truthout--2020-05-05--Mail-In Voting Must Be Made Accessible to Disabled Voters

Today is an offseason Election Day in Michigan , where the vast majority of voters will submit ballots by mail as state officials close polling locations and urge people to stay home due to the COVID-19 outbreak .
Michigan ’ s decision to embrace voting by mail is good news for voters who would rather not risk visiting a crowded polling site or are confined to their homes in the first place , and election officials are already reporting above-average turnout .
However , blind and visually impaired voters were nearly left out of the election .
Last week , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lawsuit against state election officials alleging that blind voters can not use Michigan ’ s absentee voter system , which consisted of paper ballots that must be filled out in writing and mailed by hand .
Offering only paper absentee ballots would force blind and visually impaired voters to find a sighted person to read and fill out the ballot for them – which violates the right to vote privately – or vote in-person at one of the few polling places that remain open in order to participate .
On Friday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the plaintiffs struck a deal with election officials and agreed to a temporary fix .
For now , blind and visually impaired voters in Michigan can request electronic absentee ballots typically reserved for members of the military and other voters overseas that can be read by software programs known as screen readers .
Screen readers allow users to read the text displayed on a computer screen with a speech synthesizer or a braille display .
Voting rights advocates say election officials must expand access to mail-in ballots to preserve democracy during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher voter turnout , and higher turnout is thought to generally benefit Democrats , which may explain why the common-sense push to expand voting by mail during the COVID-19 pandemic has met with strong resistance from Republicans and President Trump .
However , voting by mail raises fresh questions about ballot access for people living with disabilities , who already struggle to exercise their right to vote in districts across the country .
“ We confuse accessibility with proximity , ” said Imani Barbarin , a disabled voter and host of the new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in an interview .
“ Just because it ’ s closer to you means it ’ s more accessible , but it ’ s not for those with sensory disabilities.
” Vote for Access examines efforts to remove barriers that prevent disabled people from voting — and how these barriers intersect with the broader problem of voter suppression .
Voter ID laws are known for targeting lower-income and voters of color , but disabled voters are overrepresented in the same populations that are less likely to have a photo ID , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the National Disability Rights Network .
Bishop said a photo ID can be difficult to obtain for those with limited financial resources or physical mobility , and people with certain disabilities can be stripped of their right to vote altogether .
In some jurisdictions , people can lose their right to vote if they are deemed “ mentally incompetent ” or “ insane ” by a judge , and these outdated , stigmatizing labels can be pushed on people with developmental and intellectual disabilities .
If disabled people in the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters , an estimated 2.3 million more votes would be cast , according to Barbarin and Vote for Access .
Vote for Access features interviews with poll workers , researchers and disabled voters across 14 states , and activists like Barbarin are working to jumpstart a national conversation about ballot access that goes far beyond the current partisan debate over voting by mail .
“ What ’ s unique about the disabilities community is that we ’ re one of the only communities where you can be prohibited from voting just because you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Bishop says on an episode of Vote for Access .
“ People particularly with developmental disabilities or people who are living with mental illness can be legally stripped of their right to vote , ” Bishop says on an episode of Vote for Access .
“ It ’ s really based in unfortunate and outdated stigma against people with disabilities.
” Barbarin told Truthout that , generally , “ disabled people don ’ t decide to not vote ; there are barriers in the way.
” Nationally , only 17 percent of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with disabilities in 2017 , according to the Government Accountability Office .
Vote for Access reports that transportation options are often limited or nonexistent , and accessible electronic voting units are frequently nonfunctioning or in need of repair .
Websites detailing candidates and ballot issues are not designed for universal access ; they may not work well with screen readers used by the blind , for example .
And there is a dearth of American Sign Language ( ASL ) interpreters in the media and government , making it difficult for voters who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For example , caretakers and poll workers may be too overwhelmed to help a disabled person register and cast a vote .
People living with developmental disabilities and mental illness are particularly vulnerable to this kind of stereotyping , and people with physical disabilities also face stigma about their intellectual capacity .
“ Voting is participating , and in a country that so often relegates disabled people to institutions , isolation , and stereotypes , participation is powerful , ” Barbarin says on the first episode of Vote for Access .
“ However @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think disabled people should vote .
I think those people should be quiet.
” “ One negative stereotype is that people think people with disabilities are not educated on politics .
I am very educated on politics , ” says Jack , a disabled voter in Alaska who speaks through an interpreter on Vote for Access .
“ I want politicians to realize that we are one fifth of the voting population , and you need to hear what we have to say.
” This brings us back to Michigan , where blind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by 4 pm today in order to get an electronic ballot and vote in today ’ s election , which primarily covers education and school funding referendums in more than 30 counties statewide .
The last-minute lawsuit that spurred this makeshift accommodation does not ask for monetary damages ; indeed , lawsuits seeking enforcement of the American Disabilities Act are often last-ditch efforts to make businesses and elected leaders consider people with disabilities in the first place .
“ I am proud we collaboratively identified a temporary solution to expand voting access for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson , in a statement to the media .
“ I am confident we will continue our work to successfully identify and implement a long-term solution as well.
” Barbarin and other advocates say disabled people should be able to vote with proper supports and without misguided judgements about their capacity .
When disabled people are cut out of the political process , they are less likely to be prioritized by political leaders or run for office themselves .
The end result is further disenfranchisement .
While voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more people to vote , Michigan is just one example why absentee ballots are no panacea when it comes to ensuring that people with disabilities can vote .
Vote for Access looks at several innovations that could benefit disabled voters as more states consider alternatives to physical polling places .
Maryland and Oregon are considering electronic ballots delivered with a link over email , and Delaware and West Virginia are deploying online cloud-based voting systems for disabled voters and members of the military , according to reports .
Still , Barbarin said disabilities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the ballot and public information , and people with disabilities advocate for themselves every day .
Election officials looking to improve access — and avoid emergency lawsuits — should get input from the disabilities community every step of the way .
While the COVID-19 pandemic is generating plenty of buzz about “ internet voting , ” some cybersecurity experts are concerned about election hacking .
However , voting rights groups say the country ’ s aging voting infrastructure is already vulnerable and in desperate need of updates .
The COVID-19 stimulus package @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 400 million in grants to help states to run elections during the pandemic , but a new report from a coalition of think tanks on the right and left argues that that is not nearly enough to ensure ballot access and secure results nationwide .
“ Our intent is to get more people voting and also make people aware of just how prevalent this is nationwide , ” Barbarin said .

Part of the Series Voting Wrongs
Today is an offseason Election Day in Michigan, where the vast majority of voters will submit ballots by mail as state officials close polling locations and urge people to stay home due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Michigan’s decision to embrace voting by mail is good news for voters who would rather not risk visiting a crowded polling site or are confined to their homes in the first place, and election officials are already reporting above-average turnout. However, blind and visually impaired voters were nearly left out of the election.
Last week, two blind advocates for disability rights filed a lawsuit against state election officials alleging that blind voters cannot use Michigan’s absentee voter system, which consisted of paper ballots that must be filled out in writing and mailed by hand. Offering only paper absentee ballots would force blind and visually impaired voters to find a sighted person to read and fill out the ballot for them – which violates the right to vote privately – or vote in-person at one of the few polling places that remain open.
On Friday, just a few days before the election, the plaintiffs struck a deal with election officials and agreed to a temporary fix. For now, blind and visually impaired voters in Michigan can request electronic absentee ballots typically reserved for members of the military and other voters overseas that can be read by software programs known as screen readers. Screen readers allow users to read the text displayed on a computer screen with a speech synthesizer or a braille display.
Voting rights advocates say election officials must expand access to mail-in ballots to preserve democracy during the epidemic. Vote-by-mail systems are associated with higher voter turnout, and higher turnout is thought to generally benefit Democrats, which may explain why the common-sense push to expand voting by mail during the COVID-19 pandemic has met with strong resistance from Republicans and President Trump. However, voting by mail raises fresh questions about ballot access for people living with disabilities, who already struggle to exercise their right to vote in districts across the country.
“We confuse accessibility with proximity,” said Imani Barbarin, a disabled voter and host of the new online video series, Vote for Access, in an interview. “Just because it’s closer to you means it’s more accessible, but it’s not for those with sensory disabilities.”
Vote for Access examines efforts to remove barriers that prevent disabled people from voting — and how these barriers intersect with the broader problem of voter suppression. Voter ID laws are known for targeting lower-income voters and voters of color, but disabled voters are overrepresented in the same populations that are less likely to have a photo ID, according Michell Bishop, a voting rights specialist at the National Disability Rights Network.
Bishop said a photo ID can be difficult to obtain for those with limited financial resources or physical mobility, and people with certain disabilities can be stripped of their right to vote altogether. In some jurisdictions, people can lose their right to vote if they are deemed “mentally incompetent” or “insane” by a judge, and these outdated, stigmatizing labels can be pushed on people with developmental and intellectual disabilities.
Only 17 percent of polling places were fully accessible to people with disabilities in 2017.
If disabled people in the United States voted at the same rate as nondisabled voters, an estimated 2.3 million more votes would be cast, according to Barbarin and Vote for Access. Vote for Access features interviews with poll workers, researchers and disabled voters across 14 states, and activists like Barbarin are working to jumpstart a national conversation about ballot access that goes far beyond the current partisan debate over voting by mail.
“What’s unique about the disabilities community is that we’re one of the only communities where you can be prohibited from voting just because you are a person with a disability,” Bishop says on an episode of Vote for Access. “People particularly with developmental disabilities or people who are living with mental illness can be legally stripped of their right to vote. It’s really based in unfortunate and outdated stigma against people with disabilities.”
Barbarin told Truthout that, generally, “disabled people don’t decide to not vote; there are barriers in the way.”
Nationally, only 17 percent of polling places were fully accessible to people with disabilities in 2017, according to the Government Accountability Office. Vote for Access reports that transportation options are often limited or nonexistent, and accessible electronic voting units are frequently nonfunctioning or in need of repair. Websites detailing candidates and ballot issues are not designed for universal access; they may not work well with screen readers used by the blind, for example. And there is a dearth of American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters in the media and government, making it difficult for voters who primarily speak ASL to stay informed.
For example, caretakers and poll workers may be too overwhelmed to help a disabled person register and cast a vote. People living with developmental disabilities and mental illness are particularly vulnerable to this kind of stereotyping, and people with physical disabilities also face stigma about their intellectual capacity.
“Voting is participating, and in a country that so often relegates disabled people to institutions, isolation, and stereotypes, participation is powerful,” Barbarin says on the first episode of Vote for Access. “However, some folks just don’t think disabled people should vote. I think those people should be quiet.”
“One negative stereotype is that people think people with disabilities are not educated on politics. I am very educated on politics,” says Jack, a disabled voter in Alaska who speaks through an interpreter on Vote for Access. “I want politicians to realize that we are one fifth of the voting population, and you need to hear what we have to say.”
This brings us back to Michigan, where blind voters must fill out a special application by 4 pm today in order to get an electronic ballot and vote in today’s election, which primarily covers education and school funding referendums in more than 30 counties statewide. The last-minute lawsuit that spurred this makeshift accommodation does not ask for monetary damages; indeed, lawsuits seeking enforcement of the American Disabilities Act are often last-ditch efforts to make businesses and elected leaders consider people with disabilities in the first place.
Michigan is just one example why absentee ballots are no panacea when it comes to ensuring that people with disabilities can vote.
“I am proud we collaboratively identified a temporary solution to expand voting access for blind citizens in Michigan,” said Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, in a statement to the media. “I am confident we will continue our work to successfully identify and implement a long-term solution as well.”
Barbarin and other advocates say disabled people should be able to vote with proper supports and without misguided judgements about their capacity. When disabled people are cut out of the political process, they are less likely to be prioritized by political leaders or run for office themselves. The end result is further disenfranchisement.
While voting by mail can make it easier for more people to vote, Michigan is just one example why absentee ballots are no panacea when it comes to ensuring that people with disabilities can vote. Vote for Access looks at several innovations that could benefit disabled voters as more states consider alternatives to physical polling places. Maryland and Oregon are considering electronic ballots delivered with a link over email, and Delaware and West Virginia are deploying online cloud-based voting systems for disabled voters and members of the military, according to reports.
Still, Barbarin said disabilities advocates are constantly working to improve access to the ballot and public information, and people with disabilities advocate for themselves every day. Election officials looking to improve access — and avoid emergency lawsuits — should get input from the disabilities community every step of the way.
While the COVID-19 pandemic is generating plenty of buzz about “internet voting,” some cybersecurity experts are concerned about election hacking. However, voting rights groups say the country’s aging voting infrastructure is already vulnerable and in desperate need of updates. The COVID-19 stimulus package passed by Congress in March provides $400 million in grants to help states to run elections during the pandemic, but a new report from a coalition of think tanks on the right and left argues that that is not nearly enough to ensure ballot access and secure results nationwide.
“Our intent is to get more people voting and also make people aware of just how prevalent this is nationwide,” Barbarin said.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
Copyright © Truthout. May not be reprinted without permission.


truthout--2020-05-05--Trump Is Ignoring Fears Over Reopening Because He Wants a “Great Fourth Quarter”

President Donald Trump believes that the American people are optimistic and ready to end social distancing measures in order to “ reopen ” the economy , demonstrating a huge disconnect between his views and the American people ’ s real attitudes about the coronavirus pandemic .
During an interview with The New York Post on Monday that took place at the White House , Trump expressed his beliefs in no uncertain terms .
“ I think they ’ re starting to feel good now , ” Trump said of the American people .
“ The country ’ s opening again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think.
” In fact , the slow reaction to the pandemic from the Trump administration likely resulted in tens of thousands of Americans unnecessarily dying , according to research from a pair of epidemiologists .
Trump went on to argue in favor of ending stay-at-home orders across the country in order to start the economy back up again — a move he wrongly asserted that most Americans wanted to see happen at this time .
“ You have to be careful , but you have to get back to work , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ People want the country open.
” The president also argued that the economy would be making a huge comeback as a result of ending social distancing , and that this year ’ s “ fourth quarter is going to be very good.
” He reiterated his view that Americans are generally optimistic about things .
“ I don ’ t know if you see it , but I think there ’ s a great optimism now , ” Trump said .
The president ’ s words don ’ t match how the American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ published by The Washington Post and the University of Maryland on Tuesday , most Americans are opposed to reopening most types of closed businesses in the country at this time .
Opposition is high to reopening gun stores ( 70 percent opposed ) , dine-in restaurants ( 74 percent ) , nail salons and barber shops ( 74 percent and 69 percent , respectively ) , and movie theaters ( 82 percent ) .
Asked whether the worst is behind us or the worst is yet to come , only 31 percent agreed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent saying that the road ahead is likely to be grimmer than it has been .
Another 30 percent said the worst of the pandemic is happening right now .
Additional polling suggests Trump is completely in the dark when it comes to what actions Americans want to take .
Most Americans ( 76 percent ) support at least two more weeks of social distancing measures , while only 11 percent said they opposed the idea , according to a recent Business Insider/SurveyMonkey poll .
And optimism ?
Trump ’ s comments are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ According to an Economist/YouGov poll conducted late last month , just 30 percent of Americans say we ’ re on the right track , while 57 percent say we ’ re heading in the wrong direction .
It ’ s unclear if Trump is genuinely ignorant about how Americans feel right now or he is purposefully denying their concerns .
It ’ s been evident for quite some time now that the president wants to end social distancing in an effort to improve the economy , possibly because he believes it may better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But even if he were to become successful in improving the economy at this point by “ reopening ” states across the country — an outcome that many doubt could realistically happen — it ’ s likely that the president will put his reelection chances at risk by putting the American people in harm ’ s way , at a time when most , as the polling data shows , are against such moves .

Despite current economic hardship, an overwhelming majority of Americans don’t want to “reopen” the economy right now.
President Donald Trump believes that the American people are optimistic and ready to end social distancing measures in order to “reopen” the economy, demonstrating a huge disconnect between his views and the American people’s real attitudes about the coronavirus pandemic.
During an interview with The New York Post on Monday that took place at the White House, Trump expressed his beliefs in no uncertain terms.
“I think they’re starting to feel good now,” Trump said of the American people. “The country’s opening again. We saved millions of lives, I think.”
In fact, the slow reaction to the pandemic from the Trump administration likely resulted in tens of thousands of Americans unnecessarily dying, according to research from a pair of epidemiologists.
Trump went on to argue in favor of ending stay-at-home orders across the country in order to start the economy back up again — a move he wrongly asserted that most Americans wanted to see happen at this time.
“You have to be careful, but you have to get back to work,” Trump said during the interview. “People want the country open.”
The president also argued that the economy would be making a huge comeback as a result of ending social distancing, and that this year’s “fourth quarter is going to be very good.”
He reiterated his view that Americans are generally optimistic about things. “I don’t know if you see it, but I think there’s a great optimism now,” Trump said.
The president’s words don’t match how the American people really feel.
According to polling published by The Washington Post and the University of Maryland on Tuesday, most Americans are opposed to reopening most types of closed businesses in the country at this time. Opposition is high to reopening gun stores (70 percent opposed), dine-in restaurants (74 percent), nail salons and barber shops (74 percent and 69 percent, respectively), and movie theaters (82 percent).
Asked whether the worst is behind us or the worst is yet to come, only 31 percent agreed with the former response, with 38 percent saying that the road ahead is likely to be grimmer than it has been. Another 30 percent said the worst of the pandemic is happening right now.
Additional polling suggests Trump is completely in the dark when it comes to what actions Americans want to take. Most Americans (76 percent) support at least two more weeks of social distancing measures, while only 11 percent said they opposed the idea, according to a recent Business Insider/SurveyMonkey poll.
And optimism? Trump’s comments are wrong on that front, too. According to an Economist/YouGov poll conducted late last month, just 30 percent of Americans say we’re on the right track, while 57 percent say we’re heading in the wrong direction.
It’s unclear if Trump is genuinely ignorant about how Americans feel right now or he is purposefully denying their concerns. It’s been evident for quite some time now that the president wants to end social distancing in an effort to improve the economy, possibly because he believes it may better his chances in the upcoming presidential election.
But even if he were to become successful in improving the economy at this point by “reopening” states across the country — an outcome that many doubt could realistically happen — it’s likely that the president will put his reelection chances at risk by putting the American people in harm’s way, at a time when most, as the polling data shows, are against such moves.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
Copyright © Truthout. May not be reprinted without permission.


truthout--2020-05-05--Did McConnell Pressure Judge to Retire to Pave Way for His Unqualified Protégé?

A federal court has requested an investigation into whether Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell unethically pressured a judge on the powerful U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to retire to pave the way for the Kentucky Republican ’ s 38-year-old protégé Justin Walker , who is set for a confirmation hearing for the vacancy on Wednesday .
The New York Times reported late Monday that on May 1 , Judge Sri Srinivasan — chief judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C .
Circuit — “ asked Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complaint filed by the progressive advocacy group Demand Justice , which questioned the timing and circumstances of Judge Thomas B. Griffith ’ s retirement announcement in early March.
” On March 19 ( pdf ) , Demand Justice called on Srinivasan to authorize a “ prompt inquiry into the majority leader ’ s potential efforts to influence Judge Griffith , perhaps through improper means… particularly because it appears that he has attempted to influence many other federal judges , as well.
” The group ’ s request came days after the Times reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through President Donald Trump ’ s right-wing judicial picks his top priority even amid the Covid-19 pandemic — “ has been personally reaching out to judges to sound them out on their plans and assure them that they would have a worthy successor if they gave up their seats soon.
” It is not clear whether McConnell contacted Griffith prior to the judge ’ s retirement .
In a statement Monday night , Demand Justice urged the Senate to postpone Walker ’ s scheduled Judiciary Committee hearing in light of Srinivasan ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Walker ’ s nomination was already controversial , but this emerging investigation means an even darker cloud is hanging over his appointment , ” said Brian Fallon , executive director of Demand Justice .
“ The hearing on Walker ’ s nomination should not go forward until we know the truth about what ethical lines Mitch McConnell crossed to get Walker this seat.
” “ At the very least , ” said Fallon , “ McConnell should come clean about whether and when he contacted Judge Thomas Griffith prior to his sudden retirement.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ right-wing Federalist Society and former clerk for now-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh , was rated “ not qualified ” by the American Bar Association when Trump nominated him to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky last October .
The Republican-controlled Senate disregarded the rating and confirmed Walker anyway , and now the judge is on the path to a promotion .
Lena Zwarensteyn , Fair Courts Campaign director with the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights , said that Walker ’ s confirmation to the U.S. District Court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ pure nepotism.
” “ Walker ’ s inexperience and hostility toward access to healthcare and civil rights and public protections make him wholly unfit for this position , ” said Zwarensteyn .
“ But equally alarming is the unusual path that has led him to now wield a daunting amount of influence through our courts .
”

A federal court has requested an investigation into whether Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell unethically pressured a judge on the powerful U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to retire to pave the way for the Kentucky Republican’s 38-year-old protégé Justin Walker, who is set for a confirmation hearing for the vacancy on Wednesday.
The New York Times reported late Monday that on May 1, Judge Sri Srinivasan — chief judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit — “asked Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. to assign another circuit to look into a complaint filed by the progressive advocacy group Demand Justice, which questioned the timing and circumstances of Judge Thomas B. Griffith’s retirement announcement in early March.”
On March 19 (pdf), Demand Justice called on Srinivasan to authorize a “prompt inquiry into the majority leader’s potential efforts to influence Judge Griffith, perhaps through improper means… particularly because it appears that he has attempted to influence many other federal judges, as well.”
The group’s request came days after the Times reported that McConnell — who has made ramming through President Donald Trump’s right-wing judicial picks his top priority even amid the Covid-19 pandemic — “has been personally reaching out to judges to sound them out on their plans and assure them that they would have a worthy successor if they gave up their seats soon.” It is not clear whether McConnell contacted Griffith prior to the judge’s retirement.
In a statement Monday night, Demand Justice urged the Senate to postpone Walker’s scheduled Judiciary Committee hearing in light of Srinivasan’s request for an inquiry.
“Justin Walker’s nomination was already controversial, but this emerging investigation means an even darker cloud is hanging over his appointment,” said Brian Fallon, executive director of Demand Justice. “The hearing on Walker’s nomination should not go forward until we know the truth about what ethical lines Mitch McConnell crossed to get Walker this seat.”
“At the very least,” said Fallon, “McConnell should come clean about whether and when he contacted Judge Thomas Griffith prior to his sudden retirement.”
Walker, a member of the right-wing Federalist Society and former clerk for now-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, was rated “not qualified” by the American Bar Association when Trump nominated him to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky last October. The Republican-controlled Senate disregarded the rating and confirmed Walker anyway, and now the judge is on the path to a promotion.
Lena Zwarensteyn, Fair Courts Campaign director with the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, said that Walker’s confirmation to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky was “pure nepotism.”
“Walker’s inexperience and hostility toward access to healthcare and civil rights and public protections make him wholly unfit for this position,” said Zwarensteyn. “But equally alarming is the unusual path that has led him to now wield a daunting amount of influence through our courts.”
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
This piece was reprinted by Truthout with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.


truthout--2020-05-05--Far Right Group Behind Boston’s “Straight Pride” Also Organized “Reopen” Protest

In March of 1770 , a group of British troops found themselves accosted by a mob of angry colonists in Boston .
The soldiers were pelted with rocks , snowballs , and struck with clubs .
Finally , one soldier fired his weapon in self-defense , and the other troops followed suit .
When the smoke cleared , three colonists lay dead .
Eight others were wounded , and two of those would later succumb to their injuries .
The event became known as the Boston Massacre , and was initially a public opinion coup for Patriot activists like Samuel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up the shooting as another bloody example of cruel British rule .
At trial , the soldiers were successfully defended by future U.S. president John Adams , who highlighted the difference between the actual events and the propaganda that followed by saying , “ Facts are stubborn things.
” Yesterday , 250 years and two months removed from that shooting on King Street , a second Boston Massacre may well have taken place on Beacon Street , in the shadow of the gold-domed Massachusetts State House .
Nobody got shot , everyone walked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the massacre that may ensue will put the events on King Street so long ago in deep historical shade .
Around 2,000 “ Reopen ” protesters gathered at the State House in Boston yesterday to demand the lifting of the stay-at-home orders and social distancing strictures .
Openly defiant , they crowded together shoulder to shoulder and back to front in a tight space outside the gate from the State House steps , and almost none of them were wearing masks .
If COVID-19 was in that crowd — a distinct probability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enduring –it probably made a whole bunch of new friends , people who will bring their unmasked defiance home to spouses , elderly parents or immunocompromised neighbors , and the disease will spread further , and the pandemic will grow worse .
Those protesters may believe they can run through the COVID-19 raindrops without getting wet .
If they do , it will be the first time such an escape has happened anywhere in the world since this thing began .
The event , labeled “ The Liberty Rally , ” was organized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fun America and promoted by local conservative radio host Jeffrey Kuhner , who used his WRKO radio show and Twitter account to encourage attendance .
Kuhner is little more than a boilerplate far right agitator who got his big media break promoting anti-Muslim hate and wants to be Rush Limbaugh when he grows up .
Super Fun Happy America , however , is another matter entirely .
They came to public notice when they organized a “ Straight Pride ” parade in Boston in 2019 .
The “ parade ” came off limply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by counterdemonstrators .
The organizers attempted to paint the “ parade ” as a lighthearted attempt to claim “ Straight Lives Matter , ” but the intentions of this organization are deadly serious .
Super Fun Happy America is an appendage of the far right organization Resist Marxism , whose leaders and associates are among the most violent fascist and white supremacist activists in the country .
“ While the idea of a few dozen angry straight people marching might be funny , the actual origins of Straight Pride Parade are not .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ far right group founded by notorious right-wing brawler Kyle ‘ Based Stickman ’ Chapman , ” wrote Daily Beast journalist Will Sommer last year .
“ At least one Resist Marxism event had security provided by Patriot Front , a white nationalist hate group.
” These are the people who were behind the Boston protest on Monday , and their presence as the motivator for the event is telling .
For one thing , the crowd was festooned with every kind of pro-Trump sign and gear you can imagine .
After the Charlottesville @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of the business of openly endorsing fascists , but I don ’ t believe all that Trump gear at the protest fell conveniently out of the sky .
This is hardly the first instance of far right Trump-supporting groups conjuring “ Reopen ” protests out of a U.S. population that massively supports the stay-at-home/social distancing protocols .
In Michigan last month , a cohort of gun rights agitators organized a small but heavily armed group of protesters to menace the Capitol building in Lansing .
“ On the ground , pro-Trump figures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for his campaign — as well as groups affiliated with prominent conservative donors have helped organize and promote the demonstrations , ” reported The Washington Post on April 19 .
It is worth noting that Trump himself tweeted his block-letter support for those Michigan protesters , as well as for similar gun-heavy protests in Virginia and Minnesota .
The White House is mostly out of the business of openly endorsing fascists … unless Trump is on Twitter , that is .
Jeffrey Kuhner , the main speaker in Boston , made it clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rally ” were deeply aligned with Trump ’ s view of the COVID threat .
“ It ’ s not a pandemic !
” he cried as the crowd chanted , “ It ’ s a hoax !
” in the same cadence as “ Lock her up !
” Kuhner wasn ’ t finished .
“ The reason why they ’ re doing this , ” he said , “ [ is ] to turn the United States of America into the United Socialist States of America.
” Thus , the hand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are pushing hard to reopen the economy , even if it comes to cause 200,000 infections and 3,000 deaths a day by June , a projection touted in a report produced by Trump ’ s own government .
The protesters may have an array of motives , but Trump and his allies appear to be primarily motivated by a drive to save capitalism , even from itself .
If the federal government actually starts helping people — by way of assistance funding to states and individuals , as well as a mass testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump and his allies fear that capitalism will lose its stranglehold on the nation .
People will see that government can work , and in their increasing desperation , will seek that deeply needed help .
Kuhner explicitly explained why Trump and his allies are refusing to do everything they can do to suppress this pandemic , and are in fact willing to accept a new wave of massive death : A fear of “ the United Socialist States of America.
” The dreaded s-word , resurrected once again , as a bugaboo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that government can be a force for good in a time of crisis .
If that idea is allowed to take root , all the terrible gains made by the capitalists — slowly but surely sought and secured since the days of Franklin Roosevelt — will fall to dust .
They will sacrifice you to keep that from happening .
The organizations and their backers who are promoting these protest gatherings are putting Trump ’ s own supporters in grave danger .
COVID-19 has begun a hot burn through the states that helped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Since March 29 , Michigan gained an additional 31 high-covid counties overall ; Florida gained an additional 28 ; Pennsylvania gained 31 ; North Carolina gained 40 ; Wisconsin gained eight ; and Arizona gained five , ” reports The Washington Post .
By now , it is abundantly clear to most folks that Donald Trump doesn ’ t give a damn about people who do not support him with slavish adoration .
Trump ’ s personal promotion of these far-right “ Reopen ” protests , along with the heavy presence of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the fact that the so-called “ battleground states ” that carried him home in ‘ 16 are being overtaken by the virus , makes it clear that he does not care about his own people , either .
This is about the money , and what Trump must do to make it happy .
If that gathering in Boston on Monday becomes yet another vector in a state that saw 1,000 new COVID cases and 86 COVID deaths on the same day , that second Boston Massacre will be on Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and there is the propaganda that follows .
It was the same 250 years ago as it is today .
Yet facts remain stubborn things .
Stubborn as COVID-19 .

Part of the Series Despair and Disparity: The Uneven Burdens of COVID-19
In March of 1770, a group of British troops found themselves accosted by a mob of angry colonists in Boston. The soldiers were pelted with rocks, snowballs, and struck with clubs. Finally, one soldier fired his weapon in self-defense, and the other troops followed suit. When the smoke cleared, three colonists lay dead. Eight others were wounded, and two of those would later succumb to their injuries.
The event became known as the Boston Massacre, and was initially a public opinion coup for Patriot activists like Samuel Adams and Paul Revere, who held up the shooting as another bloody example of cruel British rule. At trial, the soldiers were successfully defended by future U.S. president John Adams, who highlighted the difference between the actual events and the propaganda that followed by saying, “Facts are stubborn things.”
Yesterday, 250 years and two months removed from that shooting on King Street, a second Boston Massacre may well have taken place on Beacon Street, in the shadow of the gold-domed Massachusetts State House. Nobody got shot, everyone walked away, but if COVID-19 was there, the massacre that may ensue will put the events on King Street so long ago in deep historical shade.
Around 2,000 “Reopen” protesters gathered at the State House in Boston yesterday to demand the lifting of the stay-at-home orders and social distancing strictures. Openly defiant, they crowded together shoulder to shoulder and back to front in a tight space outside the gate from the State House steps, and almost none of them were wearing masks.
If COVID-19 was in that crowd — a distinct probability given the burden of infections Boston is enduring –it probably made a whole bunch of new friends, people who will bring their unmasked defiance home to spouses, elderly parents or immunocompromised neighbors, and the disease will spread further, and the pandemic will grow worse.
Those protesters may believe they can run through the COVID-19 raindrops without getting wet. If they do, it will be the first time such an escape has happened anywhere in the world since this thing began.
The event, labeled “The Liberty Rally,” was organized by the far right organization Super Happy Fun America and promoted by local conservative radio host Jeffrey Kuhner, who used his WRKO radio show and Twitter account to encourage attendance. Kuhner is little more than a boilerplate far right agitator who got his big media break promoting anti-Muslim hate and wants to be Rush Limbaugh when he grows up.
Super Fun Happy America, however, is another matter entirely. They came to public notice when they organized a “Straight Pride” parade in Boston in 2019. The “parade” came off limply, and the attendees were vastly outnumbered by counterdemonstrators. The organizers attempted to paint the “parade” as a lighthearted attempt to claim “Straight Lives Matter,” but the intentions of this organization are deadly serious. Super Fun Happy America is an appendage of the far right organization Resist Marxism, whose leaders and associates are among the most violent fascist and white supremacist activists in the country.
“While the idea of a few dozen angry straight people marching might be funny, the actual origins of Straight Pride Parade are not. The event is a front for a far right group founded by notorious right-wing brawler Kyle ‘Based Stickman’ Chapman,” wrote Daily Beast journalist Will Sommer last year. “At least one Resist Marxism event had security provided by Patriot Front, a white nationalist hate group.”
The event, labeled “The Liberty Rally,” was organized by the far right organization Super Happy Fun America and promoted by local conservative radio host Jeffrey Kuhner.
These are the people who were behind the Boston protest on Monday, and their presence as the motivator for the event is telling. For one thing, the crowd was festooned with every kind of pro-Trump sign and gear you can imagine. After the Charlottesville debacle, the White House got mostly out of the business of openly endorsing fascists, but I don’t believe all that Trump gear at the protest fell conveniently out of the sky.
This is hardly the first instance of far right Trump-supporting groups conjuring “Reopen” protests out of a U.S. population that massively supports the stay-at-home/social distancing protocols. In Michigan last month, a cohort of gun rights agitators organized a small but heavily armed group of protesters to menace the Capitol building in Lansing.
“On the ground, pro-Trump figures — including some who act as surrogates for his campaign — as well as groups affiliated with prominent conservative donors have helped organize and promote the demonstrations,” reported The Washington Post on April 19.
It is worth noting that Trump himself tweeted his block-letter support for those Michigan protesters, as well as for similar gun-heavy protests in Virginia and Minnesota. The White House is mostly out of the business of openly endorsing fascists … unless Trump is on Twitter, that is.
Jeffrey Kuhner, the main speaker in Boston, made it clear that the organizers of “The Liberty Rally” were deeply aligned with Trump’s view of the COVID threat. “It’s not a pandemic!” he cried as the crowd chanted, “It’s a hoax!” in the same cadence as “Lock her up!” Kuhner wasn’t finished. “The reason why they’re doing this,” he said, “[is] to turn the United States of America into the United Socialist States of America.”
Thus, the hand is tipped. Trump and his allies are pushing hard to reopen the economy, even if it comes to cause 200,000 infections and 3,000 deaths a day by June, a projection touted in a report produced by Trump’s own government. The protesters may have an array of motives, but Trump and his allies appear to be primarily motivated by a drive to save capitalism, even from itself.
If the federal government actually starts helping people , Trump and his allies fear that capitalism will lose its stranglehold on the nation.
If the federal government actually starts helping people — by way of assistance funding to states and individuals, as well as a mass testing regimen to properly track the pandemic — Trump and his allies fear that capitalism will lose its stranglehold on the nation. People will see that government can work, and in their increasing desperation, will seek that deeply needed help.
Kuhner explicitly explained why Trump and his allies are refusing to do everything they can do to suppress this pandemic, and are in fact willing to accept a new wave of massive death: A fear of “the United Socialist States of America.” The dreaded s-word, resurrected once again, as a bugaboo to frighten people away from the idea that government can be a force for good in a time of crisis.
If that idea is allowed to take root, all the terrible gains made by the capitalists — slowly but surely sought and secured since the days of Franklin Roosevelt — will fall to dust. They will sacrifice you to keep that from happening.
The organizations and their backers who are promoting these protest gatherings are putting Trump’s own supporters in grave danger. COVID-19 has begun a hot burn through the states that helped carry Trump to the White House. “Since March 29, Michigan gained an additional 31 high-covid counties overall; Florida gained an additional 28; Pennsylvania gained 31; North Carolina gained 40; Wisconsin gained eight; and Arizona gained five,” reports The Washington Post.
By now, it is abundantly clear to most folks that Donald Trump doesn’t give a damn about people who do not support him with slavish adoration. Trump’s personal promotion of these far-right “Reopen” protests, along with the heavy presence of his campaign at the actual rallies, and the fact that the so-called “battleground states” that carried him home in ‘16 are being overtaken by the virus, makes it clear that he does not care about his own people, either.
This is about the money, and what Trump must do to make it happy.
This is about the money, and what Trump must do to make it happy. If that gathering in Boston on Monday becomes yet another vector in a state that saw 1,000 new COVID cases and 86 COVID deaths on the same day, that second Boston Massacre will be on Trump’s head.
There is the act, and there is the propaganda that follows. It was the same 250 years ago as it is today. Yet facts remain stubborn things. Stubborn as COVID-19.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
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truthout--2020-05-05--Indigenous Leadership Points the Way Out of the COVID Crisis

The United States is in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic , which has infected more than 1.2 million people and claimed over 70,000 lives .
President Donald Trump has failed the American public , bungling the response while forsaking and targeting vulnerable communities .
Meanwhile , the hopes for a progressive insurgency have faded with Sen. Bernie Sanders ’ s withdrawal from the race for the Democratic nomination for president .
Indigenous people have been here before .
White supremacy , capitalism , patriarchy and settler colonialism have systematically erased Indigenous communities , culture and voices , while confiscating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ colonization , they have faced a variety of structural oppressions with clear lessons for the current crises .
Truthout spoke with Indigenous activists Nick Estes and Justine Teba , who present an Indigenous framework for understanding the contemporary predicaments in the United States and the world .
Estes , a member of the Lower Brule Sioux tribe , is also assistant professor of American studies at the University of New Mexico and co-founder of The Red Nation , a grassroots radical leftist Indigenous organization based in Albuquerque , New Mexico .
Teba , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is co-founder of the Pueblo/a/x Feminist caucus within The Red Nation .
Yoav Litvin : How is the global COVID-19 pandemic affecting Native communities ?
What has the response been like from the government ?
Are there parallels to the historical use of contagious diseases as part of the colonial genocidal process ?
Nick Estes : The primary organizing principle of a settler society is the elimination of the Native , whether it is in Palestine or the United States .
Thus , the organizing structure of the United States ’ economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disenfranchisement of Indigenous people — politically , economically and physically .
There is a common myth in U.S. history that most Indigenous people did not die because of active killing , warfare and genocide , but rather as a result of outbreaks : smallpox , measles and cholera .
However , these epidemics occurred and intensified in times of war , which meant mass forced starvation , depravation of resources , such as access to sanitary conditions — water , food , shelter — or the dependence on rations as the means of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ created by design to intensify these outbreaks of contagious diseases .
In fact , epidemiologist Dean S. Seneca claims Indigenous people have the most experience with bioterrorism as it relates to infectious disease .
The river tribes that were along the Missouri River were either purposely infected and/or traders did nothing to prevent the spread and devastation .
For example , the Mandan , Hidatsa and Arikara tribes had extremely high death rates because of smallpox .
Indigenous people knew how they spread and that traders carried inoculations , which were purposefully withheld @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sections and disperse over a certain amount of time while regrouping later .
If we look at the response now to COVID-19 , it has some parallels to this history .
The health care system afforded to Native communities is based on the integrity of the fiduciary , fiscal and federal responsibilities of the U.S. government to uphold treaties .
The integrity of those treaties [ is ] only worth what we get out of them in return for all the bloodshed and the land stolen , annexed and expropriated from us .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill — the stimulus bill – a very small fraction went to Indigenous people , intensifying rates of infection and death because the Indian health care system was never meant to work in the first place .
What ’ s more , dominant settler society devalues elders .
The lieutenant governor of Texas , Dan Patrick , outrageously claimed older people were pretty much expendable .
That sort of sentiment is anathema to Indigenous folks .
The continued cheapening of Indigenous health , since the ‘ 70s and before , does not only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well .
When you examine the Navajo Nation , which is larger than the state of West Virginia , you have the third-largest infection rate after the states of New York and New Jersey , higher not just on the reservation but also off it ; approximately 70 percent of Indigenous people do not live on reservations but in the inner city .
Thus , any pandemic is not just confined to a geographical location .
For example , one-tenth of the Navajo Nation ’ s population lives in Albuquerque , extending the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On mainstream media , you constantly see New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo rightfully criticizing the federal response to COVID-19 .
However , Jonathan Nez , president of Navajo nation , does not receive comparable airtime , nor does his nation .
The stimulus package categorically excludes Indian casinos , the 13th-largest employer in the U.S. Donald Trump has made a career of trying to disestablish tribes , most notably before Congress claiming Native American casinos are run by the mob .
Mashpee Wampanoag had 300 acres of their land taken out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the first time since the termination era , and under the secretary of interior and the assistant secretary of Indian affairs , Tara Sweeney who is a former oil lobbyist .
The tribe was threatening economic development through casinos , which is one of the few paths tribes have for economic development .
Without land , Indigenous people might not qualify for the federal resources for health care infrastructure or housing .
What are “ blood quantum ” laws and how do they contribute to “ toxic traditionalism ” ?
Why do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to American hegemony ?
Justine Teba : Prior to colonization , we were part of our own civilizations with politics and governance structures , which were also inclusive of women and LGBTQ2 ( Lesbian , Gay , Bisexual , Transgender , Queer and Two-Spirit ) folks .
Indigenous people had to adopt colonial values into their already existing structures as a means of survival .
Our colonizers refused to deal with existing Indigenous leadership , which included women and LGBTQ2 folks , and so they chose the leaders .
In New Mexico , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the canes to cis-hetero-men — leaders in their oppressive image .
Women and LGBTQ2 groups still remain out of leadership .
Since colonization , there have only been two female governors .
“ Toxic traditionalism ” refers to destructive colonial values entangled with Indigenous practice and politics .
We then misguidedly honor these practices because they have become traditional over time .
Toxic traditionalism is often used as a deliberate weapon or means of oppression for the most marginalized people within Indigenous communities — usually women , LGBTQ2 folks and children .
Blood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traditionalism .
They originated in the early 1700s yet were not in full practice until the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 , with the explicit goal of cultural assimilation of Indigenous folks into colonial society .
These racist laws were another form of genocide , continuing Andrew Jackson ’ s Indian Removal Act of 1830 .
Prior to colonization , we had our own ways of relation , which were honored through mothers and existing structures of kinship , like clans .
In the landmark case Santa Clara Pueblo v. Martinez ( 1978 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daughter to be registered in the Pueblo .
Martinez was a “ full-blooded ” person from Santa Clara , yet the father of her child was a non-member ; therefore , her child was excluded .
If the father were a “ full-blooded ” member , the child would be included .
My blood quantum includes quite a few tribes and I have kinship in all these places .
However , my blood quantum is not enough in any single tribe , so even though I am full-blooded Indian , I am not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kinship to people , places and practices is what makes me Indigenous , not blood quantum .
What are your opinions of the current political status ?
Are U.S. electoral politics relevant to your struggles ?
Teba : Obama ’ s response to the Standing Rock movement squashed any hope I once held for the settler state .
As an Indigenous person , my very existence is a contradiction to the logic of the settler state .
The current presidential competition is between Red Trump and Blue Trump .
It ’ s not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is important to understand that Indigenous people , by and large , are further left in their political orientation than any other demographic in this country , at least in certain regions .
Pine Ridge , South Dakota , for example , exists as one of the poorest counties in the nation in a sea of red counties , yet it overwhelmingly voted for Obama .
Indigenous people are not wedded to the Democratic Party ; we simply understand the threat of the Republican Party .
Indigenous people control large sections of land @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rural voters ” they rarely mention us .
Native voters suffer from continual disenfranchisement .
For example , the state of North Dakota implemented unconstitutional voter registration laws requiring a street address in retaliation for Standing Rock .
Most people on the reservation do not have a street address , and use a P.O .
box , and so these folks were categorically disenfranchised .
Electoral campaigns tend to suck the oxygen out of the room at key moments .
Standing Rock in 2016 did not receive much attention until Sanders lost the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mass uprising in so-called Canada by the Wet ‘ suwet ’ en Nation , who were violently evicted from their homelands for trying to build a healing center on the route of a natural gas pipeline .
The uprising shut down large sections of the economy there , costing billions of dollars to associated industries and resulting in mass layoffs , nearly bringing the country to a grinding halt .
The protests were barely mentioned by the Sanders campaign or the Green New Deal promoters .
In contrast , we witnessed a celebration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ girl who was saying the same things as Indigenous land defenders .
What is your view of leadership as Indigenous organizers ?
How do you prioritize your struggles ?
Teba : Leaders in the U.S. are oppressors , including Democrats .
When I think of leaders , I think of people who run in Indigenous-led movements .
Truth-tellers are leaders .
They inspire change .
Those at Standing Rock were truth-tellers and they inspired me into action .
Estes : Party leaders have always given priority to economic and corporate interests over social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illusion .
That is simply how class works .
We need to construct power from below by elevating a candidate who is a product of social movements , not the corporate party structure .
Indigenous Bolivian ex-President Evo Morales famously said that his primary sin was his identification as an Indian , a leftist and an anti-imperialist .
Jessie Little Doe Baird , the vice chair of the Mashpee Nation , similarly claimed the original sin of the Mashpee people who welcomed the colonizers in the mythologized first Thanksgiving was simply existing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ recognition from people who want our annihilation , we take the example from the South – the Movement Toward Socialism ( MAS ) , which was the vanguard of the environmental justice movement .
The intersection of identities must incorporate class as a means of understanding the power and racial oppression within a settler colonialist society .
Oppressed communities in the U.S. – Black , Indigenous , migrants — benefit from collectively building power through our communities rather than begging those in power to recognize our issues .
We do not need more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best represents this paradox .
Our struggles are dictated by the agendas of our communities ( see The Red Deal ) .
The Red Nation and many Indigenous groups had constructed mutual aid networks well before the abandonment by the state during the present epidemic .
Indigenous communities already participate in informal economies set up to sustain us in light of the government ’ s ineptitude .
Teba : Here in New Mexico , Trump ’ s bump in spending and lift on Environmental Protection Agency regulations have had particularly devastating effects .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ colonialism manifests itself , ironically in our sacred mountains .
Recently , the Los Alamos National labs stated they would release radioactive Tritium vapors into Tewa lands and airspace .
Trump ’ s policy changes have also created a boom in the fracking industry .
Our Democratic Gov .
Lujan Grisham has ramped up fracking to pay for college .
It is crucial to remember our struggles are global .
The United States , whether led by Republicans or Democrats , uses oil as a means of dictating the global economy by increasing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ placing sanctions on competitors such as Venezuela , Iran and Russia .
Estes : Many of our struggles are connected to the global commodity supply chain of oil .
The U.S. promotes a subsidized government response attempting to artificially control prices .
The waning of U.S. hegemony is leading to intensification of extraction projects .
Here in the Southwest , oil comes from the Permian Basin , while up north , oil from the Bakken formation flows through the Standing Rock Indian Reservation via the Dakota Access Pipeline .
The Alberta tar sands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ zone with a surface area the size of Florida , which is dry-feeding into pipelines traveling through Wet ’ suwet ’ en territories , including my people ’ s area in the Lakota territory .
The construction of these pipelines exemplifies the death drive of the oil economy .
TC Energy , formerly TransCanada Corporation , recently began constructing the Keystone XL pipeline on the U.S. side of the border .
CGL Network ’ s workers did not stop working on the pipeline even in the midst of the pandemic , meaning thousands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in and endanger these geographically isolated , under-resourced areas , which are primarily Indian reservations .
Meanwhile , Kristi Noem , the governor of South Dakota , introduced TC Energy-drafted legislation to criminalize Lakota water protectors trying to fight the Keystone XL Pipeline .
Unsurprisingly , Noem also refused to issue a stay-at-home order for workers and their families infected with COVID-19 at a meat packing plant in Sioux Falls , South Dakota .
Noem demonstrates how capitalism will eventually affect white people as well ; she is literally asking white workers to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support Indigenous struggles , they are paying the price for the structurally racist corruption which oppresses us .
Has the reactionary nature of the Trump administration created positive changes in people ’ s attitudes ?
Teba : People are getting radicalized due to all of the failings of the state , which are under a magnifying glass .
On the flip side , the successes of socialist countries are magnified .
And so , there ’ s a momentum going and it ’ s crucial that groups like The Red Nation continue organizing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Estes : There is a humbling process happening now .
We need to become internationalists and relinquish U.S. exceptionalism .
Many people who invested hope in the Sanders campaign are feeling alone and disillusioned .
At the end of the day , The Red Nation will continue to build real alternatives for our people .
It is necessary for our survival .
The COVID-19 pandemic is much like the climate crisis : we saw it coming , scientists warned us about it , and we did nothing to prepare .
The U.S. response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And who is at the front lines of all of these crises ?
Indigenous people .
Ignore us at your own peril .
If you actually believe in a future for this planet , it is literally decolonization or extinction .
This interview has been edited for clarity and length .

Part of the Series Despair and Disparity: The Uneven Burdens of COVID-19
The United States is in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has infected more than 1.2 million people and claimed over 70,000 lives. President Donald Trump has failed the American public, bungling the response while forsaking and targeting vulnerable communities. Meanwhile, the hopes for a progressive insurgency have faded with Sen. Bernie Sanders’s withdrawal from the race for the Democratic nomination for president.
Indigenous people have been here before. White supremacy, capitalism, patriarchy and settler colonialism have systematically erased Indigenous communities, culture and voices, while confiscating their lands. Throughout their history of colonization, they have faced a variety of structural oppressions with clear lessons for the current crises.
Truthout spoke with Indigenous activists Nick Estes and Justine Teba, who present an Indigenous framework for understanding the contemporary predicaments in the United States and the world. Estes, a member of the Lower Brule Sioux tribe, is also assistant professor of American studies at the University of New Mexico and co-founder of The Red Nation, a grassroots radical leftist Indigenous organization based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Teba, of the Tesuque and Santa Clara Pueblo, is co-founder of the Pueblo/a/x Feminist caucus within The Red Nation.
Yoav Litvin: How is the global COVID-19 pandemic affecting Native communities? What has the response been like from the government? Are there parallels to the historical use of contagious diseases as part of the colonial genocidal process?
Nick Estes: The primary organizing principle of a settler society is the elimination of the Native, whether it is in Palestine or the United States. Thus, the organizing structure of the United States’ economy and its political institutions is based around disenfranchisement of Indigenous people — politically, economically and physically.
There is a common myth in U.S. history that most Indigenous people did not die because of active killing, warfare and genocide, but rather as a result of outbreaks: smallpox, measles and cholera. However, these epidemics occurred and intensified in times of war, which meant mass forced starvation, depravation of resources, such as access to sanitary conditions — water, food, shelter — or the dependence on rations as the means of survival. The conditions of war were created by design to intensify these outbreaks of contagious diseases. In fact, epidemiologist Dean S. Seneca claims Indigenous people have the most experience with bioterrorism as it relates to infectious disease. The river tribes that were along the Missouri River were either purposely infected and/or traders did nothing to prevent the spread and devastation. For example, the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara tribes had extremely high death rates because of smallpox. Indigenous people knew how they spread and that traders carried inoculations, which were purposefully withheld. We would split up into smaller sections and disperse over a certain amount of time while regrouping later.
Indigenous people have the most experience with bioterrorism as it relates to infectious disease.
If we look at the response now to COVID-19, it has some parallels to this history. The health care system afforded to Native communities is based on the integrity of the fiduciary, fiscal and federal responsibilities of the U.S. government to uphold treaties. The integrity of those treaties [is] only worth what we get out of them in return for all the bloodshed and the land stolen, annexed and expropriated from us. If you look at the last appropriations bill — the stimulus bill – a very small fraction went to Indigenous people, intensifying rates of infection and death because the Indian health care system was never meant to work in the first place. What’s more, dominant settler society devalues elders. The lieutenant governor of Texas, Dan Patrick, outrageously claimed older people were pretty much expendable. That sort of sentiment is anathema to Indigenous folks.
Courtesy of Nick Estes
The continued cheapening of Indigenous health, since the ‘70s and before, does not only affect us, but surrounding communities as well. When you examine the Navajo Nation, which is larger than the state of West Virginia, you have the third-largest infection rate after the states of New York and New Jersey, higher not just on the reservation but also off it; approximately 70 percent of Indigenous people do not live on reservations but in the inner city. Thus, any pandemic is not just confined to a geographical location. For example, one-tenth of the Navajo Nation’s population lives in Albuquerque, extending the tribal health care issue into the city. On mainstream media, you constantly see New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo rightfully criticizing the federal response to COVID-19. However, Jonathan Nez, president of Navajo nation, does not receive comparable airtime, nor does his nation.
The stimulus package categorically excludes Indian casinos, the 13th-largest employer in the U.S.
Donald Trump has made a career of trying to disestablish tribes, most notably before Congress claiming Native American casinos are run by the mob. Mashpee Wampanoag had 300 acres of their land taken out of trust under Trump’s administration, the first time since the termination era, and under the secretary of interior and the assistant secretary of Indian affairs, Tara Sweeney who is a former oil lobbyist. The tribe was threatening economic development through casinos, which is one of the few paths tribes have for economic development. Without land, Indigenous people might not qualify for the federal resources for health care infrastructure or housing.
What are “blood quantum” laws and how do they contribute to “toxic traditionalism”? Why do women and queer folk pose a threat to American hegemony?
Justine Teba: Prior to colonization, we were part of our own civilizations with politics and governance structures, which were also inclusive of women and LGBTQ2 (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Two-Spirit) folks.
Indigenous people had to adopt colonial values into their already existing structures as a means of survival. Our colonizers refused to deal with existing Indigenous leadership, which included women and LGBTQ2 folks, and so they chose the leaders. In New Mexico, the Spanish and later the Americans gave the canes to cis-hetero-men — leaders in their oppressive image. Women and LGBTQ2 groups still remain out of leadership. Since colonization, there have only been two female governors.
When you examine the Navajo Nation, which is larger than the state of West Virginia, you have the third-largest infection rate after the states of New York and New Jersey.
“Toxic traditionalism” refers to destructive colonial values entangled with Indigenous practice and politics. We then misguidedly honor these practices because they have become traditional over time. Toxic traditionalism is often used as a deliberate weapon or means of oppression for the most marginalized people within Indigenous communities — usually women, LGBTQ2 folks and children.
Courtesy of Justine Teba
Blood quantum laws are another form of toxic traditionalism. They originated in the early 1700s yet were not in full practice until the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, with the explicit goal of cultural assimilation of Indigenous folks into colonial society. These racist laws were another form of genocide, continuing Andrew Jackson’s Indian Removal Act of 1830.
Prior to colonization, we had our own ways of relation, which were honored through mothers and existing structures of kinship, like clans. In the landmark case Santa Clara Pueblo v. Martinez (1978), Julia Martinez fought for her daughter to be registered in the Pueblo. Martinez was a “full-blooded” person from Santa Clara, yet the father of her child was a non-member; therefore, her child was excluded. If the father were a “full-blooded” member, the child would be included.
My blood quantum includes quite a few tribes and I have kinship in all these places. However, my blood quantum is not enough in any single tribe, so even though I am full-blooded Indian, I am not recognized as a Native American. My kinship to people, places and practices is what makes me Indigenous, not blood quantum.
What are your opinions of the current political status? Are U.S. electoral politics relevant to your struggles?
Teba: Obama’s response to the Standing Rock movement squashed any hope I once held for the settler state. As an Indigenous person, my very existence is a contradiction to the logic of the settler state. The current presidential competition is between Red Trump and Blue Trump. It’s not a real choice.
Estes: It is important to understand that Indigenous people, by and large, are further left in their political orientation than any other demographic in this country, at least in certain regions. Pine Ridge, South Dakota, for example, exists as one of the poorest counties in the nation in a sea of red counties, yet it overwhelmingly voted for Obama. Indigenous people are not wedded to the Democratic Party; we simply understand the threat of the Republican Party.
Indigenous people control large sections of land, yet when people talk about “rural voters” they rarely mention us.
My kinship to people, places and practices is what makes me Indigenous, not blood quantum.
Native voters suffer from continual disenfranchisement. For example, the state of North Dakota implemented unconstitutional voter registration laws requiring a street address in retaliation for Standing Rock. Most people on the reservation do not have a street address, and use a P.O. box, and so these folks were categorically disenfranchised.
Electoral campaigns tend to suck the oxygen out of the room at key moments. Standing Rock in 2016 did not receive much attention until Sanders lost the nomination. Recently, we witnessed a mass uprising in so-called Canada by the Wet‘suwet’en Nation, who were violently evicted from their homelands for trying to build a healing center on the route of a natural gas pipeline. The uprising shut down large sections of the economy there, costing billions of dollars to associated industries and resulting in mass layoffs, nearly bringing the country to a grinding halt. The protests were barely mentioned by the Sanders campaign or the Green New Deal promoters. In contrast, we witnessed a celebration of Greta Thunberg, a 14-year-old Swedish girl who was saying the same things as Indigenous land defenders.
What is your view of leadership as Indigenous organizers? How do you prioritize your struggles?
Teba: Leaders in the U.S. are oppressors, including Democrats. When I think of leaders, I think of people who run in Indigenous-led movements. Truth-tellers are leaders. They inspire change. Those at Standing Rock were truth-tellers and they inspired me into action.
Estes: Party leaders have always given priority to economic and corporate interests over social movements. Change from within is an illusion. That is simply how class works. We need to construct power from below by elevating a candidate who is a product of social movements, not the corporate party structure.
Oppressed communities in the U.S. – Black, Indigenous, migrants — benefit from collectively building power through our communities rather than begging those in power to recognize our issues.
Indigenous Bolivian ex-President Evo Morales famously said that his primary sin was his identification as an Indian, a leftist and an anti-imperialist. Jessie Little Doe Baird, the vice chair of the Mashpee Nation, similarly claimed the original sin of the Mashpee people who welcomed the colonizers in the mythologized first Thanksgiving was simply existing. Thus, instead of trying to seek recognition from people who want our annihilation, we take the example from the South – the Movement Toward Socialism (MAS), which was the vanguard of the environmental justice movement.
The intersection of identities must incorporate class as a means of understanding the power and racial oppression within a settler colonialist society. Oppressed communities in the U.S. – Black, Indigenous, migrants — benefit from collectively building power through our communities rather than begging those in power to recognize our issues. We do not need more Brown faces in high places. Obama best represents this paradox.
Our struggles are dictated by the agendas of our communities (see The Red Deal). The Red Nation and many Indigenous groups had constructed mutual aid networks well before the abandonment by the state during the present epidemic. Indigenous communities already participate in informal economies set up to sustain us in light of the government’s ineptitude.
Talk about contemporary struggles not receiving sufficient media attention.
Teba: Here in New Mexico, Trump’s bump in spending and lift on Environmental Protection Agency regulations have had particularly devastating effects. In Los Alamos National Laboratory, nuclear colonialism manifests itself, ironically in our sacred mountains. Recently, the Los Alamos National labs stated they would release radioactive Tritium vapors into Tewa lands and airspace. Trump’s policy changes have also created a boom in the fracking industry. Our Democratic Gov. Lujan Grisham has ramped up fracking to pay for college.
It is crucial to remember our struggles are global. The United States, whether led by Republicans or Democrats, uses oil as a means of dictating the global economy by increasing production and transfer through polluting pipelines and placing sanctions on competitors such as Venezuela, Iran and Russia.
Regardless of whether they support Indigenous struggles, they are paying the price for the structurally racist corruption which oppresses us.
Estes: Many of our struggles are connected to the global commodity supply chain of oil. The U.S. promotes a subsidized government response attempting to artificially control prices. The waning of U.S. hegemony is leading to intensification of extraction projects.
Here in the Southwest, oil comes from the Permian Basin, while up north, oil from the Bakken formation flows through the Standing Rock Indian Reservation via the Dakota Access Pipeline. The Alberta tar sands in so-called Canada has created a dead zone with a surface area the size of Florida, which is dry-feeding into pipelines traveling through Wet’suwet’en territories, including my people’s area in the Lakota territory.
The construction of these pipelines exemplifies the death drive of the oil economy. TC Energy, formerly TransCanada Corporation, recently began constructing the Keystone XL pipeline on the U.S. side of the border. CGL Network’s workers did not stop working on the pipeline even in the midst of the pandemic, meaning thousands of workers from the outside now reside in and endanger these geographically isolated, under-resourced areas, which are primarily Indian reservations.
Meanwhile, Kristi Noem, the governor of South Dakota, introduced TC Energy-drafted legislation to criminalize Lakota water protectors trying to fight the Keystone XL Pipeline. Unsurprisingly, Noem also refused to issue a stay-at-home order for workers and their families infected with COVID-19 at a meat packing plant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Noem demonstrates how capitalism will eventually affect white people as well; she is literally asking white workers to sacrifice themselves. Regardless of whether they support Indigenous struggles, they are paying the price for the structurally racist corruption which oppresses us.
Has the reactionary nature of the Trump administration created positive changes in people’s attitudes?
Teba: People are getting radicalized due to all of the failings of the state, which are under a magnifying glass. On the flip side, the successes of socialist countries are magnified. And so, there’s a momentum going and it’s crucial that groups like The Red Nation continue organizing. This is a pivotal time.
The COVID-19 pandemic is much like the climate crisis: we saw it coming, scientists warned us about it, and we did nothing to prepare.
Estes: There is a humbling process happening now. We need to become internationalists and relinquish U.S. exceptionalism.
Many people who invested hope in the Sanders campaign are feeling alone and disillusioned. At the end of the day, The Red Nation will continue to build real alternatives for our people. It is necessary for our survival.
The COVID-19 pandemic is much like the climate crisis: we saw it coming, scientists warned us about it, and we did nothing to prepare. The U.S. response to COVID-19 is a global health risk. And who is at the front lines of all of these crises? Indigenous people. Ignore us at your own peril. If you actually believe in a future for this planet, it is literally decolonization or extinction.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
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truthout--2020-05-06--Ahmaud Arbery Murder Finally Gets Georgia DA’s Attention After Graphic Video

Following the release of cell phone footage of the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery , 25 , who was shot and killed while jogging near Brunswick , Georgia , in February , state officials say they intend to convene a grand jury investigation to determine whether charges should be filed against his shooters .
Gregory McMichael , a retired law enforcement officer , and his son Travis McMichael , both white , chased Arbery down with their truck as he was out for a jog .
Both McMichaels initially justified shooting and killing Arbery to police by saying that Arbery , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who was suspected in their neighborhood of home invasions at that time .
Travis McMichael confronted Arbery as he tried to avoid the two men by continuing to jog around the passenger side of their truck .
The two struggled for control of a shotgun McMichael was holding during the confrontation , during which time McMichael shot Arbery , according to the initial police report .
Three gunshots can be heard according to audio from the video .
The older McMichael had told law enforcement that Arbery had “ violently ” attacked his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , released on Tuesday , contradicts that narrative .
Arbery ’ s mother , Wanda Jones , agrees .
It “ proves that my son was not committing a crime , ” Jones told CBS when asked to react to the video of her son being shot .
“ He was out for his daily jog and he was hunted down like an animal and killed.
” Attorney Lee Merritt , who represents Arbery ’ s family , called for the arrest of both McMichaels involved in the incident .
“ With this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be arrested now , ” he said .
Tom Durden , district attorney for the Atlantic Judicial Circuit in Georgia , announced this week that he will submit the case to be considered by a grand jury in Glynn County to press charges against both McMichaels .
However , due to the coronavirus pandemic , grand juries are not presently allowed to convene in Georgia .
Many activists and journalists on social media reacted to the video of Arbery ’ s murder with sadness , disgust and anger , toward the men who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the legal system in general for its lack of protections for Black Americans .
Artist and activist Bree Newsome , explaining why she wouldn ’ t share the video of Arbery ’ s death without a warning , delved into the brutal history of white Americans celebrating Black people ’ s deaths in the past .
“ White America is unmoved by watching videos of Black ppl being murdered , ” Newsome explained .
“ Folks used to make postcards of lynchings…White society is well aware of violence we experience & constantly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ congressional candidate Qasim Rashid , who shared the video but warned viewers about its content ahead of time , described both McMichaels as “ extremists.
” “ I just watched the Ahmaud Arbery video .
I ’ ve seen many brutal acts before .
But this one is among the most evil and gruesome acts of white supremacist violence I ’ ve ever witnessed , ” Marc Lamont Hill , author , activist , and BET News host , said .
“ The fact that they ’ ve been walking around without any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pulitzer Prize recipient Nikole Hannah-Jones noted the disturbing irony of the killing and the timing of the video ’ s release .
“ A day after Ida B .
Wells is awarded a posthumous Pulitzer Prize for her documentation of lynching , some 90 years after her death , we see the wrenching evidence of the ongoing legacy of the extrajudicial killing of black ‘ citizens , ' ” she wrote .
Journalist Jemele Hill described how she was “ sickened , disgusted , and horrified ” by the video .
“ An @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nothing but existing is sadly called Tuesday in this country , ” she wrote .
Upon seeing the footage , the American Civil Liberties Union noted that Arbery ’ s killing happened just three days before the anniversary of the killing of Trayvon Martin .
“ Both situations show that white supremacy leads to the targeting of Black lives during even the most mundane activities , ” the ACLU tweeted .
On Tuesday evening , after the video was made public , hundreds of protesters took to the streets in Brunswick demanding justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carried signs and gathered together in prayer in the same neighborhood where Arbery was shot by the McMichaels .
Arbery ’ s aunt , Thea Brooks , took part in the demonstration .
“ We are looking for justice , and that ’ s what we want , ” Brooks said .
“ He ’ s not here to be the voice , so we are his voice .
”

Many want the immediate arrest of the two white men involved in the Black jogger’s death.
Editor’s Note: A number of links below lead to news articles or social media postings that show graphic content. If you wish to avoid viewing that content, please proceed cautiously.
Following the release of cell phone footage of the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery, 25, who was shot and killed while jogging near Brunswick, Georgia, in February, state officials say they intend to convene a grand jury investigation to determine whether charges should be filed against his shooters.
Gregory McMichael, a retired law enforcement officer, and his son Travis McMichael, both white, chased Arbery down with their truck as he was out for a jog. Both McMichaels initially justified shooting and killing Arbery to police by saying that Arbery, who is Black, looked like someone who was suspected in their neighborhood of home invasions at that time.
Travis McMichael confronted Arbery as he tried to avoid the two men by continuing to jog around the passenger side of their truck. The two struggled for control of a shotgun McMichael was holding during the confrontation, during which time McMichael shot Arbery, according to the initial police report. Three gunshots can be heard according to audio from the video.
The older McMichael had told law enforcement that Arbery had “violently” attacked his son, but video of the incident, released on Tuesday, contradicts that narrative. Arbery’s mother, Wanda Jones, agrees.
It “proves that my son was not committing a crime,” Jones told CBS when asked to react to the video of her son being shot. “He was out for his daily jog and he was hunted down like an animal and killed.”
Attorney Lee Merritt, who represents Arbery’s family, called for the arrest of both McMichaels involved in the incident. “With this video now out, these guys should be arrested now,” he said.
Tom Durden, district attorney for the Atlantic Judicial Circuit in Georgia, announced this week that he will submit the case to be considered by a grand jury in Glynn County to press charges against both McMichaels. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, grand juries are not presently allowed to convene in Georgia.
Many activists and journalists on social media reacted to the video of Arbery’s murder with sadness, disgust and anger, toward the men who were accused of killing him as well as the legal system in general for its lack of protections for Black Americans.
Artist and activist Bree Newsome, explaining why she wouldn’t share the video of Arbery’s death without a warning, delved into the brutal history of white Americans celebrating Black people’s deaths in the past.
White America is unmoved by watching videos of Black ppl being murdered. Folks used to make postcards of lynchings. If white society were empathetic, there wouldn't be a push to "reopen" right now. White society is well aware of violence we experience & constantly reinforces it. https://t.co/Ygw4eXITt9 — Bree Newsome Bass (@BreeNewsome) May 5, 2020
“White America is unmoved by watching videos of Black ppl being murdered,” Newsome explained. “Folks used to make postcards of lynchings…White society is well aware of violence we experience & constantly reinforces it.”
Civil rights activist and congressional candidate Qasim Rashid, who shared the video but warned viewers about its content ahead of time, described both McMichaels as “extremists.”
“Two extremists targeted & murdered Ahmaud Arbery…This is a modern day lynching. Utterly horrifying,” Rashid wrote.
I just watched the Ahmaud Arbery video. I’ve seen many brutal acts before. But this one is among the most evil and gruesome acts of white supremacist violence I’ve ever witnessed. The fact that they’ve been walking around without any accountability is just as evil. — Marc Lamont Hill (@marclamonthill) May 5, 2020
“I just watched the Ahmaud Arbery video. I’ve seen many brutal acts before. But this one is among the most evil and gruesome acts of white supremacist violence I’ve ever witnessed,” Marc Lamont Hill, author, activist, and BET News host, said. “The fact that they’ve been walking around without any accountability is just as evil.”
Recent Pulitzer Prize recipient Nikole Hannah-Jones noted the disturbing irony of the killing and the timing of the video’s release. “A day after Ida B. Wells is awarded a posthumous Pulitzer Prize for her documentation of lynching, some 90 years after her death, we see the wrenching evidence of the ongoing legacy of the extrajudicial killing of black ‘citizens,'” she wrote.
Journalist Jemele Hill described how she was “sickened, disgusted, and horrified” by the video.
I saw the Ahmaud Arbery video hours ago on @AttorneyCrump’s timeline and was sickened, disgusted and horrified. An unarmed black man being executed for doing nothing but existing is sadly called Tuesday in this country. — Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) May 5, 2020
“An unarmed black man being executed for doing nothing but existing is sadly called Tuesday in this country,” she wrote.
Upon seeing the footage, the American Civil Liberties Union noted that Arbery’s killing happened just three days before the anniversary of the killing of Trayvon Martin.
“Both situations show that white supremacy leads to the targeting of Black lives during even the most mundane activities,” the ACLU tweeted.
On Tuesday evening, after the video was made public, hundreds of protesters took to the streets in Brunswick demanding justice for Arbery’s killing. Activists carried signs and gathered together in prayer in the same neighborhood where Arbery was shot by the McMichaels.
Arbery’s aunt, Thea Brooks, took part in the demonstration.
“We are looking for justice, and that’s what we want,” Brooks said. “He’s not here to be the voice, so we are his voice.”
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
Copyright © Truthout. May not be reprinted without permission.