, Trump and his administration have focused on immigrants as a major threat to the security More
(2018-11-09). Florida Gov. Rick Scott sues 2 Democratic strongholds over election 'theft' as recount looms. rt.com 
Florida Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican candidate for Senate, has filed lawsuits against Broward County and Palm Beach County election supervisors, accusing them of trying to rob him of election victory with heaps of new ballots.
(2018-11-09). NAACP Demands for Georgia Election Officials to Promptly Investigate Pattern of Georgia Students Being Denied the Right to Vote. naacp.org BALTIMORE(November 9, 2018)—NAACP, the nation's foremost civil rights organization, sent a letter to Georgia elections officials just two days after the state's too-close-to-call elections, demanding a prompt investigation into reports that Georgia student voters were turned away from polling stations, unable to vote. Others were improperly required to vote provisional ballots. The letter cites two instances where university students […] | The post
(2018-11-09). The White House Unleashes More Attacks on Reproductive Health Care. aclu.org The White House released rules this week attacking insurance coverage for abortion and birth control. | On Tuesday, voters turned out in record numbers for the midterm elections — and there is good evidence that health care motivated many of them to head to the polls. They voted to (2018-11-09). SPLC sues Trump administration over president's asylum ban. splcenter.org The SPLC filed a federal lawsuit today against the Trump administration's asylum ban, challenging an interim final rule that was issued yesterday and a presidential proclamation that President Trump signed this morning.
(2018-11-09). Satanists file $50m lawsuit over 'misused' Baphomet statue in Netflix series. rt.com 
The Satanic Temple has filed a hefty $50-million lawsuit claiming its iconic Baphomet statue was hijacked to create a stereotypical representation of the supernatural evil in Netflix show 'The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.'
(2018-11-09). Trump challenged on trans and gender diverse discrimination. greenleft.org.au 
Trans and gender diverse people in the US are preparing to fight for their lives — literally — against a push by the Republican religious right to quash life-saving laws protecting them from discrimination. | A leaked memo from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) revealed it is pushing for the federal civil rights law that bans gender discrimination in education programs receiving government assistance to redefine sex as binary. If the push is successful, the law wound dictate that the gender assigned at birth cannot be changed. | If successful, this would effectively exclude about 2 mil…
(2018-11-09). Before Resigning, Jeff Sessions Handcuffed the Justice Department's Ability to Police the Police. aclu.org The former attorney general's last action all but eliminates federal oversight of abusive law enforcement agencies. | In his final move as attorney general, Jeff Sessions on Wednesday issued a new policy that all but eliminates federal oversight of state and local law enforcement agencies that engage in unconstitutional and unlawful policing. While Sessions — a white man with money and political connections — will likely never be personally affected by this policy change, his decision to sabotage the legal instruments of federal civil rights enforcement is going to harm people and communities of color…
(2018-11-09). Jeff Sessions Leaves a Dark Mark on the Justice Department. aclu.org Sessions' Justice Department systematically undermined civil liberties and civil rights. | Under almost any other circumstances, the firing of Attorney General Jeff Sessions would be a moment for dancing in the streets. Sessions oversaw a Justice Department that systematically undermined civil liberties and civil rights. | But his departure portends no improvement on these fronts. And the fact that President Trump
(2018-11-09). Jeff Sessions Was the Worst Attorney General in Modern American History. aclu.org From immigration to transgender rights, Attorney General Jeff Sessions showed contempt for American civil rights and liberties. | On Wednesday, the Trump administration bid farewell to one of its most infamous members: Attorney General Jeff Sessions. In his brief tenure, Sessions managed to dismantle and rescind an astounding range of efforts by prior administrations to protect civil rights and civil liberties and introduced new policies that endanger some of the most vulnerable citizens in the U.S. | From his draconian approach to immigration policy to his efforts to erase protections for transgender people to h…
(2018-11-09). Civil rights under threat in name of national security. greenleft.org.au 
One of the usual threats trotted out by governments proposing what would otherwise be considered radical attacks on civil liberties is national security. | The Australian newspaper reported on June 8 that Attorney-General Christian Porter was demanding urgent passage of two separate espionage and foreign interference bills following "intelligence advice of an accelerated escalation in hostile foreign activity over the past 12 months". | The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security had just published a 400-page report containing 60 recommendations, giving the green light to the first bill, the Es…
(2018-11-09). President Trump's Proclamation Suspending Asylum Rights Is Illegal, So We're Suing. aclu.org Refugees fleeing violence have a right to declare asylum regardless of how and where they enter the country. | Claiming that the illegal entry of immigrants across the southern border of the United States is a national crisis, President Trump on Friday issued a proclamation purporting to bar the entry of all persons entering the United States at any place other than an official port of entry. | The Trump administration's action is contrary to the founding values of the country — welcoming homeless refugees to our shores. It also violates U.S. law, so we, along with the
(2018-11-08). NAACP Statement on Brian Kemp's Resignation as Georgia Secretary of State. naacp.org NAACP President and CEO, Derrick Johnson, released the following statement after reports of Georgia Secretary of State and Gubernatorial Candidate, Brian Kemp's resignation: "It's unfortunate that Brian Kemp did not step down months ago as Secretary of State to ensure that Georgia had a fair election. Whether it's malicious intent or benign neglect, Kemp's actions […]
(2018-11-08). Minnesota protest says 'no' to military at the border, 'yes' to asylum for migrants. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – More than 50 people gathered November 5 at rush hour to protest on the Lake Street/Marshall Avenue bridge, a major artery that connects Minneapolis and Saint Paul, to protest President Trump's relentless racist attacks on the caravan of refugees heading north. The refugees are seeking asylum from rampant violence, political instability and extreme poverty in Honduras. | The protesters carried signs opposing President Trump's plan to send thousands of military troops to the border and his threats to fire on asylum seekers, as well as signs in solidarity with the thousands of Hondurans who will se…
(2018-11-08). The Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Agenda for the New Congress. aclu.org Now that the election is over, Congress should take its cue from the electorate. | This week's midterms should send a strong message to the political establishment that when our civil rights and civil liberties are on the line, American voters will step in. Decision-makers should be taking close note of Tuesday's sky-high turnout, an unprecedented wave of victories for diverse candidates, and a slew of local milestones for (2018-11-08). As Julian Assange's Health Declines, the Media Obsesses About His Cat. theantimedia.com 
While the media focused on Julian Assange's cat rather than his continuing arbitrary detention, evidence shows that Britain worked hard to force his extradition to Sweden where Assange feared he could then be turned over to the United States. (CN) — Let's start with the cat. You never would have thought one of these beloved felines would …
(2018-11-08). Silent marches continue to highlight Aboriginal deaths in custody. greenleft.org.au 
About 50 people held a silent march through the beachside suburb of Manly on November 3 against Aboriginal deaths in custody. | Relatives of five victims of the racist criminal justice system who died in police or prison custody were present. These included the families of David Gundy, who died in 1989, TJ Hickey (2004), Mark Mason (2010), Eric Whittaker (2017) and Nathan Reynolds (2018). | Many Aboriginal and non-Indigenous supporters also attended the silent march, which was the eleventh of its kind organised by the Indigenous Social Justice Association (ISJA) in Sydney and regional New South Wales over recent…
(2018-11-08). Hatewatch Headlines 11/8/2018. splcenter.org Voters punished Republicans for their racism; Trump rips black reporter's 'racist' query; Governors can stop militias from massing on border; and more.
(2018-11-08). The Trump Administration Thinks Your Employer Should Make Your Birth Control Decisions. aclu.org The administration finalized rules allowing employers to deny health insurance for contraception if they object for religious or moral reasons. | The Trump administration moved forward on Wednesday in its quest to give businesses and other institutions a license to discriminate by issuing a regulation allowing employers and universities to deny health insurance coverage for contraception — currently required by law — if they object because of religious or moral views. The move could leave thousands of people across the country without contraceptive coverage. | The Affordable Care Act requires that ins…
(2018-11-08). Trump Fires AG Sessions, Installs New Loyalist Whitaker to Oversee Mueller Probe. democracynow.org 
President Donald Trump has fired Attorney General Jeff Sessions, replacing him with a Trump loyalist who has called special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation a "witch hunt." Matthew Whitaker, formerly Jeff Sessions's chief of staff, will now take charge of the Russia inquiry, prompting questions about the future of the Russia investigation and whether Trump will target Robert Mueller next. Some experts are raising questions about the legality of putting Whitaker in charge rather than Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who had been overseeing the Russia probe. The ACLU wrote in a statement, "Jeff…
(2018-11-07). Midterm elections in Trump era bring high engagement from racists, extremists. splcenter.org When Donald Trump ran for president in 2016, racists, neo-Nazis and alt-right extremists embraced his candidacy with enthusiasm.
(2018-11-07). The 2018 Midterm Elections Were a Big Win for Criminal Justice Reform Ballot Initiatives. aclu.org Voters made it clear that they've had enough of President Trump's "tough on crime" rhetoric. | Wednesday morning I woke up in a better America when it comes to criminal justice reform. | On Election Day, voters in states across the country said enough is enough to America's horrific criminal justice system. They voted for reforms that will change people's lives for the better while expanding our civil liberties and civil rights. They also voted for reform-minded law enforcement officials and against the "law and order" types who have led to America's epidemic of mass incarceration. In other words, they rejected…
(2018-11-07). NAACP President Derrick Johnson's Response to the Results of the 2018 Midterm Election. naacp.org 
President and CEO of the NAACP Derrick Johnson issued the following statement regarding the results of the 2018 midterm election: "This was a remarkable wave of grassroots activism that swept across the country — with women and people of color leading the way. From a U.S. House of Representatives that reflects the will of the […]
(2018-11-07). NAACP LAUNCHES ALL IN CAMPAIGN, TO RECRUIT, RETAIN AND ENGAGE NEW MEMBERSHIPS. naacp.org National membership campaign launches just one day after a momentum building midterm election. BALTIMORE (November 7, 2018) — Just one day after the 2018 midterm elections, NAACP, the nation's foremost civil rights organization, continues the momentum by launching an ALL IN national membership campaign aimed at mobilizing NAACP units to increase their membership at least 20 percent by its […]
(2018-11-07). NAACP Youth and College Division National Director, Tiffany Dena Loftin Responds to 2018 Midterm Election Results. naacp.org National Director of the NAACP Youth and College Division, Tiffany Dena Loftin issued the following statement regarding the results of the 2018 midterm elections: "The 2018 midterm elections confirmed once again that young Black voters are some of the most trustworthy and dedicated voters in the country. Over the course of the last few months […]
(2018-11-07). Headlines for November 7, 2018. democracynow.org Democrats Take the House of Representatives as GOP Gains in Senate, Democrat Stacey Abrams Refuses to Concede Georgia Governor's Race, Republican Ron DeSantis Defeats Andrew Gillum in Florida Governor's Race, Maryland GOP Gov. Larry Hogan Defeats Former NAACP Head Ben Jealous, Republican Sen. Ted Cruz Defeats Progressive Democratic Challenger Beto O'Rourke in Texas, Incumbent Senate Democrats Lose in North Dakota, Indiana and Missouri, Democrats Win Governor's Races in Maine and Midwestern States, Wave of Women Voters Brings Historic Firsts in Midterm Elections, Florida to Restore Voting Rights to 1.4 Million wit…
(2018-11-07). New York Registration Deadline Prevents Tens of Thousands From Voting. aclu.org The 25-day cutoff is an unnecessary and outdated burden on New Yorkers' right to vote. | Imagine a national department store chain holding a "Back to School" sale in late July instead of in August. People who show up close to when school actually starts are told, "You're too late." | That's what voting in New York is like. Each election cycle, thousands of New Yorkers are prevented from casting a ballot because of the state's registration cutoff, which requires voters to register at least 25 days in advance of the election in order for their vote to count. | The 25-day registration cutoff imposes an unnecessary a…
(2018-11-07). Green Bay, WI rally protests killing of indigenous man. fightbacknews.org Green Bay, WI – On November 2, local grassroots activist group Black Lives United Green Bay, together with Native Lives Matter from Minneapolis, hosted a vigil for Jonathon Tubby, an indigenous man murdered by Green Bay police. Nearly 200 people came out to share good memories and their feelings in response to Jonathon's death at the hands of police. | The people who spoke at the vigil demanded accountability, transparency and the immediate suspension of the officers involved. Members of Native Lives Matter spoke on the killings of unarmed Native American people all over the United States. Hollie Poupart, an acti…
(2018-11-07). NAACP STATEMENT ON JEFF SESSIONS RESIGNATION. naacp.org "U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions' resignation might be a welcomed reprieve from his jurisdiction over the justice department. His odious record has done little to impact the civil liberties of African Americans, confirming our deepest concerns when it comes to criminal justice and equal rights. However, given the administration's track record on appointing problematic people […]
(2018-11-06). NAACP Organizes Voter Protection Command Center at Baltimore Headquarters. naacp.org Volunteers, Attorneys and Staff Provide Answers and Resources for Voters on Election Day BALTIMORE (ELECTION DAY)—Volunteers ranging from local members, sororities and fraternities to both volunteer and staff attorneys, are taking calls, responding to email and sharing website resources for voters all around the nation on Election Day. The NAACP has incorporated the latest SMS […]
(2018-11-06). Headlines for November 6, 2018. democracynow.org Huge Turnout for Early Voting in Midterms as Technical Issues Surface, Trump Attacks Democrats and Migrants on Eve of Midterm Elections, Fallout from Racist Trump Campaign Ad Continues as Networks Pull Ad, Georgia Dem. Gov. Candidate Abrams Responds to Kemp Hacking Probe, Racist Robocalls Attack Georgia Dem. Gov. Candidate Abrams, Students Across Country Walk Out of Class to Cast Ballots in Midterms, NYC: Trial Begins over 2020 Census Citizenship Question, Coloradans to Vote on Divisive Oil and Gas Ballot Measures, Washington State Voters to Vote on Fee for Large Carbon Polluters, NYC: Local Leaders Decry Racist…
(2018-11-06). TODAY: NAACP PRESIDENT DERRICK JOHNSON JOINS ATLANTA COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO TURN OUT VOTERS IN HISTORIC 2018 MIDTERM ELECTION. naacp.org PART OF NATIONAL ELECTION DAY OUTREACH IN KEY STATES WHO: NAACP National President and CEO Derrick Johnson will join a delegation of community canvassers to knock on doors and turn out voters in Stockbridge, Georgia — a community just south of the Atlanta metro area between 4: 00pm and 5: 00pm. WHAT: The NAACP has been on the ground conducting a […] | The post
(2018-11-06). Women of Color Hope to Make History in 2018 Election with Wins in Congress and Governor's Races. democracynow.org 
A historic number of women of color are running for public office in today's election. At least 255 women are on the ballot as congressional candidates, including a record number of women of color. In Georgia, Stacey Abrams hopes to become the state's first black governor—and the country's first black woman governor. Meanwhile in New Mexico, Deb Haaland could become the nation's first Native American woman to serve in Congress. Amid a rash of racist ads by Abrams's opponent Brian Kemp, there is something "deeply transformational about the electoral organizing and the campaign that Stacey Abrams represents,"
(2018-11-06). The West is Failing Julian Assange. consortiumnews.com While the media focused on Julian Assange's cat rather than his continuing arbitrary detention, evidence shows that Britain worked hard to force his extradition to Sweden where Assange feared he could then be turned over to the U.S., as Stefania… Read more →
(2018-11-06). NAACP Unites in Demand to Make Panama City Florida Polling Sites Accessible to Hurricane Victims. naacp.org Groups Want Equal Access to the Polls for Communities Displaced by Hurricane Michael BALTIMORE—(November 6, 2018) Florida officials have rejected a formal request from voting rights advocates to make polling locations more accessible to African-American residents of Panama City, Florida, who were hard hit by Hurricane Michael. Late last week, a coalition of voting rights […] | The post
(2018-11-06). 'Charleston and Tree of Life Are Connected Struggles' – CounterSpin interview with Audrey Sasson on antisemitism, racism and resistance. fair.org 
Janine Jackson interviewed Audrey Sasson about antisemitism, racism and resistance for the November 2, 2018, episode of CounterSpin. This is a lightly edited transcript. | Media…
(2018-11-06). The Supreme Court Will Decide Whether Maryland Can Display a 40-Foot Latin Cross. aclu.org The case could drastically alter longstanding precedent protecting the separation of church and state and send a devastating message to non-Christians | Last Friday, the Supreme Court announced that it will decide whether a state government's display of a gigantic, 40-foot Latin cross as a war memorial in Bladensburg, Maryland, violates the separation of church and state. | On the surface, the case appears to be about one religious monument located at one busy intersecti…
(2018-11-05). SPLC lawsuit: Family detained, searched in Mississippi because they 'looked' Latino. splcenter.org The Martinez family was traveling along a Mississippi highway — on their way to a vacation — when a sheriff's deputy stopped them for no apparent reason.
(2018-11-05). SPLC urges Trump administration to preserve measures that protect immigrant children from detention. splcenter.org Jenny Lisette Flores came to America at 15, fleeing civil war in El Salvador to find protection with family members in the U.S.
(2018-11-03). Assange Case Shows Support for Free Speech Depends on Who's Talking. fair.org 
by Joe Emersberger Julian Assange, whom the UN has declared to be "arbitrarily detained" by Britain and Sweden, is used by the Guardian ( 10/17/18) to illustrate a gag story on "nightmare flatmates." | The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded in February 2016 that the governments of the UK and Sweden had forced WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange into a condition of arbitrary detention in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where he has been since 2012. The group's (2018-11-02). Get Ready for the Shake-Up: Grassroots Candidates Drive Midterm Surge. progressive.org While Donald Trump rallies the rightwing base with flagrant appeals to fear, anger, and racism, the most diverse slate of candidates in U.S. history is poised to change the direction of the nation's politics for a long time to come.
(2018-10-29). Why We Need More School Leaders of Color, Especially in White Districts. progressive.org Racism in the classroom leaves white students racially illiterate.
(2018-10-29). Trump Plays Pocahontas Card Again. . . And Takes the Trick! progressive.org When I hear people like the Cherokee Nation's Hoskins Jr. bashing Warren for her claim, it occurs to me that Trump's racism has found a footing in tribal politics.
(2018-10-18). Trump Administration's Warped View of Religious Freedom Abroad. zcomm.org Religious freedom arguments are increasingly being used to challenge anti-discrimination policies and access to services…
(2018-10-18). A Tribute to Ron Dellums, Radical. zcomm.org Ron Dellums appreciated the struggle against racism is permanently joined with those against sexism, militarism, and capitalism…
(2018-10-11). Dreaming political concepts in Iran and the US: Huey Newton and Ali Shariati, through the movie Black Panther. zcomm.org Dreaming political concepts in Iran and the US: Huey Newton and Ali Shariati, through the movie Black Panther In the movie Black Panther, N'Jobu is residing in Oakland, California as a Wakandan spy when he's troubled by the racism faced by black Americans. T'Chaka, the king of Wakanda, considers N'Jobu's plot of Read more…