npr--2020-06-15--Philippine Journalist Maria Ressa Found Guilty Of Violating Cyberlibel Law

Maria Ressa , the former CNN journalist who co-founded the Philippines ' Rappler news site , has been convicted of cyberlibel , a controversial charge that she has denied , maintaining that it 's a politically motivated effort to silence independent journalism in the country .
Ressa , 56 , was found guilty along with former Rappler reporter Reynaldo Santos Jr. , in connection with a 2012 story by Santos on links between then Philippine Chief Justice Renato Corona and wealthy businessmen .
Corona was impeached and removed from office around the time the story was first published .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ story was published months before the cyberlibel law came into effect , the government says that when Rappler republished it two years later for what Ressa maintains was to fix a `` typo , '' the publication exposed itself to the new law .
Santos and Ressa , who were both allowed to remain free on bail pending an appeal , face up to six years in prison if the verdict stands .
Rappler 's parent company , Rappler Holdings Corporation , was found not guilty in Monday 's proceeding .
Ressa was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ columnist Jamal Khashoggi , who were named by Time magazine as Person of the Year in 2018 .
The cyberlibel case is being viewed as a major test of press freedom in the Philippines , where the government of President Rodrigo Duterte has maintained a combative relationship with the media since coming to power in 2016 .
He has been particularly critical of Rappler , labeling the fiercely independent website `` fake news . ''
He has also attacked journalists as `` spies '' and warned that they could be targeted for assassination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until 2010 , has been arrested multiple times in recent years in what many critics have called a political vendetta against Rappler .
In 2018 , the government announced that it would charge Ressa and Rappler Holdings with tax evasion .
Ressa has denied any wrongdoing in connection with either the tax evasion or cyberlibel charges .
She was arrested twice last year , once in connection with the cyberlibel case and again on the tax evasion charge .
Ressa , speaking with NPR 's Weekend Edition last year , said she did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just about Rappler .
`` Press freedom is the foundation of the rights of all Filipinos to the truth , '' she told NPR .
`` I always say , you know , you have to help us hold the line ; we 're not against the government , but it is our job to hold the government accountable . ''
At a news conference following Monday 's verdict , Ressa said the outcome was `` not unexpected . ''
`` We will keep fighting , '' she said .
`` We are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of attacks against press freedom . ''

Philippine Journalist Maria Ressa Found Guilty Of Violating Cyber Libel Law
Enlarge this image toggle caption Aaron Favila/AP Aaron Favila/AP
Maria Ressa, the former CNN journalist who co-founded the Philippines' Rappler news site, has been convicted of cyber libel, a controversial charge that she has denied, maintaining that it's a politically motivated effort to silence independent journalism in the country.
Ressa, 56, was found guilty along with former Rappler reporter Reynaldo Santos Jr. in connection with a 2012 story by Santos on links between then Philippine Chief Justice Renato Corona and wealthy businessmen. Corona was impeached and removed from office around the time the story was first published. He died in 2016.
This conviction may not be the last.
Opposition legislators voice out their condemnation over the cyber libel conviction of Rappler's Maria Ressa and Rey Santos Jr.
READ MORE: https://t.co/GyHx8b3Sc0 pic.twitter.com/46hcd0RwfC — Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) June 15, 2020
Although Santos' story was published months before the cyber libel law came into effect, the government says that when Rappler republished it two years later for what Ressa maintains was to fix a "typo," the publication exposed itself to the new law.
Santos and Ressa, who were both allowed to remain free on bail pending an appeal, face up to six years in prison if the verdict stands.
Rappler's parent company, Rappler Holdings Corp., was found not guilty in Monday's proceeding.
Ressa was one of four journalists, including slain columnist Jamal Khashoggi, who were named by Time magazine as Person of the Year in 2018.
The cyber libel case is being viewed as a major test of press freedom in the Philippines, where the government of President Rodrigo Duterte has maintained a combative relationship with the media since coming to power in 2016. He has been particularly critical of Rappler, labeling the fiercely independent website "fake news." He has also attacked journalists as "spies" and warned that they could be targeted for assassination.
Ressa, who worked for CNN until 2010, has been arrested multiple times in recent years in what many critics have called a political vendetta against Rappler.
In 2018, the government announced that it would charge Ressa and Rappler Holdings with tax evasion.
Ressa has denied any wrongdoing in connection with either the tax evasion or cyber libel charges.
She was arrested twice last year, once in connection with the cyber libel case and again on the tax evasion charge.
Ressa, speaking with NPR's Weekend Edition last year, said she didn't think the government's move was just about Rappler.
"Press freedom is the foundation of the rights of all Filipinos to the truth," she told NPR. "I always say, you know, you have to help us hold the line; we're not against the government, but it is our job to hold the government accountable."
At a news conference following Monday's verdict, Ressa said the outcome was "not unexpected."
"We will keep fighting," she said. "We are going to stand up against any kind of attacks against press freedom."


npr--2020-06-15--In Wake Of Rayshard Brooks' Killing, Atlanta Mayor Orders Police Department Reforms

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced a series of administrative orders on Monday that will require the police department to reform its use-of-force rules and amp up de-escalation tactics , three days after Rayshard Brooks was shot and killed by a police officer .
`` Friday evening we saw the murder of Rayshard Brooks , '' Bottoms said in a press conference , `` It is clear that we do not have another day , another minute , another hour to waste . ''
The move comes as local governments across the nation are reexamining police department budgets , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bottoms ' orders will require the police department to report all uses of deadly force to a citizens review board .
Atlanta police officers will also be `` duty bound '' to intervene and prevent another officer from using force `` which is beyond reasonable , '' Bottoms said , and then to immediately report the use of force to a supervisor .
The orders will stipulate that officers must use de-escalation techniques before using deadly force , and require officers de-escalate more generally in their policing , according to Bottoms .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night with Mr.Brooks .
... it angered me and it saddened me beyond words , '' Bottoms said .
`` This is the first of a series of actions and steps that we will take . ''
The move comes as demonstrators across the U.S. have chanted the demand `` Defund The Police . ''
Activists say reform is not the same as defunding police departments , which would replace officers with other trained professionals , such as social workers , to respond to noncriminal disputes , a step the city of San @ @ @ @ @

In Wake Of Rayshard Brooks' Killing, Atlanta Mayor Orders Police Department Reforms
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mike Stewart/AP Mike Stewart/AP
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced a series of administrative orders on Monday that will require the police department to reform its use-of-force rules and amp up de-escalation tactics, three days after Rayshard Brooks was shot and killed by a police officer.
"Friday evening we saw the murder of Rayshard Brooks," Bottoms said in a press conference, "It is clear that we do not have another day, another minute, another hour to waste."
The move comes as local governments across the nation are reexamining police department budgets, and implementing various reforms.
In Atlanta, Bottoms' orders will require the police department to report all uses of deadly force to a citizens review board.
Atlanta police officers will also be "duty bound" to intervene and prevent another officer from using force "which is beyond reasonable," Bottoms said, and then to immediately report the use of force to a supervisor.
The orders will stipulate that officers must use de-escalation techniques before using deadly force, and require officers de-escalate more generally in their policing, according to Bottoms.
"We saw the worst happen on Friday night with Mr.Brooks. ... it angered me and it saddened me beyond words," Bottoms said. "This is the first of a series of actions and steps that we will take."
The move comes as demonstrators across the U.S. have chanted the demand "Defund The Police."
Activists say reform is not the same as defunding police departments, which would replace officers with other trained professionals, such as social workers, to respond to noncriminal disputes, a step the city of San Francisco took on Friday.


npr--2020-06-15--Women's Pro Basketball To Return In July

The WNBA is the latest sports league to announce a plan for games to return after a months-long shutdown to help combat spread of the coronavirus .
Each of the league 's 12 teams will train and play starting next month at IMG Academy in Bradenton , Fla. , a neutral site as there are no current WNBA teams playing in the state .
This will be the first time in league history that all players will train and play in the same location .
Exact dates and matchups have not yet been announced , but the 2020 season is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The WNBA is the latest sports league to announce plans to reopen , after virtually every sport suspended play months ago .
The WNBA announced in early April that it would postpone the start of its season , originally scheduled for mid-May .
The league will play 22 regular season games , followed by playoffs , all without an in-person audience .
This is down from the 34 regular season games the league played last year , half at home and half away .
But players will still receive their full pay and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the disruption caused by the global pandemic to our 2020 season , the WNBA and its Board of Governors believe strongly in supporting and valuing the elite women athletes who play in the WNBA , '' said Commissioner Cathy Engelbert in a statement .
The men 's counterpart , the NBA , is gearing up for a late-July restart , with 22 of the league 's 30 teams likely heading to the Orlando area to continue the season there .
The nation 's top infectious disease specialist , Dr. Anthony Fauci , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
But some NBA players have expressed concern about the isolated environment and distraction from the Black Lives Matter movement .
Golf restarted last week ; Major League Soccer plans for a July start — also in Orlando .
Wimbledon was canceled but tennis 's other major championships are still planned , starting with the U.S. Open in August .
The NFL still plans to start its regular season in the fall .

Women's Pro Basketball To Return In July
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alex Brandon/AP Alex Brandon/AP
The WNBA is the latest sports league to announce a plan for games to return after a months-long shutdown to help combat spread of the coronavirus.
Each of the league's 12 teams will train and play starting next month at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., a neutral site as there are no current WNBA teams playing in the state. This will be the first time in league history that all players will train and play in the same location. Exact dates and matchups have not yet been announced, but the 2020 season is expected to begin in late July.
The WNBA is the latest sports league to announce plans to reopen, after virtually every sport suspended play months ago. The WNBA announced in early April that it would postpone the start of its season, originally scheduled for mid-May.
The league will play 22 regular season games, followed by playoffs, all without an in-person audience. This is down from the 34 regular season games the league played last year, half at home and half away. But players will still receive their full pay and benefits for the season.
"Despite the disruption caused by the global pandemic to our 2020 season, the WNBA and its Board of Governors believe strongly in supporting and valuing the elite women athletes who play in the WNBA," said Commissioner Cathy Engelbert in a statement.
The men's counterpart, the NBA, is gearing up for a late-July restart, with 22 of the league's 30 teams likely heading to the Orlando area to continue the season there. The nation's top infectious disease specialist, Dr. Anthony Fauci, has praised the plan as "quite creative." But some NBA players have expressed concern about the isolated environment and distraction from the Black Lives Matter movement.
Golf restarted last week; Major League Soccer plans for a July start — also in Orlando. Wimbledon was canceled but tennis's other major championships are still planned, starting with the U.S. Open in August. The NFL still plans to start its regular season in the fall.


npr--2020-06-15--Supreme Court Says Pipeline May Cross Underneath Appalachian Trail

The Supreme Court ruled Monday in favor of a pipeline company in a dispute about whether a new 600-mile natural gas pipeline could cross underneath the Appalachian Trail on federal land .
The 7-2 decision overturned one part of a lower court decision that had blocked construction of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline , which is being jointly developed by Duke Energy and Dominion Energy .
The proposed pipeline would run from West Virginia to population centers in Virginia and North Carolina .
In central Virginia , the pipeline would cross hundreds of feet underground beneath the Appalachian Trail where the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Forest .
At the heart of the case was a technical legal question about which federal agency , if any , had the authority to grant the permit for the pipeline .
The U.S. Forest Service granted the permit to the pipeline company in 2018 because that agency administers the national forest where the pipeline would cross the trail .
But environmental groups argued that the Forest Service did n't have the authority to issue the permit .
Led by the Southern Environmental Law Center , they said that because the Appalachian Trail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Park System , rules that govern National Park lands should apply instead .
In December 2018 , the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the environmental groups and vacated the Forest Service permit .
The pipeline company appealed .
Arguments before the Supreme Court in February centered on the interpretation of certain words in various decades-old federal laws .
Arguing on behalf of the pipeline company , Anthony Yang , a lawyer for the federal government , sought to disentangle the trail from the land beneath it , so that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Forest Service .
Chief Justice John Roberts expressed concern during those arguments about the practical consequences of a ruling in favor of the environmental groups .
Because a century-old law forbids the Park Service from granting energy permits across National Park lands , such a ruling could have had the effect of disallowing new pipelines across any federal land where the Appalachian Trail runs , potentially imposing a major obstacle to pipeline development in the eastern U.S .
In overturning the Fourth Circuit 's decision , the Supreme Court concluded , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have legal authority to grant the permit .
The court compared the situation to a landowner granting a right-of-way or easement to a neighbor .
`` If a rancher granted a neighbor an easement across his land for a horse trail , no one would think that the rancher had conveyed ownership over that land , '' wrote Justice Clarence Thomas on behalf of the majority .
In effect , the court ruled , the Forest Service had simply granted a right-of-way to the Park Service to maintain the trail in the national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Sometimes a complicated regulatory scheme may cause us to miss the forest for the trees , but at bottom , these cases boil down to a simple proposition : A trail is a trail , and land is land , '' Thomas wrote , concluding that the trail is distinct from the land on which it runs .
The pipeline company says the project will deliver lower-cost natural gas to utilities in the region and create thousands of new jobs .
The majority opinion noted that the company plans to drill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with entry and exit sites far from the trail .
A clear-cut path for the pipeline would be visible in the distance , and there are other environmental concerns associated with the pipeline .
The company called the ruling `` a major victory '' and says it is working to secure the other permits required .
Dominion Energy said the court 's decision `` upheld the longstanding precedent allowing infrastructure crossings of the Appalachian Trail .
For decades , more than 50 other pipelines have safely crossed the Trail without disturbing its public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be no different . ''
The Southern Environmental Law Center expressed disappointment with the decision , and said that many problems with the pipeline remain .
`` This is not a viable project , '' SELC Program Director DJ Gerken said in a statement .
`` It is still missing many required authorizations , including the Forest Service permit at issue in today 's case , and the D.C .
Circuit Court of Appeals will soon consider the mounting evidence that we never needed this pipeline to supply power .
It 's time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reinvest the billions of dollars planned for this boondoggle into the renewable energy that Virginia and North Carolina customers want and deserve . ''
The Atlantic Coast Pipeline still faces other obstacles to its construction .
The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals revoked the Forest Service permit on four different grounds , only one of which was appealed to the Supreme Court .
With the Appalachian Trail question now resolved , the three other issues still remain .
The pipeline is also still awaiting a number of permits from other agencies .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pipeline was proposed , we did n't need it then and we certainly do n't need it now , '' said Dick Brooks of the Cowpasture River Preservation , a conservation organization in the region .
`` Today 's decision does n't change the fact that Dominion chose a risky route through protected federal lands , steep mountains , and vulnerable communities . ''
A ruling in favor of the environmentalists could have resulted in the disruption of the `` cooperative management system '' relied on by groups that work to maintain the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year .
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy , the main organization charged with day-to-day administration of the trail , officially neither supported nor opposed the pipeline .
In a statement , the group announced that the Supreme Court 's ruling would keep the system in place .

Supreme Court Says Pipeline May Cross Underneath Appalachian Trail
Enlarge this image toggle caption Becky Sullivan/NPR Becky Sullivan/NPR
The Supreme Court ruled Monday in favor of a pipeline company in a dispute about whether a new 600-mile natural gas pipeline could cross underneath the Appalachian Trail on federal land.
The 7-2 decision overturned one part of a lower court decision that had blocked construction of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, which is being jointly developed by Duke Energy and Dominion Energy.
The proposed pipeline would run from West Virginia to population centers in Virginia and North Carolina. In central Virginia, the pipeline would cross hundreds of feet underground beneath the Appalachian Trail where the trail runs through the George Washington National Forest.
At the heart of the case was a technical legal question about which federal agency, if any, had the authority to grant the permit for the pipeline.
The U.S. Forest Service granted the permit to the pipeline company in 2018 because that agency administers the national forest where the pipeline would cross the trail.
But environmental groups argued that the Forest Service didn't have the authority to issue the permit. Led by the Southern Environmental Law Center, they said that because the Appalachian Trail is a "unit" of the National Park System, rules that govern National Park lands should apply instead. In December 2018, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the environmental groups and vacated the Forest Service permit. The pipeline company appealed.
Arguments before the Supreme Court in February centered on the interpretation of certain words in various decades-old federal laws. Arguing on behalf of the pipeline company, Anthony Yang, a lawyer for the federal government, sought to disentangle the trail from the land beneath it, so that the pipeline could proceed under the permit granted by the Forest Service.
Chief Justice John Roberts expressed concern during those arguments about the practical consequences of a ruling in favor of the environmental groups. Because a century-old law forbids the Park Service from granting energy permits across National Park lands, such a ruling could have had the effect of disallowing new pipelines across any federal land where the Appalachian Trail runs, potentially imposing a major obstacle to pipeline development in the eastern U.S.
In overturning the Fourth Circuit's decision, the Supreme Court concluded, 7-2, that the Forest Service did have legal authority to grant the permit. The court compared the situation to a landowner granting a right-of-way or easement to a neighbor.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Becky Sullivan/NPR Becky Sullivan/NPR
"If a rancher granted a neighbor an easement across his land for a horse trail, no one would think that the rancher had conveyed ownership over that land," wrote Justice Clarence Thomas on behalf of the majority. In effect, the court ruled, the Forest Service had simply granted a right-of-way to the Park Service to maintain the trail in the national forest, meaning Forest Service rules apply.
"Sometimes a complicated regulatory scheme may cause us to miss the forest for the trees, but at bottom, these cases boil down to a simple proposition: A trail is a trail, and land is land," Thomas wrote, concluding that the trail is distinct from the land on which it runs.
Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan dissented.
The pipeline company says the project will deliver lower-cost natural gas to utilities in the region and create thousands of new jobs. The majority opinion noted that the company plans to drill the pipeline hundreds of feet underground, with entry and exit sites far from the trail. A clear-cut path for the pipeline would be visible in the distance, and there are other environmental concerns associated with the pipeline.
The company called the ruling "a major victory" and says it is working to secure the other permits required. Dominion Energy said the court's decision "upheld the longstanding precedent allowing infrastructure crossings of the Appalachian Trail. For decades, more than 50 other pipelines have safely crossed the Trail without disturbing its public use. The Atlantic Coast Pipeline will be no different."
The Southern Environmental Law Center expressed disappointment with the decision, and said that many problems with the pipeline remain.
"This is not a viable project," SELC Program Director DJ Gerken said in a statement. "It is still missing many required authorizations, including the Forest Service permit at issue in today's case, and the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals will soon consider the mounting evidence that we never needed this pipeline to supply power. It's time for these developers to move on and reinvest the billions of dollars planned for this boondoggle into the renewable energy that Virginia and North Carolina customers want and deserve."
The Atlantic Coast Pipeline still faces other obstacles to its construction. The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals revoked the Forest Service permit on four different grounds, only one of which was appealed to the Supreme Court. With the Appalachian Trail question now resolved, the three other issues still remain. The pipeline is also still awaiting a number of permits from other agencies.
"It's been six years since this pipeline was proposed, we didn't need it then and we certainly don't need it now," said Dick Brooks of the Cowpasture River Preservation, a conservation organization in the region. "Today's decision doesn't change the fact that Dominion chose a risky route through protected federal lands, steep mountains, and vulnerable communities."
A ruling in favor of the environmentalists could have resulted in the disruption of the "cooperative management system" relied on by groups that work to maintain the trail, as NPR reported earlier this year. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy, the main organization charged with day-to-day administration of the trail, officially neither supported nor opposed the pipeline. In a statement, the group announced that the Supreme Court's ruling would keep the system in place.


npr--2020-06-15--Hundreds March On Georgia Capitol As Legislature Reconvenes

Hundreds of protesters descended on the Georgia state capitol Monday to demand an end to systemic criminal justice failures including police brutality , voter suppression and to abolish the state 's citizen arrest law .
The demonstration came as state lawmakers returned to work after the current session was halted for three months amid concern about the spread of the coronavirus .
It also comes on the heels of a tumultuous period for the state , that includes long voting lines and voting deficiencies during the state 's primary election last week and the resignation of Atlanta 's police chief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shooting death of a black man , Rayshard Brooks , during a DUI stop .
The officer who fired the fatal shots on Friday has been fired .
The rally , dubbed `` March on Georgia , '' was organized by the Georgia NAACP and planned before those events transpired .
Chapter president James Woodall said on NPR 's Morning Edition Monday the killing of Brooks during an encounter with police did not change the organization 's message , rather `` it has only amplified its urgency . ''
`` What we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world know that we are done dying , '' Woodall said to NPR 's Steve Inskeep .
`` We are done allowing this kind of experience to be had in our communities . ''
Police were called after Brooks was found asleep in a car at a Wendy 's drive-through Friday night .
Brooks admitted to officers he had been drinking and complied with a field sobriety test , which included a breathalyzer .
Body camera footage released by the Atlanta Police Department shows that after failing the test , a struggle broke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to put handcuffs on him .
In the video , he appears to grab an officer 's stun gun and run away .
The two officers give chase and one fires a stun gun at Brooks , who then points a stun gun back in the direction of the officers .
The now-former officer Garrett Rolfe then pulls his service weapon and fires .
As NPR reported , the Fulton County Medical Examiner confirmed on Sunday that Brooks died of gunshot wounds to his back .
The report classified his death a homicide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ die because I 'm a black man' Inside the state capitol , a group of people locked arms in a large circle in the capitol 's rotunda Monday .
It was the first day the state assembly was back after abruptly suspending its session in mid-March .
The legislature now has 11 business days before the end of the session , Georgia Public Broadcasting reports .
Earlier Monday , at the rally that began at the Richard B. Russell Federal Building in Atlanta before the half-mile trek to the Georgia State Capitol building @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we have is too many leaders , elected officials who ... talk when there are people marching in the streets , and the looting , and the protests , but say nothing when our bodies and our blood is draining in our streets , '' Woodall said the crowd .
Many marchers were wearing face masks and holding signs that read `` No Justice No Peace '' and `` Take His Keys Not His Life . ''
The event was emceed by Jeezy , the Atlanta-based rapper whose hits include `` Put On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He encouraged the crowd to show up with `` the same energy and the same enthusiasm '' on Election Day in the fall .
`` Black votes do matter .
So do n't let them tell you different , '' the rapper said .
Also speaking before the march was Atlanta Hawks head coach Lloyd Pierce .
Pierce , 44 , is black and said he 's seen violence against other black men his entire life and it 's time to call attention to it .
He said he was there to call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have died this year during interactions with police , including Brooks and George Floyd in Minneapolis , along with Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery .
Taylor was killed in her home in March by police in Louisville executing a `` no-knock '' search warrant exchanged gun fire with her boyfriend .
Arbery was killed in Glynn County , Ga. , in February .
One of the three men charged for his murder was a retired law enforcement officer .
`` I was born a black man and I know one day I 'll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` But I do n't want to die because I 'm a black man . ''
One item that is still pending in this session is a hate crimes statue , that gained renewed attention after Arbery 's death while jogging through a Brunswick , Ga.-area neighborhood .
Georgia is one of four states in the country , along with Arkansas , South Carolina and Wyoming , that do not have hate crime laws and do n't require officials to collect data on hate crimes , according to the U.S. Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and tired of every week having a different hashtag for innocent black lives , '' said the Rev .
Jamal Bryant of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia , Ga. , during the rally .
`` We 're sick and tired that in Georgia , you can get killed just for jogging . ''
Wade Cook , a black college student from Snellville , roughly 30 miles east of Atlanta , said he was taking part in the march because he was `` sickened and disgusted '' by the injustice he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ basis across the country .
`` That 's why I 'm marching , because I have to be a part of this , because these are my people getting killed every day , '' he said .
`` This is in my control and it 's in my control to stop it . ''
Rally-goers also protested against the widespread problems across the state during last week 's primary , even though the state installed a new $ 104 million voting system .
As NPR reported , many voters were in line long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were forced to extend voting by a couple of hours .
Wanda Mosely of the organization Black Votes Matter railed against the state 's Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger during her remarks at the rally , including leading chants of `` Do your job ! ''
Mosley also said Raffensperger failed to administer the state 's mail-in voting system and therefore forced voters to cast in-person ballots during the coronavirus pandemic .
`` You did not correctly oversee vote by mail , '' Mosley said .
`` And in doing so , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for simply trying to exercise the `` sacred right '' of voting .

Hundreds March On Georgia Capitol As Legislature Reconvenes
Enlarge this image toggle caption Stephen Fowler/Georgia Public Broadcasting Stephen Fowler/Georgia Public Broadcasting
Hundreds of protesters descended on the Georgia state capitol Monday to demand an end to systemic criminal justice failures including police brutality, voter suppression and to abolish the state's citizen arrest law.
The demonstration came as state lawmakers returned to work after the current session was halted for three months amid concern about the spread of the coronavirus.
It also comes on the heels of a tumultuous period for the state, that includes long voting lines and voting deficiencies during the state's primary election last week and the resignation of Atlanta's police chief over the weekend, following the police shooting death of a black man, Rayshard Brooks, during a DUI stop.
The officer who fired the fatal shots on Friday has been fired.
Brooks' death 'amplified' urgency for march
The rally, dubbed "March on Georgia," was organized by the Georgia NAACP and planned before those events transpired.
Chapter president James Woodall said on NPR's Morning Edition Monday the killing of Brooks during an encounter with police did not change the organization's message, rather "it has only amplified its urgency."
"What we are marching for today is to let the world know that we are done dying," Woodall said to NPR's Steve Inskeep. "We are done allowing this kind of experience to be had in our communities."
Police were called after Brooks was found asleep in a car at a Wendy's drive-through Friday night. Brooks admitted to officers he had been drinking and complied with a field sobriety test, which included a breathalyzer.
Body camera footage released by the Atlanta Police Department shows that after failing the test, a struggle broke out between Brooks and the officers trying to put handcuffs on him.
In the video, he appears to grab an officer's stun gun and run away. The two officers give chase and one fires a stun gun at Brooks, who then points a stun gun back in the direction of the officers.
The now-former officer Garrett Rolfe then pulls his service weapon and fires.
As NPR reported, the Fulton County Medical Examiner confirmed on Sunday that Brooks died of gunshot wounds to his back. The report classified his death a homicide.
'I don't want to die because I'm a black man'
Inside the state capitol, a group of people locked arms in a large circle in the capitol's rotunda Monday. It was the first day the state assembly was back after abruptly suspending its session in mid-March.
The legislature now has 11 business days before the end of the session, Georgia Public Broadcasting reports.
Earlier Monday, at the rally that began at the Richard B. Russell Federal Building in Atlanta before the half-mile trek to the Georgia State Capitol building, Woodall addressed protesters.
"What we have is too many leaders, elected officials who ... talk when there are people marching in the streets, and the looting, and the protests, but say nothing when our bodies and our blood is draining in our streets," Woodall said the crowd.
Many marchers were wearing face masks and holding signs that read "No Justice No Peace" and "Take His Keys Not His Life."
The event was emceed by Jeezy, the Atlanta-based rapper whose hits include "Put On" and "Soul Survivor." He encouraged the crowd to show up with "the same energy and the same enthusiasm" on Election Day in the fall.
"Black votes do matter. So don't let them tell you different," the rapper said.
Also speaking before the march was Atlanta Hawks head coach Lloyd Pierce.
Pierce, 44, is black and said he's seen violence against other black men his entire life and it's time to call attention to it.
He said he was there to call for justice for other African Americans who have died this year during interactions with police, including Brooks and George Floyd in Minneapolis, along with Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery.
Taylor was killed in her home in March by police in Louisville executing a "no-knock" search warrant exchanged gun fire with her boyfriend. Arbery was killed in Glynn County, Ga., in February. One of the three men charged for his murder was a retired law enforcement officer.
"I was born a black man and I know one day I'll die a black man," Pierce said. "But I don't want to die because I'm a black man."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Brynn Anderson/AP Brynn Anderson/AP
Hate crime bill and primary election fallout
One item that is still pending in this session is a hate crimes statue, that gained renewed attention after Arbery's death while jogging through a Brunswick, Ga.-area neighborhood.
Georgia is one of four states in the country, along with Arkansas, South Carolina and Wyoming, that do not have hate crime laws and don't require officials to collect data on hate crimes, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
"We're sick and tired of every week having a different hashtag for innocent black lives," said the Rev. Jamal Bryant of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Ga., during the rally. "We're sick and tired that in Georgia, you can get killed just for jogging."
Wade Cook, a black college student from Snellville, roughly 30 miles east of Atlanta, said he was taking part in the march because he was "sickened and disgusted" by the injustice he said is happening on a near daily basis across the country.
"That's why I'm marching, because I have to be a part of this, because these are my people getting killed every day," he said. "This is in my control and it's in my control to stop it."
Rally-goers also protested against the widespread problems across the state during last week's primary, even though the state installed a new $104 million voting system.
As NPR reported, many voters were in line long after the polls closed and some locations were forced to extend voting by a couple of hours.
Wanda Mosely of the organization Black Votes Matter railed against the state's Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger during her remarks at the rally, including leading chants of "Do your job!"
Mosley also said Raffensperger failed to administer the state's mail-in voting system and therefore forced voters to cast in-person ballots during the coronavirus pandemic.
"You did not correctly oversee vote by mail," Mosley said. "And in doing so, you put millions of us at jeopardy" for simply trying to exercise the "sacred right" of voting.


npr--2020-06-15--As COVID-19 Spreads In Prisons, Lockdowns Spark Fear Of More Solitary Confinement

As COVID-19 Spreads In Prisons , Lockdowns Spark Fear Of More Solitary Confinement Prisons across the country have placed prisoners on lockdown — they 're kept in their cells mostly around-the-clock — as a way to stop the spread of the coronavirus .
Now prison reformers are worried that the response has increased the use of a practice they 've long fought : solitary confinement .
`` We 're starting to see an alarming trend in light of COVID-19 , '' says Jessica Sandoval of Unlock the Box , a coalition of groups fighting solitary confinement , including the American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Campaign Against Torture .
That trend is outlined in the coalition 's new report , Solitary Confinement Is Never the Answer .
Before the coronavirus , according to the report , there were 60,000 people in solitary confinement .
Now , in response to the pandemic , 300,000 state and federal prisoners have been confined to their cells .
They 've been placed in solitary confinement or in lockdown .
Lockdown varies from prison to prison .
Sandoval says in most cases , prisoners ca n't leave their cells for meals , exercise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visits from family .
There might also be limits on mail and phone calls .
Sandoval says she worries that because it 's hard to know what goes on inside prisons , some of these restrictions will stick .
`` We believe that this is the start of a trend to continue to institutionalize the practice of solitary confinement , '' she says .
The United States stands out , among Western and industrialized countries , for its use of extended solitary confinement in prisons .
But in recent years , some states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reforms .
In some prisons , children , pregnant women or people with significant mental illness can no longer be held in solitary confinement .
In April , to stop the spread of the coronavirus , the Federal Bureau of Prisons started restricting the movement of prisoners .
Then in the first week of June , all prisoners were put on a rare nationwide lockdown — this time because of fears of how prisoners might respond to the national protests over police abuse and the killing of George Floyd .
That lockdown has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in place for COVID-19 .
The Bureau of Prisons says it hopes that `` inmates will be restored to limited movement in the very near future . ''
The coronavirus can spread quickly in prisons , just like in nursing homes or other places where people live close together .
There 's been consensus from advocates , prison officials and U.S. Attorney General William Barr that the best public health response is to `` de-densify . ''
It means prison systems release as many prisoners as possible : Those at the end of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are not dangerous can go on home detention .
The fewer people in a prison , the easier it is to space out the inmates who remain and to prevent prisoners and prison staff from getting sick .
Still , Judith Resnik , a Yale Law School professor who studies solitary confinement , says only small numbers of prisoners have been released .
`` What did Attorney General Barr do ? ''
asks Resnik , who has worked on court petitions to get people out .
`` He said on April 3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prisons , find people who are medically vulnerable and eligible to leave , and leave . '
And the saddest part of the last few months , which trial judges across the United States have seen , is how slow and unenergetic the bureau was in finding routes for some people to leave . ''
Brie Williams , a physician at the University of California , San Francisco who runs a program called AMEND , which works with prisons on solutions to public health problems , says a medical quarantine inside prisons , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isolation , makes sense .
But she says these need to be temporary measures , not drawn-out lockdowns .
And she points to a history of prisons using solitary confinement to deal with other health issues such as prisoners who are suicidal or those with serious mental illness .
She says doing so is wrong .
`` There is really a long legacy of many prisons — not all — but many prisons turning to solitary confinement , turning to lockdown in the face of other public health problems , '' she says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concern that once the system is sort of used to one mode of controlling people , that that will continue . ''

As COVID-19 Spreads In Prisons, Lockdowns Spark Fear Of More Solitary Confinement
Enlarge this image toggle caption LM Otero/AP LM Otero/AP
Prisons across the country have placed prisoners on lockdown — they're kept in their cells mostly around-the-clock — as a way to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Now prison reformers are worried that the response has increased the use of a practice they've long fought: solitary confinement.
"We're starting to see an alarming trend in light of COVID-19," says Jessica Sandoval of Unlock the Box, a coalition of groups fighting solitary confinement, including the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Religious Campaign Against Torture.
That trend is outlined in the coalition's new report, Solitary Confinement Is Never the Answer.
Before the coronavirus, according to the report, there were 60,000 people in solitary confinement. Now, in response to the pandemic, 300,000 state and federal prisoners have been confined to their cells. They've been placed in solitary confinement or in lockdown.
Lockdown varies from prison to prison. Sandoval says in most cases, prisoners can't leave their cells for meals, exercise or prison jobs and can't receive visits from family. There might also be limits on mail and phone calls.
Sandoval says she worries that because it's hard to know what goes on inside prisons, some of these restrictions will stick.
"We believe that this is the start of a trend to continue to institutionalize the practice of solitary confinement," she says.
The United States stands out, among Western and industrialized countries, for its use of extended solitary confinement in prisons.
But in recent years, some states and the federal government have started enacting reforms. In some prisons, children, pregnant women or people with significant mental illness can no longer be held in solitary confinement.
In April, to stop the spread of the coronavirus, the Federal Bureau of Prisons started restricting the movement of prisoners.
Then in the first week of June, all prisoners were put on a rare nationwide lockdown — this time because of fears of how prisoners might respond to the national protests over police abuse and the killing of George Floyd.
That lockdown has been lifted, although restrictions are still in place for COVID-19. The Bureau of Prisons says it hopes that "inmates will be restored to limited movement in the very near future."
The coronavirus can spread quickly in prisons, just like in nursing homes or other places where people live close together.
There's been consensus from advocates, prison officials and U.S. Attorney General William Barr that the best public health response is to "de-densify." It means prison systems release as many prisoners as possible: Those at the end of their sentences, the elderly or people who are not dangerous can go on home detention. The fewer people in a prison, the easier it is to space out the inmates who remain and to prevent prisoners and prison staff from getting sick.
Still, Judith Resnik, a Yale Law School professor who studies solitary confinement, says only small numbers of prisoners have been released.
"What did Attorney General Barr do?" asks Resnik, who has worked on court petitions to get people out. "He said on April 3: 'Go to it, Bureau of Prisons, find people who are medically vulnerable and eligible to leave, and leave.' And the saddest part of the last few months, which trial judges across the United States have seen, is how slow and unenergetic the bureau was in finding routes for some people to leave."
Brie Williams, a physician at the University of California, San Francisco who runs a program called AMEND, which works with prisons on solutions to public health problems, says a medical quarantine inside prisons, along with widespread testing, treatment and isolation, makes sense. But she says these need to be temporary measures, not drawn-out lockdowns.
And she points to a history of prisons using solitary confinement to deal with other health issues such as prisoners who are suicidal or those with serious mental illness. She says doing so is wrong.
"There is really a long legacy of many prisons — not all — but many prisons turning to solitary confinement, turning to lockdown in the face of other public health problems," she says. "So there's always a concern that once the system is sort of used to one mode of controlling people, that that will continue."


npr--2020-06-15--New York Gov. Cuomo: Now Is The Time For 'Fundamental Redefinition' Of Policing

New York Gov .
Cuomo : Now Is The Time For 'Fundamental Redefinition ' Of Policing Lawmakers in New York have passed a sweeping package of police reform bills , which are some of the first statewide changes to law enforcement since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on Memorial Day .
The measures last week included new transparency on disciplinary records and making it a felony for police to use chokeholds .
On Monday , Cuomo signed bills requiring officers to report within six hours of when they fire their weapons , requiring courts to gather demographic data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mental health attention to people in custody .
As well , Gov .
Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order requiring every local government — in collaboration with community members — to redesign the state 's more than 500 police forces by April 2021 or risk losing state funding .
Cuomo has been governor since 2011 and before that , served as the state attorney general .
But until now , he says in a interview with All Things Considered , he and other Democrats did not have the political and popular support to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is a different time .
`` We have people who are rightly expressing outrage at the murder of Mr. Floyd .
And we 've had outrage before , but never like this .
And it 's a moment to make real change , '' he says .
`` Change comes when the people demand change and the government acts in that moment .
Seize the moment , carpe momentum .
And that 's what we 're trying to do . ''
Here are excerpts from the interview .
When you signed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is no trust between the police and citizens .
Do you think these measures go far enough to establish that trust or is there more that needs to be done ?
I think more needs to be done .
I think more should be done .
I think this is a fundamental redefinition of what we want as a police force .
And the police force will not work unless there 's a relationship of respect and trust with the community .
And what the community is now saying , all across this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this type of police force . ''
And if they do n't want it , they should n't have it .
Eighteen relatives of people who were killed by New York police wrote you an open letter saying it 's not OK for you to try to take credit for the movement 's work or to pretend you 've been a champion for police reform .
They write [ that ] over the years , you 've been one of the most consistent obstacles .
How do you respond to that ?
People @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but some of the measures that we actually passed into law , I was already doing as executive actions .
We made the attorney general the special prosecutor for police killings of unarmed people .
I did that five years ago by executive order .
When you 're the chief executive , you can do things by executive action .
You ca n't legislate it unless you have , in this state , an Assembly and a Senate that are willing to pass it .
People tend to think that a governor , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a dictator .
It does n't work that way in a democracy .
So you can take executive actions , but you need the political support to get a legislative body to actually pass those reforms .
Do you support the New York City Council 's proposal to cut a billion dollars from the NYPD budget ?
I do n't think it 's just about cutting a budget , just about passing a law here or there .
I think it 's time to sit down and redesign the entire police department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ X '' amount , do it the other way .
How many police do you want ?
What do you want them to do ?
What is your use-of-force policy ?
How do you end the bias in the police department ?
What kind of disciplinary procedure do you want ?
What kind of civilian review board do you want ?
Answer all of the above questions , not just one or two .
This is a moment for change .
But you then have to answer the question .
We understand that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the follow-up is , what do you want to do about it ?
Listen to the full interview at the audio link above .

New York Gov. Cuomo: Now Is The Time For 'Fundamental Redefinition' Of Policing
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kevin P. Coughlin/Office of New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo via AP Kevin P. Coughlin/Office of New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo via AP
Lawmakers in New York have passed a sweeping package of police reform bills, which are some of the first statewide changes to law enforcement since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on Memorial Day.
The measures last week included new transparency on disciplinary records and making it a felony for police to use chokeholds. On Monday, Cuomo signed bills requiring officers to report within six hours of when they fire their weapons, requiring courts to gather demographic data and requiring police to give medical and mental health attention to people in custody.
As well, Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order requiring every local government — in collaboration with community members — to redesign the state's more than 500 police forces by April 2021 or risk losing state funding.
Cuomo has been governor since 2011 and before that, served as the state attorney general. But until now, he says in a interview with All Things Considered, he and other Democrats did not have the political and popular support to enact reforms.
Now, he says, is a different time.
"We have people who are rightly expressing outrage at the murder of Mr. Floyd. And we've had outrage before, but never like this. And it's a moment to make real change," he says. "Change comes when the people demand change and the government acts in that moment. Seize the moment, carpe momentum. And that's what we're trying to do."
Here are excerpts from the interview.
When you signed the ban on chokeholds, you said there is no trust between the police and citizens. Do you think these measures go far enough to establish that trust or is there more that needs to be done?
I think more needs to be done. I think more should be done. I think this is a fundamental redefinition of what we want as a police force. And the police force will not work unless there's a relationship of respect and trust with the community. And what the community is now saying, all across this nation, "We don't want this type of police force." And if they don't want it, they shouldn't have it.
Eighteen relatives of people who were killed by New York police wrote you an open letter saying it's not OK for you to try to take credit for the movement's work or to pretend you've been a champion for police reform. They write [that] over the years, you've been one of the most consistent obstacles. How do you respond to that?
People can say a lot of things, but some of the measures that we actually passed into law, I was already doing as executive actions. We made the attorney general the special prosecutor for police killings of unarmed people. I did that five years ago by executive order.
When you're the chief executive, you can do things by executive action. You can't legislate it unless you have, in this state, an Assembly and a Senate that are willing to pass it. People tend to think that a governor, [a] chief executive, can be a dictator. It doesn't work that way in a democracy. So you can take executive actions, but you need the political support to get a legislative body to actually pass those reforms.
Do you support the New York City Council's proposal to cut a billion dollars from the NYPD budget?
I don't think it's just about cutting a budget, just about passing a law here or there. I think it's time to sit down and redesign the entire police department. Before you cut the budget "X" amount, do it the other way. How many police do you want? What do you want them to do? What is your use-of-force policy? How do you end the bias in the police department? What kind of disciplinary procedure do you want? What kind of civilian review board do you want? Answer all of the above questions, not just one or two. This is a moment for change. But you then have to answer the question. We understand that people are not happy. Now, the follow-up is, what do you want to do about it?
Listen to the full interview at the audio link above.


npr--2020-06-15--U.N. Human Rights Council To Hold Urgent Debate On Police Brutality, Racism

The United Nations Human Rights Council has decided to hold a urgent debate on racism and police brutality in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd .
The proposal , made by a group of African countries led by Burkina Faso , was approved on Monday by the U.N. 's top human rights body .
The debate on `` the current racially inspired human rights violations , systemic racism , police brutality and the violence against peaceful protests '' is scheduled for Wednesday .
Protesters have rallied in the U.S. and around the world against racism and police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The black man died after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes in Minneapolis on May 25 .
Permanent Representative of Burkina Faso Désiré Sougouri told the council on Monday that `` the death of George Floyd , unfortunately , is not an isolated incident . ''
`` After the widespread indignation over this situation it would be inconceivable that the Human Rights Council not deal with these questions , which are very relevant in accordance with its mandate , '' he said in the statement on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States pulled out of the council two years ago , with then-U.N .
Ambassador Nikki Haley calling the council `` hypocritical and self-serving . ''
According to UN News , more than 600 rights groups called for an investigation into police violence after Floyd 's death .
And as anti-racism protests have emerged around the world , Council President , Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberger , stressed that the issue is universal .
`` As you have seen with demonstrations all over the world , including here in Geneva , so this is a topic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it goes well beyond that , '' she said , as UN News reported .
The council had been on a three-month pause prior to this week due to the coronavirus pandemic .
The debate on racism and police brutality will be livestreamed on the U.N. 's website .

U.N. Human Rights Council To Hold Urgent Debate On Police Brutality, Racism
Enlarge this image toggle caption Li Ye/Xinhua News Agency via Getty Images Li Ye/Xinhua News Agency via Getty Images
The United Nations Human Rights Council has decided to hold a urgent debate on racism and police brutality in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd.
The proposal, made by a group of African countries led by Burkina Faso, was approved on Monday by the U.N.'s top human rights body.
The debate on "the current racially inspired human rights violations, systemic racism, police brutality and the violence against peaceful protests" is scheduled for Wednesday.
Protesters have rallied in the U.S. and around the world against racism and police brutality following the death of George Floyd. The black man died after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes in Minneapolis on May 25.
Permanent Representative of Burkina Faso Désiré Sougouri told the council on Monday that "the death of George Floyd, unfortunately, is not an isolated incident."
"After the widespread indignation over this situation it would be inconceivable that the Human Rights Council not deal with these questions, which are very relevant in accordance with its mandate," he said in the statement on behalf of 54 African countries.
The United States pulled out of the council two years ago, with then-U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley calling the council "hypocritical and self-serving."
According to UN News, more than 600 rights groups called for an investigation into police violence after Floyd's death.
And as anti-racism protests have emerged around the world, Council President, Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberger, stressed that the issue is universal. "As you have seen with demonstrations all over the world, including here in Geneva, so this is a topic that is not about just one country, it goes well beyond that," she said, as UN News reported.
The council had been on a three-month pause prior to this week due to the coronavirus pandemic. The debate on racism and police brutality will be livestreamed on the U.N.'s website.


npr--2020-06-15--Oscars Postponed 2 Months Because Of Pandemic

Next year 's Academy Awards ceremony will be postponed for two months as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic .
Instead of February 28 , the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences and ABC announced the televised ceremony will be held now on April 25 .
`` For over a century , movies have played an important role in comforting , inspiring , and entertaining us during the darkest of times .
They certainly have this year , '' academy President David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson said in a statement .
`` Our hope , in extending the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is to provide the flexibility filmmakers need to finish and release their films without being penalized for something beyond anyone 's control . ''
The organization recently extended its eligibility rules for the 2021 Oscars and awards season .
Now , to qualify for awards , feature films must be released between Jan. 1 , 2020 , and Feb. 28 , 2021 .
For international and animated features , documentaries and short films , the deadline is Dec. 1 , 2020 .
And submissions for best picture , original score and song , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15 , 2021 .
The opening of the new Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will also be delayed from December to next April .
It will feature six floors of exhibition and event spaces , a restaurant , museum store and two theaters .
`` With the unprecedented and devastating pandemic happening around the world and our commitment first and foremost to the health and safety of our visitors and staff , we have made the difficult decision to wait a few more months to open our doors , '' Bill Kramer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement .
`` Thankfully , with COVID-19 safety protocols in place , exhibitions continue to be installed . ''
Next fall 's Governor 's Awards gala also is being moved to an as yet unspecified date .
The academy recently announced initiatives for future awards , including a task force with the Producers Guild of America to develop representation and inclusion standards for Oscar eligibility by July 31 .
The changes include setting the best picture category at 10 nominees and offering online screening rooms for members to view films released year-round @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Board of Governors , and new invited members include director Ava DuVernay , who has spoken out for more inclusion in Hollywood .

Oscars Postponed 2 Months Because Of Pandemic
Enlarge this image toggle caption Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images
Next year's Academy Awards ceremony will be postponed for two months as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of February 28, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences and ABC announced the televised ceremony will be held now on April 25.
"For over a century, movies have played an important role in comforting, inspiring, and entertaining us during the darkest of times. They certainly have this year," academy President David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson said in a statement.
"Our hope, in extending the eligibility period and our Awards date, is to provide the flexibility filmmakers need to finish and release their films without being penalized for something beyond anyone's control."
The organization recently extended its eligibility rules for the 2021 Oscars and awards season. Now, to qualify for awards, feature films must be released between Jan. 1, 2020, and Feb. 28, 2021. For international and animated features, documentaries and short films, the deadline is Dec. 1, 2020. And submissions for best picture, original score and song, and other general entries is now Jan. 15, 2021.
The opening of the new Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will also be delayed from December to next April. It will feature six floors of exhibition and event spaces, a restaurant, museum store and two theaters.
"With the unprecedented and devastating pandemic happening around the world and our commitment first and foremost to the health and safety of our visitors and staff, we have made the difficult decision to wait a few more months to open our doors," Bill Kramer, the museum's director, said in a statement. "Thankfully, with COVID-19 safety protocols in place, exhibitions continue to be installed."
Next fall's Governor's Awards gala also is being moved to an as yet unspecified date.
The academy recently announced initiatives for future awards, including a task force with the Producers Guild of America to develop representation and inclusion standards for Oscar eligibility by July 31. The changes include setting the best picture category at 10 nominees and offering online screening rooms for members to view films released year-round. There are now term limits for the Board of Governors, and new invited members include director Ava DuVernay, who has spoken out for more inclusion in Hollywood.


npr--2020-06-15--Jeff Bezos May Testify Before Congress For The First Time This Summer

Jeff Bezos May Testify Before Congress For The First Time This Summer After long resisting calls for Jeff Bezos to testify in Congress , Amazon says it will make its founder available for a hearing this summer alongside other CEOs .
Lawmakers summoned Bezos as part of a wide-ranging inquiry into the market power of U.S. tech giants .
It would mark the first time Bezos would appear at a congressional hearing .
His testimony would be part of a months-long antitrust investigation by the House Judiciary Committee , which had previously threatened to compel Bezos to testify if he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Of course , we will need to resolve a number of questions regarding timing , format , and outstanding document production issues , '' a lawyer representing Amazon wrote in a Sunday letter to lawmakers , reviewed by NPR .
`` It bears emphasizing that other senior executives now run the businesses that are the actual subject of the Committee 's investigation . ''
An Amazon representative confirmed to NPR on Monday that the company will make Bezos available to testify with other CEOs .
The House antitrust panel has also invited Apple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zuckerberg and Google 's Sundar Pichai to testify .
The timing and further details of such a hearing remain unclear .
Amazon is under the magnifying glass in several simultaneous probes in the U.S. and in Europe .
European Union regulators are expected to reveal formal charges against Amazon in the coming weeks .
House Judiciary Committee lawmakers have previously accused Amazon of `` lack of candor '' about how the tech giant might be using the data it collects from other sellers on its platform to benefit its own business .
Amazon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anti-competitive behavior .
The Federal Trade Commission and some state attorneys general are also investigating Amazon 's retail marketplace , warehouse work conditions and other parts of its business .
Editor 's note : Amazon is among NPR 's financial supporters .

Jeff Bezos May Testify Before Congress For The First Time This Summer
Enlarge this image toggle caption Eric Baradat/AFP/Getty Images Eric Baradat/AFP/Getty Images
After long resisting calls for Jeff Bezos to testify in Congress, Amazon says it will make its founder available for a hearing this summer alongside other CEOs. Lawmakers summoned Bezos as part of a wide-ranging inquiry into the market power of U.S. tech giants.
It would mark the first time Bezos would appear at a congressional hearing. His testimony would be part of a months-long antitrust investigation by the House Judiciary Committee, which had previously threatened to compel Bezos to testify if he didn't do so voluntarily.
"Of course, we will need to resolve a number of questions regarding timing, format, and outstanding document production issues," a lawyer representing Amazon wrote in a Sunday letter to lawmakers, reviewed by NPR. "It bears emphasizing that other senior executives now run the businesses that are the actual subject of the Committee's investigation."
An Amazon representative confirmed to NPR on Monday that the company will make Bezos available to testify with other CEOs. The House antitrust panel has also invited Apple's Tim Cook, Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and Google's Sundar Pichai to testify. The timing and further details of such a hearing remain unclear.
Amazon is under the magnifying glass in several simultaneous probes in the U.S. and in Europe. European Union regulators are expected to reveal formal charges against Amazon in the coming weeks.
House Judiciary Committee lawmakers have previously accused Amazon of "lack of candor" about how the tech giant might be using the data it collects from other sellers on its platform to benefit its own business. Amazon has rejected these and other accusations of anti-competitive behavior.
The Federal Trade Commission and some state attorneys general are also investigating Amazon's retail marketplace, warehouse work conditions and other parts of its business.
Editor's note: Amazon is among NPR's financial supporters.
NPR's Bobby Allyn contributed to this report.


npr--2020-06-15--Greece Reopens To Tourists, But Some Coronavirus Restrictions Apply

Greece Reopens To Tourists , But Some Coronavirus Restrictions Apply Greece has reopened its airports to international travelers in the hopes of salvaging this year 's tourism season and easing an anticipated recession caused by coronavirus lockdowns .
Tourists arriving from countries with high infection rates must take a test for the coronavirus and be quarantined for up to two weeks .
Travelers from countries with low infection rates will be subject to random testing but will avoid quarantine .
Existing restrictions on flights from countries considered high risk — including the United States , the United Kingdom and Turkey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until July 1 .
Greece has one of the lowest coronavirus infection rates in Europe , with 3,134 confirmed cases and 184 deaths , according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University .
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told the Greek TV station SKAI that the country is better prepared for what epidemiologists anticipate will be a second wave of infections in the fall .
`` Social distancing is now second nature , '' Mitsotakis told SKAI , adding that hospitals are equipped with more intensive care unit beds and the government is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` That means we wo n't have to take drastic measures again , '' he said .
`` We will close a school or a neighborhood block or maybe a city . ''
A recent survey by the polling agency Pulse shows 21 % of Greeks support another strict lockdown .
Greece expects its economy will shrink by 10 % this year , two years after it finally recovered from a long economic depression caused by a debt crisis and the punitive austerity measures demanded by the eurozone in exchange for bailout loans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it recover .
Tourism makes up 20 % of Greek economic output , and roughly 700,000 jobs are dependent on it .
Last year , the country played host to 33 million foreign tourists .
`` I 'm not interested in making Greece the No .
1 destination in Europe , I 'm interested in making Greece the safest destination in Europe , '' Mitsotakis told reporters this weekend on the whitewashed island of Santorini , one of the country 's most popular destinations .
`` We 're trying to save whatever we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a completely lost tourism season . ''
He said everyone in the hospitality industry will be required to wear masks and that social distancing will be enforced .
`` You can sit on a veranda with this wonderful view , '' he said as the sun set over the caldera of the volcanic island .
`` You can have your nice Assyrtiko wine , enjoy the beach , but we do n't want you crowded in a beach bar . ''

Greece Reopens To Tourists, But Some Coronavirus Restrictions Apply
Enlarge this image toggle caption Socrates Baltagiannis/picture alliance via Getty Images Socrates Baltagiannis/picture alliance via Getty Images
Greece has reopened its airports to international travelers in the hopes of salvaging this year's tourism season and easing an anticipated recession caused by coronavirus lockdowns.
Tourists arriving from countries with high infection rates must take a test for the coronavirus and be quarantined for up to two weeks. Travelers from countries with low infection rates will be subject to random testing but will avoid quarantine.
Existing restrictions on flights from countries considered high risk — including the United States, the United Kingdom and Turkey — will remain in place at least until July 1.
Greece has one of the lowest coronavirus infection rates in Europe, with 3,134 confirmed cases and 184 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told the Greek TV station SKAI that the country is better prepared for what epidemiologists anticipate will be a second wave of infections in the fall.
"Social distancing is now second nature," Mitsotakis told SKAI, adding that hospitals are equipped with more intensive care unit beds and the government is smarter about testing and contact tracing.
"That means we won't have to take drastic measures again," he said. "We will close a school or a neighborhood block or maybe a city."
A recent survey by the polling agency Pulse shows 21% of Greeks support another strict lockdown. Greece expects its economy will shrink by 10% this year, two years after it finally recovered from a long economic depression caused by a debt crisis and the punitive austerity measures demanded by the eurozone in exchange for bailout loans.
Greece relied on tourism to help it recover. Tourism makes up 20% of Greek economic output, and roughly 700,000 jobs are dependent on it. Last year, the country played host to 33 million foreign tourists.
"I'm not interested in making Greece the No. 1 destination in Europe, I'm interested in making Greece the safest destination in Europe," Mitsotakis told reporters this weekend on the whitewashed island of Santorini, one of the country's most popular destinations. "We're trying to save whatever we can from what many considered to be a completely lost tourism season."
He said everyone in the hospitality industry will be required to wear masks and that social distancing will be enforced. "You can sit on a veranda with this wonderful view," he said as the sun set over the caldera of the volcanic island. "You can have your nice Assyrtiko wine, enjoy the beach, but we don't want you crowded in a beach bar."


npr--2020-06-15--Queer As Punk: A Guide To LGBTQIA+ Punk

Queer As Punk: A Guide To LGBTQIA+ Punk

Punk rock has 101 origin stories , and most of them are true .
After all , punk rock springs from a myriad of local scenes , and is as much about the music as it is about the venues where it is performed , the audiences and listeners who participate in its performance , clothes and style , politics and approaches to the world .
And punk has always had an affinity with sexual outsiders , from the Sex Pistols dressed in bondage gear from Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren 's infamous King 's Road boutique Sex , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Addict . ''
`` Queer punk '' might be a redundancy then , if making belligerent , redundant , over-the-top statements at the top of your lungs was n't precisely what makes punk `` punk '' and queer `` queer . ''
The term `` punk , '' by the way , has a long queer history predating its use in contemporary music .
A `` punk '' has always meant a person up to something disreputable and socially deviant .
In Shakespeare 's English , it meant a female prostitute ; later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sex to older men .
Punk and queer are a match made in the gutter .
Punk rock embraces this abject status .
It celebrates it and rejects the society that rejects it .
It is all about bad behavior , anarchy , anti-sociality and noise .
It is about claiming a freedom from dulling and hypocritical normative pressures .
In other words , punk is queer .
Punk scenes , at least in their early stages , tended to be heterogeneous places .
They were created by the rabble , the hoi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these scenes struggled with homophobic , sexist and racist elements .
There are plenty of examples of straight punks using queer sex as grossout punchlines .
Punks have had to confront racism and fascism in the scene .
There were serious cases ; for example , the scene in 1980s San Francisco , when white supremacist organizations came down from their strongholds in Northern California and started talking to the local skin heads .
This was disastrous for the scene , but queer and trans punks refused to concede ground , and so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ publications , like G.B .
Jones and Bruce La Bruce 's zine J.D.s out of Toronto , were a critical pre-Internet means of dreaming up queer punk worlds .
Queercore and riot grrrl resisted oppressive homonormative tendencies found in mainstream LGBT organizing .
`` Losers , freaks , and deviants started this movement , not these control freaks , '' says Penny Arcade in the 2017 documentary Queercore : How to Punk a Revolution .
Queers and punks do n't want network channel acceptance , corporate sponsorship or police protection .
The key @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Anyone can be a musician or artist .
Everything is up for grabs , to be torn apart and redone , preferably with car paint .
Venues could be anywhere , from the local club whose owner was amenable to squatted spaces , like storefronts , abandoned factories and beer vats .
The Deaf Club , for instance , was a deaf school in San Francisco that let punk bands perform because the noise did n't bother them .
Of course , there are always people aware of its marketability , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ constantly changing , remaining ahead of the market or taking it back from the market and reusing it .
And there are bands , including The B-52s out of Athens , Ga. , that , although they became popular in the mainstream , still retained their queer edge and listenership .
Queer punk rock is angry , funny , ironic , deadly serious , political and studiously apathetic .
But it is always questioning .
We had a hard time coming up with an all-inclusive playlist until we realized that no such playlist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ black critics and fans of punk , we also could not go without remarking that we are putting this playlist together at a moment of uprising against white supremacy .
Documentaries like the now-classic Afro-Punk delve into the contradictions of being black in a predominantly white scene , and since its release any number of acts — many on this list — have reclaimed the black roots of punk .
Legendary LA punk drag icon Vaginal Davis named herself after black Marxist revolutionary Angela Davis .
And since this is Pride month , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was an anti-police riot , and that black and brown trans women like Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson led the charge on the streets .
As the world as we know it falls apart , punk rage and energy reminds us that we have always had the ability to wreck civilization and build new worlds .
This list is organized chronologically , as queer punk has a very different timeline than can be captured by the usual pre- and post-punk categorizations .
Considering the genealogy of queer punk make us reperiodize punk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ playlist via Spotify .
Perhaps the most well-known all-women punk rock band , The Slits formed in 1977 , the magic year that the two sevens clashed .
Ari Up , Palmolive , Tessa Pollitt and Viv Albertine were consummate performers who sometimes took their actions to the streets , as when they changed their clothes in the doorway of a bank , harassing the titillated and uncomfortable male gawkers .
Musically , `` Typical Girls '' shows the close affinity that formed between Jamaican/English dub music and punk rock .
An ode @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Loop from one of the founding bands of punk , `` 53rd and 3rd '' was written by Ramones bassist Dee Dee Ramone , allegedly from life experience `` trying to turn a trick '' in a notorious cruising area , but being `` the one they never pick . ''
Jayne County , `` Man Enough to Be A Woman '' Jayne County was a Warhol superstar and mainstay of the scene around Max 's Kansas City , the famous 1970s club in downtown Manhattan .
Also involved in experimental theater , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ audible , transgender performer in New York punk .
LA punk scene legends Nervous Gender are remembered both for the iconic androgyny of guitarist and vocalist Phranc and the profane pyrotechnics on full display in songs like `` Confession . ''
With Alice Bag of The Bags on bass and Nervous Gender 's Phranc occasionally sitting in , Castration Squad was the most influential all-female punk band in late 1970s LA to never release a record .
Live footage and demos of songs like `` The X-Girlfriend '' make clear why they would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The B-52s are perhaps the most well-known of bands across the spectrum , blending mid-century pop , punk rock and camp culture in equal measure .
Though `` Rock Lobster , '' the band 's first single , and `` Private Idaho '' are its hits from the charts , many of the group 's other songs have an equally long reach through the years .
`` Lava , '' the band 's song of love , spunk and orgasm , is from The B-52s eponymous first album , released in 1979 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , UK in 1978 , with the out lesbian lead singer Leslie Wood .
Its 1981 album Playing with a Different Sex is classic ; Woods ' memorable radical feminist lyrics timeless .
Fun-loving Bay Area gay rock mainstays Pansy Division brought homopunk to the masses when the group toured with Green Day in the 1990s .
The LA-cum-Berlin drag legend Vaginal Davis has fronted a series of legendary underground bands since the 1970s , including The Afro Sisters , Cholita !
and Black Fag .
PME is vintage Davis queercore , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only intensifies when Davis performs in what José Muñoz called `` terrorist drag '' : her white power masculine alter ego savagely parodies white supremacy through her statesque black presence .
Formed in 1990 , queercore band Team Dresch ( named for founder Donna Dresch ) was famous for its in-his-face sexual f***ery .
The band reunited in 2019 for a tour and , responding to popular demand , has reissued its catalogue .
Its music is always about disrupting the sedimentation of gender and sexuality ; claiming terms like '' dyke '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conservative lesbians .
One minute of thrashing , straight-edge wonder Limp Wrist , a hardcore band fronted by Martin Sorrondeguy , who also sings lead vocals for Los Crudos , and brings both Latinx and queer issues to the hardcore scene .
No genre label seems quite big enough to fit the voice of Skin ( born Deborah Anne Dyer ) , lead singer of the UK 's Skunk Anansie .
But in attitude and politics , she is all punk .
`` Weak '' remains the best-known song off the group 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1995 ) , but this deep cut is revelatory for the focused political rage the openly bisexual Skin brought to the era of Britpop .
An iconic song from the iconic band of the riot grrrl scene , formed in Olympia , Wash. in 1990 .
Perhaps the most influential band to emerge out of the Olympia , Wash. scene , the duo Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein tipped a hat to a punk legend on this 1990s track , off Sleater-Kinney 's critically lauded second album Call the Doctor , in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` the queen ( s ) of rock and roll . ''
Gossip , `` Standing in the Way of Control '' Beth Ditto 's powerhouse vocals , which made the Gossip an instant stand-out in the Olympia , Wash. scene , are on full display in the title track off its third album .
We may never know who took the bomp from the bompalompalomp , but maybe we never really needed to .
Kathleen Hanna 's next band after Bikini Kill , Le Tigre 's sound was an infectious hip check @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , waged on pop 's own terms .
One of our younger bands , Erase Errata formed in San Francisco in 1999 .
`` Tongue Tied '' in from its first album , released in 2001 .
Tamar-kali was an unforgettable presence in James Spooner 's 2003 documentary Afro-Punk and her music has gone on to inspire a generation of queer and gender-nonconforming black femmes to find their voice in punk .
`` Boot '' is off her debut EP Geechee Goddess Hardcore Warrior .
The Soft Pink Truth , `` I Owe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thread of punk homage , Matmos ' Drew Daniels here goes solo to cover Florida 's Teddy and the Frat Girls ' `` I Owe it to the Girls , '' recasting its ominous whispers and screams into glitchy electro-house .
Hailing from Stuckey , Fla. , video and performance artist Kalup Linzy has an extensive catalog of lo-fi musical releases , often featuring just him and his keyboard , that draw upon the bawdy tradition of R & B rappers and vocalists like Millie Jackson .
Worriers was formed in 2011 in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and this 2015 track reflects the changing terms of what queerness can mean .
With `` Yes All Cops '' Worriers gives us a song for our apocalyptic times , and tie us to the history of queer and black activism .

Queer As Punk: A Guide To LGBTQIA+ Punk
Enlarge this image toggle caption Courtesy of Jealous Butcher Records Courtesy of Jealous Butcher Records
Punk rock has 101 origin stories, and most of them are true. After all, punk rock springs from a myriad of local scenes, and is as much about the music as it is about the venues where it is performed, the audiences and listeners who participate in its performance, clothes and style, politics and approaches to the world. And punk has always had an affinity with sexual outsiders, from the Sex Pistols dressed in bondage gear from Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren's infamous King's Road boutique Sex, to the Buzzcocks' pansexual anthem "Orgasm Addict." "Queer punk" might be a redundancy then, if making belligerent, redundant, over-the-top statements at the top of your lungs wasn't precisely what makes punk "punk" and queer "queer."
Listen To The Songs
The term "punk," by the way, has a long queer history predating its use in contemporary music. A "punk" has always meant a person up to something disreputable and socially deviant. In Shakespeare's English, it meant a female prostitute; later it also connoted young men who sold sex to older men. Punk and queer are a match made in the gutter. Punk rock embraces this abject status. It celebrates it and rejects the society that rejects it. It is all about bad behavior, anarchy, anti-sociality and noise. It is about claiming a freedom from dulling and hypocritical normative pressures. In other words, punk is queer.
Punk scenes, at least in their early stages, tended to be heterogeneous places. They were created by the rabble, the hoi polloi. Everybody was welcome. But these scenes struggled with homophobic, sexist and racist elements. There are plenty of examples of straight punks using queer sex as grossout punchlines. Punks have had to confront racism and fascism in the scene. There were serious cases; for example, the scene in 1980s San Francisco, when white supremacist organizations came down from their strongholds in Northern California and started talking to the local skin heads. This was disastrous for the scene, but queer and trans punks refused to concede ground, and so created scenes of their own. DIY publications, like G.B. Jones and Bruce La Bruce's zine J.D.s out of Toronto, were a critical pre-Internet means of dreaming up queer punk worlds. Queercore and riot grrrl resisted oppressive homonormative tendencies found in mainstream LGBT organizing. "Losers, freaks, and deviants started this movement, not these control freaks," says Penny Arcade in the 2017 documentary Queercore: How to Punk a Revolution.
Queers and punks don't want network channel acceptance, corporate sponsorship or police protection. The key principle of punk has always been Do-it-Yourself. Anyone can be a musician or artist. Everything is up for grabs, to be torn apart and redone, preferably with car paint. Venues could be anywhere, from the local club whose owner was amenable to squatted spaces, like storefronts, abandoned factories and beer vats. The Deaf Club, for instance, was a deaf school in San Francisco that let punk bands perform because the noise didn't bother them. Of course, there are always people aware of its marketability, but punk rock has a strange way of constantly changing, remaining ahead of the market or taking it back from the market and reusing it. And there are bands, including The B-52s out of Athens, Ga., that, although they became popular in the mainstream, still retained their queer edge and listenership.
Queer punk rock is angry, funny, ironic, deadly serious, political and studiously apathetic. But it is always questioning. We had a hard time coming up with an all-inclusive playlist until we realized that no such playlist could or should exist. As two black critics and fans of punk, we also could not go without remarking that we are putting this playlist together at a moment of uprising against white supremacy. Documentaries like the now-classic Afro-Punk delve into the contradictions of being black in a predominantly white scene, and since its release any number of acts — many on this list — have reclaimed the black roots of punk. Legendary LA punk drag icon Vaginal Davis named herself after black Marxist revolutionary Angela Davis. And since this is Pride month, it's worth reminding ourselves that Stonewall was an anti-police riot, and that black and brown trans women like Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson led the charge on the streets. As the world as we know it falls apart, punk rage and energy reminds us that we have always had the ability to wreck civilization and build new worlds.
This list is organized chronologically, as queer punk has a very different timeline than can be captured by the usual pre- and post-punk categorizations. Considering the genealogy of queer punk make us reperiodize punk rock itself.
You can stream this playlist via Spotify or Apple Music.
1970—1980s
The Slits "Typical Girls"
Perhaps the most well-known all-women punk rock band, The Slits formed in 1977, the magic year that the two sevens clashed. Ari Up, Palmolive, Tessa Pollitt and Viv Albertine were consummate performers who sometimes took their actions to the streets, as when they changed their clothes in the doorway of a bank, harassing the titillated and uncomfortable male gawkers. Musically, "Typical Girls" shows the close affinity that formed between Jamaican/English dub music and punk rock.
The Ramones, "53rd and 3rd"
An ode to male hustling in mid-town Manhattan's Loop from one of the founding bands of punk, "53rd and 3rd" was written by Ramones bassist Dee Dee Ramone, allegedly from life experience "trying to turn a trick" in a notorious cruising area, but being "the one they never pick."
Jayne County, "Man Enough to Be A Woman"
Jayne County was a Warhol superstar and mainstay of the scene around Max's Kansas City, the famous 1970s club in downtown Manhattan. Also involved in experimental theater, County was the most visible, and audible, transgender performer in New York punk.
Nervous Gender, "Confession"
LA punk scene legends Nervous Gender are remembered both for the iconic androgyny of guitarist and vocalist Phranc and the profane pyrotechnics on full display in songs like "Confession."
Castration Squad, "The X-Girlfriend"
With Alice Bag of The Bags on bass and Nervous Gender's Phranc occasionally sitting in, Castration Squad was the most influential all-female punk band in late 1970s LA to never release a record. Live footage and demos of songs like "The X-Girlfriend" make clear why they would influence riot grrrl and queercore decades later.
The B-52s, "Lava"
The B-52s are perhaps the most well-known of bands across the spectrum, blending mid-century pop, punk rock and camp culture in equal measure. Though "Rock Lobster," the band's first single, and "Private Idaho" are its hits from the charts, many of the group's other songs have an equally long reach through the years. "Lava," the band's song of love, spunk and orgasm, is from The B-52s eponymous first album, released in 1979.
Au Pairs "Diet"
The Au Pairs formed in Birmingham, UK in 1978, with the out lesbian lead singer Leslie Wood. Its 1981 album Playing with a Different Sex is classic; Woods' memorable radical feminist lyrics timeless.
Pansy Division, "Fem in a Black Leather Jacket"
Fun-loving Bay Area gay rock mainstays Pansy Division brought homopunk to the masses when the group toured with Green Day in the 1990s.
Pedro, Muriel, and Esther, "Closet Case"
The LA-cum-Berlin drag legend Vaginal Davis has fronted a series of legendary underground bands since the 1970s, including The Afro Sisters, Cholita! and Black Fag. PME is vintage Davis queercore, and the dissonance of "Closet Case" only intensifies when Davis performs in what José Muñoz called "terrorist drag": her white power masculine alter ego savagely parodies white supremacy through her statesque black presence.
1990s—2000s
Team Dresch, "Fagetarian and Dyke"
Formed in 1990, queercore band Team Dresch (named for founder Donna Dresch) was famous for its in-his-face sexual f***ery. The band reunited in 2019 for a tour and, responding to popular demand, has reissued its catalogue. Its music is always about disrupting the sedimentation of gender and sexuality; claiming terms like"dyke" meant a political break with moderate and conservative lesbians.
Limp Wrist, "I Love Hardcore Boys / I Love Boys Hardcore"
One minute of thrashing, straight-edge wonder Limp Wrist, a hardcore band fronted by Martin Sorrondeguy, who also sings lead vocals for Los Crudos, and brings both Latinx and queer issues to the hardcore scene.
Skunk Anansie, "Intellectualize My Blackness"
No genre label seems quite big enough to fit the voice of Skin (born Deborah Anne Dyer), lead singer of the UK's Skunk Anansie. But in attitude and politics, she is all punk. "Weak" remains the best-known song off the group's debut album, Paranoid and Sunburnt (1995), but this deep cut is revelatory for the focused political rage the openly bisexual Skin brought to the era of Britpop.
Bikini Kill, "Rebel Girl"
An iconic song from the iconic band of the riot grrrl scene, formed in Olympia, Wash. in 1990.
Sleater-Kinney, "I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone"
Perhaps the most influential band to emerge out of the Olympia, Wash. scene, the duo Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein tipped a hat to a punk legend on this 1990s track, off Sleater-Kinney's critically lauded second album Call the Doctor, in the process redefining what it meant to be "the queen(s) of rock and roll."
Gossip, "Standing in the Way of Control"
Beth Ditto's powerhouse vocals, which made the Gossip an instant stand-out in the Olympia, Wash. scene, are on full display in the title track off its third album.
Le Tigre, "Deceptacon"
We may never know who took the bomp from the bompalompalomp, but maybe we never really needed to. Kathleen Hanna's next band after Bikini Kill, Le Tigre's sound was an infectious hip check of the mainstream appropriation of girl power, waged on pop's own terms.
Erase Errata, "Tongue Tied"
One of our younger bands, Erase Errata formed in San Francisco in 1999. "Tongue Tied" in from its first album, released in 2001.
Tamar-kali, "Boot"
Tamar-kali was an unforgettable presence in James Spooner's 2003 documentary Afro-Punk and her music has gone on to inspire a generation of queer and gender-nonconforming black femmes to find their voice in punk. "Boot" is off her debut EP Geechee Goddess Hardcore Warrior.
2010s-2020
The Soft Pink Truth, "I Owe it to the Girls"
Continuing the thread of punk homage, Matmos' Drew Daniels here goes solo to cover Florida's Teddy and the Frat Girls' "I Owe it to the Girls," recasting its ominous whispers and screams into glitchy electro-house.
Kalup Linzy, "A******"
Hailing from Stuckey, Fla., video and performance artist Kalup Linzy has an extensive catalog of lo-fi musical releases, often featuring just him and his keyboard, that draw upon the bawdy tradition of R&B rappers and vocalists like Millie Jackson.
Worriers, "Yes All Cops"
Worriers was formed in 2011 in Brooklyn by the artist Lauren Denitzio, and this 2015 track reflects the changing terms of what queerness can mean. With "Yes All Cops" Worriers gives us a song for our apocalyptic times, and tie us to the history of queer and black activism.