Category: Justice

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Ultra-Rich ‘Philanthrocapitalist’ Class Undermining Global Democracy: Report

As foundations and wealthy individuals funnel money into global development, what “solutions” are they pursuing?

Bill & Melinda Gates
Melinda and Bill Gates at the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2009. (Photo: World Economic Forum/flickr/cc)

From Warren Buffett to Bill Gates, it is no secret that the ultra-rich philanthropist class has an over-sized influence in shaping global politics and policies.

And a study (pdf) just out from the Global Policy Forum, an international watchdog group, makes the case that powerful philanthropic foundations—under the control of wealthy individuals—are actively undermining governments and inappropriately setting the agenda for international bodies like the United Nations. read more

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A very well delivered lesson about who the real immigrants are

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Woman selling produce in Juarez Market in Oaxaca, Mexico. Image courtesy of Visit Mexico.
Read more: http://thepointsguy.com/2015/12/visit-these-small-towns-in-mexico/#ixzz3xFD3kiQX
I was on my way to a gathering with a friend, but before we arrived there, I pulled over to the side of the road where a woman and her daughter were selling cherries.

I wasn’t craving cherries much, but I just wanted to support my people.

“Hold on, I’m gonna’ go get me some cherries.” I said to my friend, and then approached the cherry-stand, and in Spanish said to the woman, “4 Crates, please.”

The woman looked down to face her daughter, which was when I realized that the woman didn’t speak Spanish, so her daughter was her translator. read more

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ICE agents are out in huge numbers all over the US and in New Jersey, detaining immigrants

women protest immigration policies
Source: Michael Democker/Times-Picayune/Landov
It’s like a page out of Donald Trump’s agenda: US officials began harassing and detaining immigrants under the guise of protecting US citizens from foreign criminals. This week, ICE (Federal immigration service) agents have detained undocumented immigrants all over the country and arrests have been made in New Jersey, Georgia, Texas, North Carolina and other places. Personal reports have surfaced of agents entering homes and even churches to seize women and children away from their families. Constructions vans that may contain undocumented day laborers are being stopped on highways and ICE agents have been spotted patrolling in front of downtown restaurants. read more

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Cosby’s business is private, but the state of America’s democracy is our concern

Cosby punching bag
Source: Randy Bish, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review via toursdelaliberte.blogspot.com
I’m a little ashamed of myself. I’ve done to Cosby exactly what I caution people to never do, unless an accused person’s actions have been substantively witnessed and recorded – like the police who killed Eric Garner. Without the benefit of legal discovery or a trial, I had already convicted Cosby in my mind.

Although only a handful of his accusers claim to have been actually raped by Cosby, I had decided in my mind that he is guilty of serially raping almost 50 women. I didn’t bother to learn what these women have actually accused Dr. Cosby of doing to them. And I didn’t question my right or ability to judge him either, until I watched this video last night … and realized that I am a hypocrite, as well as a victim of the fine art of misdirection, which Wikipedia defines as: read more

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Racist Coke ad meant to shame indigenous Mexicans pulled & sanctions sought against company

Coke ad
Screen shot of coke commercial by Coca-Cola Mexico. Posted by Latino Rebels on YouTube
Coca-Cola Mexico has not only been motivated to pull an ad promotiong colonialism and their unhealthy soft drinks, but indigenous rights and health activists in one of the most obese nations in the world also want the Mexican government to sanction the company for promoting the racist concept that indigenous culture is something shameful and outmoded that needs to be replaced. The ad’s activity takes place in the Totontepec Villa of Morelos, a Mixe community in Oaxaca, México. Nation of Change writes: read more

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Anonymous endorses Bernie Sanders, gives 10 good reasons to support him

Anonymous HopeOn Daily Kos, VL Baker shares Anonymous’ letter, which sets forth their Ten Reasons That Will Convince You That Bernie Sanders Deserves Your Vote

December 23rd, 2015 | by CoNN

It’s time to celebrate a candidate who deserves the spotlight, more so than other candidates from either side of the left-right false divide.

Here are 10 reasons why Bernie Sanders deserves more coverage from the mainstream media and, ultimately, your vote:

1) He supports a new Glass Steagall act – hell he even detailed 5 reasons explaining why it’s important; passed over 80 years ago, it had prevented commercial banks from participating in investment banking. It was repealed in 1999, and banks used this new-found ability  to plunder the savings of their depositors by making extremely risky “investments” for their own profit. This is the primary reason for the 2008 financial crisis, and the reason why the big banks had to be bailed out by taxpayers.  Hillary Clinton doesn’t want to reinstate Glass-Steagall while Trump wants regulations on Wall Street to be weakened. read more

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Must watch: black South Africans speak against the false labeling of Israel as an apartheid state (video)

misusing apartheid to delegitimize Israel
Source: Israel Collective’s “Israel and South African Apartheid” video
Black South Africans speak out against the false labeling of Israel as an apartheid state. Olga Meshoe, CEO of DESHI International puts it wonderfully:

When I hear that Israel is an apartheid state … depending on the mood I’m in I either pack out laughing or I get really, really angry. Because it’s an absolute lie … To incite violence and encourage the destruction of a people just because you don’t like them, that’s disgusting. You are making what our parents went through – you’re making the struggle – a mockery… read more

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Obama has done so much to get conservatives angry with him. Go Prez!

Yes We Can
Source: cfishy on Flickr
Here’s Jay Bazzinotti’s answer to the question: What has Barack Obama done that gets so many people angry? It’s such a great answer, I love it :-).

(Obama) had the un-mitigated gall to be a Black man who beat two Republican candidates. Furthermore, he had the bad sense to be articulate, a faithful husband and good father. Moreover, he unpatriotically was able to stop our soldiers from being killed in the Middle East while saving us $30 – 50 billion dollars a month.

It was bad form for him to kill Osama bin Laden seeing as how the previous Administration was unable to do it. read more

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List of safe Big Box companies that don’t let armed people through the door

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Courtesy: Moms Demand Action
I’m not much for supporting Big Box companies. I also don’t shop for a hobby – or even window shop, and I can count on my fingers the number of times in a decade that I set foot in a mall. But I do occasionally shop in a grocery store or watch a movie, so this list is useful even for me. Because I’d rather support a business any day that’s serious about keeping patrons safe, than one that enables “armed creeps”. Wouldn’t you?

Charlie Self, who composed the list, says: read more

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Take back America: Boycott abusers and elect community-minded politicians

Uncle Sam & Rosie support Obama
Source Beverly & Pack on Twitter: Patriotic Uncle Sam & Rosie the Riveter support Barack Obama as the next president of the USA
With money comes power, and some have plenty of money, so watch out America: the Koch Brothers wealth increased by $12B in 2014. They’re after your food stamps and other nutrition programs. They want Obamacare dismantled … and same for the United States Post Office, Social Security and housing assistance programs. They want prison populations increased and public education, gone forever. They want to house our parents and grandparents in homes where they decide what food and care they will get. They want to own our food systems and determine how well we eat. They don’t even want us growing our own food, unless they sell us the seeds. read more

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TV Host Ibrahim Issa slams Arabs for claiming ISIS is not Muslim: “What else are they?”

Ibrahim Issa
Source: YouTube video of Ibrahim Issa on Al-Khaera Wal-Nas TV

In his November 16 2015 show, Egyptian journalist Ibrahim Issa criticizes the Arabic community for circulating the myth that ISIS “has nothing to do with Islam … What are we supposed to call them,” he asks, “Buddhists?”

Issa also scoffs at the Arabic-circulated conspiracy theory that Western intelligence agencies are behind the France attack. “Why?” he demands, “Why? Why would they murder … people of their own culture … in order to have an excuse to attack the terrorists? Attacking terrorists requires no justification, by the way.” read more

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Native Americans give no thanks for Columbus’ legacy of destruction and neither should we

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Screen shot from One Word – Episode 25: Christopher Columbus
CUT.com invited Native Americans to free-associate one word with Columbus. They got fabulous responses worked into a short video, which made me feel very thoughtful.

Although American schoolchildren do learn about the destruction Columbus brought to our land and the First Nation people who were already living here, we are also taught to idolize both the destroyer and the destruction Columbus initiated. Which means that from a very young age, our schools are teaching children to idolize cruelty, thievery, genocide and to value the monetization of natural resources. Resources which – when left intact or at least, used sustainably – remain treasures of Mother Earth with the power to nurture and allow us to live surrounded by beauty, in comfort. read more

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In 84 seconds learn why Cable & Telcos are trying to gut Net Neutrality funding and take it away from you

Squeezing internet users
FFTF warns that Big Cable & Telcos want to squeeze more money out of users

Fight for the Future cautions:

Net Neutrality is Under Attack. Don't let Congress break the Internet by dismantling Net Neutrality — share this video to raise the alarm.

Why not also call your elected federal officials and ask them to protect net neutrality on your behalf? Calling is a powerful action to make sure net neutrality doesn’t go away. Call using this convenient tool.

white house net neutrality letter
President Obama endorses net neutrality
The White House defines net neutrality:

More than any other invention of our time, the Internet has unlocked possibilities we could just barely imagine a generation ago. And here’s a big reason we’ve seen such incredible growth and innovation: Most Internet providers have treated Internet traffic equally. That’s a principle known as “net neutrality” — and it says that an entrepreneur’s fledgling company should have the same chance to succeed as established corporations, and that access to a high school student’s blog shouldn’t be unfairly slowed down to make way for advertisers with more money. read more