Top 25 Censored Stories for 2010

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The Latest Newsletter from Move On

UTNE’s 50 Visionaries Who Are Changing Your World

A few weeks ago I posted an article entitled, Generation I Dont Give A Shit. Well here are some folks whom UTNE believes really give a damn:

The People’s ArtistFavianna Rodriguez, political artist, activist

She’s going to make you shout. Favianna Rodriguez’s political poster art packs revolutionary punch, fused with crackling colors and don’t-mess-with-us mojo. “Gentrification = Predatory Development” thunders a billboard in her Oakland, California, hometown. “We Say Hell No!”

In an image-saturated world, Rodriguez’s fearless, frank work is impossible to ignore. “I use art to transform global politics,” Rodriguez says.

As the daughter of immigrants and a woman of color who grew up without many role models in the art world, Rodriguez gives voice to the global community, and, stepping outside of the artist’s traditional frame, she’s building infrastructure for next-generation women. Collaborating, educating, organizing, writing books, public speaking, everything—she says—becomes part of the artist’s work. Celebrating the work of other bold souls is also essential to Rodriguez’s vision. She recently coedited Reproduce & Revolt (Soft Skull, 2008), a collection of stunning revolutionary political graphics designed by global artists—all of which are licensed under Creative Commons, free to reproduce.

“Favi is doing something that is extremely unusual right now—declarative political art,” says Soft Skull editorial director Richard Nash. “The dominant trend in political art has been ironic, subversive, which can be marvelous except for the slightly creepy feeling one can get that the only viewers who get it are the ones who already possess the framing techniques needed to deconstruct it. The ones who get it, already got it.

“Favi’s doing the is-what-it-is thing: gorgeous, direct political statements.”

See Favianna Rodriguez talk about what inspires her:

See, read, and here more.

Robert Greenwald – Close GITMO and End Military Commissions Now

We have the chance to help President-elect Obama reclaim democracy and restore the rule of law in our country, which he can do on his first day in office. By shutting down the notorious Guantanamo Bay prison facility, Obama can take a major step toward redeeming our nation’s moral leadership in the world. And by ending unconstitutional military commissions and banning torture, he can cut ties with the highly controversial Bush era of national security.

We must seize this critical moment to end the abuses that the Bush administration has perpetrated for the past eight years. That’s why we partnered with the ACLU to bring to you our newest video.

Watch the video:

This is the first in a series of videos underscoring the urgent need to close GITMO and end unconstitutional military commissions. We urge you to sign the petition and ensure that the human rights violations at GITMO never occur again. Then send this video to your friends and ask them to sign up as well.

The ACLU is taking this campaign even further by hosting an open Town Hall Meeting tonight at 8pm ET, when people from all across the country will gather via teleconference to discuss the state of civil liberties in our country. Take part in this important conversation, and help President-elect Obama take decisive action to close GITMO.

Yours,
Robert Greenwald
and the Brave New Foundation team

Generation I Dont Give A Shit

TimatsVision on Technoccult wrote:

Recently someone sent me a link to the famous article written by Tom Wolfe, “The ‘Me’ Decade and the Third Awakening”. When it first came out it in the mid-seventies it caused quite a stir. So much so that it became the label for an entire group of young people growing up at that time. “The Me Decade” or “The Me Generation” went on to become the “Baby Boomers” new title. “See me, feel me, touch me, heal me.” Analyze me, listen to me, and talk to me, me…me!! After reading through the article, it occurred to me that Voltaire was right. “Plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose”. The more that things change, the more they stay the same.

Some friends and I were talking over dinner when their 20 year old son commented on the attitude of some of his generation. He said that his peers are (and I quote) “very spoiled, selfish, and unrealistic about work and life in general. They tend to be self-indulgent, messy, and wait for others to take care of things. Some want a good paying job without having to be too inventive or work too hard for it, and many are foolish about handling money. Immediate self-gratification is expected and pursued. There is a tendency to blame others for things and many have to be rescued from their own lack of experience or incompetence.”

The youth of ANY generation has some of these qualities, so what’s different?

Much of the “Me Generation” were the product of hard working parents who grew up during the Great Depression, and who fought and lived through WWI and WWII. Scarcity was the norm, and family and community were of priority. The future rebels of the 60’s grew up hearing about war and the enormous struggle to make ends meet in the quest for the “American Dream”. The anti-war protests, civil rights movement, sexual liberation, and other movements of the 60’s and 70’s, were led by a youth whose idealism and vision led them to believe that united together they could “change the world”. In essence this was correct. Many things did change, and some issues we’re still fighting for today.

The idealism and self-exploration of the sixties eventually morphed into the self-indulgent, narcissism of the 70’s and 80’s. Out of the communal focus of free love and equal rights for everyone, a scream for individuality and uniqueness emerged. New religious movements and psychotherapy became common place, and intense self-examination and hedonism became acceptable and encouraged. The mottos “Do Your Own Thing”, and “Do What Thou Wilt” eventually morphed into disco glitter and glam, metal, punk and goth and “whatever turns you on”. “You create your own reality, baby. Go and get it!”

Read more. My comments coming later.

2008 US Presidential Election Prelim Results (as of 11:24 PM EST)

(C) Comedy Partners

Robert Greenwald wrote:

This is a truly amazing moment in our nation, and we couldn’t be more delighted to share it with you. Just marvel at the historic change occurring right now — change that seemed like a dream only a year ago — and you helped make it happen. You saw the explosion of grassroots activism around the country and recognized the importance of participating in democracy by spreading our videos, signing our petitions, and supporting our various campaigns.

When the corporate press wasn’t doing its job to portray John McCain accurately, you took it upon yourselves to spread The REAL McCain videos like John McCain’s YouTube Problem Just Became a Nightmare, which has received a whopping 8 million views! And when it became clear that FOX News would stop at nothing to smear and slander Barack Obama, you made sure millions more could see the truth by spreading our FOX Attacks Obama series. All told, over 25 million people watched these videos — all achieved with people-powered persuasion.

Tonight is a beginning. We look forward with excitement and anticipation to the opportunities ahead to fight for social justice. We are already at work on efforts that will provide positive change for our country.

Thank you,
The Brave New Films team

probably not the expression on her face right now.

Studs Terkel, historian of the American working class, passes away at age 96

Ben Quinn for the Guardian:

Studs Terkel, the Pulitzer prize-winning author, broadcaster and master chronicler of American life in the 20th century, died last night. He was 96.

Celebrated for his streetwise portrayals of the American working class, Terkel was best known for letting the common people he called “the uncelebrated” tell their stories in books like Working and The Good War.

To generations of radio listeners he was also the voice of The Studs Terkel Show, which ran for 43 years and was widely syndicated across the US.

The cause of death was not announced, but in recent years Terkel had been beset by various ailments and his health took a turn for the worse two weeks ago when he suffered a fall in his home. At his bedside was a copy of his latest book, PS: Further Thoughts from a Lifetime of Listening, scheduled for release this month.

Born Louis Terkel, he was a native New Yorker who moved to Chicago as a child and came to personify his adopted town.

He won the Pulitzer prize in 1985 for his nonfiction work The Good War: an Oral History of World War II, one of a dozen best-selling books he wrote.

His first work was a little known book, Giants of Jazz, published in 1957, but he earned his fame with Division Street: America, compiled from interviews with Chicagoans from all walks of life. Using their own words, it told the stories, of businessmen, prostitutes and ordinary working people.

It was a theme that Terkel would explore again and again, in Hard Times, his 1970 Depression era memoir; in Working, his saga of ordinary lives in 1974; and in American Dreams: Lost and Found in 1980.

In 1986 he published Chicago, regarded by many as a distillation of much of what he had come to feel for a city that he was closely identified with. Capturing the voices of the city, he quoted ordinary men and women from social activists to police sergeants. His own voice was also present in the book’s anecdotes and reminiscences about his family and growing up. Last year he marked his 95th birthday with the publication of The Studs Terkel Reader, My American Century.

“If I did one thing I’m proud of, it’s to make people feel that together, they count,” he said last year.

In an interview with the Guardian this January, Terkel demonstrated his appetite for provocation was undiminished, wondering aloud of Tony Blair: “Why was he such a house-boy for Bush?”

Read more.

TSOG Strikes Again at the Republican National Convention 2008

Ralph Bernardo on Disinfo is doing a good job observing the debacle of the latest political convention fiasco. And the latest is horrendous. If people thought last week’s Democratic National Convention was bad this week’s Republican National Convention may be worse.

On Friday, IndyMedia reported that a community center with protesters in St. Paul was raided, with everyone including a 5 year old boy cuffed and detained, but not officially arrested, while they were eating dinner and watching a movie. A female in the house was sexual molested by a St. Paul Police Department Officer who groped her genitalia. Here is a video relating to the raid.

On Labor Day at 5:00 PM, Democracy Now‘s reporter Amy Goodman, as well as producers Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar were arrested for being in the vicinity of protests and recording them it seems. Here is a video of police manhandling Goodman.

Here is Salon’s POV. Apparently, Bruce Nestor of the National Lawyer’s Guild was one of the people arrested for “conspiracy to riot.”

I still do not understand why people do not call for the impeachment of the police commissioners and mayors for this attack on AMERICAN DEMOCRACY. I am still appalled that Raymond Walter Kelly, the NYPD Commissioner has not been called to resign for his role in the wrongful detaining of 2004 Republican National Convention protesters and his reaction to the Sean Bell shooting. And times like this its too bad Dave Chappelle and Aaron McGruder’s “go to Canada” campaign will probably not work since the “Great White North” is slowly becoming a mirror of this one.

Lesbian activist Del Martin dies at 87

By LISA LEFF Associated Press Writer

SAN FRANCISCO—Del Martin, a pioneering lesbian rights activist who with her lifelong partner became a symbol for the movement to legalize gay marriage, died Wednesday morning. She was 87.Martin died at a San Francisco hospital two weeks after a broken arm exacerbated her existing health problems, according to Kate Kendell, executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

Her partner of more than 55 years and wife of just over two months, Phyllis Lyon, was with her.

“Ever since I met Del 55 years ago, I could never imagine a day would come when she wouldn’t be by my side,” Lyon, 83, said in a statement Wednesday.

“I also never imagined there would be a day that we would actually be able to get married,” she added. “I am devastated, but I take some solace in knowing we were able to enjoy the ultimate rite of love and commitment before she passed.”

Martin and Lyon exchanged vows at San Francisco City Hall on June 16, the first day same-sex couples could legally wed in California, after being together for more than half a century.

Mayor Gavin Newsom, who officiated the wedding, singled them out to be the first gay couple to be declared “spouses for life” in the city in recognition of their long relationship and their status as pioneers of the gay rights movement.

“The greatest way we can honor the life work of Del Martin, is to continue to fight and never give up, until we have achieved equality for all,” Newsom.

Read more.

1968 Democratic National Convention Episode II: Rocky Mountain Blues 40 Years After

Ralph Bernardo of Disinformation brought these two videos to my attention when he posted them on Disinfo.

The first is FOX News’ interpretation of why protesters at the 2008 DNC hate them.

The second is uncensored footage of a police brutality incident at said Convention played on the Rocky Mountain News.

The 40th Anniversary of the Democratic Convention of ’68: Activism Then and Now

TiamatsVision of TechnOccult wrote:

Someone sent me a link to a site that is promoting a re-enactment of the protests at the Democratic Convention of 1968. While some of my older activist friends and I kinda like the idea of a ritual in remembrance of this day, the first question that popped in our heads was “What’s the point?” Their mission statement says:

“40 years ago this August, the streets of Chicago became a bloody open forum on the politics of power and resistance, as the Democratic National Convention lapsed into chaos and protesters in the streets were met with the gas and bayonets of Law and Order. The ghosts of this unresolved history haunt us to this day. We meet on August 28 in Grant Park to peacefully purge these ghosts and to make sense of our past through ritual reenactment, a living history lesson for the city of Chicago which asks, where were we then?, and where are we now?”

Although it may be an interesting and memorable history lesson, these are very different times, and re-enacting a violent day in history will do nothing to change the status quo. But the questions are being asked in order to gain some perspective. This led me to question how activism has changed during the past 40 years, and to wonder where it will go from here.

Read more.

(Also: the documentary “1968″)

Rapper Nas Protests FOX News at NY HQ and Declares Them Racist

Thanks to Ralph Bernardo of Disinfo.

Heres Nas on the Colbert Report explaining the day’s protest.

Laura Leebove and Evan Lucy write on Billboard:

On the day Nas‘ untitled Def Jam album hit No. 1 on The Billboard 200, the rapper joined political groups Color of Change and Move On, along with fans and protesters, outside of the Fox News building in New York to protest the network’s portrayal of African-Americans.

Color of Change and Move On delivered several boxes containing a petition signed by more than 620,000 people to support their cause, although Fox News refused to accept them.

Nas briefly spoke to the crowd of nearly 100 people and urged them to “stop the racist smears on the Obamas and black Americans.” In his speech, he cited examples of remarks made by Fox reporters that he and supporters found to be racist, including a reference to Michelle Obama as Barack Obama’s “baby mama,” and a fist bump between the couple as a “terrorist fist jab.”

Color of Change director Andre Banks said the campaign began about a month ago as an e-mail to the group’s members. After hearing Nas’ Fox-themed song “Sly Fox” a couple of weeks ago, he wanted to contact the rapper in hopes to get his support. “(We said), ‘Let’s call up his people and see if we can make it happen,'” Banks said.

Read more.