When attorney Lynn Stewart spoke at Berkeley’s First Congregational
Church in 2004 before receiving a sentence which kept her in prison for ten
years, her opening remarks were simple. Lynne was always a straight speaker and
got right to the point that day. “I am in trouble,” she said as she warmed her
audience with a disarming smile.
Today we are all in trouble.
It is arguable whether democracy as a system can survive let alone outlive planet-destroying
capitalism. But to survive it requires a
free press. Our press, our media have been compromised in innumerable ways, by
TV on whom 60% of Americans rely to get their news, by social media, from which,
as of 2018, 12% (and growing) Americans get their news, by the corporate-owed mainstream
media, by the Supreme Court’s “Citizens United” decision, which, citing “free
speech,” allows unlimited corporate gift$ to candidates running for office. The
2016 attack on UK and U.S. elections by Mercer-owned Cambridge Analytica
of which Steve Bannon was the VP, exposed the far more dangerous growth of big data and revealed how Facebook and
Google are manipulating our culture. Its operatives were actually embedded in Trump’s 2016 campaign
headquarters in Texas (watch Netflix “The Great Hack”). The Trump campaign was
able to rely on 6 million targeted political ads vs. 66,000 TV ads by the
Clinton campaign.
We are in trouble because
journalism has become the world’s most dangerous profession. I cite the murders
of Politikovskaya and Baburova, two female Russian journalists, the threat to
Glenn Greenwald who has opposed the Bolsonaro fascist Amazon-burning government
of Brazil. In terms of journalist safety, the U.S. ranks 48. I cite the exile of
Edward Snowden, whose just-published book argues that he would return to the
U.S. to face trial if he had a prayer of receiving a fair trial, Chelsea
Manning who languishes in prison for refusing to incriminate Julian Assange
before a grand jury, the imprisonment and transfer of 10-year-convicted hacker and
Wikileaks-associated Jeremy Hammond recently removed to Virginia to testify before
the grand Jury, and by the imprisonment of Julian Assange in Belmarsh Prison
for jumping bail, a sentence normally of a week or so, which he served for 52 weeks,
and whom a judge has refused to release even though his sentence has been
served, because a compliant UK government (and its loutish PM Johnson) want to keep
him on tap for extradition to the United States to face life imprisonment. Even
if Labour manages to win the next election, with a psychopath at the helm of
the U.S., the timing remains unfortunate.
Assange, along with Snowden
and Manning and many other whistleblowers, has gifted U.S. citizens with the
information we need to know to sustain democracy. He has offended a number of
folks in high places: by releasing information about the Democratic National
exclusionary convention‘s maneuvers in 2016, he offended the most hated woman
in America, Hillary Clinton. And by prefacing it shortly after the “I can grab
any crotch I want” pussy tapes, he managed to completely overshadow his second
release. By releasing the Panama Papers, he offended Lenín Moreno of Ecuador
who, bowing to IMF bribery by the U.S./U.K. axis, ousted him from his safe
haven, the London Ecuadorian Embassy where he had sought immunity from arrest
by the UK for six years. And by releasing Manning’s “Collateral Murder,” he has
offended the entire U.S. government and its war-making apparatus.
With such powerful enemies,
Julian Assange urgently needs the help of his own Australian Government. Massive demonstrations need to be mounted at
every single Australian embassy and consulate throughout the world. And he
needs powerful grass roots support from all who care about democracy and want
to see a media sufficiently robust to support it.
Assange rally and non-violent
action is planned for Noon September 28, at the British Embassy located at One
Sansome Street at Market Street in San Francisco. Be there.
Monday, Sept. 23, 7 to 10 AM,
Union Square, San Francisco. Swarm for the climate with Extinction Rebellion.
For info:
Wednesday, Sept. 25 7 AM to 5
PM, at Montgomery & Market, San Francicsco. Strike for Climate Justice,
sponsored by Extinction Rebellion and 8 other groups. Info:
Wednesday, Sept. 25, 7 AM to
5 PM. 300 Montgomery St. San Francisco Brazilian Consulate. Info: https://www.facebook.com/events/700887023724857/
Friday, Sept. 27, 9
AM to Noon. Chevron, 6001 Canyon Rd., San Ramon. Idle No More, Sunrise, Youth
vs. Apocalypse. Info:
After ten years oif student activism, and a faculty vote, UC Berkeley divests from
fossil fuel investments.
On eve of climate strike,
450+ activists urge United Nations to back global fracking ban.
To courtroom applause,
Federal Court blocks “unconstitutional” South Dakota law that threatened
pipeline protesters with up to 25 years in prison .
Student actions force Iowa
school district and local community to pass climate resolutions in line with
IPCC’s criteria.
Amazon workers bring climate
strike to billionaire Jeff Bezos.
New York City public school
announces excuse of all student taking part in climate strike today, only to rescind
it at the last minute. Let’s hope the damage carried the day.
Newark water coalition takes
struggle against lead pipes statewide.
In Brazil, judge rejects
prosecutor’s office complaint against the imprisoned Lula.
U.S. Army forced to dream up
new recruiting tactics after missing targets.
Appeals court directs FBI to
destroy memo on anti-war website.
Australian TPG Telecom
Ltd. chief operating exec tells Federal
Court it pulled its plans to roll out 5G network because of community health
fears.
Over 1,000 students from 17
colleges pledge not to work at Palantir over ICE collaboration .
Citing a “complex and
punitive regulatory system,” federal judge issues injunction stopping
implementation of Tennessee law making voter registration drives unnecessarily
burdensome.
California passes AB5
ensuring gig economy workers have legal status as full employees.
Activists successfully
pressure New York Public Library to cancel Saudi dictatorship event.
Protesters demand Microsoft
stop profiting from concentration camps, migrant raids, an d deportations.
Austin groups 3-D print tiny
homes to help end homelessness.
Families organize vigil outside
Eli Lilly, demanding lower cost insulin.
Cuba, Uruguay, Nicaragua
reject TIAR treaty against Venezuela.
Venezuela establishes Petro
as payment system.
UAW Autoworkers strike after
years of boosting General Motors to record level profits.
N.Y. County and Manhattan
District Atty. Cyrus Vance’s office subpoenas eight years of #45’s tax returns.
Federal Appeals Court rules
#45 can be sued for unconstitutional profiteering. Bedbugs, anyone?
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