Human Rights
ACORN 8 and Federally Employed Women-Legal Education Fund (FEW/LEF) will co-host this year's Whistleblower Summit for Civil & Human Rights on July 29-31, 2013. The Government Accountability Project and the Pacifica Foundation will continue their support of whistleblowers and this event. Over the last seven years members from the Make it Safe Coalition (MISC) have arranged an assembly of whistleblowers in Washington, DC each year for an annual conference originally known as Washington Whistleblower's Week.
We are proud to announce that Congressional Black Caucus Chair Marcia Fudge (D-OH), Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) will be honored with a Pillar Human Rights Award for International Person's of Conscience. We will also recognize journalists with Pillar Awards this year; Rob Kall will be recognized for OpEd News (New Media) and a posthumous award goes to Ambrose Lane (Journalist) and Host of "We Ourselves" on WPFW.
The Pillar is awarded to notable civil and human rights champions; p revious recipients include Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Senator Charles "Chuck" Grassley (R-IA) and Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO).
We are proud to announce that Congressional Black Caucus Chair Marcia Fudge (D-OH), Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) will be honored with a Pillar Human Rights Award for International Person's of Conscience. We will also recognize journalists with Pillar Awards this year; Rob Kall will be recognized for OpEd News (New Media) and a posthumous award goes to Ambrose Lane (Journalist) and Host of "We Ourselves" on WPFW.
The Pillar is awarded to notable civil and human rights champions; p revious recipients include Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Senator Charles "Chuck" Grassley (R-IA) and Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO).
On July 21 Russian police officers detained and interrogated four Dutch filmmakers for several hours. Arrested outside the Russian city of Murmansk, the filmmakers were shooting coverage at an LGBT camp and planned to make a documentary that tracked the gay rights movements throughout Russia. Aside from detention, each filmmaker faces a charge of 3,000 roubles and deportation.
“You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”
Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride.
It seems trite to invoke the words of the late Eric Blair these last two months. Today would have him rolling over in his grave enough to win a break dancing competition. Congress is set to vote later today on an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act of 2014. This bipartisan proposal, called Amash-Coyners Amendment, would prohibit NSA funding from being used to collect data on persons who are not suspects in actual terrorism investigations. The proposal is receiving broad support from the twitter-verse, and a Washington Post poll today said that 74% of Americans believe that the NSA's programs infringe on some American's privacy rights. The same poll shows that nearly half of respondents believed their privacy rights are being personally violated.
The White House has responded by going into damage control overdrive. General Alexander held an emergency four hour briefing with members of the committee who are set to vote on the amendment. The briefing was classified and held behind closed doors.
It seems trite to invoke the words of the late Eric Blair these last two months. Today would have him rolling over in his grave enough to win a break dancing competition. Congress is set to vote later today on an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act of 2014. This bipartisan proposal, called Amash-Coyners Amendment, would prohibit NSA funding from being used to collect data on persons who are not suspects in actual terrorism investigations. The proposal is receiving broad support from the twitter-verse, and a Washington Post poll today said that 74% of Americans believe that the NSA's programs infringe on some American's privacy rights. The same poll shows that nearly half of respondents believed their privacy rights are being personally violated.
The White House has responded by going into damage control overdrive. General Alexander held an emergency four hour briefing with members of the committee who are set to vote on the amendment. The briefing was classified and held behind closed doors.
Stars are shifting in the constellation of command in post-constitutional America. Janet Napolitano is preparing to step down as head of the Department of Homeland Security in order to serve as chancellor of the University of California Schools system. In the interim, Obama has nominated Alejandro Mayorkas for the number two post at the department, which will leave him in day to day command until Napolitano is replaced. Alejandro Mayorkas is currently under investigation for intervening to secure a visa for a Chinese investor. Obama has indicated he may give NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly the nod for the top post, a move that Congressional Republicans heavily favor.
Obama's speech to the nation after the George Zimmerman verdict was more about scoring points than securing rights to life and limb, if his comments on Ray Kelly are any guide “Mr. Kelly might be very happy where he is, but if he’s not I’d want to know about it, because obviously he’d be very well qualified for the [Homeland Security] job,” the president said.
Obama's speech to the nation after the George Zimmerman verdict was more about scoring points than securing rights to life and limb, if his comments on Ray Kelly are any guide “Mr. Kelly might be very happy where he is, but if he’s not I’d want to know about it, because obviously he’d be very well qualified for the [Homeland Security] job,” the president said.
On July 12 Malala Yousafzai celebrated her 16th birthday as she delivered a riveting speech before the United Nations. A young Pakistani girl with every reason to anticipate a bright future, Malala spoke with passion and enthralling commitment about the ideals of universal education. Yet that bright future was nearly extinguished in October of last year. On October 9, 2012, the Taliban shot Malala at deadly range for the most atrocious of crimes. Her crime was simple and straightforward. Malala went to school.
The part of the First Amendment that prohibits “abridging the freedom … of the press” is now up against the wall, as the Obama administration continues to assault the kind of journalism that can expose government secrets.
Last Friday the administration got what it wanted -- an ice-cold chilling effect -- from the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled on the case of _New York Times_ reporter James Risen. The court “delivered a blow to investigative journalism in America by ruling that reporters have no First Amendment protection that would safeguard the confidentiality of their sources in the event of a criminal trial,” the _Guardian_ reported [1].
The Executive Branch fought for that ruling -- and is now celebrating. “We agree with the decision,” said a Justice Department spokesman. “We are examining the next steps in the prosecution of this case.” The Risen case, and potentially many others, are now under the ominous shadow of the Appeals Court’s pronouncement: “There is no First Amendment testimonial privilege, absolute or qualified, that protects a reporter from being compelled to testify … in criminal proceedings.”
Last Friday the administration got what it wanted -- an ice-cold chilling effect -- from the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled on the case of _New York Times_ reporter James Risen. The court “delivered a blow to investigative journalism in America by ruling that reporters have no First Amendment protection that would safeguard the confidentiality of their sources in the event of a criminal trial,” the _Guardian_ reported [1].
The Executive Branch fought for that ruling -- and is now celebrating. “We agree with the decision,” said a Justice Department spokesman. “We are examining the next steps in the prosecution of this case.” The Risen case, and potentially many others, are now under the ominous shadow of the Appeals Court’s pronouncement: “There is no First Amendment testimonial privilege, absolute or qualified, that protects a reporter from being compelled to testify … in criminal proceedings.”
On Thursday, July 18, a convicted American war criminal, Robert Seldon Lady, was detained in Panama near the Costa Rican border. The next day, Lady was headed back to the United States, according to news reports. Lady, age 59, was convicted by an Italian court in 2005 for kidnapping and his role in the 2003 “extraordinary rendition” of Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr to Egypt. Nasr was tortured every day for seven months. Neither the CIA nor the State Department has offered any statements about the case at this time.
According to court documents, Lady watched from a cafe across the street while Nasr was sprayed with an aerosol drug, beaten, loaded into a van and driven to the Aviano airbase outside Milan, where Lady then-served as CIA station chief. Lady was given the most severe sentence, nine years, out of the 22 American CIA and Air Force personnel found guilty by the Italian court. Three Italian military and intelligence officers were also found guilty of kidnapping during the probe of Italy's role in the illegal American program.
According to court documents, Lady watched from a cafe across the street while Nasr was sprayed with an aerosol drug, beaten, loaded into a van and driven to the Aviano airbase outside Milan, where Lady then-served as CIA station chief. Lady was given the most severe sentence, nine years, out of the 22 American CIA and Air Force personnel found guilty by the Italian court. Three Italian military and intelligence officers were also found guilty of kidnapping during the probe of Italy's role in the illegal American program.
The Texas Senate passed a landmark bill restricting abortion access last Thursday in a second special session called by the Governor. At the same time, the Capital of Texas building was filled with protestors, despite draconian access restrictions and the presence of armed and sometimes violent pro-life partisans.
The measure, which Governor Rick Perry signed today, would restrict abortions to 20 weeks. The bill requires all abortion clinics to be licensed as “surgical centers,” a provision that would require most of them to widen their hallways. Such cost-prohibitive renovations will force the closure of all but five of the state's 42 clinics by the end of the year. Planned Parenthood's gulf coast affiliate has already announced the closure of clinics in Bryan, Lufkin and Huntsville. These closures affect 130,000 patients, of whom only 3% sought abortions last year.
The measure, which Governor Rick Perry signed today, would restrict abortions to 20 weeks. The bill requires all abortion clinics to be licensed as “surgical centers,” a provision that would require most of them to widen their hallways. Such cost-prohibitive renovations will force the closure of all but five of the state's 42 clinics by the end of the year. Planned Parenthood's gulf coast affiliate has already announced the closure of clinics in Bryan, Lufkin and Huntsville. These closures affect 130,000 patients, of whom only 3% sought abortions last year.
For the NSA to succeed in spying on Americans and violating the Constitution without mass demonstrations you must first understand how the security industrial complex compromised the mass media. In the Monday, July 14, 2013 New York Times, we get a rare glimpse into that historical tragedy fittingly on its obituary page.
The death notice, “Austin Goodrich, 87, Spy Posing as Reporter,” detailed seldom seen facts about the legendary “Operation Mockingbird.” The aptly named “Mockingbird” was a covert Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) campaign to create a mass media echo chamber during the Cold War. The Times' lead is telling: “In the 1950s and ‘60s, Austin Goodrich was far from the only journalist doubling as a secret agent for the United States.”
Indeed. Alex Constantine, in his Mockingbird: The Subversion of the Free Press by the CIA, estimates “some 3,000 salaried and contract CIA employees were eventually engaged in propaganda efforts.”
The death notice, “Austin Goodrich, 87, Spy Posing as Reporter,” detailed seldom seen facts about the legendary “Operation Mockingbird.” The aptly named “Mockingbird” was a covert Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) campaign to create a mass media echo chamber during the Cold War. The Times' lead is telling: “In the 1950s and ‘60s, Austin Goodrich was far from the only journalist doubling as a secret agent for the United States.”
Indeed. Alex Constantine, in his Mockingbird: The Subversion of the Free Press by the CIA, estimates “some 3,000 salaried and contract CIA employees were eventually engaged in propaganda efforts.”
This morning in the Oval Office they had a weekly event called “Terror Tuesday.” Terror Tuesday is when the meeting where President Obama, leader of the free world, looks over his disposition matrix and decides who will be killed by drone and who will be taken from their homes by Special Forces to torture and indefinite detention without trial. The Columbus Free Press has previously discussed how this technocratic extrajudicial process results when a terrorist or wedding is incinerated for the profit margin of the President's Democratic party cronies. The other results, eternal detention without trial, have not been recently examined. This practice, which presents itself as a feature of the war on terror, has it's actual root in America's vast domestic prison system. Thousands of people under its heel are literally willing to die to escape.