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As soon as I landed in Rome, I discovered that I was no longer able to access any Russian media whatsoever. Unfortunately, threats by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, that Europe should sever all links with “Russia’s propaganda machine” were taken seriously by the Italian government.

As a journalist, having access to only one side of the Russia-Ukraine war story was a major predicament. How is one to develop a rounded view of such a complex issue when only a one-sided narrative of the war is allowed to be propagated?

Of course, the problem is widespread, and has afflicted much of ‘democratic’ Europe. The continent that has often justified its political and military interventions in the affairs of other parts of the world in the name of spreading democracy is failing to adhere to the most basic principle of democracy: freedom of speech.

Woman protesting and holding photo of Shireen

109 Palestinians killed – 0 Israelis killed – definitely a large increase in lethality in the West Bank, but the recent incursion in Gaza killed 35 Palestinians compared to 263 in 2021.

6,972 Palestinians injured – I Israeli injured

650 Palestinian structures demolished displacing 645 people.

483 Attacks on Palestinians by Israeli settlers were so far this year, almost as many as in all of 2021.

Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs – Protection of Civilians report.

When you compare these statistics for killing/injury of Palestinians and Israelis, it becomes clear that despite the constant reporting of 1,000s of missiles from Gaza, these are not warranted for the defense of Israel.

In the last three months Israeli forces have killed approximately 70 Palestinians –13 of them minors, including two five-year-old children.

A few years ago, when a very bright and avidly reading eight-year-old friend announced that she had named her new stuffed bear and its cub Bakey and Bearey, I asked her how she spelled the words. Memorably and instructively, she replied, “I don’t worry about spelling.” She shed more light on questions of literacy than she realized. Spelling does not equal literacy. It is not the same as reading and writing.

Popularly and politically, literacy is synonymous with culture and progress for individuals, societies, nations. It exists in dizzying promoted varieties; there are hundreds of proclaimed literacies. But literacy also resists transmission to everyone. The reasons why are as many as they are contradictory. They range from individual to institutional and political failings.

Literacy’s place in popular culture is one telling sign of confusion. Corporations celebrate reading and writing in normative, consumer, and durable terms—for their own profit. So do fields and disciplines, and identity groups. Their endless proclamations are revealingly, though poorly expressed.

#108 Gree-Gree Zoom August 29, 2022

DIABLO ARMAGEDDON, *ARIZONA BRAKEY*, GRASSROOTS CONGRESS

Our Green Grassroots Emergency Election Protection zoom opens with a tribute from WENDI LEDERMAN to Women’s Equality.

We also honor the great HOWARD ZINN, who would have been 100 years old this month. Zinn completely upended the popular view of our nation’s story, and his PEOPLE’S HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES remains a foundational document. Thank you, Howard!!!

We then do a deep dive into the decrepit, dangerous, earthquake-surrounded Diablo Canyon Nukes at San Luis Obispo, CA. Governor Gavin Newsom is pushing to keep them open indefinitely despite a broad-based agreement to shut them in 2024-5. The ramifications for the future health, safety, economy and ecological survival of the human race are without parallel.

We hear from DONNA GILMORE, KEN COOK, DANETT ABBOTT, ACE HOFFMAN, MYLA RESON, JUSTIN LE BLANC, TATANKA BRICCA, LINDA SEELEY and many more.

Arizona’s great JOHN BRAKEY tells us of major victories there.

John Brakey – Audit USA

“I feel like I’m in heaven!” gushed a glowing Ava DuVernay. I overheard the director of 2014’s Civil Rights epic Selma at the August 17 press preview of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures’ Regeneration: Black Cinema, 1898–1971 praising “the first large-scale exhibition… to examine the compellingly rich history of Black participation in American cinema, both inside and outside the Hollywood studio system,” as co-curators Rhea L. Combs and Doris Berger write in their 288-companion book with the same name as the groundbreaking show.

The family, friends and allies of Donovan Lewis converged on Columbus Police headquarters Friday, September 2 to protest his murder. Chants of "No justice, no peace!" and calls for firing Columbus police officer Ricky Anderson, who killed hte unarmed 20-year-old Lewis in his bed when delivering a warrant in the middle of the night, were interpersed with shouts of "Say his name!" "Donovan Lewis."