Equal Rights

A network of so-called "marine protected areas" created under the helm of a big oil lobbyist went into effect on the Southern California coast from Point Conception to the Mexico/U.S. border on January 1, 2012.

Advocates for the privately-funded Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative that created these "marine protected areas" continually refer to them as "Yosemites of the Sea" and "underwater parks."

However, nothing could be further from the truth. There is no doubt that John Muir, who fought successfully for the preservation of the Yosemite Valley and unsuccessfully for the preservation of the Hetch Hetchy Valley on the Tuolumne River, and Teddy Roosevelt, the founder of the country's National Parks, would be outraged about these so-called "marine protected areas" being called "Yosemites of the Sea" if they were still alive.

The comparison of the so-called "marine protected areas" to National Parks like Yosemite and Kings Canyon has no basis in fact.

Linn Washington, Jr. writes:

The mass disenfranchisement of thousands of blacks by Florida election officials during the 2000 presidential election allegedly won but actually stolen by George W. Bush remains a stinging point among blacks.

Florida’s then Governor Jeb Bush, George’s brother, later acknowledged his role in the voter suppression that handed the White House to his brother. Jeb Bush enthusiastically backed passage of the “Stand Your Ground “ law, calling it a “good, common-sense anti-crime measure.”

Lawrence Lessig & Jack Abramoff

Jack Abramoff is a former lobbyist who pleaded guilty in 2006 to charges of fraud, tax evasion, and conspiracy to bribe public officials. Abramoff also worked as businessman, movie producer and writer. Abramoff's lobbying and the scandals and investigation are featured in a documentary movie "Casino Jack and the United States of Money" and a political satire movie titled "Casino Jack".

Lawrence Lessig is a law professor at Harvard. He has been the lead counsel in important cases concerning copyright laws for digital content. His current work concerns institutional corruption.
Source: Lawrence Lessig interviews Jack Abramoff

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I must confess that I have my own views of the Muslim world. Like most countries they want self-determination. That is the process by which a country determines its own statehood and forms its own allegiances and government. Self-determination is an idea that can't killed with bombs or bullets or autocratic leaders.

Robin Wright

Robin Wright talks with Charlie Rose about the Islamic world
Source: Robin Wright

Al McCoy

SubordiNations

Al McCoy talks about how empires are maintained, why the U.S. empire is in decline, and what the consequences might be depending on how we respond to that decline. Al McCoy is a professor of history at the University of Wisconson–Madison, and author of 'Policing America's Empire: The United States, the Philippines and the Rise of the Surveillance State,'
Source: TomCast for April 24, 2011: SubordiNations

Robin Wright talked about the recent Middle East uprisings and she responded to telephone calls and electronic communications.
Source: Rock The Casbah

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King George III Won: Happy Fourth of July!
By David Swanson
http://warisacrime.org/node/58333

The Declaration of Independence is best remembered as a declaration of war, a war declared on the grounds that we wanted our own flag. The sheer stupidity and anachronism of the idea serves to discourage any thoughts about why Canada didn't need a bloody war, whether the U.S. war benefitted people outside the new aristocracy to whom power was transferred, what bothered Frederick Douglas so much about a day celebrating "independence," or what the Declaration of Independence actually said.

When you read the Declaration of Independence, it turns out to be an indictment of King George III for various abuses of power. And those abuses of power look fairly similar to abuses of power we happily permit U.S. presidents to engage in today, either as regards the people of this nation or the people of territories and nations that our military occupies today in a manner uncomfortably resembling Britain's rule over the 13 colonies.

Or perhaps I should say, a large portion of us take turns being happy or outraged depending on the political party with which the current president is identified.

Ted Rall

Jason Leopold

Will Durst

From the Peter B. Collins' Show
Jason Leopold on Obama’s contradictory positions on torture.
Peter B. Collins' memo to Obama.
Ted Rall talks about his new book, "The Anti-American Manifesto".
Will Durst on Democratic whiners.
Source: Obama’s Hypocritical Positions on Torture; PBC says “I’ll Stop Whining If….”; Ted Rall’s Anti-American Manifesto; Will Durst

Music includes Earth Anthem, How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live, We'll Meet Again

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Does hidden white privilege exist? Allan Johnson provides an alternative way of thinking about issues of privilege by examining what keeps us from seeing our own privilege and how that privilege harms others.

After 30 years of college teaching, Allan G. Johnson now devotes himself entirely to writing and public speaking. He has worked with more than 200 schools and organizations in 36 states.
Source: Leading From Where You Are: Unraveling Privilege, Power and Difference with Allan Johnson

Music includes Earth Anthem, All the Pretty Little Horses, Cisco Houston, Mariachi Tamazula-Alma Llanera, the day they caught Saddam Hussein, We'll Meet Again

Senator Introduces Federal Bills to Address Genetically Engineered Salmon
by Dan Bacher

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Nov. 18, 2010

Senator Introduces Common-sense Federal Bills to Address Controversial Genetically Engineered Salmon

Statement by Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director, Food & Water Watch

“Today Senator Begich (D-AK) introduced two vital bills to head off the FDA’s unwise process for approving the first genetically engineered (GE) food animal, AquaBounty salmon. The first bill, a companion to Representative Don Young’s (R-AK) HR 6265, would amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to prevent the approval of the controversial fish. The second bipartisan bill, a companion to Rep. Young’s H.R. 6264, would amend that same act to require, at minimum, labeling of this science experiment that the biotech industry wants to release into our food system.”

“We applaud Senator Begich’s commitment to keeping genetically engineered salmon off the market as well as his demand for full disclosure if the FDA does approve the product despite widespread consumer opposition."

"The FDA’s approval process for AquaBounty salmon has been disingenuous at best. The product has not been tested sufficiently for its potentially disastrous environmental and human health impacts.”

Fort Worth City Councilman Joel Burns reaches out to GLBT teens with a personal story and a message of hope. For more information, or to stand with Joel today, go to http://www.joelburns.com

The sign in the window that's the third from the right says LEV 19:18. Click the link below for larger pics

Of Mosques and Men: a new Liberty Street message

Earlier this morning Glen E Friedman got a call from pal Russell Simmons asking for help on a new project to send a message about the current Ground Zero Mosque hullabaloo.

Glen and Russell collaborated similarly some years back on what is now known as The Liberty Street Protest [more photos, and previous BB coverage here & here]—massive antiwar signs housed in the windows of Russell's apartment, which is literally across the street from Ground Zero.

This new visual protest today occupies those very same windows. It addresses all who believe that the First Amendment and freedom of religion applies only to them.

[...]

Video below

Ron Paul to Sunshine Patriots: Stop Your Demagogy About The NYC Mosque!

Target Ain't People

The retail company Target just gave over $150,000 to buy ads supporting a far-right Republican candidate for governor in Minnesota.

That's bad enough. But the stakes are much higher than one candidate and one company. If we don't push back hard, this will just be the tip of the iceberg. Other corporations will learn that they can pour money into elections to buy the outcome they want. So we're sending a message to Target's CEO that we won't shop there if Target continues spending money on elections.