truthout--2020-05-29--Billions for Defense Contractor Hidden in New House COVID Relief Bill

When they passed another bill this month to help the tens of millions of Americans left unemployed and hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic , Democrats in the House of Representatives touted the $ 3 trillion legislation ’ s benefits to working people , renters , first responders and others struggling to get by .
They made no mention of the defense contractors .
Tucked away deep in the nearly 2,000-page Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions , or HEROES , Act , is a section that will funnel money to defense and intelligence companies and their top executives , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the new bill seeks to “ clarify ” a provision of the $ 2 trillion CARES Act that passed on March 27 .
That legislation reimburses firms for the wages and benefits of contract employees who must be kept “ in a ready state , including to protect the life and safety of Government and contractor personnel , ” but who can ’ t work because federal offices are closed or they ’ re following stay-at-home orders .
In language that mirrors what an industry group proposed , the HEROES Act goes beyond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such firms can bill the Department of Defense and intelligence agencies for a range of other costs associated with “ the financial impact incurred ” of keeping workers employed during the health crisis .
That includes for “ fees , ” a term of art in federal contracting , and “ general and administrative expenses , ” a catch-all phrase associated with the costs of running a business such as paying executives , running the corporate office and even marketing and sales .
The Senate has yet to take up the new House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reaped a windfall yet .
But experts say that if the Senate passes a new bill , this clause would likely survive .
The legislation was effectively a stealthy way to bail out the defense and intelligence government contracting industry and their executives at taxpayer expense , said Mandy Smithberger , who directs the Center for Defense Information at the Project on Government Oversight , a watchdog group .
Others agreed .
“ It ’ s one thing for the government to say , ‘ We ’ ll keep the workers going , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University of Baltimore School of Law professor who specializes in government contracting .
“ But this is money for the firm.
” In a statement provided by a spokesperson , Rep. Gerry Connolly , a Democrat who championed the relief bills ’ contracting sections and whose Virginia district is home to many contract employees and companies , said the legislation ’ s goal was to make sure these firms “ can survive this crisis and recover their lost revenue.
” He said the HEROES Act language wasn ’ t intended as a “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expenses like corporate headquarter costs and said he would “ object if the Trump Administration interpreted it as such.
” But he didn ’ t answer questions about why he fought to include the broader HEROES Act language that would allow for such charges or why its text matched what an industry group had proposed .
The defense and intelligence agencies have increasingly become reliant on hundreds of thousands of government contractors for everything from fighting on the battlefield to setting up classified computer systems to cleaning offices .
At the Department of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other government agencies combined on contractors , the amount obligated for such agreements jumped from $ 189 billion in fiscal year 2000 to $ 320 billion in fiscal 2017 , according to a July 2018 Congressional Research Service report .
While small businesses that contract with the government would qualify for the reimbursement outlined in the COVID-19 relief bills , major multinational corporations like Raytheon Technologies and market champions like Amazon Web Services would too .
The taxpayer price tag for the section would be enormous .
Already the federal bailout for just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stuck at home outlined in the CARES Act will run in the “ billions and billions , ” the Pentagon ’ s top acquisition official , Ellen Lord , told reporters in an April 23 press briefing .
Executive compensation , fees and other expenses would be on top of that .
In federal contracting , general and administrative expenses relate to all the costs of running a home office , including support staff whose jobs can ’ t be billed to any one government contract and the salaries of executives .
( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executives can be paid from a government contract at $ 540,000 a year , though the firms can augment that through other means , including by using profits from a government contract . )
The HEROES Act language introduces its own ambiguity about what firms can charge when it comes to what are referred to as “ fees.
” In certain federal contracts , the recipients are paid a fee on top of their costs .
In others , fees refer to money contractors pay to third parties like lawyers and accounting firms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for contractors to count those as billable , even if work isn ’ t being done , said Tiefer , the contracting expert .
“ And now they still collect even though some of their workers are home , ” he said .
At issue is a section in the CARES Act that reimburses contractors at “ minimum applicable contract billing rates.
” The vaguely worded term touched off a blitz of inquiries and suggestions in the weeks after the CARES Act passed from Beltway firms who perform IT , security and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The HEROES Act section pushed by Connolly seeks to “ clarify ” that .
The Intelligence and National Security Alliance , a trade group that says it represents more than 160 companies that do work for the Department of Defense and the intelligence community , was among the firms that lobbied for the new language .
In an April 15 letter to the DOD , Larry Hanauer , the group ’ s vice president for policy , suggested that the term “ minimum applicable contract billing rates ” should mean “ an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , plus indirect costs , fees , and general and administrative expenses.
” That language made it into the HEROES Act , which defined “ minimum applicable contract billing rates ” to include costs “ such as the base hourly wage rate of an employee , plus indirect costs , fees , and general and administrative expenses.
” Peggy O ’ Connor , an INSA spokeswoman , said nobody from her organization discussed the HEROES Act with Connolly ’ s office and she didn ’ t know how the group ’ s suggested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rates ” wound up in the bill .
“ There were a lot of letters drafted by various organizations , ” she said .
“ We posted ours , as well as various government guidance memorandum on our website , which is open to the public.
” The industry ’ s largest trade organization , the Professional Services Council , issued a statement thanking Connolly for his efforts after the HEROES Act passed the House on May 12 .
A spokeswoman for PSC declined to answer questions about the bill ’ s language @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Connolly ahead of the vote .
The six-term congressman has long been an advocate for contracting firms and before joining Congress worked for the Science Applications International Corp. , a government contractor that became Leidos .
Among his top contributors since taking office in 2008 are government contractors Northrop Grumman , Leidos and Deloitte LLP .

When they passed another bill this month to help the tens of millions of Americans left unemployed and hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic, Democrats in the House of Representatives touted the $3 trillion legislation’s benefits to working people, renters, first responders and others struggling to get by.
They made no mention of the defense contractors.
Tucked away deep in the nearly 2,000-page Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions, or HEROES, Act, is a section that will funnel money to defense and intelligence companies and their top executives, according to experts.
The section of the new bill seeks to “clarify” a provision of the $2 trillion CARES Act that passed on March 27. That legislation reimburses firms for the wages and benefits of contract employees who must be kept “in a ready state, including to protect the life and safety of Government and contractor personnel,” but who can’t work because federal offices are closed or they’re following stay-at-home orders.
In language that mirrors what an industry group proposed, the HEROES Act goes beyond just reimbursing wages. It says that such firms can bill the Department of Defense and intelligence agencies for a range of other costs associated with “the financial impact incurred” of keeping workers employed during the health crisis. That includes for “fees,” a term of art in federal contracting, and “general and administrative expenses,” a catch-all phrase associated with the costs of running a business such as paying executives, running the corporate office and even marketing and sales.
The Senate has yet to take up the new House bill, so the companies have not reaped a windfall yet. But experts say that if the Senate passes a new bill, this clause would likely survive.
The legislation was effectively a stealthy way to bail out the defense and intelligence government contracting industry and their executives at taxpayer expense, said Mandy Smithberger, who directs the Center for Defense Information at the Project on Government Oversight, a watchdog group.
Others agreed. “It’s one thing for the government to say, ‘We’ll keep the workers going,’” said Charles Tiefer, a University of Baltimore School of Law professor who specializes in government contracting. “But this is money for the firm.”
In a statement provided by a spokesperson, Rep. Gerry Connolly, a Democrat who championed the relief bills’ contracting sections and whose Virginia district is home to many contract employees and companies, said the legislation’s goal was to make sure these firms “can survive this crisis and recover their lost revenue.”
He said the HEROES Act language wasn’t intended as a “loophole” for firms to bill for expenses like corporate headquarter costs and said he would “object if the Trump Administration interpreted it as such.” But he didn’t answer questions about why he fought to include the broader HEROES Act language that would allow for such charges or why its text matched what an industry group had proposed.
The defense and intelligence agencies have increasingly become reliant on hundreds of thousands of government contractors for everything from fighting on the battlefield to setting up classified computer systems to cleaning offices. At the Department of Defense, which spends more than all other government agencies combined on contractors, the amount obligated for such agreements jumped from $189 billion in fiscal year 2000 to $320 billion in fiscal 2017, according to a July 2018 Congressional Research Service report.
While small businesses that contract with the government would qualify for the reimbursement outlined in the COVID-19 relief bills, major multinational corporations like Raytheon Technologies and market champions like Amazon Web Services would too.
The taxpayer price tag for the section would be enormous.
Already the federal bailout for just payroll and benefits for defense contractor employees stuck at home outlined in the CARES Act will run in the “billions and billions,” the Pentagon’s top acquisition official, Ellen Lord, told reporters in an April 23 press briefing.
Executive compensation, fees and other expenses would be on top of that.
In federal contracting, general and administrative expenses relate to all the costs of running a home office, including support staff whose jobs can’t be billed to any one government contract and the salaries of executives. (The Bipartisan Budget Act caps the amount executives can be paid from a government contract at $540,000 a year, though the firms can augment that through other means, including by using profits from a government contract.)
The HEROES Act language introduces its own ambiguity about what firms can charge when it comes to what are referred to as “fees.” In certain federal contracts, the recipients are paid a fee on top of their costs. In others, fees refer to money contractors pay to third parties like lawyers and accounting firms. The new language opens the door for contractors to count those as billable, even if work isn’t being done, said Tiefer, the contracting expert.
“And now they still collect even though some of their workers are home,” he said.
At issue is a section in the CARES Act that reimburses contractors at “minimum applicable contract billing rates.” The vaguely worded term touched off a blitz of inquiries and suggestions in the weeks after the CARES Act passed from Beltway firms who perform IT, security and other national defense services for the federal government. The HEROES Act section pushed by Connolly seeks to “clarify” that.
The Intelligence and National Security Alliance, a trade group that says it represents more than 160 companies that do work for the Department of Defense and the intelligence community, was among the firms that lobbied for the new language. In an April 15 letter to the DOD, Larry Hanauer, the group’s vice president for policy, suggested that the term “minimum applicable contract billing rates” should mean “an employee’s base hourly wage rate, plus indirect costs, fees, and general and administrative expenses.”
That language made it into the HEROES Act, which defined “minimum applicable contract billing rates” to include costs “such as the base hourly wage rate of an employee, plus indirect costs, fees, and general and administrative expenses.”
Peggy O’Connor, an INSA spokeswoman, said nobody from her organization discussed the HEROES Act with Connolly’s office and she didn’t know how the group’s suggested definition of “minimum applicable contract billing rates” wound up in the bill.
“There were a lot of letters drafted by various organizations,” she said. “We posted ours, as well as various government guidance memorandum on our website, which is open to the public.”
The industry’s largest trade organization, the Professional Services Council, issued a statement thanking Connolly for his efforts after the HEROES Act passed the House on May 12. A spokeswoman for PSC declined to answer questions about the bill’s language or the group’s interactions with Connolly ahead of the vote.
The six-term congressman has long been an advocate for contracting firms and before joining Congress worked for the Science Applications International Corp., a government contractor that became Leidos. Among his top contributors since taking office in 2008 are government contractors Northrop Grumman, Leidos and Deloitte LLP.
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--2020-05-30--COVID-Related Fiscal Issues Could Become New Excuse to Privatize Drinking Water

Is Chester , Pennsylvania , the proverbial canary in the coal mine ?
Sure does look like it .
The Philadelphia suburb is trying to sell its drinking water system .
“ The city ’ s fiscal issues have been greatly exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis , ” Mayor Thaddeus Kirkland wrote in an April letter to residents .
“ It is our hope that the fiscal problems will be of a limited duration , however , as there is a path to financial stability on the horizon.
” That “ path to financial stability ” is to hand over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acres of public land to a private corporation .
Water bills would almost certainly go up , because , on average , private water utilities charge 59 percent more than public utilities .
The system ’ s public workers would be outsourced ( and almost certainly paid less ) .
And all that land could be fenced off from public use .
For what ?
Somewhere around $ 200 million .
A nice chunk of change , given Chester ’ s longtime budget issues .
But add up the headaches and rate increases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the loss of public control and land access , and it wouldn ’ t be worth it .
“ A lot of people around here take ownership of [ the reservoir ] , ” a nearby resident told Lancaster Online .
“ We ’ re proud of it .
It would be a crime.
” Why should anyone care outside of Chester ?
Because vulture capitalists might be coming your way soon .
Like during the Great Recession , state and local revenues are cratering .
State governments are looking at a $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three years .
Rainy day funds are woefully inadequate .
States can raise taxes on corporations and the wealthy — and they should .
But the federal government has to send aid to states and localities rather than continue to overwhelmingly help large corporations .
Until then , companies like Aqua America — the front-runner in Chester — and the entire infrastructure privatization industry will be licking their lips .
Global Water Intelligence , an industry insider rag , writes , “ The inability to raise water rates … [ and ] an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ municipalities on the back of job losses brought about by COVID-19 could accelerate acquisition opportunities for investor-owned [ i.e.
, private ] water utilities.
” Chester isn ’ t alone .
Nationwide , water and wastewater systems are expected to lose $ 27 billion in revenue this year .
And water isn ’ t all that ’ s at stake .
Word on the street is , there ’ s a renewed effort to privatize St. Louis Lambert International Airport , a plan axed back in January because it made zero fiscal sense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2008 , “ Desperate government is our best customer.
” Chester must resist the temptation of the fleeting sugary high a few hundred million dollars would bring .
Does it want to be another tragic story of privatization gone wrong ?
Does it want to be like Chicago , which recklessly sold off its downtown parking meters in 2008 for at least a billion dollars under value ?
Does it want to be the next Flint , where a private water company was part of the team that enabled a lead crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — a fundamental public good — is wrong , no matter the circumstances , and especially during a pandemic .

A Philly suburb wants to sell its water as a “path to financial stability,” offering a glimpse of a post-COVID society.
Is Chester, Pennsylvania, the proverbial canary in the coal mine? Sure does look like it.
The Philadelphia suburb is trying to sell its drinking water system. “The city’s fiscal issues have been greatly exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis,” Mayor Thaddeus Kirkland wrote in an April letter to residents. “It is our hope that the fiscal problems will be of a limited duration, however, as there is a path to financial stability on the horizon.”
That “path to financial stability” is to hand over the Octoraro Reservoir and the surrounding 1,358 acres of public land to a private corporation. Water bills would almost certainly go up, because, on average, private water utilities charge 59 percent more than public utilities. The system’s public workers would be outsourced (and almost certainly paid less). And all that land could be fenced off from public use.
For what? Somewhere around $200 million. A nice chunk of change, given Chester’s longtime budget issues. But add up the headaches and rate increases that often come with privatization, plus the loss of public control and land access, and it wouldn’t be worth it.
“A lot of people around here take ownership of [the reservoir],” a nearby resident told Lancaster Online. “We’re proud of it. It would be a crime.”
Why should anyone care outside of Chester? Because vulture capitalists might be coming your way soon.
Like during the Great Recession, state and local revenues are cratering. State governments are looking at a $765 billion budget shortfall over the next three years. Rainy day funds are woefully inadequate. States can raise taxes on corporations and the wealthy — and they should. But the federal government has to send aid to states and localities rather than continue to overwhelmingly help large corporations.
Until then, companies like Aqua America — the front-runner in Chester — and the entire infrastructure privatization industry will be licking their lips. Global Water Intelligence, an industry insider rag, writes, “The inability to raise water rates … [and] an instant reduction in tax revenues for many municipalities on the back of job losses brought about by COVID-19 could accelerate acquisition opportunities for investor-owned [i.e., private] water utilities.”
Chester isn’t alone. Nationwide, water and wastewater systems are expected to lose $27 billion in revenue this year. And water isn’t all that’s at stake. Word on the street is, there’s a renewed effort to privatize St. Louis Lambert International Airport, a plan axed back in January because it made zero fiscal sense.
As a finance executive admitted back in 2008, “Desperate government is our best customer.”
Chester must resist the temptation of the fleeting sugary high a few hundred million dollars would bring. Does it want to be another tragic story of privatization gone wrong? Does it want to be like Chicago, which recklessly sold off its downtown parking meters in 2008 for at least a billion dollars under value? Does it want to be the next Flint, where a private water company was part of the team that enabled a lead crisis?
Selling off access to drinking water — a fundamental public good — is wrong, no matter the circumstances, and especially during a pandemic.
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--2020-05-30--US Border Patrol Is Using a Predator Drone to Spy on Minneapolis Protests

Civil liberties advocates sounded the alarm Friday after reporting indicated Customs and Border Protection has been flying an unmanned Predator drone over Minneapolis as the city continues to roil with protest over the police killing of George Floyd earlier this week .
“ This is what happens when leaders sign blank check after blank check to militarize police , CBP , etc while letting violence go unchecked , ” tweeted Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D-N.Y. ) .
“ We need answers .
And we need to defund.
” Motherboard on Friday afternoon credited ADS-B Exchange , which tracks open source @ @ @ @ @ @ @ images showing what the monitoring group identified as a government drone circling the city .
“ The drone took off from the Air Force Base before making several hexagonal-shaped flyovers around Minneapolis , according to the data , ” Motherboard reported .
“ No government agency should be facilitating the over-policing of the Black community , period , ” the ACLU ’ s senior legislative counsel Neema Singh Guliani said in a statement .
“ And CBP has no role in what ’ s happening in Minneapolis at all.
” Investigative reporter Jason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the flight path of CBP-104 , described by Motherboard as “ a drone with a history ” : In a 2007 Popular Mechanics article , author Jeff Wise names that aircraft as a Predator .
“ CBP-104 has no pilot on board .
The plane is a Predator B , a sophisticated unmanned aerial vehicle ( UAV ) , ” the article says , describing a surveillance action on the U.S.-Mexico border .
CBP-104 is also named in daily drone flight logs from CBP from 2012 , published by the Electronic Frontier Foundation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time included collecting synthetic-aperture radar imagery and full-motion video to aid in actions such as surveilling the border , as well as surveilling and busting cannabis grow ops and methamphetamine labs .
In one instance , the logs note that the drone continued to circle and feed video to officers until every suspect in a lab raid was arrested .
According to the logs , this ongoing surveillance “ played an invaluable role ” in the arrests .
While CBP flying the drone over the city raised eyebrows , the city falls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Gizmodo ‘ s Tom McKay and Dhruv Mehrotra explained .
“ Minneapolis technically falls within the 100 air mile border zone where CBP has jurisdiction , ” wrote McKay and Mehrotra , “ an area that encompasses just shy of two-thirds of the nation ’ s population.
” Critics pointed to the usage of the aircraft as indicative of a surveillance culture that has grown out of control in recent years .
“ I can ’ t tell you how many times , when I was working on police drone policy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the use of the word ‘ drone , ' ” tweeted Freedom of the Press advocacy director Parker Higgins .
“ Like , very specifically saying , it ’ s not going to be Predator drones over protests.
” The ACLU ’ s Guliani pointed to CBP ’ s record on civil liberties as a warning against allowing the agency to monitor the demonstrations .
“ This rogue agency ’ s use of military technology to surveil protesters inside U.S. borders is deeply disturbing , especially given CBP ’ s lack of clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ constitutional rights , ” she said .
“ This agency ’ s use of drones over the city should be halted immediately.
” The drone appeared to leave the area around 1:10pm EST .
Motherboard senior editor Janus Rose noted on Twitter a sinister aspect of the story suggesting CBP wanted the drone to be seen .
“ Quick note about the predator drone from an ex-military intel source : these aircraft typically leave their ADS-B transponders off when flying missions , so they won ’ t appear to civilian air traffic monitors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanted us to know it was there .
”

Customs and Border Protection has been flying the drone during protests against the police killing of George Floyd.
Civil liberties advocates sounded the alarm Friday after reporting indicated Customs and Border Protection has been flying an unmanned Predator drone over Minneapolis as the city continues to roil with protest over the police killing of George Floyd earlier this week.
“This is what happens when leaders sign blank check after blank check to militarize police, CBP, etc while letting violence go unchecked,” tweeted Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). “We need answers. And we need to defund.”
Motherboard on Friday afternoon credited ADS-B Exchange, which tracks open source flight data of aircraft worldwide, for images showing what the monitoring group identified as a government drone circling the city.
“The drone took off from the Air Force Base before making several hexagonal-shaped flyovers around Minneapolis, according to the data,” Motherboard reported.
“No government agency should be facilitating the over-policing of the Black community, period,” the ACLU’s senior legislative counsel Neema Singh Guliani said in a statement. “And CBP has no role in what’s happening in Minneapolis at all.”
Investigative reporter Jason Paladino was apparently the first to notice the flight path of CBP-104, described by Motherboard as “a drone with a history”:
In a 2007 Popular Mechanics article, author Jeff Wise names that aircraft as a Predator. “CBP-104 has no pilot on board. The plane is a Predator B, a sophisticated unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV),” the article says, describing a surveillance action on the U.S.-Mexico border. CBP-104 is also named in daily drone flight logs from CBP from 2012, published by the Electronic Frontier Foundation. The drone’s activities at the time included collecting synthetic-aperture radar imagery and full-motion video to aid in actions such as surveilling the border, as well as surveilling and busting cannabis grow ops and methamphetamine labs. In one instance, the logs note that the drone continued to circle and feed video to officers until every suspect in a lab raid was arrested. According to the logs, this ongoing surveillance “played an invaluable role” in the arrests.
While CBP flying the drone over the city raised eyebrows, the city falls in the agency’s purview, as Gizmodo ‘s Tom McKay and Dhruv Mehrotra explained.
“Minneapolis technically falls within the 100 air mile border zone where CBP has jurisdiction,” wrote McKay and Mehrotra, “an area that encompasses just shy of two-thirds of the nation’s population.”
Critics pointed to the usage of the aircraft as indicative of a surveillance culture that has grown out of control in recent years.
“I can’t tell you how many times, when I was working on police drone policy, law enforcement reps would get upset over the use of the word ‘drone,'” tweeted Freedom of the Press advocacy director Parker Higgins. “Like, very specifically saying, it’s not going to be Predator drones over protests.”
The ACLU’s Guliani pointed to CBP’s record on civil liberties as a warning against allowing the agency to monitor the demonstrations.
“This rogue agency’s use of military technology to surveil protesters inside U.S. borders is deeply disturbing, especially given CBP’s lack of clear and strong policies to protect privacy and constitutional rights,” she said. “This agency’s use of drones over the city should be halted immediately.”
The drone appeared to leave the area around 1:10pm EST.
The unmanned Predator drone has left the Twin Cities. pic.twitter.com/T5bWuQRSLf — Tony Webster (@webster) May 29, 2020
Motherboard senior editor Janus Rose noted on Twitter a sinister aspect of the story suggesting CBP wanted the drone to be seen.
“Quick note about the predator drone from an ex-military intel source: these aircraft typically leave their ADS-B transponders off when flying missions, so they won’t appear to civilian air traffic monitors,” said Rose. “CBP wanted us to know it was there.”
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--2020-05-30--Cornel West: “We Are Witnessing America as a Failed Social Experiment”

Harvard University philosophy professor Dr. Cornel West appeared on CNN Friday night amid nationwide protests over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis , Minnesota and offered a searing indictment not just of white supremacy , the neo-fascism of President Donald Trump , and a criminal justice system that repeatedly brutalizes the poor and people of color—but also of a deep depravity that exists within the neoliberal capitalist system of the 21st Century in the United States that dominates both major political parties .
As protests raged in Minneapolis , outside Trump ’ s White House , and U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York , Cleveland , and Oakland—West told CNN ’ s Anderson Cooper in an interview , “ I think what we are witnessing America as a failed social experiment.
” “ What I mean by that , ” explained West , “ is that the history of black people for over 200 and some years in America has been looking at America ’ s failure .
Its capitalist economy could not generate and deliver in such a way that people could live lives of decency .
The nation-state , it ’ s criminal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system could not generate protection of rights and liberties .
And now our culture , of course is so market-driven—everything for sale , everybody for sale—it can ’ t deliver the kind of nourishment for soul , for meaning , for purpose.
” West explained the current anger over Floyd ’ s murder by police—one of whom , officer Derek Chauvin , was arrested Friday and charged with 3rd-degree murder and manslaughter—adds to a “ perfect storm ” of multiple failures and inequities that pre-exist under an American imperial system that people like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been warning about since the middle of last century .
“ When I saw those pictures there of Atlanta , ” West said , “ you could see Brother Martin right there in Atlanta , saying : ‘ I told you about militarism .
I told you about poverty .
I told you about materialism .
I told you about racism in all of its forms .
I told you about xenophobia.
’ And what you ’ re seeing in America is those chickens coming home to roost .
You are reaping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instant , you have Brother George—it is so clear—it was a lynching at the highest level .
Nobody can deny it.
” While solidarity protests erupted far beyond Minneapolis Friday night in outrage over Floyd ’ s murder—and the killing by police of other black , brown , and other marginalized victims—West said , “ I thank God people are in the streets .
Can you imagine this kind of lynching taking place and people are indifferent ?
People don ’ t care ?
People are callous ?
” West denounced President Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the White House , ” but said the failure of the nation—one that allows for endemic inequality and a culture of greed and consumerism that tramples on the rights and dignity of poor people and minorities decade after decade—goes much beyond the current president .
“ The system can not reform itself , ” West argued and pointed to a dynamic in which identitarian representation is asked to be a stand in for class equality , shared prosperity , and a functional democracy that actually expresses the will of the people and satisfies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the poor .
“ We ’ ve tried black faces in high places , ” he said .
“ Too often our black politicians , professional class , middle class become too accommodated to the capitalist economy , too accommodated to a militarized nation-state , too accommodated to the market-driven culture of celebrities , status , power , fame , all that superficial stuff that means so much to so many fellow citizens.
” “ You ’ ve got a neoliberal wing of the Democratic Party that is now in the driver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brother Bernie [ Sanders ] and they really don ’ t know what to do , ” West added , “ because all they want to do is show more black faces—show more black faces .
But often times those black faces are losing legitimacy , too—because the Black Lives Matter movement emerged under a black president , a black attorney general , and a black Homeland Security , and they couldn ’ t deliver .
So when you talk about the masses of black people—the precious poor and working-class black people , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ color—they ’ re the ones left out and they feel so thoroughly powerless , helpless , hopeless—then you get rebellion.
” According to West , the nation faces a choice now between “ nonviolent revolution ” and continuing the status quo failures .
“ And by revolution what I mean is the democratic sharing of power , resources , wealth and respect , ” he explained .
“ If we don ’ t get that kind of sharing , you ’ re going to get more violent explosions.
” While reiterating the inherent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefit of the president is that he tells the world exactly who he is .
On the hand , the broader failures of the system under the neoliberal capitalist economy is rarely called out or revealed for what it is .
“ White supremacy is going to be around for a long , long , long , long , long , long , long , long time , don ’ t be surprised when this happens again , ” West said .
“ But the question is we must fight , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where we have a failed social experiment , we must fight .
We must have an antifascist coalition against what ’ s going on in the White House and the Republican Party .
And we have to tell the truth about the milquetoast , cowardly activity too often we see too often in the neoliberal wing of the Democratic party .
And we must be critical of ourselves in terms of keeping alive the highest moral and spiritual standards of Martin Luther King , Jr. and Fanny Lou Hammer and Ella Baker .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ sould of brother George Floyd ’ s family .
”

Harvard University philosophy professor Dr. Cornel West appeared on CNN Friday night amid nationwide protests over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota and offered a searing indictment not just of white supremacy, the neo-fascism of President Donald Trump, and a criminal justice system that repeatedly brutalizes the poor and people of color—but also of a deep depravity that exists within the neoliberal capitalist system of the 21st Century in the United States that dominates both major political parties.
As protests raged in Minneapolis, outside Trump’s White House, and U.S. cities nationwide—including Atlanta, Chicago, New York, Cleveland, and Oakland—West told CNN’s Anderson Cooper in an interview, “I think what we are witnessing America as a failed social experiment.”
“What I mean by that,” explained West, “is that the history of black people for over 200 and some years in America has been looking at America’s failure. Its capitalist economy could not generate and deliver in such a way that people could live lives of decency. The nation-state, it’s criminal justice system, it’s legal system could not generate protection of rights and liberties. And now our culture, of course is so market-driven—everything for sale, everybody for sale—it can’t deliver the kind of nourishment for soul, for meaning, for purpose.”
West explained the current anger over Floyd’s murder by police—one of whom, officer Derek Chauvin, was arrested Friday and charged with 3rd-degree murder and manslaughter—adds to a “perfect storm” of multiple failures and inequities that pre-exist under an American imperial system that people like Martin Luther King, Jr. and others have been warning about since the middle of last century.
“When I saw those pictures there of Atlanta,” West said, “you could see Brother Martin right there in Atlanta, saying: ‘I told you about militarism. I told you about poverty. I told you about materialism. I told you about racism in all of its forms. I told you about xenophobia.’ And what you’re seeing in America is those chickens coming home to roost. You are reaping what you sow. And in this instant, you have Brother George—it is so clear—it was a lynching at the highest level. Nobody can deny it.”
While solidarity protests erupted far beyond Minneapolis Friday night in outrage over Floyd’s murder—and the killing by police of other black, brown, and other marginalized victims—West said, “I thank God people are in the streets. Can you imagine this kind of lynching taking place and people are indifferent? People don’t care? People are callous?”
Watch:
West denounced President Donald Trump as the “neo-fascist gangster in the White House,” but said the failure of the nation—one that allows for endemic inequality and a culture of greed and consumerism that tramples on the rights and dignity of poor people and minorities decade after decade—goes much beyond the current president.
“The system cannot reform itself,” West argued and pointed to a dynamic in which identitarian representation is asked to be a stand in for class equality, shared prosperity, and a functional democracy that actually expresses the will of the people and satisfies the material needs of the working people and the poor.
“We’ve tried black faces in high places,” he said. “Too often our black politicians, professional class, middle class become too accommodated to the capitalist economy, too accommodated to a militarized nation-state, too accommodated to the market-driven culture of celebrities, status, power, fame, all that superficial stuff that means so much to so many fellow citizens.”
“You’ve got a neoliberal wing of the Democratic Party that is now in the driver’s seat with the collapse of brother Bernie [Sanders] and they really don’t know what to do,” West added, “because all they want to do is show more black faces—show more black faces. But often times those black faces are losing legitimacy, too—because the Black Lives Matter movement emerged under a black president, a black attorney general, and a black Homeland Security, and they couldn’t deliver. So when you talk about the masses of black people—the precious poor and working-class black people, brown, red, yellow, whatever color—they’re the ones left out and they feel so thoroughly powerless, helpless, hopeless—then you get rebellion.”
According to West, the nation faces a choice now between “nonviolent revolution” and continuing the status quo failures. “And by revolution what I mean is the democratic sharing of power, resources, wealth and respect,” he explained. “If we don’t get that kind of sharing, you’re going to get more violent explosions.”
While reiterating the inherent dangers of Trump, West said one benefit of the president is that he tells the world exactly who he is. On the hand, the broader failures of the system under the neoliberal capitalist economy is rarely called out or revealed for what it is.
Profound appreciation for Cornel West. Who else could go on CNN and rightfully indict the entire political establishment like this? pic.twitter.com/LGoF9G1w1T — Meagan Day (@meaganmday) May 30, 2020
“White supremacy is going to be around for a long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long time, don’t be surprised when this happens again,” West said.
“But the question is we must fight,” he concluded. “Even in the moment where we have a failed social experiment, we must fight. We must have an antifascist coalition against what’s going on in the White House and the Republican Party. And we have to tell the truth about the milquetoast, cowardly activity too often we see too often in the neoliberal wing of the Democratic party. And we must be critical of ourselves in terms of keeping alive the highest moral and spiritual standards of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Fanny Lou Hammer and Ella Baker. And you see that work in the sould of brother George Floyd’s family.”
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--2020-05-30--Without Relief, Millions of Tenants Are Ready for a Rent Strike Revolution

Calls to “ cancel rent ” are catching fire .
First came a couple of tweets on Twitter .
Then progressive firebrands like Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez endorsed the # CancelRent movement .
Now , millions are on a rent strike .
Even presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has declared his support for rent and mortgage forgiveness .
As millions of tenants mobilize to cancel rent , they are not asking nicely or relying on lip service from politicians .
Rather , millions of tenants are taking action by using a powerful time-tested strategy : rent strikes .
As the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and rent arrears accrues , tenants are no longer politely asking for help .
Tenants are rightfully taking matters into their own hands by organizing rent strikes to bring the fight to their landlords and elected officials to cancel rent .
“ When we fight , we win !
We are here to let them know , ” said Kim Statuto , who is a tenant leader for tenant organizing group Community Action for Safe Apartments in the Bronx .
“ Thousands of people are on strike !
Because we can ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on us to bail out the landlords !
” While rent strikes are not new , I have never seen tenants come together on this scale before .
In New York , multiple unions that represent thousands of housing attorneys and legal services workers , including myself , have joined the cancel rent movement .
As an attorney , I have represented tenant associations on countless rent strikes against their landlords in the past decade .
In my experience , rent strikes are an incredibly effective strategy for tenants to reclaim their power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been used as early as 1907 .
In New York City , rent strikes have been closely intertwined with the civil rights struggles of African Americans for many generations — from landlords charging Black Americans higher rents than white Americans , or the city government ’ s racist housing policies , such as racially discriminatory rental practices and exclusion from public housing .
And rent strikes have been incredibly successful in achieving huge victories , such as rent control in the 1940s .
As lawyers , we must caution clients about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are unprecedented times and there are looming questions : What new laws may pass ?
How will courts process landlords ’ claims for nonpayment of rent ?
How will judges and juries interpret tenants ’ legal defenses within a global health pandemic ?
The scale of this housing crisis is terrifying for so many who do not see any relief in sight .
It also means that individual tenants can , once again , turn to their neighbors for solidarity .
When tenants work together on a rent strike , it can : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pressure that summons landlords to the negotiating table ; and ( 2 ) reduce the risk of retaliation for any individual tenant .
Perhaps more importantly , tenants transform from passive and helpless witnesses to their own oppression to empowered actors ready to fight and claim their dignity .
Through the mass mobilization that has already taken place , many cities and states have enacted an eviction moratorium to halt any pending evictions for the duration of the pandemic .
But it doesn ’ t go far enough .
These moratoriums only delay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by executive order on May 7 , but it also opened the door to start evictions again .
Landlords will resume eviction lawsuits at a volume that the courts may not be prepared to handle once the pandemic is over .
We can expect large landlords and their army of lawyers to file thousands of new eviction cases in New York City alone — The Legal Aid Society estimates there may be 50,000 new eviction cases in the city after June 20 , if not millions across the United States .
In places @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has created perverse incentives for landlords to evict long-term tenants , landlords attack with a phalanx of eviction mill law firms .
During this pandemic , New York landlords filed hundreds of new eviction cases in New York City Housing Court .
What happens when the eviction moratorium is over ?
Will millions of Americans lose their homes ?
It is estimated that nationwide , about 31 percent of tenants did not pay their rent in April .
This number dipped to 20 percent in May , in part due to unemployment and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But the number of impacted tenants will continue to grow by necessity , and as tenants become more organized and politicized .
It is estimated 38 million workers have filed unemployment claims — some estimates go as high as 43.2 million workers have been impacted , and , in turn , these are millions of tenants who literally do not have the money to pay their rent .
The question for these tenants is whether they will act alone or join their neighbors in negotiating with their landlords and demanding their elected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In large cities , from Los Angeles to New York City , tenant organizers have brought these tenants into a housing movement that brings with it a confrontational style of conflict between the haves and have-nots , perhaps long overdue .
Sky-rocketing gentrification and real estate speculation has produced millions of rent-burdened tenants .
These tenants have felt the enormous financial pressure for years with barely a safety net to catch them .
Now , landlords must weigh whether they are really prepared to evict up to 100 percent of the tenants in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this debt .
And for elected officials , they must weigh whether they are prepared to stop a looming homelessness crisis for millions of Americans if this rent debt is not canceled — a recent study estimates homelessness may increase by up to 45 percent .
In places like New York , Gov .
Andrew Cuomo can solve this problem through the stroke of a pen by state executive order to suspend landlords ’ right to collect rent and sue for any rent owed or accumulated during the crisis .
Housing Justice for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Governor Cuomo ’ s mansion with an enormous banner that said “ Cancel Rent Cuomo.
” Tenant advocacy groups have made clear that half measures are ineffective and unacceptable — rents must be canceled and they must be universal programs that do not place more burdens on tenants to navigate administrative systems in order to qualify for this relief .
Tenants know that they can not keep waiting for change to miraculously materialize — they know they must fight for rent suspension from their state legislatures to our federal government if there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These are unprecedented challenges that require unprecedented , bold actions to fight for unprecedented solutions — to cancel rents would provide a real path towards recovery .
At this breaking point , tenants have lost patience and time has run out — they are no longer willing to beg , persuade and cajole the powers that be to look kindly upon the suffering masses .
Decades of growing inequality , coupled with the coronavirus pandemic , has left millions of tenants no choice but to rent strike , and to do so all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and elected officials alike to heed the protest chant : “ If we don ’ t get it , shut it down .
”

Part of the Series Despair and Disparity: The Uneven Burdens of COVID-19
Calls to “cancel rent” are catching fire. First came a couple of tweets on Twitter. Then progressive firebrands like Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez endorsed the #CancelRent movement. Now, millions are on a rent strike. Even presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has declared his support for rent and mortgage forgiveness. As millions of tenants mobilize to cancel rent, they are not asking nicely or relying on lip service from politicians. Rather, millions of tenants are taking action by using a powerful time-tested strategy: rent strikes.
As the desperation builds and another month of bills and rent arrears accrues, tenants are no longer politely asking for help. Tenants are rightfully taking matters into their own hands by organizing rent strikes to bring the fight to their landlords and elected officials to cancel rent. “When we fight, we win! We are here to let them know,” said Kim Statuto, who is a tenant leader for tenant organizing group
Community Action for Safe Apartments in the Bronx. “Thousands of people are on strike! Because we can’t pay and because it should not be on us to bail out the landlords!” While rent strikes are not new, I have never seen tenants come together on this scale before.
In New York, multiple unions that represent thousands of housing attorneys and legal services workers, including myself, have joined the cancel rent movement. As an attorney, I have represented tenant associations on countless rent strikes against their landlords in the past decade. In my experience, rent strikes are an incredibly effective strategy for tenants to reclaim their power and win meaningful demands. Rent strikes have been used as early as 1907. In New York City, rent strikes have been closely intertwined with the civil rights struggles of African Americans for many generations — from landlords charging Black Americans higher rents than white Americans, or the city government’s racist housing policies, such as racially discriminatory rental practices and exclusion from public housing. And rent strikes have been incredibly successful in achieving huge victories, such as rent control in the 1940s.
As lawyers, we must caution clients about the legal risks they are undertaking. These are unprecedented times and there are looming questions: What new laws may pass? How will courts process landlords’ claims for nonpayment of rent? How will judges and juries interpret tenants’ legal defenses within a global health pandemic?
The scale of this housing crisis is terrifying for so many who do not see any relief in sight. It also means that individual tenants can, once again, turn to their neighbors for solidarity. When tenants work together on a rent strike, it can: (1) build collective strength and pressure that summons landlords to the negotiating table; and (2) reduce the risk of retaliation for any individual tenant. Perhaps more importantly, tenants transform from passive and helpless witnesses to their own oppression to empowered actors ready to fight and claim their dignity.
Through the mass mobilization that has already taken place, many cities and states have enacted an eviction moratorium to halt any pending evictions for the duration of the pandemic. But it doesn’t go far enough. These moratoriums only delay evictions — New York extended the moratorium by executive order on May 7, but it also opened the door to start evictions again. Landlords will resume eviction lawsuits at a volume that the courts may not be prepared to handle once the pandemic is over.
Landlords must weigh whether they are really prepared to evict up to 100 percent of the tenants in their buildings or if they will forgive this debt.
We can expect large landlords and their army of lawyers to file thousands of new eviction cases in New York City alone — The Legal Aid Society estimates there may be 50,000 new eviction cases in the city after June 20, if not millions across the United States. In places like New York City, where gentrification has created perverse incentives for landlords to evict long-term tenants, landlords attack with a phalanx of eviction mill law firms. During this pandemic, New York landlords filed hundreds of new eviction cases in New York City Housing Court. What happens when the eviction moratorium is over? Will millions of Americans lose their homes?
It is estimated that nationwide, about 31 percent of tenants did not pay their rent in April. This number dipped to 20 percent in May, in part due to unemployment and stimulus checks that provided a temporary buffer. But the number of impacted tenants will continue to grow by necessity, and as tenants become more organized and politicized. It is estimated 38 million workers have filed unemployment claims — some estimates go as high as 43.2 million workers have been impacted, and, in turn, these are millions of tenants who literally do not have the money to pay their rent.
The question for these tenants is whether they will act alone or join their neighbors in negotiating with their landlords and demanding their elected officials enact legislation to provide relief. In large cities, from Los Angeles to New York City, tenant organizers have brought these tenants into a housing movement that brings with it a confrontational style of conflict between the haves and have-nots, perhaps long overdue. Sky-rocketing gentrification and real estate speculation has produced millions of rent-burdened tenants. These tenants have felt the enormous financial pressure for years with barely a safety net to catch them.
Now, landlords must weigh whether they are really prepared to evict up to 100 percent of the tenants in their buildings or if they will forgive this debt. And for elected officials, they must weigh whether they are prepared to stop a looming homelessness crisis for millions of Americans if this rent debt is not canceled — a recent study estimates homelessness may increase by up to 45 percent.
In places like New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo can solve this problem through the stroke of a pen by state executive order to suspend landlords’ right to collect rent and sue for any rent owed or accumulated during the crisis. Housing Justice for All even organized a protest in front of Governor Cuomo’s mansion with an enormous banner that said “Cancel Rent Cuomo.”
If this rent debt is not canceled, homelessness may increase by up to 45 percent.
Tenant advocacy groups have made clear that half measures are ineffective and unacceptable — rents must be canceled and they must be universal programs that do not place more burdens on tenants to navigate administrative systems in order to qualify for this relief. Tenants know that they cannot keep waiting for change to miraculously materialize — they know they must fight for rent suspension from their state legislatures to our federal government if there’s any chance of winning.
These are unprecedented challenges that require unprecedented, bold actions to fight for unprecedented solutions — to cancel rents would provide a real path towards recovery. At this breaking point, tenants have lost patience and time has run out — they are no longer willing to beg, persuade and cajole the powers that be to look kindly upon the suffering masses. Decades of growing inequality, coupled with the coronavirus pandemic, has left millions of tenants no choice but to rent strike, and to do so all at once. It would heed landlords and elected officials alike to heed the protest chant: “If we don’t get it, shut it down.”
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--2020-05-30--The “Pro-Life” Movement’s Response to COVID-19 Reveals Its Hypocrisy

As communities reel from the devastating impacts of COVID-19 , conservative politicians and lawmakers in an alarming number of states have capitalized on the fear and scarcity surrounding the pandemic .
They are using legitimate health concerns as a smokescreen to enact anti-choice abortion bans .
They have done so under the pretense of public safety , but their actions jeopardize the health and well-being of their communities .
Abortion clinics in Texas have been locked in a legal battle with the state government in recent weeks , leaving vulnerable patients in limbo , after Gov .
Greg Abbott deemed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This was purportedly a decision made in the interest of public health , and yet Abbott has also asserted that religious services conducted in “ churches , congregations , and houses of worship ” are “ essential ” and therefore should not be subject to stay-at-home orders .
He has also openly talked about his plans to re-open the economy as soon as possible , via executive order .
This calls his actual commitment to the preservation of life into question .
Likewise , Kentucky ’ s state legislature just moved to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to enforce abortion bans and shut down clinics .
He has justified this ban as an effort to “ conserve medical supplies ” — never mind the fact that medical abortions require little to no personal protective equipment ( PPE ) .
Additionally , continuing a pregnancy and giving birth would require significantly more PPE and doctor ’ s visits than a one-time abortion .
While Cameron also claimed that the bans are meant to “ follow social distancing protocols , ” he then went on to override local officials who tried to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
These officials felt that the sheer number of people gathered would pose too big of a health risk , but Cameron disagreed .
A similar dynamic is happening in Mississippi , where Gov .
Tate Reeves has vowed to shut down the state ’ s one remaining abortion clinic under the guise of public health , yet instructed Greenville Mayor Errick Simmons to lift his ban on drive-in church services .
There are also a number of faith leaders and groups who are acting in flagrant disrespect of life , all while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tabernacle Church in Baton Rouge , Louisiana , made headlines when Rev .
Tony Spell openly defied state orders by continuing to hold church services , boasting about attendances of upwards of 1,000 parishioners .
He justified these gatherings by pointing out that Planned Parenthood was staying open , and said that if Planned Parenthood were to shut down , “ we ’ d save more lives than would be taken by the coronavirus.
” Recently , an elderly member of the church died from COVID-19 , yet Reverend Spell continues to show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cause of death is a fabrication .
Life Tabernacle Church ’ s lawyer , Jeff Wittenbrink , has also been diagnosed with COVID-19 and is currently hospitalized .
Even worse , there are clergy who are opposing stay-at-home orders while also engaging in clinic protests .
Kentucky ’ s Shelbyville Church of God , led by Pastor Joshua Nunley , continues to attend in-person protests at a Louisville abortion clinic .
The protesters have come within inches of clinic staff and patients , invading their personal space , compromising their safety , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yelling .
Some clinic escorts have actually stopped volunteering due to fears of contracting COVID-19 from the protesters .
Another congregation in Merrillville , Indiana , has gone so far as to travel out of state to protest abortion clinics in Kentucky .
While they affirm the right to make decisions based on their own religious beliefs and sensibilities , once again , they do not extend that same respect for others .
The Fairway Christian Church in Ocala , Florida , plays a leading role in a crisis pregnancy center ( CPC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CPCs like this one function as ploys to manipulate vulnerable pregnant people into giving birth no matter what , often through lies , misinformation , fraud and scare tactics .
The Alpha Center claims to “ offer life affirming choices to those experiencing unplanned pregnancies ” and “ educate , equip , support , restore , and empower moms and dads to choose life.
” Meanwhile , the church continues to conduct their worship services in person , with worship leaders themselves sitting , standing , singing and preaching in such close proximity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ pro-life ” stance .
While abortion clinics are being kneecapped left and right in places like Texas , Ohio and Alabama , crisis pregnancy centers have been allowed to remain open in those very same states .
For example , in Texas , the Houston Pregnancy Help Center has announced an intention to stay open throughout the course of the pandemic .
Thomas Glessner , president of National Institute of Family and Life Advocates , an organization that heads up CPCs across the country , was quoted in VICE News stating that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these dedicated life-affirming ministries are absolutely essential ” and that “ abortion is deadlier than the coronavirus.
” Crisis pregnancy centers do not provide actual health care and they do not offer clients the full range of reproductive health care options .
Oftentimes , staff members will pose as medical professionals and give false medical advice .
Even though other public establishments ( like movie theaters , restaurants , book shops , etc . )
have had to close , CPCs have effectively granted themselves the status of providing “ essential ” medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowing them to remain in operation .
The actions of anti-choice politicians and religious communities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have elucidated the hypocrisy of the “ pro-life ” movement that , from its inception , has been more interested in preserving political power than promoting human flourishing .
This has always been true , but it has never been more apparent .

As communities reel from the devastating impacts of COVID-19, conservative politicians and lawmakers in an alarming number of states have capitalized on the fear and scarcity surrounding the pandemic. They are using legitimate health concerns as a smokescreen to enact anti-choice abortion bans. They have done so under the pretense of public safety, but their actions jeopardize the health and well-being of their communities.
Abortion clinics in Texas have been locked in a legal battle with the state government in recent weeks, leaving vulnerable patients in limbo, after Gov. Greg Abbott deemed abortion a “non-essential” medical procedure. This was purportedly a decision made in the interest of public health, and yet Abbott has also asserted that religious services conducted in “churches, congregations, and houses of worship” are “essential” and therefore should not be subject to stay-at-home orders. He has also openly talked about his plans to re-open the economy as soon as possible, via executive order. This calls his actual commitment to the preservation of life into question.
Likewise, Kentucky’s state legislature just moved to grant Attorney General Daniel Cameron the authority to enforce abortion bans and shut down clinics. He has justified this ban as an effort to “conserve medical supplies” — never mind the fact that medical abortions require little to no personal protective equipment (PPE). Additionally, continuing a pregnancy and giving birth would require significantly more PPE and doctor’s visits than a one-time abortion. While Cameron also claimed that the bans are meant to “follow social distancing protocols,” he then went on to override local officials who tried to ban drive-in church services for Easter weekend. These officials felt that the sheer number of people gathered would pose too big of a health risk, but Cameron disagreed. A similar dynamic is happening in Mississippi, where Gov. Tate Reeves has vowed to shut down the state’s one remaining abortion clinic under the guise of public health, yet instructed Greenville Mayor Errick Simmons to lift his ban on drive-in church services.
There are also a number of faith leaders and groups who are acting in flagrant disrespect of life, all while claiming to hold life sacred.
Life Tabernacle Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, made headlines when Rev. Tony Spell openly defied state orders by continuing to hold church services, boasting about attendances of upwards of 1,000 parishioners. He justified these gatherings by pointing out that Planned Parenthood was staying open, and said that if Planned Parenthood were to shut down, “we’d save more lives than would be taken by the coronavirus.” Recently, an elderly member of the church died from COVID-19, yet Reverend Spell continues to show little remorse or responsibility, claiming that the cause of death is a fabrication. Life Tabernacle Church’s lawyer, Jeff Wittenbrink, has also been diagnosed with COVID-19 and is currently hospitalized.
Even worse, there are clergy who are opposing stay-at-home orders while also engaging in clinic protests. Kentucky’s Shelbyville Church of God, led by Pastor Joshua Nunley, continues to attend in-person protests at a Louisville abortion clinic. The protesters have come within inches of clinic staff and patients, invading their personal space, compromising their safety, and engaging in intimidation tactics such as yelling. Some clinic escorts have actually stopped volunteering due to fears of contracting COVID-19 from the protesters.
The protesters have come within inches of clinic staff and patients, invading their personal space, compromising their safety, and engaging in intimidation tactics such as yelling.
Another congregation in Merrillville, Indiana, has gone so far as to travel out of state to protest abortion clinics in Kentucky. While they affirm the right to make decisions based on their own religious beliefs and sensibilities, once again, they do not extend that same respect for others.
The Fairway Christian Church in Ocala, Florida, plays a leading role in a crisis pregnancy center (CPC), Alpha Center for Women. CPCs like this one function as ploys to manipulate vulnerable pregnant people into giving birth no matter what, often through lies, misinformation, fraud and scare tactics. The Alpha Center claims to “offer life affirming choices to those experiencing unplanned pregnancies” and “educate, equip, support, restore, and empower moms and dads to choose life.” Meanwhile, the church continues to conduct their worship services in person, with worship leaders themselves sitting, standing, singing and preaching in such close proximity to one another that it belies their “pro-life” stance.
While abortion clinics are being kneecapped left and right in places like Texas, Ohio and Alabama, crisis pregnancy centers have been allowed to remain open in those very same states. For example, in Texas, the Houston Pregnancy Help Center has announced an intention to stay open throughout the course of the pandemic.
While abortion clinics are being kneecapped left and right in places like Texas, Ohio and Alabama, crisis pregnancy centers have been allowed to remain open.
Thomas Glessner, president of National Institute of Family and Life Advocates, an organization that heads up CPCs across the country, was quoted in VICE News stating that, “the health resources provided by these dedicated life-affirming ministries are absolutely essential” and that “abortion is deadlier than the coronavirus.”
Crisis pregnancy centers do not provide actual health care and they do not offer clients the full range of reproductive health care options. Oftentimes, staff members will pose as medical professionals and give false medical advice. Even though other public establishments (like movie theaters, restaurants, book shops, etc.) have had to close, CPCs have effectively granted themselves the status of providing “essential” medical services, and some state governments are allowing them to remain in operation.
The actions of anti-choice politicians and religious communities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have elucidated the hypocrisy of the “pro-life” movement that, from its inception, has been more interested in preserving political power than promoting human flourishing. This has always been true, but it has never been more apparent.
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--2020-05-30--Trump Boosts Nuclear Weapons Spending, Fueling a New Arms Race

Spending by the world ’ s nine nuclear nations climbed to nearly $ 73 billion in 2019 , nearly half of it by the United States alone .
At the same time , the Trump administration has prioritized nuclear weapons in its defense budget while abandoning nuclear treaties , fumbling negotiations and confounding allies .
The administration ’ s lack of coherent goals , strategies or polices have increased nuclear dangers , leaving the U.S. “ blundering toward nuclear chaos with potentially disastrous consequences.
” Those are the findings of two separate reports published in May that examine nuclear spending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the reports lay bare the soaring costs and dangers of the Trump administration ’ s pursuit of more nuclear pits ; the fast tracking of a new generation of intercontinental ballistic missiles ; and the deployment of new , low-yield submarine-launched nuclear weapons .
In May , The Washington Post reported that Trump officials are in ongoing discussions about resuming explosive nuclear weapons testing .
The first report , titled “ Enough is Enough : Global Nuclear Weapons Spending 2019 , ” published by the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ snapshot of how the world ’ s nuclear-armed nations collectively spent $ 72.9 billion on nuclear weapons last year , an increase of more than $ 7 billion over 2018 .
That worked out to almost $ 200 million per day in 2019 .
Among the nine nations that collectively ( but very unevenly ) possess over 13,000 nuclear weapons , in 2019 four countries ( Russia , China , France and India ) increased nuclear spending modestly , three remained flat ( the U.K. , North Korea and Israel ) , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Only the United States sharply increased nuclear expenditures over the previous year , from $ 29.6 billion to $ 35.4 billion .
According to Alicia Sanders-Zakre , ICAN policy and research coordinator and lead author of the report , the modernization of existing weapons and the expansion of arsenals is likely to drive further increases on nuclear spending in coming years .
Drawing primarily on Department of Defense and the National Nuclear Security Administration figures , the report found that U.S. nuclear spending made up about 5 percent of the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sanders-Zakre told Truthout that while figures are based largely on government budget documents , the SIPRI Military Expenditure Database , and other estimates from regional scholarly work on local defense spending , the report does not include environmental remediation costs or compensatory assistance programs for victims of nuclear weapons use and testing .
Reporting and documenting those costs is often uneven and frequently lacks transparency .
The true total costs of nuclear weapons , Sanders-Zakre noted , is in fact much higher than the numbers cited in the report .
In response to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t cost that much ” because they account for a relatively small fraction of overall defense spending , Sanders-Zakre calculated that total nuclear spending among the U.S. , France and U.K. in a single year could cover all their respective shortfalls in “ ICU beds , annual salaries for doctors and nurses , and ventilators … and [ they would ] still have just enormous amounts of money left over.
” And to U.S. allies who , like NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg , argue the case for keeping American nuclear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the citizens of nations living under the U.S. nuclear umbrella should be asked if they want to be used to justify U.S. nuclear weapons .
Many , she says , would reject those weapons , as was illustrated recently by a leader of Germany ’ s Social Democratic party , who called for U.S. nuclear weapons to be removed from Germany .
A second report , “ Blundering Toward Nuclear Chaos : The Trump Administration After Three Years , ” published by the American Nuclear Policy Initiative ( ANPI ) , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sweeping look at how the U.S. is navigating the complex nuclear landscape under the undisciplined and unpredictable rule of Donald Trump .
Calling for broad changes , the report ’ s authors present a disturbing triptych of instability , inexperience and incompetence , making a powerful case for the urgent need to correct and redirect the U.S. ’ s approach to nuclear weapons policy .
Beginning with U.S.-Russian relations , and continuing with critiques of Trump ’ s approach to Iran , North Korea , China , modernization , nonproliferation and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sober , even-tempered assessment of an administration led by a temperamental bull in a nuclear china shop .
The report describes “ growing nuclear instability and the accelerating arms race between Russia and the United States ” as among the “ most pressing and consequential ” nuclear challenges facing the U.S. today .
Largely completed before January 2020 , when the U.S. and Iran came dangerously close to an all-out war , and with the spread of the coronavirus on its heels , the authors make it clear that the Trump administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ landscape , even before a global pandemic and subsequent economic freefall .
The commitments or capabilities that are demonstrated by the administration , the report notes , are being undermined by the president ’ s own inability to conduct foreign policy in a manner consistent with international norms or the expectations of U.S. allies .
In its relations with Iran and North Korea , the administration has taken strikingly different approaches — “ maximum pressure ” and confrontation with Iran and , in the case of North Korea , threats to “ totally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ choreographed summits and Trump ’ s declaration that “ there is no longer a nuclear threat ” from the North .
In both cases , however , Trump ’ s approach has failed to produce concrete steps toward denuclearization .
The report ’ s authors note that Trump takes pride in rejecting traditional approaches to domestic and foreign policy challenges , resulting in increased tension between the administration and policy makers who have invested decades in protecting U.S. interests .
The authors also closely examine how Trump has played a disruptive — even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and nuclear treaties , most notably the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or Iran nuclear deal , the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty , while acting in a manner that runs counter to arms control and nonproliferation .
The report explains why the U.S. is likely to continue rejecting Russian overtures to extend the last major U.S.-Russia bilateral nuclear agreement , the New START Treaty , set to expire in February 2021 .
The Trump administration insists the treaty should be renegotiated to include China , which has just over 300 nuclear weapons ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which have an estimated 6,370 and 5,800 respectively ) .
Trump ’ s rejection of extending New START appears all but certain , especially following the recent announcement by the Trump administration that it was planning to abandon the nearly three-decade old Open Skies Treaty .
The treaty allows 34 party nations to carry out reconnaissance flights in the interest of transparency and the prevention of misunderstanding that could lead to war .
“ This is a reckless decision and more evidence that the Trump administration seems incapable of fixing or building anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things down , ” Alexandra Bell , a senior policy analyst with the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation and co-author of the ANPI report told Truthout .
“ President Trump is being steered into a legacy of destruction.
” Bell , who wrote the report ’ s chapter on nonproliferation and disarmament said , “ We ’ ve been lucky enough to avoid [ nuclear war ] for the last 75 years but unfortunately , the law of odds is such that eventually this is going to happen unless we take steps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ themselves and there ’ s just no way of getting around that.
” This comes as Trump has vowed to cut financial support for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and stop funding for the World Health Organization , even as Trump ’ s special presidential envoy for arms control recently said the U.S. was prepared to “ spend China and Russian into oblivion ” in order to win a new arms race .
Under Trump , nuclear spending and tensions are sharply increasing , but U.S. allies are anxious and uncertain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time when more than 100,000 Americans have been killed by a virus that can ’ t be stopped with a bomb , both the ICAN and ANPI reports illustrate how Trump ’ s unrestrained embrace of nuclear weapons is not making a U.S. that is safer , only a U.S. that is alone .
“ We ’ re currently at a crossroads , ” Bell said .
“ The next president of the United States is going to have to decide : Do we want to live in a world where the number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down , or one in which it ’ s starting to go back up again ?
”

Two reports highlight the soaring cost of nuclear weapons and the dangers of U.S. nuclear policy under Trump.
Spending by the world’s nine nuclear nations climbed to nearly $73 billion in 2019, nearly half of it by the United States alone. At the same time, the Trump administration has prioritized nuclear weapons in its defense budget while abandoning nuclear treaties, fumbling negotiations and confounding allies. The administration’s lack of coherent goals, strategies or polices have increased nuclear dangers, leaving the U.S. “blundering toward nuclear chaos with potentially disastrous consequences.” Those are the findings of two separate reports published in May that examine nuclear spending and strategy under Trump.
The findings of the reports lay bare the soaring costs and dangers of the Trump administration’s pursuit of more nuclear pits; the fast tracking of a new generation of intercontinental ballistic missiles; and the deployment of new, low-yield submarine-launched nuclear weapons. In May, The Washington Post reported that Trump officials are in ongoing discussions about resuming explosive nuclear weapons testing.
The first report, titled “Enough is Enough: Global Nuclear Weapons Spending 2019,” published by the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), is a densely-packed 12-page snapshot of how the world’s nuclear-armed nations collectively spent $72.9 billion on nuclear weapons last year, an increase of more than $7 billion over 2018. That worked out to almost $200 million per day in 2019.
Among the nine nations that collectively (but very unevenly) possess over 13,000 nuclear weapons, in 2019 four countries (Russia, China, France and India) increased nuclear spending modestly, three remained flat (the U.K., North Korea and Israel), and one cut spending slightly (Pakistan). Only the United States sharply increased nuclear expenditures over the previous year, from $29.6 billion to $35.4 billion.
According to Alicia Sanders-Zakre, ICAN policy and research coordinator and lead author of the report, the modernization of existing weapons and the expansion of arsenals is likely to drive further increases on nuclear spending in coming years.
Drawing primarily on Department of Defense and the National Nuclear Security Administration figures, the report found that U.S. nuclear spending made up about 5 percent of the United States’ total military spending last year.
Sanders-Zakre told Truthout that while figures are based largely on government budget documents, the SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, and other estimates from regional scholarly work on local defense spending, the report does not include environmental remediation costs or compensatory assistance programs for victims of nuclear weapons use and testing. Reporting and documenting those costs is often uneven and frequently lacks transparency. The true total costs of nuclear weapons, Sanders-Zakre noted, is in fact much higher than the numbers cited in the report.
The Trump administration has prioritized nuclear weapons in its defense budget while abandoning nuclear treaties.
In response to those who argue that nuclear weapons “don’t cost that much” because they account for a relatively small fraction of overall defense spending,
Sanders-Zakre calculated that total nuclear spending among the U.S., France and U.K. in a single year could cover all their respective shortfalls in “ICU beds, annual salaries for doctors and nurses, and ventilators … and [they would] still have just enormous amounts of money left over.”
And to U.S. allies who, like NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, argue the case for keeping American nuclear weapons on European soil, Sanders-Zakre said that the citizens of nations living under the U.S. nuclear umbrella should be asked if they want to be used to justify U.S. nuclear weapons. Many, she says, would reject those weapons, as was illustrated recently by a leader of Germany’s Social Democratic party, who called for U.S. nuclear weapons to be removed from Germany.
“Blundering Toward Nuclear Chaos”
A second report, “Blundering Toward Nuclear Chaos: The Trump Administration After Three Years,” published by the American Nuclear Policy Initiative (ANPI), an independent project of Global Zero, takes a sweeping look at how the U.S. is navigating the complex nuclear landscape under the undisciplined and unpredictable rule of Donald Trump.
Calling for broad changes, the report’s authors present a disturbing triptych of instability, inexperience and incompetence, making a powerful case for the urgent need to correct and redirect the U.S.’s approach to nuclear weapons policy.
Beginning with U.S.-Russian relations, and continuing with critiques of Trump’s approach to Iran, North Korea, China, modernization, nonproliferation and other critical nuclear matters, the report is a sober, even-tempered assessment of an administration led by a temperamental bull in a nuclear china shop.
The report describes “growing nuclear instability and the accelerating arms race between Russia and the United States” as among the “most pressing and consequential” nuclear challenges facing the U.S. today.
Largely completed before January 2020, when the U.S. and Iran came dangerously close to an all-out war, and with the spread of the coronavirus on its heels, the authors make it clear that the Trump administration was ill-equipped to navigated the nuclear weapons landscape, even before a global pandemic and subsequent economic freefall.
The commitments or capabilities that are demonstrated by the administration, the report notes, are being undermined by the president’s own inability to conduct foreign policy in a manner consistent with international norms or the expectations of U.S. allies.
The United States sharply increased nuclear expenditures over the previous year, from $29.6 billion to $35.4 billion.
In its relations with Iran and North Korea, the administration has taken strikingly different approaches — “maximum pressure” and confrontation with Iran and, in the case of North Korea, threats to “totally destroy” the country followed by highly choreographed summits and Trump’s declaration that “there is no longer a nuclear threat” from the North. In both cases, however, Trump’s approach has failed to produce concrete steps toward denuclearization.
The report’s authors note that Trump takes pride in rejecting traditional approaches to domestic and foreign policy challenges, resulting in increased tension between the administration and policy makers who have invested decades in protecting U.S. interests.
The authors also closely examine how Trump has played a disruptive — even destructive — role in dismantling international agreements and nuclear treaties, most notably the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or Iran nuclear deal, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, while acting in a manner that runs counter to arms control and nonproliferation.
The report explains why the U.S. is likely to continue rejecting Russian overtures to extend the last major U.S.-Russia bilateral nuclear agreement, the New START Treaty, set to expire in February 2021. The Trump administration insists the treaty should be renegotiated to include China, which has just over 300 nuclear weapons (compared with Russia and the U.S., which have an estimated 6,370 and 5,800 respectively).
Trump’s rejection of extending New START appears all but certain, especially following the recent announcement by the Trump administration that it was planning to abandon the nearly three-decade old Open Skies Treaty. The treaty allows 34 party nations to carry out reconnaissance flights in the interest of transparency and the prevention of misunderstanding that could lead to war.
“This is a reckless decision and more evidence that the Trump administration seems incapable of fixing or building anything. They only know how to tear things down,” Alexandra Bell, a senior policy analyst with the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation and co-author of the ANPI report told Truthout. “President Trump is being steered into a legacy of destruction.”
Bell, who wrote the report’s chapter on nonproliferation and disarmament said, “We’ve been lucky enough to avoid [nuclear war] for the last 75 years but unfortunately, the law of odds is such that eventually this is going to happen unless we take steps to reduce and eventually eliminated the weapons themselves and there’s just no way of getting around that.”
This comes as Trump has vowed to cut financial support for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and stop funding for the World Health Organization, even as Trump’s special presidential envoy for arms control recently said the U.S. was prepared to “spend China and Russian into oblivion” in order to win a new arms race.
Under Trump, nuclear spending and tensions are sharply increasing, but U.S. allies are anxious and uncertain and adversaries are antagonized. At a time when more than 100,000 Americans have been killed by a virus that can’t be stopped with a bomb, both the ICAN and ANPI reports illustrate how Trump’s unrestrained embrace of nuclear weapons is not making a U.S. that is safer, only a U.S. that is alone.
“We’re currently at a crossroads,” Bell said. “The next president of the United States is going to have to decide: Do we want to live in a world where the number of nuclear weapons is continuing to go down, or one in which it’s starting to go back up again?”
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--2020-05-31--Ocasio-Cortez: “If You Want to End Unrest, End the Conditions That Create It”

In a video message posted to Instagram on Saturday amidst days of nationwide protest in response to the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis , Minnesota earlier this week , Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez issued a plea to anyone calling for the end of the “ unrest ” stirred by brutality and oppression to focus on the root causes of poverty , distrust , and violence in American society .
“ If you are calling for an end to this unrest… but you are not calling for the end to the conditions that created the unrest , you are a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ post .
“ If you ’ re trying to call for the end to unrest , but you don ’ t believe healthcare is a human right .
If you ’ re afraid to say Black Lives Matter .
If you ’ re too scared to call out police brutality—then you aren ’ t asking for an to unrest .
You are asking for injustice to continue and for your people to continue to endure the violence of poverty , the violence of lack of housing access , the violence of police brutality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That ’ s what you ’ re asking for.
” “ So if you ’ re out here , ” she continued , “ asking for an end to unrest , you better be asking for healthcare as a human right , you better be calling for accountability in our policing , you better be supporting community review boards , you better be supporting the end of housing discrimination , you better be standing up to for-profit real estate developers that are intimidating people and trying to evict them from their homes—that ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Because if you don ’ t call for those things and you ’ re asking for the end of unrest—all you ’ re asking for is the continuation of quiet oppression.
” Ocasio-Cortez said lawmakers , politicians , and anyone else making such calls must make sure that there is no demand for an end of protest that is not coupled with demands for “ measures that actually liberate people in their lives from the oppression of economic and social inequity.
” Allowing people to struggle and die within unjust systems , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” and should no longer be tolerated .
She said none of her remarks are meant to condone the violence and property destruction by some people amid the protests in cities nationwide , but that her intent is to ask people to consider a more “ holistic view of this moment ” and recognize that only by centering justice and recognizing the broader systemic failures can peace and prosperity be shared by all .
As of this writing , the video had been viewed hundreds of thousands of times between Instagram and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We have to really examine why so many people were okay ignoring these problems until a window got broken , ” she said .
“ Why does it take that for people to pay attention ?
Because it shouldn ’ t. ” Instead of calls for things to simply calm down and “ go back to normal , ” said Ocasio-Cortez , “ let ’ s create a new world—one where all people are held to the same standard of the rule of law .
And one where the justice a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dependent on who they work for or how much money they have , but by the actual deed that was done.
” A world like , she concluded , “ is what justice looks like .
”

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called for a focus on the root causes of poverty, distrust and violence in our society.
In a video message posted to Instagram on Saturday amidst days of nationwide protest in response to the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota earlier this week, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez issued a plea to anyone calling for the end of the “unrest” stirred by brutality and oppression to focus on the root causes of poverty, distrust, and violence in American society.
“If you are calling for an end to this unrest… but you are not calling for the end to the conditions that created the unrest, you are a hypocrite,” Ocasio-Cortez said in the post.
“If you’re trying to call for the end to unrest, but you don’t believe healthcare is a human right. If you’re afraid to say Black Lives Matter. If you’re too scared to call out police brutality—then you aren’t asking for an to unrest. You are asking for injustice to continue and for your people to continue to endure the violence of poverty, the violence of lack of housing access, the violence of police brutality and not say a damn thing. That’s what you’re asking for.”
“So if you’re out here,” she continued, “asking for an end to unrest, you better be asking for healthcare as a human right, you better be calling for accountability in our policing, you better be supporting community review boards, you better be supporting the end of housing discrimination, you better be standing up to for-profit real estate developers that are intimidating people and trying to evict them from their homes—that’s what you better be calling for. Because if you don’t call for those things and you’re asking for the end of unrest—all you’re asking for is the continuation of quiet oppression.”
Ocasio-Cortez said lawmakers, politicians, and anyone else making such calls must make sure that there is no demand for an end of protest that is not coupled with demands for “measures that actually liberate people in their lives from the oppression of economic and social inequity.”
Watch the 6-minute video post:
Allowing people to struggle and die within unjust systems, said Ocasio-Cortez, is “just wrong” and should no longer be tolerated. She said none of her remarks are meant to condone the violence and property destruction by some people amid the protests in cities nationwide, but that her intent is to ask people to consider a more “holistic view of this moment” and recognize that only by centering justice and recognizing the broader systemic failures can peace and prosperity be shared by all.
As of this writing, the video had been viewed hundreds of thousands of times between Instagram and other social media platforms where it was shared.
.@AOC: If you're calling for an end to unrest, but not calling out police brutality, not calling for health care as a human right, not calling for an end to housing discrimination, all you're asking for is the continuation of quiet oppression. pic.twitter.com/4qiCCxKvdl — Public Citizen (@Public_Citizen) May 30, 2020
“We have to really examine why so many people were okay ignoring these problems until a window got broken,” she said. “Why does it take that for people to pay attention? Because it shouldn’t.”
Instead of calls for things to simply calm down and “go back to normal,” said Ocasio-Cortez, “let’s create a new world—one where all people are held to the same standard of the rule of law. And one where the justice a person gets for their crimes is not dependent on who they work for or how much money they have, but by the actual deed that was done.”
A world like, she concluded, “is what justice looks like.”
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.