csmonitor--2020-10-29--‘Time’ and ‘The Antidote’ offer path to unity in a divisive time

In this extremely divisive and politicized era , it ’ s nice to know there exists a subset of nonfiction films that take a longer view .
What I appreciate most about a pair of recent documentaries – “ Time ” and “ The Antidote ” – is that , in their own very different ways , they seek to address and heal these divisions .
“ Time , ” which centers in highly personal terms on the stark disparity in how justice is handed down along racial lines , is the more overtly political of these two films .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the raw , human material undergirding its message .
In 1997 , Sibil Fox Richardson , who goes by Fox Rich , and husband Robert Richardson decided to open a hip-hop clothing store in Shreveport , Louisiana .
Desperate for cash , they made the gravest mistake of their lives and attempted to rob a credit union .
Rich , who drove the getaway car , took a plea deal and served 3 1/2 years .
Robert received 60 years without benefit of probation , pardon , or suspension of sentence .
Over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of separation , Rich , mother to their six boys , recorded over 100 hours of home movies documenting for Robert the family life occurring outside the Louisiana State Penitentiary .
It is this footage , plus newer material – all shot in black and white – that makes up the film ’ s emotional core .
This is not a movie about a false conviction .
Directed by Garrett Bradley , it ’ s about the wrongfulness of the extreme punishment meted out to a Black man .
It ’ s also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boys alone , became a fierce public advocate for sentencing reform , declaring that “ the prison system is nothing but slavery.
” Moving back and forth as it does from past and present , the uniformly black-and-white footage resonantly interweaves the story in a way that a stricter chronology could not have accomplished .
We see Rich ’ s little boys , including her twins named Freedom and Justus , romping and showboating and then we see them as young adults , fatherless but game to make their father proud .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the twins ’ beaming older brother Remington is filmed at his dental school graduation .
Robert ’ s only tangible presence in the home is a watchful and abiding life-size cardboard cutout of him .
In contrast to most movies about incarceration , fiction or nonfiction , “ Time ” focuses on the effects of imprisonment on the family left behind .
Rich ’ s day job is running a successful car dealership but her real work – her mission – is to forge a more forgiving prison system .
She also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she wronged : her family , her church members , and the frightened witnesses to her crime .
She believes that God has allowed her to use her voice for the voiceless .
Petitioning for her husband ’ s release , and continually let down by the courts , she nevertheless pushes on unbowed .
Rich is one of the more galvanizing heroes in the movies right now , and I ’ m glad it ’ s the real person , and not an actor , we are seeing up there on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Antidote , ” directed by Kahane Cooperman and John Hoffman , is intended literally .
It wants to be a movie about , to quote its promotional material , “ the roles that kindness , decency , compassion and respect play in a civilized , democratic society.
” This is a tall order , and the film , which chronicles the life-giving humaneness of almost a dozen communities across America , is sometimes scattershot .
But there are some marvelous moments : A community activist in Indianapolis organizes Black preteens into a thriving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Boston , a nurse tends to scared homeless people by first washing their feet as a way to earn their trust and initiate their care .
In Anchorage , Alaska , a local refugee agency brings in a large Congolese family after it has endured 17 years in a Rwandan refugee camp .
My favorite sequence is a fourth grade class in Seattle where once a month a baby is brought in so the children can react to the infant and explore their empathy .
It ’ s left to 9-year-old Brody to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Without kindness we ’ d all be maniacs !
” The power of community reverberates throughout this film .
“ Time ” ( PG-13 ) is available on Amazon Prime Video .
“ The Antidote ” ( not rated ) is arriving on video on demand platforms in November .
It can also be viewed now for a fee via this site : https : //theantidotemovie.com/watch/

In this extremely divisive and politicized era, it’s nice to know there exists a subset of nonfiction films that take a longer view. What I appreciate most about a pair of recent documentaries – “Time” and “The Antidote” – is that, in their own very different ways, they seek to address and heal these divisions.
“Time,” which centers in highly personal terms on the stark disparity in how justice is handed down along racial lines, is the more overtly political of these two films. But what stood out for me is the raw, human material undergirding its message.
In 1997, Sibil Fox Richardson, who goes by Fox Rich, and husband Robert Richardson decided to open a hip-hop clothing store in Shreveport, Louisiana. Desperate for cash, they made the gravest mistake of their lives and attempted to rob a credit union. Rich, who drove the getaway car, took a plea deal and served 3 1/2 years. Robert received 60 years without benefit of probation, pardon, or suspension of sentence.
Why We Wrote This What can filmmakers bring to a divided society? Movie critic Peter Rainer shares what he appreciates about two recent documentaries that suggest community and empathy as a way forward.
Over the course of their next two decades of separation, Rich, mother to their six boys, recorded over 100 hours of home movies documenting for Robert the family life occurring outside the Louisiana State Penitentiary. It is this footage, plus newer material – all shot in black and white – that makes up the film’s emotional core. This is not a movie about a false conviction. Directed by Garrett Bradley, it’s about the wrongfulness of the extreme punishment meted out to a Black man. It’s also about how Rich, who raised her boys alone, became a fierce public advocate for sentencing reform, declaring that “the prison system is nothing but slavery.”
Moving back and forth as it does from past and present, the uniformly black-and-white footage resonantly interweaves the story in a way that a stricter chronology could not have accomplished. We see Rich’s little boys, including her twins named Freedom and Justus, romping and showboating and then we see them as young adults, fatherless but game to make their father proud. In one of the film’s highlights, the twins’ beaming older brother Remington is filmed at his dental school graduation. Robert’s only tangible presence in the home is a watchful and abiding life-size cardboard cutout of him.
In contrast to most movies about incarceration, fiction or nonfiction, “Time” focuses on the effects of imprisonment on the family left behind. Rich’s day job is running a successful car dealership but her real work – her mission – is to forge a more forgiving prison system. She also apologizes and asks for forgiveness from those she wronged: her family, her church members, and the frightened witnesses to her crime. She believes that God has allowed her to use her voice for the voiceless. Petitioning for her husband’s release, and continually let down by the courts, she nevertheless pushes on unbowed. Rich is one of the more galvanizing heroes in the movies right now, and I’m glad it’s the real person, and not an actor, we are seeing up there on the screen.
Brand New Story/Cinetic Media View caption Hide caption In the “The Antidote,” which aims to examine “the roles that kindness, decency, compassion and respect play in a civilized, democratic society,” a baby visits a fourth grade class in Seattle to help students explore empathy.
The title for “The Antidote,” directed by Kahane Cooperman and John Hoffman, is intended literally. It wants to be a movie about, to quote its promotional material, “the roles that kindness, decency, compassion and respect play in a civilized, democratic society.” This is a tall order, and the film, which chronicles the life-giving humaneness of almost a dozen communities across America, is sometimes scattershot.
But there are some marvelous moments: A community activist in Indianapolis organizes Black preteens into a thriving boys and girls bicycle club. In Boston, a nurse tends to scared homeless people by first washing their feet as a way to earn their trust and initiate their care. In Anchorage, Alaska, a local refugee agency brings in a large Congolese family after it has endured 17 years in a Rwandan refugee camp. My favorite sequence is a fourth grade class in Seattle where once a month a baby is brought in so the children can react to the infant and explore their empathy. It’s left to 9-year-old Brody to express what we all feel: “Without kindness we’d all be maniacs!” The power of community reverberates throughout this film.
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Peter Rainer is the Monitor’s film critic.
“Time” (PG-13) is available on Amazon Prime Video. “The Antidote” (not rated) is arriving on video on demand platforms in November. It can also be viewed now for a fee via this site: https://theantidotemovie.com/watch/


csmonitor--2020-10-29--The thirst to rethink droughts

The thirst to rethink droughts

Nearly half of the continental United States is experiencing prolonged drought , according to federal scientists .
Precipitation models predict that winter will provide little relief in much of the West and South .
An independent study found the last two decades in the Southwest to be the driest continuous stretch since the 1500s .
On the other side of the continent , half of the Northeast had reached the levels of “ severe ” or “ extreme ” by September .
At this moment , 72 million Americans are living in drought conditions .
Globally , more than 2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United Nations calls high water stress .
The effects of climate change are neither consistent nor uniform .
In recent years , for example , the Midwest has experienced both widespread flooding and persistent drought .
Yet as water experts grapple with understanding these unusual weather patterns , assumptions about water are shifting as well .
As Jens Berggren , a Swedish sustainability expert , told Deutsche Welle , “ It ’ s not a lack of water per se , it ’ s a lack of water governance.
” If people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he said , that would “ give ample opportunity to meet all our needs.
” Last year researchers in Finland asked a novel question : Can there be water scarcity with an abundance of water ?
Despite Finland having ample water resources and typically no significant dry season , the study found that local drought-like effects were being caused by population concentration , drainage of wetlands , and inefficient water use .
The finding led to a rethink of human development in order to find a balance with water resources .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reset its harmony with nature is Cape Town , South Africa .
In March 2018 , following three years of severe drought , the city ’ s main reservoir had fallen to 11 % capacity .
This month it reached overflow capacity .
A return of better-than-average rainfall helped , but the real change was civic .
The city imposed strict water-use practices , and residents quickly adapted .
Researchers of this mass shift found “ thirsty participants share water more often equally with powerless , anonymous others than they do money.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ avoid water stress because people created different lifestyles .
Adapting to a changing planet requires more than a physical response to scarcity .
It entails seeing abundance in people ’ s ability to innovate , join together in common cause , and be open to letting go of destructive behavior .
Those traits are not scarce .
And neither is humanity ’ s ability to draw upon them .

Nearly half of the continental United States is experiencing prolonged drought, according to federal scientists. Precipitation models predict that winter will provide little relief in much of the West and South. An independent study found the last two decades in the Southwest to be the driest continuous stretch since the 1500s.
On the other side of the continent, half of the Northeast had reached the levels of “severe” or “extreme” by September. At this moment, 72 million Americans are living in drought conditions. Globally, more than 2 billion people live in countries experiencing what the United Nations calls high water stress.
The effects of climate change are neither consistent nor uniform. In recent years, for example, the Midwest has experienced both widespread flooding and persistent drought. Yet as water experts grapple with understanding these unusual weather patterns, assumptions about water are shifting as well. As Jens Berggren, a Swedish sustainability expert, told Deutsche Welle, “It’s not a lack of water per se, it’s a lack of water governance.” If people could reduce water use by almost half, he said, that would “give ample opportunity to meet all our needs.”
Last year researchers in Finland asked a novel question: Can there be water scarcity with an abundance of water? Despite Finland having ample water resources and typically no significant dry season, the study found that local drought-like effects were being caused by population concentration, drainage of wetlands, and inefficient water use. The finding led to a rethink of human development in order to find a balance with water resources.
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
A good example of a place that did reset its harmony with nature is Cape Town, South Africa. In March 2018, following three years of severe drought, the city’s main reservoir had fallen to 11% capacity. This month it reached overflow capacity. A return of better-than-average rainfall helped, but the real change was civic. The city imposed strict water-use practices, and residents quickly adapted. Researchers of this mass shift found “thirsty participants share water more often equally with powerless, anonymous others than they do money.” Cape Town is now better poised to avoid water stress because people created different lifestyles.
Adapting to a changing planet requires more than a physical response to scarcity. It entails seeing abundance in people’s ability to innovate, join together in common cause, and be open to letting go of destructive behavior. Those traits are not scarce. And neither is humanity’s ability to draw upon them.


csmonitor--2020-10-29--Power of the people: Get-out-the-vote efforts blanket the U.S.

Sometimes her hand hurt , but Nancy Gehman kept writing .
Every evening from July until mid-October , the retiree sat with a gel pen , writing notes imploring fellow Americans to find a way to vote .
Then she mailed them : All 1,260 letters .
“ It was comforting to know that I was doing something productive , ” she says .
Ms. Gehman , who lives in Santa Fe , New Mexico , is one of 182,000 people who have participated in Vote Forward , a 50-state letter-writing campaign to more than 17.5 million homes .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in which individuals and organizations are working to get people to the polls in an election where , it ’ s safe to say , nothing is normal .
In the best of times , it ’ s a massive logistical challenge to get millions out to vote .
In 2020 , the difficulty has been compounded : by fear of the coronavirus , by complications and confusion over mail-in ballots , by palpable anxiety over the bitter divisions in the country .
As early voting has surged dramatically , with more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots , advocates have been mobilizing in myriad ways , from neighborhood groups to national movements , from block associations to college marching bands to lone violinists .
Voters have been ushered to the polls by fleets of minivans , with bicycle parades , and on horseback in Indian Country .
When they get there , they ’ re sometimes welcomed by a cello performance or a choreographed dance party .
Often unable to knock on doors or chat in person because of virus concerns , advocates have had to adapt .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , holding drive-in rallies , and organizing caravans .
What unites these efforts is the certainty that this is an election year like no other , and that voting is essential .
In Native American tribal communities devastated by the coronavirus , from job losses to sickness and death , advocates are mindful of causing further stress .
“ As much as we know voting is important and necessary .
... People are struggling , ” says advocate Ahtza Dawn Chavez .
“ In some ways , a lot of it can come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a normal election cycle , Ms. Chavez , who lives in Albuquerque and is Navajo and Kewa , and colleagues would knock on doors and sit down for coffee .
Now , they ’ re relying on ambassadors within communities to talk with their neighbors .
They ’ re also using robocalls , phone banking , and mass texting .
Of special concern are older adults .
“ Our elderly are basically our library , they are our encyclopedia , our historical and cultural knowledge holders , ” Ms. Chavez said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to cast their votes and access their polling locations was something we were very concerned about.
” In Arizona ’ s Indian Country , “ Ride to the Polls ” has targeted younger voters with organized groups on horseback .
It ’ s not only the coronavirus that ’ s been an obstacle .
In North Carolina , civil rights leader the Rev .
William Barber II and others have been training clergy members to mobilize their congregations and make sure they know their options and rights , and to push back against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting .
“ Don ’ t let anybody suppress , stop , stymie , deter , detract your right to vote , ” Mr. Barber recently told attendees of a get-out-the-vote event .
In 2016 , Patrisse Cullors , one of the creators of Black Lives Matter , hadn ’ t thought about how she could leverage the platform to get out the vote .
Now , after an unprecedented surge of Black Lives Matter-themed protests in recent months , Ms. Cullors and the foundation are hosting pandemic-safe drive-in rallies , text-banking voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in donations to run ads focused on the Black vote , Ms. Cullors said .
In Louisville , Kentucky , a city that has been rocked by demonstrations over the killing by police of Breonna Taylor , community groups , voters , and activists have joined together in a parade of cars , trucks , and buses through the city ’ s predominantly Black West End in an effort to get out the vote .
The effort , called “ Protest to the Polls , ” is led by the Louisville Urban League @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s demands for racial and social justice to the ballot box , said Sadiqa Reynolds , president and CEO .
“ We are reclaiming our votes , ” she said .
Some get-out-the-vote efforts have involved large-scale planning ; others have been the work of one or two people with a sudden idea .
On the larger side is the nonprofit Neighborhood Assistance Corporations of America , which has deployed a fleet of vans in southwest Texas and Atlanta , and recently expanded to Charlotte , North Carolina .
The vans have carted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media coordinator Tim Trumble .
The community justice organization hopes it sends a message : Voter suppression efforts in minority communities will backfire .
The 15-passenger vans , which accommodate six people with social distancing , get going as the sun comes up and drive all day , and are sanitized between each trip .
On the smaller side : “ Play for the Vote , ” a nonpartisan effort by Boston cellist Mike Block that organized musicians to play for voters while they wait to cast their ballots .
Mr. Block came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instrument the morning after the chaotic first presidential debate .
“ I thought , ‘ The music is helping me – maybe I should just go down to my polling location and play.
’ It became obvious how great it would be if every musician did that , ” he said .
Mr. Block has since enlisted several hundred musicians from 39 states and the District of Columbia who will perform classical , folk , bluegrass , country , hip hop , or rock – but nothing with a political bent – for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Participants range from musicians with New York ’ s Metropolitan Opera orchestra to a high school orchestra in Wyoming .
Also on the musical front , “ Joy to the Polls ” seeks to make a memorable experience of waiting in line to vote .
A recent video on social media showed voters in Philadelphia dancing joyfully as they waited , alongside members of the Resistance Revival Chorus .
In Cincinnati , Diane Cunningham Redden , an official with the Hamilton County Republican Party , has been holding small , socially distanced patio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if 28 people each go home and talk to five friends , those are votes.
” Ms. Redden heads a group called SHELeads , which identifies and supports female candidates .
She has also helped organize bring-your-own-sign events supporting President Donald Trump and others at busy intersections .
Some voters are wary of catching the virus by voting in person , but they ’ re also concerned about the mail-in option .
In Columbus , Ohio , 80-year-old Carol Tonkins requested an absentee ballot this year for the first time , but didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So she called Katie Beaumont , who directs a program , At Home on High , that helps older adults like Tonkins stay home by providing transportation , yardwork , shopping , and other services .
Ms. Beaumont dropped Ms. Tonkins ’ ballot off last Wednesday .
“ We don ’ t care the way you vote .
We just want you to vote , ” Ms. Beaumont said .
In some cases , new strategies have yielded unexpected benefits .
In Sacramento , California , advocate Nichole Rice can ’ t knock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and she can ’ t make phone calls because of her two small , sometimes loud , children .
Instead , she ’ s texting hundreds of people every day from an app on her phone .
She says that when she can convince them she ’ s not a robot – which takes some doing in 2020 – she can have extended conversations with many more voters than she ever would have knocking on doors .
It ’ s led to some vulnerable moments .
Ms. Rice said one voter said her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just undergone bypass surgery .
Another person revealed her husband was cheating on her .
“ People are way more willing to disclose things ... than they ever did in person , ” she said .
In Mississippi , which has some of the country ’ s most restrictive voting regulations – rules that historically have kept African Americans from voting – retired educator Fran Bridges has been volunteering with several neighborhood associations in Jackson to conduct street-by-street registration .
The idea was that people might be more inclined to register if contacted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person to be the point person for each street .
They covered at least 100 streets that way .
Like Ms. Gehman in New Mexico , Rhada Pyati in Philadelphia has devoted untold hours to writing letters as part of Vote Forward .
“ I don ’ t want to wake up on the morning of Wednesday , Nov. 4 , and feel I didn ’ t try as hard as I possibly could , ” she said .
There ’ s at least some evidence that her efforts and those of fellow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One recipient , Carlos Flores in Miami , said he ’ d already been planning to vote , but the passionate letter he received from Portland , Oregon , on Tuesday got him fired up .
Mr. Flores , a bakery owner , voted this week in his first presidential race since gaining citizenship in 2018 .
“ Lots of people in the world can ’ t vote , ” Mr. Flores said .
“ This is a privilege .
Every vote counts.
” This story was reported by The Associated Press .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Adam Beam in Sacramento , Calif. ; Piper Hudspeth Blackburn in Louisville , Ky. ; Felicia Fonseca in Albuquerque , N.M. ; William J. Kole in Boston ; Aaron Morrison in New York ; Andrew Welsh-Huggins in Columbus , Ohio ; and Leah Willingham in Jackson , Miss .

Sometimes her hand hurt, but Nancy Gehman kept writing. Every evening from July until mid-October, the retiree sat with a gel pen, writing notes imploring fellow Americans to find a way to vote.
Then she mailed them: All 1,260 letters.
“It was comforting to know that I was doing something productive,” she says.
Ms. Gehman, who lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, is one of 182,000 people who have participated in Vote Forward, a 50-state letter-writing campaign to more than 17.5 million homes. The grassroots effort is one of countless ways in which individuals and organizations are working to get people to the polls in an election where, it’s safe to say, nothing is normal.
In the best of times, it’s a massive logistical challenge to get millions out to vote. In 2020, the difficulty has been compounded: by fear of the coronavirus, by complications and confusion over mail-in ballots, by palpable anxiety over the bitter divisions in the country.
As early voting has surged dramatically, with more than 73 million people estimated to have cast ballots, advocates have been mobilizing in myriad ways, from neighborhood groups to national movements, from block associations to college marching bands to lone violinists. Voters have been ushered to the polls by fleets of minivans, with bicycle parades, and on horseback in Indian Country.
When they get there, they’re sometimes welcomed by a cello performance or a choreographed dance party.
Often unable to knock on doors or chat in person because of virus concerns, advocates have had to adapt. They’ve been texting and phone banking, holding drive-in rallies, and organizing caravans.
What unites these efforts is the certainty that this is an election year like no other, and that voting is essential.
In Native American tribal communities devastated by the coronavirus, from job losses to sickness and death, advocates are mindful of causing further stress.
“As much as we know voting is important and necessary. ... People are struggling,” says advocate Ahtza Dawn Chavez. “In some ways, a lot of it can come off as just being insensitive.”
In a normal election cycle, Ms. Chavez, who lives in Albuquerque and is Navajo and Kewa, and colleagues would knock on doors and sit down for coffee. Now, they’re relying on ambassadors within communities to talk with their neighbors. They’re also using robocalls, phone banking, and mass texting. Of special concern are older adults.
“Our elderly are basically our library, they are our encyclopedia, our historical and cultural knowledge holders,” Ms. Chavez said. “Making sure people have a safe way to cast their votes and access their polling locations was something we were very concerned about.”
In Arizona’s Indian Country, “Ride to the Polls” has targeted younger voters with organized groups on horseback.
It’s not only the coronavirus that’s been an obstacle. In North Carolina, civil rights leader the Rev. William Barber II and others have been training clergy members to mobilize their congregations and make sure they know their options and rights, and to push back against any misinformation that might prevent them from voting.
“Don’t let anybody suppress, stop, stymie, deter, detract your right to vote,” Mr. Barber recently told attendees of a get-out-the-vote event.
In 2016, Patrisse Cullors, one of the creators of Black Lives Matter, hadn’t thought about how she could leverage the platform to get out the vote. Now, after an unprecedented surge of Black Lives Matter-themed protests in recent months, Ms. Cullors and the foundation are hosting pandemic-safe drive-in rallies, text-banking voters, and leveraging the millions of dollars in donations to run ads focused on the Black vote, Ms. Cullors said.
In Louisville, Kentucky, a city that has been rocked by demonstrations over the killing by police of Breonna Taylor, community groups, voters, and activists have joined together in a parade of cars, trucks, and buses through the city’s predominantly Black West End in an effort to get out the vote. The effort, called “Protest to the Polls,” is led by the Louisville Urban League and aims to take the summer’s demands for racial and social justice to the ballot box, said Sadiqa Reynolds, president and CEO.
“We are reclaiming our votes,” she said.
Some get-out-the-vote efforts have involved large-scale planning; others have been the work of one or two people with a sudden idea.
On the larger side is the nonprofit Neighborhood Assistance Corporations of America, which has deployed a fleet of vans in southwest Texas and Atlanta, and recently expanded to Charlotte, North Carolina. The vans have carted 25,000 people to the polls, said media coordinator Tim Trumble.
The community justice organization hopes it sends a message: Voter suppression efforts in minority communities will backfire. The 15-passenger vans, which accommodate six people with social distancing, get going as the sun comes up and drive all day, and are sanitized between each trip.
On the smaller side: “Play for the Vote,” a nonpartisan effort by Boston cellist Mike Block that organized musicians to play for voters while they wait to cast their ballots. Mr. Block came up with the idea while practicing his instrument the morning after the chaotic first presidential debate.
“I thought, ‘The music is helping me – maybe I should just go down to my polling location and play.’ It became obvious how great it would be if every musician did that,” he said.
Mr. Block has since enlisted several hundred musicians from 39 states and the District of Columbia who will perform classical, folk, bluegrass, country, hip hop, or rock – but nothing with a political bent – for voters stuck standing in long lines. Participants range from musicians with New York’s Metropolitan Opera orchestra to a high school orchestra in Wyoming.
Also on the musical front, “Joy to the Polls” seeks to make a memorable experience of waiting in line to vote. A recent video on social media showed voters in Philadelphia dancing joyfully as they waited, alongside members of the Resistance Revival Chorus.
In Cincinnati, Diane Cunningham Redden, an official with the Hamilton County Republican Party, has been holding small, socially distanced patio gatherings, on the theory that “if 28 people each go home and talk to five friends, those are votes.”
Ms. Redden heads a group called SHELeads, which identifies and supports female candidates. She has also helped organize bring-your-own-sign events supporting President Donald Trump and others at busy intersections.
Some voters are wary of catching the virus by voting in person, but they’re also concerned about the mail-in option. In Columbus, Ohio, 80-year-old Carol Tonkins requested an absentee ballot this year for the first time, but didn’t totally trust the mail.
So she called Katie Beaumont, who directs a program, At Home on High, that helps older adults like Tonkins stay home by providing transportation, yardwork, shopping, and other services. Ms. Beaumont dropped Ms. Tonkins’ ballot off last Wednesday. “We don’t care the way you vote. We just want you to vote,” Ms. Beaumont said.
In some cases, new strategies have yielded unexpected benefits.
In Sacramento, California, advocate Nichole Rice can’t knock on doors because of the coronavirus, and she can’t make phone calls because of her two small, sometimes loud, children.
Instead, she’s texting hundreds of people every day from an app on her phone. She says that when she can convince them she’s not a robot – which takes some doing in 2020 – she can have extended conversations with many more voters than she ever would have knocking on doors.
It’s led to some vulnerable moments. Ms. Rice said one voter said her priorities had changed because her husband had just undergone bypass surgery. Another person revealed her husband was cheating on her.
“People are way more willing to disclose things ... than they ever did in person,” she said.
In Mississippi, which has some of the country’s most restrictive voting regulations – rules that historically have kept African Americans from voting – retired educator Fran Bridges has been volunteering with several neighborhood associations in Jackson to conduct street-by-street registration.
The idea was that people might be more inclined to register if contacted by their neighbors. She enlisted one person to be the point person for each street. They covered at least 100 streets that way.
Like Ms. Gehman in New Mexico, Rhada Pyati in Philadelphia has devoted untold hours to writing letters as part of Vote Forward.
“I don’t want to wake up on the morning of Wednesday, Nov. 4, and feel I didn’t try as hard as I possibly could,” she said.
There’s at least some evidence that her efforts and those of fellow letter writers have had an impact. One recipient, Carlos Flores in Miami, said he’d already been planning to vote, but the passionate letter he received from Portland, Oregon, on Tuesday got him fired up.
Mr. Flores, a bakery owner, voted this week in his first presidential race since gaining citizenship in 2018.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
“Lots of people in the world can’t vote,” Mr. Flores said. “This is a privilege. Every vote counts.”
This story was reported by The Associated Press. Contributing to this report were AP writers Adam Beam in Sacramento, Calif.; Piper Hudspeth Blackburn in Louisville, Ky.; Felicia Fonseca in Albuquerque, N.M.; William J. Kole in Boston; Aaron Morrison in New York; Andrew Welsh-Huggins in Columbus, Ohio; and Leah Willingham in Jackson, Miss.


csmonitor--2020-10-29--Concerns over freedom grow as Kashmir nonprofits and media raided

India ’ s premier investigating agency on Wednesday said it raided 10 locations in Indian-controlled Kashmir , including the offices and residences of a journalist and two prominent activists , triggering concerns of a crackdown on information and a free press in the disputed region .
The National Investigation Agency said in a statement it searched the premises of Agence France-Presse ’ s Kashmir correspondent Parvaiz Bukhari , offices of rights activist Khurram Parvez and Parveena Ahanger , and the region ’ s leading daily Greater Kashmir , along with a non-profit group , and seized “ several incriminating documents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was investigating “ non-profit groups and charitable trusts ” that were collecting funds and using them for “ carrying out secessionist and separatist activities ” in the disputed region .
A police official privy to the raids said the investigators confiscated telephones , laptops , and storage devices from journalist Mr. Bukhari and rights defender Mr. Parvez .
The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly .
Mr. Parvez ’ s organization , Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society has written scathing reports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of thousands of Indian troops in the region .
It has highlighted the expansive powers granted to them which it says led to a culture of impunity and widespread rights abuse in the region .
Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir , Mehbooba Mufti said the raids on activist Mr. Parvez and the Greater Kashmir office were “ another example of the Government of India ’ s vicious crackdown on freedom of expression and dissent.
” The raids came days after Indian authorities sealed the office of an English daily , Kashmir @ @ @ @ @ @ @ condemnation from global media watchdogs .
Authorities said the office was sealed due to administrative reasons but journalists said the move aimed to throttle the free press .
Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan , and both claim the region in its entirety .
Most Kashmiris support the rebel goal of uniting the territory , either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country .
Earlier on Tuesday , India enacted new laws that allow any of its nationals to buy land in the disputed region , a move that exacerbates concerns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such measures as a settler-colonial project to change the Muslim-majority region ’ s demography .
Until last year , Indians were not allowed to buy property in the region .
But in August 2019 , Prime Minister Narendra Modi ’ s government scrapped the disputed region ’ s special status , annulled its separate constitution , split the region into two federal territories – Ladakh and Jammu-Kashmir , and removed inherited protections on land and jobs .
The move triggered widespread anger and economic ruin amid a harsh security clampdown and communications blackout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a series of Mr. Modi ’ s hard-line Hindu-nationalist policies , also authorize the Indian army to declare any area as “ strategic ” for operational and training purposes against the Kashmiri rebels .
On Wednesday , the region ’ s main pro-freedom conglomerate denounced the new laws and called for a strike on Oct. 31 .
Pro-India politicians from the region accused India of putting Kashmir ’ s land “ up for sale.
” The federal government said the decision was made to encourage development and peace in the region .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has imposed overarching restrictions in the region which critics say has eroded press freedom .
Several journalists have been arrested , beaten , harassed , and sometimes even investigated under anti-terror laws .
A controversial new media law gave the government more power to censure independent reporting .
The Kashmir Editors Guild in a statement Wednesday said it was concerned over the “ mounting costs of being a journalist in Kashmir ” and hoped the region ’ s media is “ permitted to function without hassles and hurdles.
” Reporters Without Borders , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said “ press freedom violations by the Indian authorities in Kashmir is unworthy of a democracy.
” This story was reported by The Associated Press .

India’s premier investigating agency on Wednesday said it raided 10 locations in Indian-controlled Kashmir, including the offices and residences of a journalist and two prominent activists, triggering concerns of a crackdown on information and a free press in the disputed region.
The National Investigation Agency said in a statement it searched the premises of Agence France-Presse’s Kashmir correspondent Parvaiz Bukhari, offices of rights activist Khurram Parvez and Parveena Ahanger, and the region’s leading daily Greater Kashmir, along with a non-profit group, and seized “several incriminating documents and electronic devices.”
The agency said it was investigating “non-profit groups and charitable trusts” that were collecting funds and using them for “carrying out secessionist and separatist activities” in the disputed region.
A police official privy to the raids said the investigators confiscated telephones, laptops, and storage devices from journalist Mr. Bukhari and rights defender Mr. Parvez. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
Mr. Parvez’s organization, Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society has written scathing reports about brutality involving some of the hundreds of thousands of Indian troops in the region. It has highlighted the expansive powers granted to them which it says led to a culture of impunity and widespread rights abuse in the region.
Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti said the raids on activist Mr. Parvez and the Greater Kashmir office were “another example of the Government of India’s vicious crackdown on freedom of expression and dissent.”
The raids came days after Indian authorities sealed the office of an English daily, Kashmir Times, causing outrage from journalists and condemnation from global media watchdogs. Authorities said the office was sealed due to administrative reasons but journalists said the move aimed to throttle the free press.
Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan, and both claim the region in its entirety. Most Kashmiris support the rebel goal of uniting the territory, either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country.
Earlier on Tuesday, India enacted new laws that allow any of its nationals to buy land in the disputed region, a move that exacerbates concerns of residents and rights groups who see such measures as a settler-colonial project to change the Muslim-majority region’s demography.
Until last year, Indians were not allowed to buy property in the region. But in August 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government scrapped the disputed region’s special status, annulled its separate constitution, split the region into two federal territories – Ladakh and Jammu-Kashmir, and removed inherited protections on land and jobs. The move triggered widespread anger and economic ruin amid a harsh security clampdown and communications blackout.
Tuesday’s laws, part of a series of Mr. Modi’s hard-line Hindu-nationalist policies, also authorize the Indian army to declare any area as “strategic” for operational and training purposes against the Kashmiri rebels.
On Wednesday, the region’s main pro-freedom conglomerate denounced the new laws and called for a strike on Oct. 31. Pro-India politicians from the region accused India of putting Kashmir’s land “up for sale.”
The federal government said the decision was made to encourage development and peace in the region.
Since August 2019, the Indian government has imposed overarching restrictions in the region which critics say has eroded press freedom.
Several journalists have been arrested, beaten, harassed, and sometimes even investigated under anti-terror laws. A controversial new media law gave the government more power to censure independent reporting.
The Kashmir Editors Guild in a statement Wednesday said it was concerned over the “mounting costs of being a journalist in Kashmir” and hoped the region’s media is “permitted to function without hassles and hurdles.”
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Reporters Without Borders, a global media watchdog, in August said “press freedom violations by the Indian authorities in Kashmir is unworthy of a democracy.”
This story was reported by The Associated Press.


csmonitor--2020-10-29--Philadelphia pledges to do better after fatal shooting of Black man

Philadelphia police pledged to release 911 tapes and police body camera footage “ in the near future ” in the shooting death of a Black man with a history of mental health problems , a death that prompted protests , widespread vandalism , and an overnight curfew days before Election Day .
Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw pledged to release the video evidence once the department shares it with the family of Walter Wallace Jr. Ms .
Outlaw , who came to Philadelphia less than a year ago from Portland , Oregon , lamented at a news conference Wednesday that her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consistent way to coordinate police calls with specialists .
“ We don ’ t have a behavioral health unit , which is sorely needed , ” said Ms .
Outlaw , when asked about reports that police had been called to the home twice before that day .
“ There ’ s clearly a disconnect on our end in terms of knowing what ’ s out there at the scene.
” Police say they fatally shot Mr. Wallace on Monday after he ignored orders to drop a knife , a death that intensified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state .
Mr. Wallace ’ s mother said she warned police Monday afternoon that her son was in the throes of a mental health crisis .
In the days since , more than 90 people have been arrested and about 50 police officers injured in clashes with protesters and vandals , including the 1,000 or so who suddenly swarmed a shopping center Tuesday night , breaking windows and stealing merchandise .
That scene erupted on the other side of the city , miles from Mr. Wallace ’ neighborhood , where protests were underway @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warn us of this , ” Deputy Commissioner Melvin Singleton said .
“ By that time ... the damage was done.
” The clashes come as Pennsylvania emerges as a key focus of the contentious 2020 election , with President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden , a native son , locked in a battle for the state ’ s 20 electoral votes .
Both candidates have made frequent campaign stops in the state .
More than 9 million Pennsylvanians have registered to vote , and many in Philadelphia waited in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mail-in ballot by Tuesday ’ s deadline , as news of the police shooting spread .
City officials announced Wednesday they would enact a curfew in the city from 9 p.m. until 6 a.m. , as business owners cleaned up damage from the melee and boarded up windows .
Mayor Jim Kenney told reporters the Pennsylvania National Guard would also be deployed to help protect property and assist the police .
The first troops were expected Friday and Saturday .
The unrest started Monday evening , shortly after Mr. Wallace was killed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including in Washington , D.C. , the Brooklyn borough of New York City , and Portland , where demonstrators held their hands in the shape of a “ W ” in his honor .
His family ’ s lawyer said the family had called for an ambulance to get him help with a mental health crisis .
Mr. Wallace ’ s wife , Dominique , is pregnant and was scheduled to be induced Wednesday , according to the family ’ s attorney , Shaka Johnson .
Mr. Johnson said Mr. Wallace had nine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a news conference late Tuesday , along with Mr. Wallace ’ s mother and father .
“ When you come to a scene where somebody is in a mental crisis , and the only tool you have to deal with it is a gun ... where are the proper tools for the job ?
” Mr. Johnson said , arguing that Philadelphia police officers are not properly trained to handle mental health crises .
Police officials said they could not confirm what information had been given to the responding officers , whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illness or how many calls they had received for help at Mr. Wallace ’ s address Monday .
Ms .
Outlaw said earlier the officers involved in the shooting were taken off street duty as they investigate .
She said the officers ’ names and other identifying information , including their race , would be withheld until the department could be sure releasing the information would not pose a threat to their safety .
Neither had a Taser or similar device at the time of the shooting , Ms .
Outlaw said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funding to equip more officers with those devices .
The two officers each fired at least seven rounds – at least 14 total shots – but police could not say how many times Mr. Wallace was struck .
Mr. Wallace ’ s father , Walter Wallace Sr. said Tuesday night that he is haunted by the way his son was “ butchered.
” “ It ’ s in my mind .
I can ’ t even sleep at night .
I can ’ t even close my eyes , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ posted on social media , officers could be seen yelling for Mr. Wallace to drop a knife .
In the video , Mr. Wallace ’ s mother and at least one man followed Mr. Wallace , trying to get him to listen to officers , as he briskly walked across the street and between cars .
Mr. Wallace advanced toward the officers , who then fired several times , said police spokesperson Officer Tanya Little .
Mr. Wallace ’ s mother could be seen screaming and throwing something at an officer after her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ground .
The video does not make it clear whether he was in fact holding a knife , but witnesses said he was .
Mr. Wallace was hit in the shoulder and chest , Ms. Little said .
One officer drove him to a hospital , where he was pronounced dead a short time later , she said .
Lawyer Robert Trimble represented Mr. Wallace in a 2016 robbery case that led him to spend about a year in jail .
His sentence , according to court records , included mental health supervision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ran into him about a year ago by City Hall .
He stopped me on the street and thanked me for helping him , ” Mr. Trimble said .
“ I remember him being a decent guy.
” In March , Mr. Wallace was arrested and charged with making terroristic threats , according to court records .
A status hearing was scheduled for Dec. 2 .
Both Ms .
Outlaw and the mayor pledged to address the lack of coordinated mental health services .
“ We have limited resources and we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Mr. Kenney said .
“ We need to do a better job.
” This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP writer Claudia Lauer in Philadelphia contributed to this report .

Philadelphia police pledged to release 911 tapes and police body camera footage “in the near future” in the shooting death of a Black man with a history of mental health problems, a death that prompted protests, widespread vandalism, and an overnight curfew days before Election Day.
Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw pledged to release the video evidence once the department shares it with the family of Walter Wallace Jr. Ms. Outlaw, who came to Philadelphia less than a year ago from Portland, Oregon, lamented at a news conference Wednesday that her department lacks a mental health unit or consistent way to coordinate police calls with specialists.
“We don’t have a behavioral health unit, which is sorely needed,” said Ms. Outlaw, when asked about reports that police had been called to the home twice before that day. “There’s clearly a disconnect on our end in terms of knowing what’s out there at the scene.”
Police say they fatally shot Mr. Wallace on Monday after he ignored orders to drop a knife, a death that intensified already heightened tensions in the presidential battleground state. Mr. Wallace’s mother said she warned police Monday afternoon that her son was in the throes of a mental health crisis.
In the days since, more than 90 people have been arrested and about 50 police officers injured in clashes with protesters and vandals, including the 1,000 or so who suddenly swarmed a shopping center Tuesday night, breaking windows and stealing merchandise. That scene erupted on the other side of the city, miles from Mr. Wallace’ neighborhood, where protests were underway.
“We had zero information to warn us of this,” Deputy Commissioner Melvin Singleton said. “By that time ... the damage was done.”
The clashes come as Pennsylvania emerges as a key focus of the contentious 2020 election, with President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden, a native son, locked in a battle for the state’s 20 electoral votes. Both candidates have made frequent campaign stops in the state.
More than 9 million Pennsylvanians have registered to vote, and many in Philadelphia waited in line for hours this week to request a mail-in ballot by Tuesday’s deadline, as news of the police shooting spread.
City officials announced Wednesday they would enact a curfew in the city from 9 p.m. until 6 a.m., as business owners cleaned up damage from the melee and boarded up windows.
Mayor Jim Kenney told reporters the Pennsylvania National Guard would also be deployed to help protect property and assist the police. The first troops were expected Friday and Saturday.
The unrest started Monday evening, shortly after Mr. Wallace was killed, and set off protests elsewhere, including in Washington, D.C., the Brooklyn borough of New York City, and Portland, where demonstrators held their hands in the shape of a “W” in his honor.
His family’s lawyer said the family had called for an ambulance to get him help with a mental health crisis.
Mr. Wallace’s wife, Dominique, is pregnant and was scheduled to be induced Wednesday, according to the family’s attorney, Shaka Johnson. Mr. Johnson said Mr. Wallace had nine children, two of whom briefly spoke at a news conference late Tuesday, along with Mr. Wallace’s mother and father.
“When you come to a scene where somebody is in a mental crisis, and the only tool you have to deal with it is a gun ... where are the proper tools for the job?” Mr. Johnson said, arguing that Philadelphia police officers are not properly trained to handle mental health crises.
Police officials said they could not confirm what information had been given to the responding officers, whether they were told about a possible mental illness or how many calls they had received for help at Mr. Wallace’s address Monday.
Ms. Outlaw said earlier the officers involved in the shooting were taken off street duty as they investigate. She said the officers’ names and other identifying information, including their race, would be withheld until the department could be sure releasing the information would not pose a threat to their safety.
Neither had a Taser or similar device at the time of the shooting, Ms. Outlaw said, noting the department had previously asked for funding to equip more officers with those devices.
The two officers each fired at least seven rounds – at least 14 total shots – but police could not say how many times Mr. Wallace was struck.
Mr. Wallace’s father, Walter Wallace Sr. said Tuesday night that he is haunted by the way his son was “butchered.”
“It’s in my mind. I can’t even sleep at night. I can’t even close my eyes,” he said.
In video filmed by a bystander and posted on social media, officers could be seen yelling for Mr. Wallace to drop a knife. In the video, Mr. Wallace’s mother and at least one man followed Mr. Wallace, trying to get him to listen to officers, as he briskly walked across the street and between cars.
Mr. Wallace advanced toward the officers, who then fired several times, said police spokesperson Officer Tanya Little. Mr. Wallace’s mother could be seen screaming and throwing something at an officer after her son was shot and fell to the ground.
The video does not make it clear whether he was in fact holding a knife, but witnesses said he was.
Mr. Wallace was hit in the shoulder and chest, Ms. Little said. One officer drove him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later, she said.
Lawyer Robert Trimble represented Mr. Wallace in a 2016 robbery case that led him to spend about a year in jail. His sentence, according to court records, included mental health supervision and six years of probation.
“I ran into him about a year ago by City Hall. He stopped me on the street and thanked me for helping him,” Mr. Trimble said. “I remember him being a decent guy.”
In March, Mr. Wallace was arrested and charged with making terroristic threats, according to court records. A status hearing was scheduled for Dec. 2.
Both Ms. Outlaw and the mayor pledged to address the lack of coordinated mental health services.
“We have limited resources and we have a large number of people with problems,” Mr. Kenney said. “We need to do a better job.”
This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writer Claudia Lauer in Philadelphia contributed to this report.


csmonitor--2020-10-29--Lincoln brought strength of character – and backwoods wit – to governing

David S. Reynolds begins “ Abe : Abraham Lincoln in His Times ” by noting that Jesus Christ is the only historical figure who ’ s been the subject of more books than the 16th president of the United States .
Reynolds ’ is one of two impressive recent biographies of Lincoln .
The other , written by another distinguished historian , H.W .
Brands , is “ The Zealot and the Emancipator : John Brown , Abraham Lincoln , and the Struggle for American Freedom.
” Reynolds ’ cradle-to-grave biography , 1,000-plus pages long , is the more monumental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But both books are excellent , and both portray a Lincoln who was uniquely suited to steer the Union through the Civil War and toward equality and justice .
Reynolds rejects the popular perception that Lincoln , a self-taught lawyer with less than a year of formal education , was unprepared for the presidency .
He argues that Lincoln ’ s immersion in the culture of tumultuous 19th-century America turned out to be ideal preparation .
In making this case , “ Abe ” presents a fascinating primer on everyday life in Lincoln @ @ @ @ @ @ @ writes , enjoyed culture “ in all its dimensions – from high to low , sacred to profane , conservative to radical , sentimental to subversive.
” The author offers up a riot of influences , beginning with Lincoln ’ s frontier childhood , which featured events like logrollings and house-raisings , bringing together settlers of all classes to help clear land and build homes .
He writes admiringly of Lincoln ’ s voracious interests , which ran from Shakespeare to bawdy humor to Euclidean geometry .
Today the most recognizable image of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the colossal marble memorial on the National Mall in Washington .
Reynolds reminds us of a different Lincoln , the gangly , ill-clad country lawyer who cannily poked fun at his own appearance .
At a time when showman P.T .
Barnum ’ s sensationalism was popular , Lincoln , “ sometimes compared to a Barnum exhibit , ” Reynolds writes , “ performed as the lowly Uncle Abe .
He was the humble American as political spectacle.
” Reynolds compellingly argues that the president drew upon and assimilated these varied cultural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In the midst of the Civil War , the president famously declared that the point of the devastating struggle was to save the Union , not to free the slaves .
While Reynolds calls this statement “ disingenuous , ” arguing that the “ inwardly radical antiracist Lincoln ” had to move cautiously on race to retain the necessary support to win the war , Lincoln did see the Union ’ s preservation as his sacred duty .
One way he hoped to strengthen the Union was by encouraging a common American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a great equalizer , a joiner , ” Reynolds writes .
“ It put kings and commoners , presidents and the people on the same level.
” In the run-up to the war , Lincoln also had to tread carefully by publicly disavowing John Brown .
The radical abolitionist had massacred five pro-slavery settlers in the Kansas territory in 1856 and subsequently led a deadly , failed raid on the federal armory at Harpers Ferry , West Virginia , hoping to arm nearby slaves and set off an insurrection .
In “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brands foregrounds the central irony that while Brown embraced violence as a means to end slavery and Lincoln condemned it , Lincoln ’ s eventual path resulted in carnage beyond what Brown , who was executed in 1859 , could have imagined .
Brands is an adroit storyteller and captures both Brown ’ s intensity and zeal and Lincoln ’ s pragmatism and wit .
Visited by various religious men wishing to advise him on the war and claiming to represent divine will , Lincoln remarked , “ If it is probable that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , on a point so connected with my duty , it might be supposed he would reveal it directly to me.
” The president ’ s profound second inaugural address , delivered on March 4 , 1865 , as the war was nearly won , pointedly spoke not of Southern slavery but of “ American slavery.
” Despite his calls for reconciliation in the speech , Brands notes , “ Lincoln ’ s suggestion that ‘ every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword @ @ @ @ @ @ @ final prediction that ‘ the crimes of this guilty land will never be purged away but with blood.
’ ” Weeks after the inauguration , Lincoln was assassinated .
In the end , Brands writes , “ Brown was a first martyr in the war that freed the slaves , Lincoln one of the last .
”

David S. Reynolds begins “Abe: Abraham Lincoln in His Times” by noting that Jesus Christ is the only historical figure who’s been the subject of more books than the 16th president of the United States. Reynolds’ is one of two impressive recent biographies of Lincoln. The other, written by another distinguished historian, H.W. Brands, is “The Zealot and the Emancipator: John Brown, Abraham Lincoln, and the Struggle for American Freedom.”
Reynolds’ cradle-to-grave biography, 1,000-plus pages long, is the more monumental as well as the more reverential. But both books are excellent, and both portray a Lincoln who was uniquely suited to steer the Union through the Civil War and toward equality and justice.
Reynolds rejects the popular perception that Lincoln, a self-taught lawyer with less than a year of formal education, was unprepared for the presidency. He argues that Lincoln’s immersion in the culture of tumultuous 19th-century America turned out to be ideal preparation.
In making this case, “Abe” presents a fascinating primer on everyday life in Lincoln’s time. Lincoln, Reynolds writes, enjoyed culture “in all its dimensions – from high to low, sacred to profane, conservative to radical, sentimental to subversive.” The author offers up a riot of influences, beginning with Lincoln’s frontier childhood, which featured events like logrollings and house-raisings, bringing together settlers of all classes to help clear land and build homes. He writes admiringly of Lincoln’s voracious interests, which ran from Shakespeare to bawdy humor to Euclidean geometry.
Today the most recognizable image of the Great Emancipator is the solemn Lincoln of the colossal marble memorial on the National Mall in Washington. Reynolds reminds us of a different Lincoln, the gangly, ill-clad country lawyer who cannily poked fun at his own appearance. At a time when showman P.T. Barnum’s sensationalism was popular, Lincoln, “sometimes compared to a Barnum exhibit,” Reynolds writes, “performed as the lowly Uncle Abe. He was the humble American as political spectacle.”
Reynolds compellingly argues that the president drew upon and assimilated these varied cultural strands in order to foster national unity. In the midst of the Civil War, the president famously declared that the point of the devastating struggle was to save the Union, not to free the slaves. While Reynolds calls this statement “disingenuous,” arguing that the “inwardly radical antiracist Lincoln” had to move cautiously on race to retain the necessary support to win the war, Lincoln did see the Union’s preservation as his sacred duty. One way he hoped to strengthen the Union was by encouraging a common American culture; to him, “culture was a great equalizer, a joiner,” Reynolds writes. “It put kings and commoners, presidents and the people on the same level.”
In the run-up to the war, Lincoln also had to tread carefully by publicly disavowing John Brown. The radical abolitionist had massacred five pro-slavery settlers in the Kansas territory in 1856 and subsequently led a deadly, failed raid on the federal armory at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, hoping to arm nearby slaves and set off an insurrection. In “The Zealot and the Emancipator,” Brands foregrounds the central irony that while Brown embraced violence as a means to end slavery and Lincoln condemned it, Lincoln’s eventual path resulted in carnage beyond what Brown, who was executed in 1859, could have imagined.
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
Brands is an adroit storyteller and captures both Brown’s intensity and zeal and Lincoln’s pragmatism and wit. Visited by various religious men wishing to advise him on the war and claiming to represent divine will, Lincoln remarked, “If it is probable that God would reveal his will to others, on a point so connected with my duty, it might be supposed he would reveal it directly to me.”
The president’s profound second inaugural address, delivered on March 4, 1865, as the war was nearly won, pointedly spoke not of Southern slavery but of “American slavery.” Despite his calls for reconciliation in the speech, Brands notes, “Lincoln’s suggestion that ‘every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword’ sounded chillingly like Brown’s final prediction that ‘the crimes of this guilty land will never be purged away but with blood.’” Weeks after the inauguration, Lincoln was assassinated. In the end, Brands writes, “Brown was a first martyr in the war that freed the slaves, Lincoln one of the last.”


csmonitor--2020-10-29--Relentless storms: Zeta breaks records as it scours Louisiana

Zeta sped across southeastern United States on Thursday , leaving a trail of damage and more than 2 million homes and businesses in the dark in Atlanta and beyond after pounding New Orleans with winds and water that splintered homes and were blamed for at least two deaths .
A Category 2 hurricane when it hit the southeastern Louisiana coast Wednesday , the storm was still a tropical storm Thursday morning with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph about 50 miles west of Asheville , North Carolina – unusual even in a region accustomed to hurricanes and their aftermath .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of some trailers flipped over , a gas station destroyed , and downed power lines and trees .
Zeta had top sustained winds of 110 mph as a Category 2 hurricane at landfall and is the 27th named storm of a historically busy Atlantic hurricane season – with over a month left to go .
It set a new record as the 11th named storm to make landfall in the continental United States in a single season , well beyond the nine storms that hit in 1916 .
Hundreds of schools canceled classes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Gulf Coast to the Carolinas .
The latest punch from a record hurricane season left people shaken .
Will Arute said it sounded like a bomb went off when part of a large oak snapped outside his home in New Orleans , and part of the tree crashed into his car and a corner of his home .
“ I did not anticipate this to happen .
It was pretty intense along the eye wall when it went through here , ” he said .
Mackenzie Umanzor did not prepare much because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a few weeks ago in D ’ Iberville , Mississippi , did not do much .
Zeta blew open doors that she had tried to barricade and the top of her shed came loose .
“ You could hear the tin roof waving in the wind and the stronger the wind got .
It was just rattling .
And there was a couple of snaps , lots of cracks of branches and trees falling , ” she said .
“ It was pretty scary.
” Officials said life-threatening conditions would last into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states as a tropical storm before moving offshore around Delaware and southern New Jersey .
The storm killed at least one person in Louisiana , a man who was electrocuted by a downed power line in New Orleans .
In Georgia , authorities said a man was killed when high winds caused a tree to fall onto a mobile home in Cherokee County .
Power outages were reported across Louisiana , Mississippi , Alabama , and Georgia , according to the website PowerOutage.us .
Georgia had the most outages before dawn with more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The storm raged onshore Wednesday afternoon in the small village of Cocodrie in Louisiana as a strong Category 2 and then moved swiftly across the New Orleans area and into neighboring Mississippi , bringing with it both fierce winds and storm surge .
There was heavy rain at times but since the storm was so fast-moving , rain related flooding wasn ’ t as much of a concern .
Waveland Mayor Mike Smith told WLOX-TV that his Mississippi Gulf Coast city , which was part of the area most heavily damaged by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken what might be the worst hit since then from Zeta .
“ We ’ re going to see a whole lot of damage in the morning , ” Mr. Smith said .
Among the many trees blown down was one that fell on Mr. Smith ’ s own house .
“ It was my next-door neighbor ’ s and he wanted to give it to me , apparently , ” Mr. Smith said .
In Louisiana , Gov .
John Bel Edwards was expected Thursday to tour the coastal regions hardest hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and church groups started reaching out to help those affected , he also highlighted the need to protect against the coronavirus at the same time .
“ Offer the help but do it with a mask on , ” he said .
Zeta left much of New Orleans and the surrounding area was without power as 200 falling trees and more limbs pulled down utility lines .
Signs outside bars and restaurants swayed back and forth in the wind , and palm trees along Canal Street whipped furiously as the storm passed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ water surrounded a casino in Biloxi , Mississippi , and deputies in Harrison County , Mississippi , received multiple calls from people who had remained in mobile homes that were threatened by winds .
On Tuesday , Zeta raked across Mexico ’ s Yucatan Peninsula , toppling trees and briefly cutting power to more than 300,000 people but causing no deaths .
It then regained strength over the Gulf of Mexico along a path slightly to the east of those of Hurricane Laura , which was blamed for at least 27 deaths in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which exacerbated Laura ’ s damage in the same area weeks later .
The deteriorating weather prompted early voting sites to close for hours in the western Florida Panhandle .
One voter in Mississippi worried about how long felled trees and debris might block roads .
Thursday was the last day to request an absentee ballot or vote by absentee in person in Alabama , and power was out across parts of the state including heavily populated Mobile on the coast .
Mobile County tweeted that the absentee voting office still would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but other county offices would be closed .
An average season sees six hurricanes and 12 named storms .
This extraordinarily busy season has focused attention on climate change , which scientists say is causing wetter , stronger , and more destructive storms .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP contributors include Gerald Herbert in New Orleans ; Jay Reeves , in Birmingham , Alabama ; Melinda Deslatte in Baton Rouge , Louisiana ; Seth Borenstein in Kensington , Maryland ; Jeff Martin in Marietta , Georgia ; Sophia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Gabriel Alcocer in Cancun , Mexico .

Zeta sped across southeastern United States on Thursday, leaving a trail of damage and more than 2 million homes and businesses in the dark in Atlanta and beyond after pounding New Orleans with winds and water that splintered homes and were blamed for at least two deaths.
A Category 2 hurricane when it hit the southeastern Louisiana coast Wednesday, the storm was still a tropical storm Thursday morning with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph about 50 miles west of Asheville, North Carolina – unusual even in a region accustomed to hurricanes and their aftermath. Along coastal Louisiana, there were reports of some trailers flipped over, a gas station destroyed, and downed power lines and trees.
Zeta had top sustained winds of 110 mph as a Category 2 hurricane at landfall and is the 27th named storm of a historically busy Atlantic hurricane season – with over a month left to go. It set a new record as the 11th named storm to make landfall in the continental United States in a single season, well beyond the nine storms that hit in 1916.
Hundreds of schools canceled classes or planned to open late across from the Gulf Coast to the Carolinas.
The latest punch from a record hurricane season left people shaken. Will Arute said it sounded like a bomb went off when part of a large oak snapped outside his home in New Orleans, and part of the tree crashed into his car and a corner of his home.
“I did not anticipate this to happen. It was pretty intense along the eye wall when it went through here,” he said.
Mackenzie Umanzor did not prepare much because the last hurricane to threaten her home a few weeks ago in D’Iberville, Mississippi, did not do much. Zeta blew open doors that she had tried to barricade and the top of her shed came loose.
“You could hear the tin roof waving in the wind and the stronger the wind got. It was just rattling. And there was a couple of snaps, lots of cracks of branches and trees falling,” she said. “It was pretty scary.”
Officials said life-threatening conditions would last into the day, with Zeta crossing the mid-Atlantic states as a tropical storm before moving offshore around Delaware and southern New Jersey.
The storm killed at least one person in Louisiana, a man who was electrocuted by a downed power line in New Orleans. In Georgia, authorities said a man was killed when high winds caused a tree to fall onto a mobile home in Cherokee County.
Power outages were reported across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia, according to the website PowerOutage.us. Georgia had the most outages before dawn with more than 1 million customers in the dark.
The storm raged onshore Wednesday afternoon in the small village of Cocodrie in Louisiana as a strong Category 2 and then moved swiftly across the New Orleans area and into neighboring Mississippi, bringing with it both fierce winds and storm surge. There was heavy rain at times but since the storm was so fast-moving, rain related flooding wasn’t as much of a concern.
Waveland Mayor Mike Smith told WLOX-TV that his Mississippi Gulf Coast city, which was part of the area most heavily damaged by 2005’s Hurricane Katrina, had taken what might be the worst hit since then from Zeta.
“We’re going to see a whole lot of damage in the morning,” Mr. Smith said. Among the many trees blown down was one that fell on Mr. Smith’s own house. “It was my next-door neighbor’s and he wanted to give it to me, apparently,” Mr. Smith said.
In Louisiana, Gov. John Bel Edwards was expected Thursday to tour the coastal regions hardest hit by the storm. And as neighbors and church groups started reaching out to help those affected, he also highlighted the need to protect against the coronavirus at the same time.
“Offer the help but do it with a mask on,” he said.
Zeta left much of New Orleans and the surrounding area was without power as 200 falling trees and more limbs pulled down utility lines. Signs outside bars and restaurants swayed back and forth in the wind, and palm trees along Canal Street whipped furiously as the storm passed.
As much as 5 feet of Gulf water surrounded a casino in Biloxi, Mississippi, and deputies in Harrison County, Mississippi, received multiple calls from people who had remained in mobile homes that were threatened by winds.
On Tuesday, Zeta raked across Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, toppling trees and briefly cutting power to more than 300,000 people but causing no deaths.
It then regained strength over the Gulf of Mexico along a path slightly to the east of those of Hurricane Laura, which was blamed for at least 27 deaths in Louisiana in August, and Hurricane Delta, which exacerbated Laura’s damage in the same area weeks later.
The deteriorating weather prompted early voting sites to close for hours in the western Florida Panhandle. One voter in Mississippi worried about how long felled trees and debris might block roads.
Thursday was the last day to request an absentee ballot or vote by absentee in person in Alabama, and power was out across parts of the state including heavily populated Mobile on the coast. Mobile County tweeted that the absentee voting office still would be open for normal business hours, but other county offices would be closed.
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An average season sees six hurricanes and 12 named storms. This extraordinarily busy season has focused attention on climate change, which scientists say is causing wetter, stronger, and more destructive storms.
This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP contributors include Gerald Herbert in New Orleans; Jay Reeves, in Birmingham, Alabama; Melinda Deslatte in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Seth Borenstein in Kensington, Maryland; Jeff Martin in Marietta, Georgia; Sophia Tulp and Jeff Amy in Atlanta; and Gabriel Alcocer in Cancun, Mexico.


csmonitor--2020-10-29--US election lawsuits: Less than a week out, where do they stand?

In the most litigious presidential election in memory , court fights are even happening over where poll watchers may stand as the votes are tallied .
Lawsuits by the hundreds already have been filed – with the prospect of many more before and after Tuesday ’ s voting – as both Democrats and Republicans try to settle in court a process that is usually determined by citizens simply casting ballots .
The legal action runs along a broad spectrum , from a dispute over whether guns are allowed near polling places to more complicated matters that already have reached the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ litigation has just been so unprecedented , ” said Sophia Lin Lakin , deputy director of the American Civil Liberties Union ’ s Voting Rights Project .
“ It does feel like there ’ s a desire to elevate any possible thing .
Possible misunderstandings or just disagreements with what the rules are is somehow ending up in court .
It feels very different.
” Roughly 300 lawsuits have been filed over the election in dozens of states across the country , and still scores remain unsettled just days before Election Day .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus pandemic , which has killed more than 227,000 people in the United States and sickened more than 8.8 million .
The campaigns of President Donald Trump and his Democratic rival , Joe Biden , have been quietly building armies of lawyers preparing for the possibility of a drawn-out legal fight that lands at the Supreme Court .
The latest focus for Republicans in some places is on poll watchers , who are volunteers for candidates or political parties long used in elections .
They monitor voting places and local election offices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a way to challenge the voting or tabulating process .
The role of poll watchers or challengers has gained increased attention this year as Mr. Trump has pushed unfounded claims about the potential for voter fraud because of an increase in mailed-in ballots .
Mr. Trump has been urging his supporters to go to the polls and “ watch very carefully , ” raising concerns about possible voter intimidation .
He has also falsely stated that poll watchers were “ thrown out ” of a polling site in Philadelphia , where he has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” are happening .
In Nevada , Mr. Trump ’ s campaign and state Republicans went to court to try to stop the counting of Las Vegas-area mail-in ballots .
Republicans say observers aren ’ t allowed close enough to workers and machines at the busy vote-counting center in suburban Las Vegas to challenge signatures in the state ’ s biggest and most Democratic-leaning county .
Jesse Binnall , an attorney for the Republican Party and Trump campaign , told a judge Wednesday that the counting process observed in Las Vegas prevents what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to challenge the validity of mailed ballots .
“ People who vote in person can have their ballot challenged , ” Mr. Binnall said .
“ People who vote by mail can not .
” Nevada Democrats have called the lawsuit a “ plain and simple ” effort to suppress votes in the state ’ s most diverse county .
“ Clark County is a blue county , ” Gregory Zunino , deputy Nevada state solicitor general , told the judge .
“ They quite frankly would like to exclude as many ballots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can.
” Nevada Republicans and the Trump campaign filed another lawsuit this week demanding the county ’ s registrar turn over names of Democrats , Republicans , and nonpartisan ballot workers , election monitors , and poll watchers along with details about their work instructions and shifts .
In Michigan , a candidate for the state House of Representatives sued this week , alleging coronavirus social distancing rules are preventing poll watchers from properly overseeing the election process .
The lawsuit was quickly resolved with an agreement that poll watchers can look at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ necessary .
Meanwhile , New Mexico ’ s highest court this week rejected a lawsuit brought by the state Republican Party alleging partisan poll challengers have been unfairly denied oversight of the initial ballot verification process .
The lawsuit from Republicans including several state legislators and county clerks alleged partisan challengers are being shut out of the initial verification process unnecessarily , based on privacy regulations .
In Philadelphia , Mr. Trump ’ s campaign filed a lawsuit this month demanding its campaign representatives be allowed to monitor people registering to vote or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the battleground state .
A judge ruled Pennsylvania law doesn ’ t allow such representatives to observe in election offices , and that decision was upheld by an appeals court .
Other lawsuits across the country involve when to stop counting mail-in ballots if received after Tuesday , bans on curbside voting in the pandemic , issues over drop boxes for voters , and enforcing strict witness requirements .
A judge recently overturned a ban in Michigan that prevented open-carry guns at the polls .
And new lawsuits keep cropping up : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ board of elections in Harford County following his arrest last week as he tried to vote without a face mask .
Pennsylvania officials have ordered ballots received after Tuesday to be segregated after a challenge pending before the Supreme Court on whether ballots can be counted after Election Day .
The court on Wednesday turned away Republicans ’ plea to cut the deadline for receipt of absentee ballots in North Carolina , which means they can be received up until Nov. 12 .
The lawsuits are adding to the confusion and uncertainty around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenges claiming the process was flawed will undoubtedly keep streaming in in the days after the election .
But to have any chance of success , they ’ ll have to show evidence of real legal violations .
“ You know you ’ re going to see those lawsuits in part because the president has been saying that the election has been fundamentally unfair since the last election , ” said Loyola Law School professor Justin Levitt , a former Justice Department elections official .
But “ the fact that you could file @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unfair because ‘ fraud , maybe ?
!
’ is not a thing that the courts will pay any attention to.
” This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP writers Colleen Long in Washington , Ken Ritter in Las Vegas , Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia , and Ed White in Detroit contributed to this report .

In the most litigious presidential election in memory, court fights are even happening over where poll watchers may stand as the votes are tallied.
Lawsuits by the hundreds already have been filed – with the prospect of many more before and after Tuesday’s voting – as both Democrats and Republicans try to settle in court a process that is usually determined by citizens simply casting ballots.
The legal action runs along a broad spectrum, from a dispute over whether guns are allowed near polling places to more complicated matters that already have reached the Supreme Court.
“The level of litigation has just been so unprecedented,” said Sophia Lin Lakin, deputy director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Voting Rights Project. “It does feel like there’s a desire to elevate any possible thing. Possible misunderstandings or just disagreements with what the rules are is somehow ending up in court. It feels very different.”
Roughly 300 lawsuits have been filed over the election in dozens of states across the country, and still scores remain unsettled just days before Election Day. Many involve changes to normal procedures given the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 227,000 people in the United States and sickened more than 8.8 million.
The campaigns of President Donald Trump and his Democratic rival, Joe Biden, have been quietly building armies of lawyers preparing for the possibility of a drawn-out legal fight that lands at the Supreme Court.
The latest focus for Republicans in some places is on poll watchers, who are volunteers for candidates or political parties long used in elections. They monitor voting places and local election offices and make note of potential problems as a way to challenge the voting or tabulating process.
The role of poll watchers or challengers has gained increased attention this year as Mr. Trump has pushed unfounded claims about the potential for voter fraud because of an increase in mailed-in ballots. Mr. Trump has been urging his supporters to go to the polls and “watch very carefully,” raising concerns about possible voter intimidation. He has also falsely stated that poll watchers were “thrown out” of a polling site in Philadelphia, where he has claimed without evidence that “bad things” are happening.
In Nevada, Mr. Trump’s campaign and state Republicans went to court to try to stop the counting of Las Vegas-area mail-in ballots. Republicans say observers aren’t allowed close enough to workers and machines at the busy vote-counting center in suburban Las Vegas to challenge signatures in the state’s biggest and most Democratic-leaning county.
Jesse Binnall, an attorney for the Republican Party and Trump campaign, told a judge Wednesday that the counting process observed in Las Vegas prevents what he called a “meaningful opportunity” to challenge the validity of mailed ballots.
“People who vote in person can have their ballot challenged,” Mr. Binnall said. “People who vote by mail cannot.”
Nevada Democrats have called the lawsuit a “plain and simple” effort to suppress votes in the state’s most diverse county.
“Clark County is a blue county,” Gregory Zunino, deputy Nevada state solicitor general, told the judge. “They quite frankly would like to exclude as many ballots or signatures in Clark County as they can.”
Nevada Republicans and the Trump campaign filed another lawsuit this week demanding the county’s registrar turn over names of Democrats, Republicans, and nonpartisan ballot workers, election monitors, and poll watchers along with details about their work instructions and shifts.
In Michigan, a candidate for the state House of Representatives sued this week, alleging coronavirus social distancing rules are preventing poll watchers from properly overseeing the election process. The lawsuit was quickly resolved with an agreement that poll watchers can look at election books and approach poll workers when necessary.
Meanwhile, New Mexico’s highest court this week rejected a lawsuit brought by the state Republican Party alleging partisan poll challengers have been unfairly denied oversight of the initial ballot verification process. The lawsuit from Republicans including several state legislators and county clerks alleged partisan challengers are being shut out of the initial verification process unnecessarily, based on privacy regulations.
In Philadelphia, Mr. Trump’s campaign filed a lawsuit this month demanding its campaign representatives be allowed to monitor people registering to vote or filling out mail-in ballots in election offices in the battleground state. A judge ruled Pennsylvania law doesn’t allow such representatives to observe in election offices, and that decision was upheld by an appeals court.
Other lawsuits across the country involve when to stop counting mail-in ballots if received after Tuesday, bans on curbside voting in the pandemic, issues over drop boxes for voters, and enforcing strict witness requirements.
A judge recently overturned a ban in Michigan that prevented open-carry guns at the polls. And new lawsuits keep cropping up: A man in Maryland has sued the board of elections in Harford County following his arrest last week as he tried to vote without a face mask.
Pennsylvania officials have ordered ballots received after Tuesday to be segregated after a challenge pending before the Supreme Court on whether ballots can be counted after Election Day. The court on Wednesday turned away Republicans’ plea to cut the deadline for receipt of absentee ballots in North Carolina, which means they can be received up until Nov. 12.
The lawsuits are adding to the confusion and uncertainty around the vote. And experts say legal challenges claiming the process was flawed will undoubtedly keep streaming in in the days after the election. But to have any chance of success, they’ll have to show evidence of real legal violations.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
“You know you’re going to see those lawsuits in part because the president has been saying that the election has been fundamentally unfair since the last election,” said Loyola Law School professor Justin Levitt, a former Justice Department elections official. But “the fact that you could file a lawsuit saying the election was fundamentally unfair because ‘fraud, maybe?!’ is not a thing that the courts will pay any attention to.”
This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writers Colleen Long in Washington, Ken Ritter in Las Vegas, Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia, and Ed White in Detroit contributed to this report.