Special Coverage: Rights and Liberties

From the blogs

Is It Cruel and Unusual to Sentence Teens to Die In Prison?

The Supreme Court is hearing two cases today that will affect the fate of more than 2,500 people sentenced to life without parole as teenagers.

Students Who Exposed 30-Year-Old Wrongful Conviction Being Targeted By Chicago DA

by Ari Berman, The Nation

It's shocking that the state would rather keep an innocent man behind bars than admit a mistake.

The Ugly Politics of Mass Killings

by Steve M., No More Mister Nice Blog

Where's the liberal cover-up?

(VIDEO) More Torture by Taser: Cops Zap Man Offering No Resistance

by Digby, Hullabaloo

This is part of such a clear pattern.

Right-Bloggers React to Fort Hood Exactly as Expected

by Roy Edroso, Alicublog

Muuuuuuuuslim!

Who's Been Held Accountable for the Crimes of Bush's "War on Terror"? Four Italians ... Sort of

by Joshua Holland, AlterNet

Certainly not those who ran our shadowy network of secret prisons, nor their superiors who created it.

MSNBC's Brewer Adopts Anti-Gay Rhetoric

by Jamison Foser, Media Matters for America

Anchor Contessa Brewer's introduction of a segment about Maine's repeal of a law allowing same-sex marriage is right out of the right-wing playbook.

"America's Toughest Dictator"? FBI Investigating Joe Arpaio for Using Office to Bully Opponents

by Joshua Holland, AlterNet

The feds are reportedly looking at a pattern of law enforcement being used to intimidate political opponents.

Joe Lieberman: Swine Flu is Either with Us or the Terrorists!

by Steve M., No More Mister Nice Blog

Oh, Joe ...

Immigration: There's a Human Rights Crisis Within Our Borders

by Jill Garvey, Imagine 2050

Perhaps the best guide as our nation traverses immigration reform is to demand that every immigrant, refugee, and citizen is treated as a human being.

Why the Ft. Hood Massacre Is George Bush's Fault

Thom Hartmann, The Smirking Chimp. November 11, 2009.
If Al Gore (or even Ralph Nader) had been President in 2001, the Ft. Hood massacre almost certainly wouldn't have happened. Because George W. Bush was president, it did.

Immigrants and Health-Care: What Part of LEGAL Doesn't Washington Understand?

Marielena Hincapié, New America Media. November 11, 2009.
Congress inexplicably restricts low-income legal immigrants from the federal Medicaid and Medicare programs, which provide a modicum of security for the most vulnerable.

Ugly Truth: Most U.S. Kids Sentenced to Die In Prison Are Black

Liliana Segura, AlterNet. November 11, 2009.
The U.S. stands alone in the world in condemning thousands of juveniles to life without parole. And race is a huge factor. Will the Supreme Court even consider it?

Feds Wanted Private Data on All Visitors to Liberal News Site

Daniel Tencer, Raw Story. November 11, 2009.
A Justice Department subpoena requesting information on visitors to an independent news site is raising serious privacy concerns.

Why Are We Locking Up Traumatized Veterans for Their Addictions Instead of Offering Them Treatment?

Penny Coleman, AlterNet. November 11, 2009.
This Veterans Day, let's get past the bunting and ribbons and look at our returning troops' real needs.

Egyptian Marine: Soldiers Often 'Racialize' the Enemy to Cope With Stress

Aaron Glantz, New America Media. November 10, 2009.
NAM Editor Aaron Glantz spoke to former Marine Corps Cpl. Dave Hassan, who served in Iraq. Hassan said that while he was there, racist language was so pervasive he used it himself.

"Women Are Being Killed All Over the World": One Reporter's Fight Against So-Called "Honor Killings"

Robert S. Eshelman, The Brooklyn Rail. November 10, 2009.
A new book tells the story of so-called "honor killings" in Jordan. Author Rana Husseini discusses the growing movement against this deadly form of violence against women.

4 Ways the Stupak Amendment Deprives Women of Access to Abortion

Jessica Arons, The Wonk Room. November 9, 2009.
The health-care bill passed by the House will expand access to health care. But millions of women are about to lose coverage they currently have and need.

As Foreclosure Nightmares Increase, Will More Homeowners Pay Off Their Bankers in Violence?

Scott Thill, AlterNet. November 9, 2009.
The economic crisis revealed late-capitalism's central offense: Human beings are being transparently treated if they were mere transactions. And they're going postal over it.

Claim: CIA Sent Prisoners Abroad to Be Boiled Alive and 'Raped with Broken Bottles'

Daniel Tencer, Raw Story. November 6, 2009.
Former British ambassador alleges CIA relied on intelligence based on torture in prisons in Uzbekistan.

"My Kids Want to Hide Their Identity; They're Scared Someone Will Attack Us": U.S. Muslims Being Targeted

Jaisal Noor, Indypendent. November 5, 2009.
American Muslims, especially those who wear religious clothing such as hijabs, are often targets of hate crimes.

NYC Marathon Raises Question of Who Is American Enough?

James E. Johnson, Jr., Imagine 2050. November 4, 2009.
Who gets to choose who is American or American enough? And how will they choose?

23 CIA Agents Convicted in Italy for Kidnapping Egyptian Cleric

Gina Doggett, Agence France Presse. November 4, 2009.
The CIA's Milan station chief at the time, Robert Seldon Lady, was sentenced to eight years in prison and othersto five years, all in their absence in the landmark trial.

The Execution of a Potentially Innocent Man Less Scandalous Than an Affair?

Michelle Goldberg, The American Prospect. November 4, 2009.
There's something really rotten in the state of Texas.

Ten Things You Can Do to Reduce Incarceration

Walter Mosley, Rae Gomes, The Nation. November 3, 2009.
Come out of the closet about your drug use; hire a formerly incarcerated person; vote for politicians who are smart on crime.

Six Uighurs Released From Gitmo; Seven Remain Locked Up

Andy Worthington, Andy Worthington's Blog. November 2, 2009.
This latest release still leaves seven Uighurs in Guantánamo -- not to mention the 60 or so other prisoners who have been cleared for release

Deported to a "Homeland" that He Never Knew

Julianne Ong Hing, ColorLines. November 2, 2009.
After growing up in the U.S., Calvin James was separated from his family by and sent by immigration authorities to an alien "homeland."

Boss Tells Latino Workers to Ditch Spanish Names -- in What World Is this Guy Living?

Pilar Marrero, New America Media. October 31, 2009.
According to Larry Whitman, employees who work in reception or answer phones should have names that people generally can understand or can pronounce.

16-Year Old Got Life Without Parole for Killing Her Abusive Pimp -- Should Teens Be Condemned to Die in Jail?

Liliana Segura, AlterNet. October 31, 2009.
Two cases in the Supreme Court could alter the fates of over 2,500 people serving life without parole for crimes they committed as teenagers.

How Our Broken Immigration System Hurts Both Immigrant and Native-Born Workers

Tyler Moran, Immigration Impact. October 30, 2009.
The real answer to “enforcement” at the worksite is making sure all workers can exercise their labor rights and upholding our employment laws

How a Racist Judge Inadvertently Made the Case for Gay Marriage

Madison Shockley, Truthdig. October 30, 2009.
A bigoted justice of the peace in the backwoods of Louisiana accidentally got to the heart of the issue around a key argument in California's gay marriage debate.

How Could It Be Against the Law to Spread Public Information?

Charles Mostoller, AlterNet. October 29, 2009.
An activist shared on Twitter what he heard on his police scanner, and now faces serious federal investigation.

New Online Computer Game Exploits Right-Wing Paranoia

David Corn, Mother Jones. October 29, 2009.
Glenn Beck mysteriously killed. The GOP driven out of Congress. Obama proclaims himself the "Lost Imam." And more.

Pot Is More Mainstream Than Ever, So Why Is Legalization Still Taboo?

Steven Wishnia, AlterNet. October 29, 2009.
Obama's drug czar has said "legalization" isn't in his vocabulary. Here's why it should be.

CIA Kept Prisoners Alive to Keep Torturing Them, Lawyer Says

Muriel Kane, Raw Story. October 28, 2009.
Human rights lawyer John Sifton says the CIA tried to prevent detainees from dying, "which might sound humanitarian, but was kind of sickening."

There's No Hope for Afghanistan If Women Aren't Involved

Ann Jones, The Nation. October 28, 2009.
What happens to women in Afghanistan is not merely a "women's issue." It is the central issue of stability, development and durable peace.

How a Dysfunctional Immigration System Keeps Hard-Working Families Apart

Meredith Higashi, Ronald Lee, Immigration Impact. October 28, 2009.
Those who say the status quo works just don't grasp how damaging it is to the families it tears apart.

Tea Party Movement Returns, This Time with Much More Dangerous and Explicit Rhetoric

Frank Schaeffer, AlterNet. October 27, 2009.
It's not too hard to guess where talk of 'Judgement Day' can lead to in the context of a right-wing, gun-loving movement.

Busted for Handing Out Clean Needles? Courageous Activists Pushed for Safe Access Despite Jail Time Risks

Phillip S. Smith, Drug War Chronicle. October 26, 2009.
Two passionate drug reformers are looking at serious jail time for trying to save lives.

A "Dream" Student's Homeland Security Nightmare

Roberto Dr. Cintli Rodriguez, New American Media. October 26, 2009.
Since 2001, they’ve failed to garner the 60 votes necessary in the Senate to bring the Dream Act to a full vote.

4 Prisoners Facing Executions or Serving Extreme Jail Sentences Who Very Well May Be Innocent

Liliana Segura, AlterNet. October 26, 2009.
Recent evidence shows that an executed Texas man was innocent. There are others who still might avoid that fate.

Obama Is Keeping Bush's Worst "War on Terror" Policies Firmly In Place

Julian Sanchez, The Nation. October 24, 2009.
Thanks to behind-the-scenes maneuvering by the Obama administration, a bipartisan majority has approved legislation that seems to abandon hope of reining in the Patriot Act.

President Obama And Gov. Paterson Get Love For Recent Drug Policy Reforms

Tony Newman, AlterNet. October 24, 2009.
We are obviously a long way from elected officials being honest and principled when it comes to dismantling the disastrous drug war. But the tides seem to be turning.

Torn Apart by Homeland Security, Immigrant Families Struggle to Stay Together

Julianne Hing, Seth Wessler, ColorLines RaceWire. October 23, 2009.
Families are being torn apart by deportation at the treacherous intersection of immigration enforcement and the criminal justice system.

A Death in Texas Casts Cold Light on America's Privatized Immigration Prisons

Tom Barry, Boston Review. October 23, 2009.
The speculative public-private detention center represents the new face of imprisonment in America.

Under Guise of "War on Terror," Assault on American Muslims Still in Full Swing

David L. Ostendorf, Imagine 2050. October 23, 2009.
The civil liberties of American Muslims are regularly assaulted and the religious rights of faithful peoples are casually trampled.

New Crack-Cocaine Sentencing Reform Bill Leaves Thousands Behind Bars

Earl Ofari Hutchinson, New America Media. October 22, 2009.
The Fairness in Sentencing Act 2009 is anything but fair to the thousands of inmates serving time for drug crimes in federal prisons.

Does Military Service Turn Young Men into Sexual Predators?

Penny Coleman, AlterNet. October 22, 2009.
"Everyone has the potential to be a sex offender. It depends on how they have been conditioned."

Innocent Until Proven Dead: Will Texas Execute Another Innocent Man?

Carter Pagel, AlterNet. October 21, 2009.
28-year-old Reginald Blanton is scheduled to die on October 27th despite serious doubts about his guilt. Does Gov. Rick Perry want more innocent blood on his hands?

A National Treasure -- The Memoirs of Gay Rights Pioneer Martin Duberman

Doug Ireland, Gay City News. October 20, 2009.
Father of gay studies programs in universities, Duberman was early to embrace the nascent, post-Stonewall gay liberation movement and join its militant ranks.

Has 'America's Toughest Sheriff' Lost It?

Isabel Macdonald, AlterNet. October 20, 2009.
Local community organizers are calling on the DHS to go further in stripping rogue Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s powers.

Dept of Homeland Security Expands Controversial Program Empowering Local Police

Amy Goodman, Democracy Now!. October 19, 2009.
The 287(g) program gives local law enforcement authority to enforce federal immigration laws, which has led to accusations of racial profiling.

Gloria Steinem: Why We Should Be Both Optimistic and Cautious About a New Report on Women in the Workplace

Gloria Steinem, Women's Media Center. October 19, 2009.
The Shriver Report stands to attract some serious (and overdue) attention to a woman's role in the workplace. Whether that will translate to action is yet unclear.

Stores Peddling 'Illegal Alien' Costumes for Halloween

Jessica Acee, Imagine 2050. October 19, 2009.
Halloween is many things to many people, but Halloween is not an excuse to be racist, sexist, or homophobic.

Major Blow to 'War on Drugs': Obama Tells Fed Prosecutors, Don't Waste Your Time with Medical Marijuana Arrests

Allen St. Pierre, NORML. October 19, 2009.
Department of Justice memo formalizes what marijuana advocates had been pushing Obama to do for some time.

"Clean, Safe and High-Value" Neighborhoods Are Nice Ways of Saying "White" Without Bringing Race into It

Rich Benjamin, Hyperion Books. October 16, 2009.
The law does not forbid segregated or discriminating neighborhoods. It simply forbids intentional discrimination.

Anti-Immigrant Hardliners Declare War on the Clergy

Wendy Feliz Sefsaf, Immigration Impact. October 15, 2009.
Nativist groups are pulling an old strategy out of their play book as they attack members of the clergy.

Obama Administration Accused Again of Concealing Bush-Era Crimes

Matt Renner, TruthOut.org. October 14, 2009.
Listening in on attorney-client conversations is "unlawful and unconstitutional," according to Obama. So why is the Justice Department arguing in favor of the practice?

Judge Finds Abusive Gitmo Interrogations Yield False Confessions, Bad Info

Christopher Flavelle, ProPublica. October 14, 2009.
A judge's recently-released opinion opens a window on Gitmo's harsh interrogation techniques, and the bad intel they yield.

4 Supreme Court Cases That Will Say a Lot About the Direction of Our Country

Liliana Segura, AlterNet. October 12, 2009.
Would a Human Sacrifice TV Channel be protected by the First Amendment? Answers to this and other key questions will be answered.

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