mintpressnews--2020-06-17--Struggle Theater: Don’t Let Theatrics Shroud the Reality of Systemic Oppression

The crowd cheered .
I hustled to slide the fresh battery into place , snap the latch closed , click on , and survey the scene .
On their knees , protestors in front of the newly erected fence applauded as a cop on the other side took a knee .
Around him , other cops seemed to take no notice , shifting in their riot gear as the sun slowly dipped behind the White House .
I didn ’ t bother taking a picture .
Shallow displays of solidarity are easy and pathetic , both in practice and in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are dangerous .
They offer up an illusion of hope and trust in the system .
They bolster the “ some bad apples ” argument in the face of a deeply rotten institution , founded in slave patrols , constructed to serve and protect the ruling class .
They argue that performative theatrics are synonymous with real systemic change .
They represent the insidious drive to gaslight us into apathy , to bury violence beneath a fleeting veil of showy concern .
It ’ s the ultimate abusive relationship : the people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an exaggerated arm holding a cocked gun ; saying it ’ s for your protection as you find yourself in its crosshairs .
I mean really , it ’ s almost too cliché .
From Fort Worth to Charlotte to DC , cops have been seen kneeling down before and/or after they violently attack protestors with tear gas .
The only thing missing is a rose and a ring .
Even members of the FBI felt the tug of performative wokeness , taking a knee as if they don ’ t represent the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COINTELPRO to stalking and surveilling Black activists as part of the new and improved war on “ black identity extremism.
” Cue the Lifetime movie music .
Still , the FBI ’ s solidarity skit can ’ t hold a candle to Congress .
The image of politicians wrapped in kente-cloth stoles kneeling in a room so ironically called Emancipation Hall is the kind of dramatic hypocrisy only DC can produce .
As screenwriter Eric Haywood pointed out in a tweet on June 8th , “ What if they , like , just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like a Wakandan chess set ?
” Of course , none of this kneeling signals a change in policy .
The Police Reform Bill is the legislative equivalent to wrapping yourself in a kente-cloth stole and calling it progress .
The bill seeks to ban chokeholds , something many cities have announced their intention to do anyway , set up a national database of police misconduct , and set a standard for use-of-force .
It would supposedly make it easier to pursue legal damages against brutal cops , but obviously this does nothing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Furthermore , the Supreme Court on Monday struck down a request to review “ qualified immunity ” for brutal cops , leaving in place the strongest shield from the highest court in the land .
Brutal cops have nothing to fear here .
And while the bill includes language on racial profiling , neither the hyper-racist war on drugs nor the tactics used to round up black and brown bodies such as quick-knock raids are on the chopping block .
It keeps in place the 1033 program , the military-to-police pipeline that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to look the part of an occupying force , not just act it .
In a nutshell , this bill is about as spineless as the kneeling politicians .
And that ’ s just the point .
Real change means defanging the servants and protectors of the system those politicians represent .
It ’ s a lot easier to just take a knee – or indeed , paint a street .
It ’ s no accident that DC Mayor Muriel Bowser commissioned “ Black Lives Matter ” to be painted on 16th Street @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right after police , including some of her own DC MPD , violently attacked protestors .
It ’ s a shoddy attempt at a cover-up job , one that neither local black organizers nor their allies are buying .
As activist and journalist Jacquie Luqman wrote recently : Indeed , although Bowser ’ s scribbles are visible from the sky , the reality on the ground is that DC has the highest incarceration rate in the country and the highest number of police per capita , and that ’ s not including the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agencies that also police the district .
For their part , MPD still patrols predominantly black and brown neighborhoods like an occupying force , engaging in jump-outs and stop-and-frisk , and collaborating with ICE in order to cast a wider net of oppression .
MPD ’ s largest contract is with public schools , a grotesque but far too common theme across the nation .
In an ACLU report on the school-to-prison pipeline , the U.S. Department of Education ’ s own numbers show that 1.7 million students are in schools with police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are in schools with police but no nurses , 6 million students are in schools with police but no school psychologists , 10 million students are in schools with police but no social workers and a whopping 14 million students are in schools with police but no counselor , nurse , psychologist , or social worker .
Not surprisingly , DC , the seat of empire , is but a microcosm of this over-policed , and unaccountable nation .
For instance , Bowser loves to tout the fact that MPD officers wear body @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bodycam if you can ’ t see the footage ?
In 2018 , MPD claimed that bodycam footage critical to a civil rights lawsuit had been erased .
That same year , three black men were murdered by police over a 5-week span and Bowser has still not identified those officers or even told the public whether they are on duty or not .
And last year , a member of a DC Advisory Neighborhood Commission requested bodycam footage from a stop and frisk incident only to be slapped with a $ 5,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Fast forward to today and in the midst of calls to defund the police , DC ’ s newly proposed budget seeks a 3.3 percent increase in the MPD budget , totaling $ 578 million plus $ 5 million for a new DC jail .
At the same time , funding for the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement , a product of the hard-won NEAR Act which invests in community-led violence prevention efforts rather than police and incarceration , is slated to be cut by 11.4 percent .
In the face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the street feels like a paltry response , at best .
Still , this paltry performance is catching on .
Residents of Flint , Michigan now have their own street emblazoned with “ Black Lives Matter.
” I ’ m sure this soothes the fact that they still don ’ t have clean drinking water , and that the people responsible for the death , pain and suffering of the predominantly black community members haven ’ t been brought to justice .
Erik Martínez Resly , a DC artist and organizer calls stunts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that “ here , art is being instrumentalized by the city to distract us from…actions that directly harm Black communities and protest.
” He notes that while these three words are beautiful and powerful , and should indeed be plastered everywhere , “ all of us have a responsibility to hold Mayor Bowser , and all elected officials , accountable to these three sacred words.
” Incidentally , those three words have gotten a lot of play in some of the most unlikely places .
Here in DC , Black Lives Matter posters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AFL-CIO and AFSCME buildings , homes to police unions , to chain stores like Starbucks .
Hell , Starbucks even has its own t-shirt design “ in support of the movement ” after getting lambasted for not allowing baristas to wear their own .
The likes of Netflix , Amazon , Air bnb and more have jumped on the bandwagon – proudly displaying those three words as if they alone could erase corporate malfeasance and the systemic racism which all big corporations feed off of in order to turn a profit .
Still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those words should be everywhere – and the legitimate movements and actions that they do represent are already manifesting changes that just a few months ago seemed to be deadlocked and/or unthinkable .
For example , a combination of city officials and handy protestors are removing a slew of confederate and colonial statues across the country .
New York State repealed 50-A , legislation that shielded police misconduct records from the public .
NYC Mayor de Blasio has said that he is “ committed to cutting funding to the New York Police Department.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ cuts to the LAPD budget following waves of protests that included actions outside his residence .
Minneapolis City Council Members have begun a process that would allow for the abolition of the police department .
These are victories we should acknowledge and take pride in .
At the same time , we must ready ourselves for the work still to come .
If these shallow displays of solidarity , these vapid theatrics are evidence of anything , it is that the ruling class really wants us to step off the gas .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offerings will appease us into thinking we ’ ve won .
With the status quo still firmly in place , they want us to feel that real change has occurred – that the abuse wasn ’ t so bad , won ’ t be that bad again , honest , the system loves you !
As Executive Director of Black Agenda Report , Glen Ford notes in a recent article , “ …this is no time for a lull or a truce .
Rather , it is time to sharpen our political instruments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social penetration.
” We will not be appeased by graffiti , games of dress-up or more band-aid “ flesh ” colors .
We will not applaud LA Unified School Police as they plan to return grenade launchers – yes , grenade launchers .
Yes , school police .
Rather , we will demand that there be no cops in schools anywhere and that the militarization of the police must end .
We will draw connections between those two entities and in this fight to defund police carve a pathway to defunding the largest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We will have the difficult discussions , ask the uncomfortable questions , and recognize steps such as demilitarization and defunding not as ultimate goals but as stepping stones towards the abolition of all oppressive institutions .
We will continue to grasp and foresee the malleability of our capitalist state , the various disguises it will don in order to manipulate and deceive and above all , avoid change .
We will make these promises to ourselves and our communities , follow black grassroots leadership and not mistake inane acts for real change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cook put it , “ There is so much work to do , and Black Lives Matter too much to be used like this.
” Here ’ s to the powerful work behind those three words .
Feature photo | A giant “ BLACK LIVES MATTER ” sign is painted in orange on Fulton Street , June 15 , 2020 , in Brooklyn , New York .
John Minchillo | AP Eleanor Goldfield is a creative activist , journalist , and poet .
She is the founder and host of the show , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ airs on Free Speech TV on Dish Network , DirecTV , ROKU , Amazon Fire and others .
Her articles and her show cover people and topics which corporate media either censor or misrepresent .
Her spoken word performances blend visual projections and politically charged poetry .
Her latest book , “ Paradigm Lost , ” blends radical verse with art from 15 dissident artists .
She also was the co-founder and singer of Rooftop Revolutionaries , a political rock band born from the fight against capitalism and all the evils that stem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she assists in local action organizing and activist training .
She is currently based in Washington , D.C .
Her website is ken .

The crowd cheered. I hustled to slide the fresh battery into place, snap the latch closed, click on, and survey the scene. On their knees, protestors in front of the newly erected fence applauded as a cop on the other side took a knee. Around him, other cops seemed to take no notice, shifting in their riot gear as the sun slowly dipped behind the White House. I didn’t bother taking a picture. Shallow displays of solidarity are easy and pathetic, both in practice and in pictures.
More so than that, they are dangerous. They offer up an illusion of hope and trust in the system. They bolster the “some bad apples” argument in the face of a deeply rotten institution, founded in slave patrols, constructed to serve and protect the ruling class. They argue that performative theatrics are synonymous with real systemic change. They represent the insidious drive to gaslight us into apathy, to bury violence beneath a fleeting veil of showy concern.
It’s the ultimate abusive relationship: the people and the state – the police like an exaggerated arm holding a cocked gun; saying it’s for your protection as you find yourself in its crosshairs. I mean really, it’s almost too cliché. From Fort Worth to Charlotte to DC, cops have been seen kneeling down before and/or after they violently attack protestors with tear gas. The only thing missing is a rose and a ring. Even members of the FBI felt the tug of performative wokeness, taking a knee as if they don’t represent the ultimate in domestic violence policy: from COINTELPRO to stalking and surveilling Black activists as part of the new and improved war on “black identity extremism.” Cue the Lifetime movie music.
Still, the FBI’s solidarity skit can’t hold a candle to Congress. The image of politicians wrapped in kente-cloth stoles kneeling in a room so ironically called Emancipation Hall is the kind of dramatic hypocrisy only DC can produce. As screenwriter Eric Haywood pointed out in a tweet on June 8th, “What if they, like, just passed some laws instead of dressing up like a Wakandan chess set?”
Of course, none of this kneeling signals a change in policy. The Police Reform Bill is the legislative equivalent to wrapping yourself in a kente-cloth stole and calling it progress. The bill seeks to ban chokeholds, something many cities have announced their intention to do anyway, set up a national database of police misconduct, and set a standard for use-of-force. It would supposedly make it easier to pursue legal damages against brutal cops, but obviously this does nothing to prevent brutality in the first place. Furthermore, the Supreme Court on Monday struck down a request to review “qualified immunity” for brutal cops, leaving in place the strongest shield from the highest court in the land. Brutal cops have nothing to fear here. And while the bill includes language on racial profiling, neither the hyper-racist war on drugs nor the tactics used to round up black and brown bodies such as quick-knock raids are on the chopping block. It keeps in place the 1033 program, the military-to-police pipeline that has allowed local and even school police to look the part of an occupying force, not just act it. In a nutshell, this bill is about as spineless as the kneeling politicians. And that’s just the point. Real change means defanging the servants and protectors of the system those politicians represent. It’s a lot easier to just take a knee – or indeed, paint a street.
It’s no accident that DC Mayor Muriel Bowser commissioned “Black Lives Matter” to be painted on 16th Street NW leading up to the White House right after police, including some of her own DC MPD, violently attacked protestors. It’s a shoddy attempt at a cover-up job, one that neither local black organizers nor their allies are buying. As activist and journalist Jacquie Luqman wrote recently:
Muriel Bowser doesn’t even like the Black people in her own city. This means nothing. It does nothing for us. It doesn’t help us. It doesn’t improve schools. Doesn’t get rid of the spouse abusing fascist top cop she loves so much [Police Chief Newsham]. Doesn’t stop gentrification of poor Black neighborhoods. Doesn’t improve affordable housing. Doesn’t change any of the lack of progress she has made on any of those things.”
Indeed, although Bowser’s scribbles are visible from the sky, the reality on the ground is that DC has the highest incarceration rate in the country and the highest number of police per capita, and that’s not including the roughly 27 independent and overlapping law enforcement agencies that also police the district. For their part, MPD still patrols predominantly black and brown neighborhoods like an occupying force, engaging in jump-outs and stop-and-frisk, and collaborating with ICE in order to cast a wider net of oppression. MPD’s largest contract is with public schools, a grotesque but far too common theme across the nation. In an ACLU report on the school-to-prison pipeline, the U.S. Department of Education’s own numbers show that 1.7 million students are in schools with police but no counselors, 3 million students are in schools with police but no nurses, 6 million students are in schools with police but no school psychologists, 10 million students are in schools with police but no social workers and a whopping 14 million students are in schools with police but no counselor, nurse, psychologist, or social worker.
Not surprisingly, DC, the seat of empire, is but a microcosm of this over-policed, and unaccountable nation. For instance, Bowser loves to tout the fact that MPD officers wear body cams, but what good is a bodycam if you can’t see the footage? In 2018, MPD claimed that bodycam footage critical to a civil rights lawsuit had been erased. That same year, three black men were murdered by police over a 5-week span and Bowser has still not identified those officers or even told the public whether they are on duty or not. And last year, a member of a DC Advisory Neighborhood Commission requested bodycam footage from a stop and frisk incident only to be slapped with a $5,000 invoice. Transparency is quite the racket.
Fast forward to today and in the midst of calls to defund the police, DC’s newly proposed budget seeks a 3.3 percent increase in the MPD budget, totaling $578 million plus $5 million for a new DC jail. At the same time, funding for the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement, a product of the hard-won NEAR Act which invests in community-led violence prevention efforts rather than police and incarceration, is slated to be cut by 11.4 percent.
In the face of these facts, painting letters on the street feels like a paltry response, at best. Still, this paltry performance is catching on. Residents of Flint, Michigan now have their own street emblazoned with “Black Lives Matter.” I’m sure this soothes the fact that they still don’t have clean drinking water, and that the people responsible for the death, pain and suffering of the predominantly black community members haven’t been brought to justice.
Erik Martínez Resly, a DC artist and organizer calls stunts like these “artwashing” and says that “here, art is being instrumentalized by the city to distract us from…actions that directly harm Black communities and protest.” He notes that while these three words are beautiful and powerful, and should indeed be plastered everywhere, “all of us have a responsibility to hold Mayor Bowser, and all elected officials, accountable to these three sacred words.”
Incidentally, those three words have gotten a lot of play in some of the most unlikely places. Here in DC, Black Lives Matter posters and signs are everywhere – from the AFL-CIO and AFSCME buildings, homes to police unions, to chain stores like Starbucks. Hell, Starbucks even has its own t-shirt design “in support of the movement” after getting lambasted for not allowing baristas to wear their own. The likes of Netflix, Amazon, Air bnb and more have jumped on the bandwagon – proudly displaying those three words as if they alone could erase corporate malfeasance and the systemic racism which all big corporations feed off of in order to turn a profit.
Still, Resly is right in saying that those words should be everywhere – and the legitimate movements and actions that they do represent are already manifesting changes that just a few months ago seemed to be deadlocked and/or unthinkable. For example, a combination of city officials and handy protestors are removing a slew of confederate and colonial statues across the country. New York State repealed 50-A, legislation that shielded police misconduct records from the public. NYC Mayor de Blasio has said that he is “committed to cutting funding to the New York Police Department.” Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced cuts to the LAPD budget following waves of protests that included actions outside his residence. Minneapolis City Council Members have begun a process that would allow for the abolition of the police department.
These are victories we should acknowledge and take pride in. At the same time, we must ready ourselves for the work still to come. If these shallow displays of solidarity, these vapid theatrics are evidence of anything, it is that the ruling class really wants us to step off the gas. They are so desperately hoping that their paltry offerings will appease us into thinking we’ve won. With the status quo still firmly in place, they want us to feel that real change has occurred – that the abuse wasn’t so bad, won’t be that bad again, honest, the system loves you! As Executive Director of Black Agenda Report, Glen Ford notes in a recent article, “…this is no time for a lull or a truce. Rather, it is time to sharpen our political instruments and deepen the mass movement’s social penetration.”
We will not be appeased by graffiti, games of dress-up or more band-aid “flesh” colors. We will not applaud LA Unified School Police as they plan to return grenade launchers – yes, grenade launchers. Yes, school police. Rather, we will demand that there be no cops in schools anywhere and that the militarization of the police must end. We will draw connections between those two entities and in this fight to defund police carve a pathway to defunding the largest imperial military the world has ever seen. We will have the difficult discussions, ask the uncomfortable questions, and recognize steps such as demilitarization and defunding not as ultimate goals but as stepping stones towards the abolition of all oppressive institutions. We will continue to grasp and foresee the malleability of our capitalist state, the various disguises it will don in order to manipulate and deceive and above all, avoid change. We will make these promises to ourselves and our communities, follow black grassroots leadership and not mistake inane acts for real change. As a community organizer, Maurice Cook put it, “There is so much work to do, and Black Lives Matter too much to be used like this.” Here’s to the powerful work behind those three words.
Feature photo | A giant “BLACK LIVES MATTER” sign is painted in orange on Fulton Street, June 15, 2020, in Brooklyn, New York. John Minchillo | AP
Eleanor Goldfield is a creative activist, journalist, and poet. She is the founder and host of the show, “Act Out!,” which airs on Free Speech TV on Dish Network, DirecTV, ROKU, Amazon Fire and others. Her articles and her show cover people and topics which corporate media either censor or misrepresent. Her spoken word performances blend visual projections and politically charged poetry. Her latest book, “Paradigm Lost,” blends radical verse with art from 15 dissident artists. She also was the co-founder and singer of Rooftop Revolutionaries, a political rock band born from the fight against capitalism and all the evils that stem from it. Besides speaking and performing, she assists in local action organizing and activist training. She is currently based in Washington, D.C. Her website is ken.


mintpressnews--2020-06-19--Amazon Unveils Augmented Reality to Enforce Social Distancing in New Norm for Corporate America

Should you be one of the dozens of people working minimum ten-hour shifts at Amazon ’ s fulfillment center in Kent , Washington these days , you might very well be at the vanguard of the “ new normal ” for American blue collar workplaces .
The 1 million-square-foot facility located about 20 miles south of Seattle is the site of a new wearable technology device to enforce prescribed COVID-19 social distancing rules .
As described , the device itself doesn ’ t exactly seem to be state-of-the-art .
A “ clear plastic sleeve ” with an LED light and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personnel if they are too close for coronavirus comfort .
The idea is to startle workers who may inadvertently ( or purposely ) violate social distancing rules with flashing lights and digital alarm bells to elicit a Pavlovian response from them .
The rationale , of course , is to prevent the spread of COVID-19 .
But , there is more just day-to-day workplace safety involved in this Orwellian application of technology straight out of Fritz Lang ’ s Metropolis .
In the case that an employee is found to have contracted the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this very facility - , the rudimentary tech device will also collect data of the person ’ s exact whereabouts throughout the work day and provide management with specific information about who the infected worker came into close contact with , determining who must undergo contact tracing protocols .
Privacy issues or workplace rights are now totally bypassed in the age of COVID-19 .
Testing and the ostensible development of the device came as a result of pressure from multiple State governments this past May when 13 Attorney Generals called on Amazon and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protection policies .
The pressure brought on the online retail giant by attorney generals from Massachusetts to New Mexico cites lapses in Amazon ’ s “ policies and processes that relate to notifying people of coronavirus developments at its stores , ” noting that “ Many of our States ’ consumer protection laws require businesses to provide truthful information and disclose material information to consumers ” in a letter sent to Whole Foods ’ CEO , John Mackey .
However , Amazon ’ s quick implementation of a solution to the state ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he has in relation to such technologies , as opposed to the more structural problems at his facilities many have been complaining about for much longer .
Tim Bray , a former vice president at the company , resigned in May over Amazon ’ s decision to fire several employees who dared to publicly criticize its record on climate change and workplace conditions .
Maren Costa ’ s 15-year career at Amazon was let go in April after speaking out about the company ’ s ecological footprint .
Her colleague , Emily Cunningham @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a third employee had founded “ Amazon Employees for Climate Justice ” and were planning a virtual rally that same month .
Costa acknowledged that Amazon had previously warned her about her activism , but stated that she had “ no regrets ” over standing up for her beliefs .
Amazon has so far ignored calls by advocacy groups to re-instate her and her former colleagues .
Innovations to further control workers through devices like the one now being tested in Kent , however , have gained plenty of traction in upper management @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing are being rolled out in different facilities .
An alternate open source software program that uses augmented reality called “ Distance Assistant ” is being introduced across multiple facilities .
The solution leverages earlier applications , which used machine learning and artificial intelligence to “ help site leaders identify high traffic areas ” .
The Distance Assistant uses a stand-alone monitor that displays on-screen indicators to “ remind and encourage associates to maintain appropriate distance from others.
” Amazon foresees these kinds of technologies proliferating in the near future as workplaces like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new normal ” where human beings surrender their own cognitive functions over to the machine and rely on an algorithm to put one foot in front of the other .
Amazon has begun deploying “ hundreds of these units ” over the following weeks and , at least one still-employed vice president and engineer , looks forward to other companies following suit and building their own version of the “ Distance Assistant ” .
This , together with the device being tested at the Kent facility augurs an ever-more intrusive workplace environment as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take advantage of the social panic caused by the pandemic to retrofit their business concerns with the most draconian surveillance and tracking technologies they can think of .
Feature photo | A screenshot from video released by Amazon demonstrating its new augmented reality-based technology for use in its warehouses .

Should you be one of the dozens of people working minimum ten-hour shifts at Amazon’s fulfillment center in Kent, Washington these days, you might very well be at the vanguard of the “new normal” for American blue collar workplaces.
The 1 million-square-foot facility located about 20 miles south of Seattle is the site of a new wearable technology device to enforce prescribed COVID-19 social distancing rules. As described, the device itself doesn’t exactly seem to be state-of-the-art. A “clear plastic sleeve” with an LED light and a small audio system will alert warehouse personnel if they are too close for coronavirus comfort.
The idea is to startle workers who may inadvertently (or purposely) violate social distancing rules with flashing lights and digital alarm bells to elicit a Pavlovian response from them. The rationale, of course, is to prevent the spread of COVID-19. But, there is more just day-to-day workplace safety involved in this Orwellian application of technology straight out of Fritz Lang’s Metropolis.
In the case that an employee is found to have contracted the virus – as happened in March at this very facility -, the rudimentary tech device will also collect data of the person’s exact whereabouts throughout the work day and provide management with specific information about who the infected worker came into close contact with, determining who must undergo contact tracing protocols.
Privacy issues or workplace rights are now totally bypassed in the age of COVID-19. Testing and the ostensible development of the device came as a result of pressure from multiple State governments this past May when 13 Attorney Generals called on Amazon and its subsidiary Whole Foods to implement stricter protection policies.
Selective Problem Solving
The pressure brought on the online retail giant by attorney generals from Massachusetts to New Mexico cites lapses in Amazon’s “policies and processes that relate to notifying people of coronavirus developments at its stores,” noting that “Many of our States’ consumer protection laws require businesses to provide truthful information and disclose material information to consumers” in a letter sent to Whole Foods’ CEO, John Mackey.
However, Amazon’s quick implementation of a solution to the state’s requests speaks to the direct interest he has in relation to such technologies, as opposed to the more structural problems at his facilities many have been complaining about for much longer.
Tim Bray, a former vice president at the company, resigned in May over Amazon’s decision to fire several employees who dared to publicly criticize its record on climate change and workplace conditions. Maren Costa’s 15-year career at Amazon was let go in April after speaking out about the company’s ecological footprint. Her colleague, Emily Cunningham, was also fired. They and a third employee had founded “Amazon Employees for Climate Justice” and were planning a virtual rally that same month.
Costa acknowledged that Amazon had previously warned her about her activism, but stated that she had “no regrets” over standing up for her beliefs. Amazon has so far ignored calls by advocacy groups to re-instate her and her former colleagues. Innovations to further control workers through devices like the one now being tested in Kent, however, have gained plenty of traction in upper management circles.
The Not-So-New New Normal
Other techniques to enforce social distancing are being rolled out in different facilities. An alternate open source software program that uses augmented reality called “Distance Assistant” is being introduced across multiple facilities.
The solution leverages earlier applications, which used machine learning and artificial intelligence to “help site leaders identify high traffic areas”. The Distance Assistant uses a stand-alone monitor that displays on-screen indicators to “remind and encourage associates to maintain appropriate distance from others.”
Amazon foresees these kinds of technologies proliferating in the near future as workplaces like theirs continue to shift into a “new normal” where human beings surrender their own cognitive functions over to the machine and rely on an algorithm to put one foot in front of the other. Amazon has begun deploying “hundreds of these units” over the following weeks and, at least one still-employed vice president and engineer, looks forward to other companies following suit and building their own version of the “Distance Assistant”.
This, together with the device being tested at the Kent facility augurs an ever-more intrusive workplace environment as corporations simultaneously increase their monopoly power and take advantage of the social panic caused by the pandemic to retrofit their business concerns with the most draconian surveillance and tracking technologies they can think of.
Feature photo | A screenshot from video released by Amazon demonstrating its new augmented reality-based technology for use in its warehouses.
Raul Diego is a MintPress News Staff Writer, independent photojournalist, researcher, writer and documentary filmmaker.


mintpressnews--2020-06-19--Rubio, Cruz Bill Would Deem Cuba’s Medical Missions “Human Trafficking Operation”

In what has already become a parody of a shrinking empire ’ s habit of clutching at the vestiges of its Cold-War era mistakes , U.S .
Senator Marco Rubio ( R-FL ) and fellow war-hungry reactionaries in the United States Senate , Rick Scott ( R-FL ) and Ted Cruz ( ( R-TX ) have put a bill on the Senate floor meant to undercut Cuba ’ s medical missions program , which sends trained medics all around the developing world to assist in general healthcare services and emergencies in more than 60 countries .
The bill , if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department to publish a list of nations contracting with the Cuban government for their medical services and consider that as a factor to include said nations in the Department ’ s annual Trafficking in Persons ( TIP ) Report ; opening the door for further economic sanctions and other measures against any country on that list .
A class-action lawsuit brought against the D.C.-based Pan American Health Organization ( PAHO ) in 2019 by four defectors out of the 50,000 Cuban doctors who participate in the program alleged that the “ Mais Medicos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from 2013 to 2017 was an “ illegal , forced labor enterprise , ” which profited from the Cuban medical workforce in collusion with the Castro government , whom they accused of pocketing money they claim should have gone to them .
The lawsuit was filed in the Southern District Court Division of Miami , Florida – a bastion of anti-Castro sentiment and a republican stronghold led by generations of Cuban exiles with entrenched Cold War politics .
Ramona Matos Rodriguez , Tatiana Carballo Gomez , Fidel Cruz Rodriguez , and Russela Margarita @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court documents accusing PAHO of human trafficking and seek full compensation for what the organization allegedly paid for their services .
Coinciding with the filing that September , U.S. officials publicly urged “ nations to stop using Cuba ’ s medical missions ” and called the international medical programs a form of “ modern slavery ” following statements made by Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro a year earlier on the eve of assuming office when his invectives caused Cuba to withdraw thousands of doctors from the South American nation , who were serving that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The political spat may have ended up costing thousands of Brazilian lives given the severity of that nation ’ s COVID-19 toll , which reportedly reached 1 million cases and 50,000 deaths yesterday .
The Cuban government has deployed over 1,400 doctors to fight the pandemic and has been one of the brightest hopes for the world ’ s most voiceless nations , while the United States has targeted nations fighting and struggling with COVID-19 with crippling sanctions .
Cuba ’ s free healthcare system is funded largely by these international medical assistance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medical research projects in the Caribbean nation , which have yielded some important breakthroughs over the years and boasts one of the world ’ s lowest infant mortality rates , despite a multi-decade embargo imposed on the nation by the world ’ s most powerful economy .
The “ Cut Profits to the Cuban Regime Act ” proposed by Senators Rubio , Scott , and Cruz represent yet another attempt to sabotage Cuba ’ s historic efforts for self-determination in a political and economic landscape dominated by predatory capitalism .
But , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history of one of the bill ’ s sponsors , former Florida governor Rick Scott , who administered the largest case of Medicare fraud in the history of the United States , siphoning over $ 300 million into his own personal bank account .
Trump ’ s pick to lead the GOP ’ s healthcare reform , pled the fifth no less than 75 times during his deposition in the year 2000 , including to the simple question of whether or not he was “ employed.
” Scott would reach a settlement with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charges against his company Columbia/HCA , that eventually resulted in a $ 1.7 billion-dollar fine over convictions involving investors and physicians who bought equity stakes in the company and defrauded senior citizens who depended on its 380 hospitals , 200 home health agencies and 130 surgery centers .
Scott was able to walk away largely unscathed , later becoming governor of Florida supplanting termed-out GOP governor Jeb Bush and taking his place in the conveyor belt of arch-conservative , reactionary Cold War Republicans of that state .
The accusations levied by Scott against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the absurd bill are the height of hypocrisy , to say the least .
The “ ultimate Medicare thief ” claims that “ Cuba is using the coronavirus pandemic for profit at the expense of [ … ] hardworking physicians ” and deems “ any country that requests medical assistance from Cuba ” to be aiding and abetting human trafficking .
The Canadian of Cuban-descent Ted Cruz , for his part , joins the chorus of duplicity and projection by painting Cuba ’ s genuine efforts to present an alternative to U.S. hegemony @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as “ a tactic used by Raúl Castro and Miguel Díaz-Canel to exert power and fill government coffers.
” The same dynamic employed in the Cuban embargo , which the United States has enforced against Cuba and any nation doing business with it since the early 1960s , is at play with the bill now a vote in the Senate .
As the power and influence of the world ’ s only superpower begins to wane and the imminent reality of capitalism ’ s total failure to provide for basic human needs like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and crass hypocrisy of legislative proposals like these become more and more transparent .
Feature photo | Sen. Ted Cruz , R-Texas , looks out from an elevator on Capitol Hill in Washington , Feb. 5 , 2020 .
Susan Walsh | AP

In what has already become a parody of a shrinking empire’s habit of clutching at the vestiges of its Cold-War era mistakes, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and fellow war-hungry reactionaries in the United States Senate, Rick Scott (R-FL) and Ted Cruz ((R-TX) have put a bill on the Senate floor meant to undercut Cuba’s medical missions program, which sends trained medics all around the developing world to assist in general healthcare services and emergencies in more than 60 countries.
The bill, if passed, will require the U.S. State Department to publish a list of nations contracting with the Cuban government for their medical services and consider that as a factor to include said nations in the Department’s annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report; opening the door for further economic sanctions and other measures against any country on that list.
A class-action lawsuit brought against the D.C.-based Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in 2019 by four defectors out of the 50,000 Cuban doctors who participate in the program alleged that the “Mais Medicos” program run by the Brazilian government from 2013 to 2017 was an “illegal, forced labor enterprise,” which profited from the Cuban medical workforce in collusion with the Castro government, whom they accused of pocketing money they claim should have gone to them.
The lawsuit was filed in the Southern District Court Division of Miami, Florida – a bastion of anti-Castro sentiment and a republican stronghold led by generations of Cuban exiles with entrenched Cold War politics. Ramona Matos Rodriguez, Tatiana Carballo Gomez, Fidel Cruz Rodriguez, and Russela Margarita Rivero Sarabia are the plaintiffs named in court documents accusing PAHO of human trafficking and seek full compensation for what the organization allegedly paid for their services.
Coinciding with the filing that September, U.S. officials publicly urged “nations to stop using Cuba’s medical missions” and called the international medical programs a form of “modern slavery” following statements made by Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro a year earlier on the eve of assuming office when his invectives caused Cuba to withdraw thousands of doctors from the South American nation, who were serving that country’s most marginalized communities.
The political spat may have ended up costing thousands of Brazilian lives given the severity of that nation’s COVID-19 toll, which reportedly reached 1 million cases and 50,000 deaths yesterday. The Cuban government has deployed over 1,400 doctors to fight the pandemic and has been one of the brightest hopes for the world’s most voiceless nations, while the United States has targeted nations fighting and struggling with COVID-19 with crippling sanctions.
The Height of Hypocrisy
Cuba’s free healthcare system is funded largely by these international medical assistance programs and provides critical financial support for medical research projects in the Caribbean nation, which have yielded some important breakthroughs over the years and boasts one of the world’s lowest infant mortality rates, despite a multi-decade embargo imposed on the nation by the world’s most powerful economy.
The “Cut Profits to the Cuban Regime Act” proposed by Senators Rubio, Scott, and Cruz represent yet another attempt to sabotage Cuba’s historic efforts for self-determination in a political and economic landscape dominated by predatory capitalism. But, it is especially egregious when we consider the history of one of the bill’s sponsors, former Florida governor Rick Scott, who administered the largest case of Medicare fraud in the history of the United States, siphoning over $300 million into his own personal bank account.
Trump’s pick to lead the GOP’s healthcare reform, pled the fifth no less than 75 times during his deposition in the year 2000, including to the simple question of whether or not he was “employed.” Scott would reach a settlement with the federal government before it pursued criminal charges against his company Columbia/HCA, that eventually resulted in a $1.7 billion-dollar fine over convictions involving investors and physicians who bought equity stakes in the company and defrauded senior citizens who depended on its 380 hospitals, 200 home health agencies and 130 surgery centers.
Scott was able to walk away largely unscathed, later becoming governor of Florida supplanting termed-out GOP governor Jeb Bush and taking his place in the conveyor belt of arch-conservative, reactionary Cold War Republicans of that state.
The End of Duplicity
The accusations levied by Scott against the Diaz-Canel government in order to justify the absurd bill are the height of hypocrisy, to say the least. The “ultimate Medicare thief” claims that “Cuba is using the coronavirus pandemic for profit at the expense of […] hardworking physicians” and deems “any country that requests medical assistance from Cuba” to be aiding and abetting human trafficking.
The Canadian of Cuban-descent Ted Cruz, for his part, joins the chorus of duplicity and projection by painting Cuba’s genuine efforts to present an alternative to U.S. hegemony for the world’s poorest nations as “a tactic used by Raúl Castro and Miguel Díaz-Canel to exert power and fill government coffers.”
The same dynamic employed in the Cuban embargo, which the United States has enforced against Cuba and any nation doing business with it since the early 1960s, is at play with the bill now a vote in the Senate. As the power and influence of the world’s only superpower begins to wane and the imminent reality of capitalism’s total failure to provide for basic human needs like universal healthcare, the sheer political opportunism and crass hypocrisy of legislative proposals like these become more and more transparent.
Feature photo | Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, looks out from an elevator on Capitol Hill in Washington, Feb. 5, 2020. Susan Walsh | AP
Raul Diego is a MintPress News Staff Writer, independent photojournalist, researcher, writer and documentary filmmaker.


mintpressnews--2020-06-19--Podcast: How the Democratic Party Unleashed Decades of Racial Injustice and Police Brutality on Comm

Podcast: How the Democratic Party Unleashed Decades of Racial Injustice and Police Brutality on Communities of Color

Welcome to MintCast , the official MintPress News podcast hosted by Mnar Muhawesh .
MintCast is an interview podcast featuring dissenting voices , independent researchers and journalists the establishment would rather silence .
In this episode , we are joined by Margaret Kimberly and Monique Cullars Doty .
Kimberly is a New York-based writer and activist for peace and justice .
You can find her work at the Black Agenda Report where she is a senior columnist .
Her book , “ Prejudential : Black America and the Presidents , ” was published in February .
Cullars Doty is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twin Cities Metro and greater Minnesota region and the Twin Cities Coalition for Jamar Clark .
While some are calling it a “ revolution ” and others an “ American intifada , ” one thing is clear , that millions of people have taken to the streets to demand justice for George Floyd and an end to police brutality .
This after a viral video showed Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd ’ s neck , slowly suffocating the life out him while he begged for his mother .
Floyd struggled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ His dying words “ I can ’ t breathe ” were heard around the globe , igniting a mass uprising and calls to defund the police , place law enforcement under community control , and even to dismantle law enforcement institutions altogether .
The state , under the Trump administration , has met their calls with brutality , beating and shooting protesters and journalists with rubber bullets , tear gas , and so-called less than lethal weapons .
The National Guard has been deployed in over 30 states as the government struggles to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s anger .
Philando Castile , Eric Garner , Walter Scott , Breonna Taylor .
The list of victims of racist police violence goes on and on .
Police , on average , kill over 1,000 Americans every year , vastly more than the rest of the developed world combined , yet officers are largely protected from any consequences .
Margaret Kimberly and Monique Cullars Doty join MintCast to unpack the decades of racial injustice and police brutality unleashed on communities of color by the Democratic Party , how Democrats attempt to save @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the party ’ s roots in White supremacy .
Addressed in this discussion is also billionaire money going into the non-profit industrial complex under the guise of social justice philanthropy and how this is affecting Black Lives Matter on the national front .
The guests also go over community policing solutions and local solutions to support disenfranchised communities .
This program is 100 percent listener supported !
You can join the hundreds of financial sponsors who make this show possible by becoming a member on our Patreon page .
Subscribe to this podcast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Please leave us a review and share this segment .
Mnar Muhawesh is founder , CEO and editor in chief of MintPress News , and is also a regular speaker on responsible journalism , sexism , neoconservativism within the media and journalism start-ups .

Welcome to MintCast, the official MintPress News podcast hosted by Mnar Muhawesh. MintCast is an interview podcast featuring dissenting voices, independent researchers and journalists the establishment would rather silence.
In this episode, we are joined by Margaret Kimberly and Monique Cullars Doty.
Kimberly is a New York-based writer and activist for peace and justice. You can find her work at the Black Agenda Report where she is a senior columnist. Her book, “Prejudential: Black America and the Presidents,” was published in February.
Cullars Doty is a local organizer for the Black Lives Matter Twin Cities Metro and greater Minnesota region and the Twin Cities Coalition for Jamar Clark.
While some are calling it a “revolution” and others an “American intifada,” one thing is clear, that millions of people have taken to the streets to demand justice for George Floyd and an end to police brutality. This after a viral video showed Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck, slowly suffocating the life out him while he begged for his mother. Floyd struggled for air for over eight minutes. His dying words “I can’t breathe” were heard around the globe, igniting a mass uprising and calls to defund the police, place law enforcement under community control, and even to dismantle law enforcement institutions altogether.
The state, under the Trump administration, has met their calls with brutality, beating and shooting protesters and journalists with rubber bullets, tear gas, and so-called less than lethal weapons. The National Guard has been deployed in over 30 states as the government struggles to keep a lid on the public’s anger.
Philando Castile, Eric Garner, Walter Scott, Breonna Taylor. The list of victims of racist police violence goes on and on. Police, on average, kill over 1,000 Americans every year, vastly more than the rest of the developed world combined, yet officers are largely protected from any consequences.
Margaret Kimberly and Monique Cullars Doty join MintCast to unpack the decades of racial injustice and police brutality unleashed on communities of color by the Democratic Party, how Democrats attempt to save face by co-opting justice movements, and the party’s roots in White supremacy.
Addressed in this discussion is also billionaire money going into the non-profit industrial complex under the guise of social justice philanthropy and how this is affecting Black Lives Matter on the national front. The guests also go over community policing solutions and local solutions to support disenfranchised communities.
This program is 100 percent listener supported! You can join the hundreds of financial sponsors who make this show possible by becoming a member on our Patreon page.
Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Spotify and SoundCloud. Please leave us a review and share this segment.
Mnar Muhawesh is founder, CEO and editor in chief of MintPress News, and is also a regular speaker on responsible journalism, sexism, neoconservativism within the media and journalism start-ups.


mintpressnews--2020-06-19--Polls: Four Weeks of Protest Have Radically Altered American Views on Police

Just four weeks of protest have radically altered Americans ’ views on the police and what their role in society should be .
Once almost exclusively the domain of activist groups , moves to comprehensively change , defund or even abolish the police are rapidly gaining momentum with the public .
A new study published this week by Data for Progress shows that voters overwhelmingly ( 58 percent to 24 percent ) support the creation of a new agency of first responders to deal with problems in the community – an agency that would explicitly undermine the police ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see the service , whose agents would resemble social workers more than police officers , take over a great number of situations police currently deal with , including mental health crises , drug addiction problems ( including overdoses ) , and issues regarding homelessness .
Significant numbers of people want to see the new agency tackle issues like spousal abuse and all non-violent crimes as well .
“ For elected officials looking to strengthen their communities and take action in the face of mass protest on police brutality , creating a non police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ option that deserves their attention , ” the report concludes .
Protests erupted in all 50 states and around the world following the release of video showing Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on the neck of Geroge Floyd , an unarmed black man , suffocating him to death .
Authorities around the country responded with force to control and quash the protests , with over 30 states mobilizing the National Guard .
New York City declared a curfew while President Trump encouraged his forces to shoot whomever they deemed to be “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When the looting starts , the shooting starts , ” he tweeted .
Opinion polls have shown that nearly three-quarters of Americans are sympathetic to the protestors , while large majorities oppose Trump ’ s actions .
60 percent of the public , including two-thirds of independent voters , disapprove of the president ’ s handling of the situation , with the number who strongly disapprove outnumbering those who strongly approve three-to-one .
Today , the president appeared to up the ante , implying that “ any protesters ” that show up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be treated far worse than they have been in Minneapolis , Seattle , or New York .
“ It will be a much different scene , ” he said .
However , the tide seems to be turning against the man who styles himself the “ law and order president.
” Voters support sweeping changes made to police ; 83 percent want a ban on racial profiling , 92 percent want police to be required to wear body cameras .
White Americans ’ concern over police violence has increased by 50 percent since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ themselves are treated too leniently as did last year .
Perhaps more remarkably , 39 percent of the country ( 128 million people ) are ready to dismantle the police entirely .
Images and accounts of police escalating the violence and responding brutally to protesters seem to have turned the public sour on the institution .
Hundreds of journalists have been attacked , with several arrested or assaulted live on air .
One case in point is freelancer Linda Tirado , who was shot in the face by police in Minneapolis , permanently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tirado was well away from the action , and the last images she captured show police pointing their weapons at her .
Medical workers have also been singled out and beaten up .
After just a week of protests , the total arrests exceeded that of nearly 18 months of continuous demonstrations in Hong Kong , and with far more fatalities , too .
Among the most prominent victims have been police reform advocates and advisors themselves .
In San Jose , police shot their own racial bias trainer in the groin , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was alone , speaking to them calmly .
In Chicago , cops beat up the president of their police board , even though he wasn ’ t protesting , just walking in the street .
In Denver , police shot and gassed an attorney on their use of force committee .
And in Ohio , they pepper sprayed a congresswoman trying to prevent more bloodshed .
In 2017 too , police beat up an undercover cop at a demonstration against police immunity for killing black men .
In all these cases , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential election upcoming in November , the response of the Trump administration to the George Floyd protests will have a significant impact on the future direction of the country .
However , the Democratic Party has been reticent to offer any concrete policy changes , with Joe Biden strongly leaning towards former prosecutor Kamala Harris as a running mate , offering a “ tough on crime ” ticket to voters at an inopportune time .
Thus , it is far from certain that the public ’ s wishes will be fulfilled by either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stephen D. Chang listens during a Black Lives Matter protest , June 17 , 2020 , at the Hall of Justice in Los Angeles .
Protesters are asking for the removal of Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey .
Mark J. Terrill | AP Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News .
After completing his PhD in 2017 he published two books : Bad News From Venezuela : Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age : Still Manufacturing Consent .
He has also contributed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Guardian , Salon , The Grayzone , Jacobin Magazine , Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary .

Just four weeks of protest have radically altered Americans’ views on the police and what their role in society should be. Once almost exclusively the domain of activist groups, moves to comprehensively change, defund or even abolish the police are rapidly gaining momentum with the public.
A new study published this week by Data for Progress shows that voters overwhelmingly (58 percent to 24 percent) support the creation of a new agency of first responders to deal with problems in the community – an agency that would explicitly undermine the police’s purview. The public would like to see the service, whose agents would resemble social workers more than police officers, take over a great number of situations police currently deal with, including mental health crises, drug addiction problems (including overdoses), and issues regarding homelessness. Significant numbers of people want to see the new agency tackle issues like spousal abuse and all non-violent crimes as well. “For elected officials looking to strengthen their communities and take action in the face of mass protest on police brutality, creating a non police first-responder agency proves to be a popular option that deserves their attention,” the report concludes.
Protests erupted in all 50 states and around the world following the release of video showing Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on the neck of Geroge Floyd, an unarmed black man, suffocating him to death. Authorities around the country responded with force to control and quash the protests, with over 30 states mobilizing the National Guard. New York City declared a curfew while President Trump encouraged his forces to shoot whomever they deemed to be “thugs” and “looters.” “When the looting starts, the shooting starts,” he tweeted. Opinion polls have shown that nearly three-quarters of Americans are sympathetic to the protestors, while large majorities oppose Trump’s actions. 60 percent of the public, including two-thirds of independent voters, disapprove of the president’s handling of the situation, with the number who strongly disapprove outnumbering those who strongly approve three-to-one.
Today, the president appeared to up the ante, implying that “any protesters” that show up to his rally in Tulsa tomorrow evening will be treated far worse than they have been in Minneapolis, Seattle, or New York. “It will be a much different scene,” he said.
However, the tide seems to be turning against the man who styles himself the “law and order president.” Voters support sweeping changes made to police; 83 percent want a ban on racial profiling, 92 percent want police to be required to wear body cameras. White Americans’ concern over police violence has increased by 50 percent since 2019. Twice as many say police themselves are treated too leniently as did last year. Perhaps more remarkably, 39 percent of the country (128 million people) are ready to dismantle the police entirely.
Images and accounts of police escalating the violence and responding brutally to protesters seem to have turned the public sour on the institution. Hundreds of journalists have been attacked, with several arrested or assaulted live on air. One case in point is freelancer Linda Tirado, who was shot in the face by police in Minneapolis, permanently losing the sight in one eye. Tirado was well away from the action, and the last images she captured show police pointing their weapons at her. Medical workers have also been singled out and beaten up. After just a week of protests, the total arrests exceeded that of nearly 18 months of continuous demonstrations in Hong Kong, and with far more fatalities, too.
Among the most prominent victims have been police reform advocates and advisors themselves. In San Jose, police shot their own racial bias trainer in the groin, rupturing his testicles, even as he was alone, speaking to them calmly. In Chicago, cops beat up the president of their police board, even though he wasn’t protesting, just walking in the street. In Denver, police shot and gassed an attorney on their use of force committee. And in Ohio, they pepper sprayed a congresswoman trying to prevent more bloodshed. In 2017 too, police beat up an undercover cop at a demonstration against police immunity for killing black men. In all these cases, the victims were African Americans.
With a presidential election upcoming in November, the response of the Trump administration to the George Floyd protests will have a significant impact on the future direction of the country. However, the Democratic Party has been reticent to offer any concrete policy changes, with Joe Biden strongly leaning towards former prosecutor Kamala Harris as a running mate, offering a “tough on crime” ticket to voters at an inopportune time. Thus, it is far from certain that the public’s wishes will be fulfilled by either party come November.
Feature photo | Stephen D. Chang listens during a Black Lives Matter protest, June 17, 2020, at the Hall of Justice in Los Angeles. Protesters are asking for the removal of Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey. Mark J. Terrill | AP
Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News. After completing his PhD in 2017 he published two books: Bad News From Venezuela: Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age: Still Manufacturing Consent. He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, The Guardian, Salon, The Grayzone, Jacobin Magazine, Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary.


mintpressnews--2020-06-19--Yemen: Saudi Airstrike Kills Four Children as UN Removes Kingdom From List of Child Killers

SADAA , YEMEN — It was not the first time that the mother of Faisel Ahmed al-Jaser heard the small radio perched in the corner of her kitchen report that Saudi aircraft were once again dropping bombs in the area .
This time , though , was different .
She sensed something was amiss when she heard the aircraft buzzing overhead and would later come to find that one of the bombs had struck 14-year old Faisel , killing him instantly .
The death of Faisel came as the United Nations announced a new decision this week to remove the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blacklist of parties that violate the human rights of children .
This , despite the fact UN investigators have themselves reported that the Saudi forces have killed hundreds of children in Yemen in the past year alone .
In fact , even as Virginia Gamba , the United Nations Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict , was busy telling reporters at a news conference that her boss had made the decision to remove Saudi Arabia from the blacklist , the bodies of children were burning inside of a car that was targeted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ northwestern province of Sadaa .
MintPress normally refrains from publishing graphic footage , but this latest decision by the United Nations puts the reality of what is happening on the ground in Yemen in the public interest .
The aftermath of the Saudi attack on a family car filled with children is not easy to watch but it lays bare the nature of the total war that the Saudi coalition is waging on Yemeni civilians .
MintPress cameraman Abdullah al- Humran captured the following images from the aftermath of the attack .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Kingdom from the blacklist , shame on the UN , ” Abdullah Jaber Ali al-Bojani told MintPress .
Al-Bojani was among the family members gathered to recover the body parts of 12-year-old Abdullah , who was killed on Monday when a Saudi airstrike hit the car he was traveling in on a highway in the Sheda district in Saada province .
In addition to Faisel and Abdullah , at least 14 people , among them four children and a woman , were killed and others were injured in the attack .
Two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their lives on Monday when Saudi warplanes pounded the Kataf district in the same province just one after a similar attack last Wednesday that killed three civilians and injured another .
The recent United Nations decision has not only completely shaken up Yemen ’ s broken-heart families who lost children to coalition attacks , but it has also sparked concern that the United Nations is taking steps that will leave their-loved ones vulnerable to further Saudi attacks .
Yemeni activists and human rights groups accuse Antonio Guterres , the Secretary-General of the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the move shows a blatant disregard for Saudi crimes that have documented by the UN itself .
They say that the decision places a moral responsibility on Guterres and the United Nations for future Saudi crimes against children .
Yemen ’ s National Committee for Women views the UN decision as an attempt to provide official cover for all Saudi human rights violations and crimes against children and women in Yemen .
The group pointed out that removing Saudi Arabia from the blacklist does not negate the crimes it has committed in Yemen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Houthis ) sharply censured the United Nations over the decision .
Mohammed AbdulSalam , the spokesman and chief negotiator for Ansar Allah , condemned the UN decision and said that it can not erase Saudi crimes from the record .
He also stated that the move affirms that the UN is colluding with Saudi Arabia is no longer capable of acting as a broker for any political solution in Yemen or anywhere else .
Hisham Sharaf , Ansar Allah ’ s Foreign Minister in Sana ’ a , warned that removing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encourage the Saudi regime and its air force to continue their crimes against Yemen ’ s children .
He described the decision as a setback for UN efforts to protect and promote children ’ s rights all over the world .
In retaliation for the latest Saudi attacks , the Yemeni army loyal to Houthis launched a massive operation on Thursday against coalition aircraft , armories , and other sensitive targets at the Saudi military base in Khamis Masheit .
International human rights groups have also spoken out against the UN decision .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence of grave human rights violations .
“ The secretary-general is adding a new level of shame to his ‘ list of shame ’ by removing the Saudi-led coalition and ignoring the UN ’ s own evidence of continued grave violations against children , ” said Jo Becker , children ’ s rights advocacy director for Human Rights Watch .
Adrianne Lapar , director of Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict , said that the delisting “ sends the message that powerful actors can get away with killing children , ” and called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transparent assessment of the process leading to the decision.
” The coalition has been on the blacklist for three years .
It was added in 2016 but subsequently removed following protests from the Saudi government .
Former Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon accused the kingdom of exerting unacceptable pressure on the UN with allied countries , allegedly threatening to cut vital funding for aid programs .
Guterres returned the Saudi-led coalition to the list in 2017 in the wake of Saudi attacks on Yemeni schools and hospitals but placed it in a newly created category @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coalition from a list of parties that attack schools and hospitals , despite 19 UN-documented attacks on schools in the previous year .
In his annual report on children and armed conflict , released on June 15 , 2020 , Guterres reported that the Saudi-led coalition was responsible for 222 child casualties and four attacks on schools and hospitals in Yemen in 2019 , but he removed the Kingdom from a list of parties responsible for grave human rights violations against children .
Guterres ’ s removal of Saudi Arabia from the list @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Call to Action on Human Rights ” announced earlier this year , Human Rights Watch said .
In that appeal , he said , “ International humanitarian law and human rights law must be respected.
” Yet his decision to delist or omit the Saudi Kingdom for grave violations of the rights of children raises questions about that commitment .
Feature photo | Yemeni mourners carry the coffin of a boy who was killed by a Saudi airstrike , during a funeral in Saada , Yemen , Aug. 13 , 2018 .
Hani @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yemeni journalist .
He covers the war in Yemen for MintPress News as well as local Yemeni media .

SADAA, YEMEN — It was not the first time that the mother of Faisel Ahmed al-Jaser heard the small radio perched in the corner of her kitchen report that Saudi aircraft were once again dropping bombs in the area. This time, though, was different. She sensed something was amiss when she heard the aircraft buzzing overhead and would later come to find that one of the bombs had struck 14-year old Faisel, killing him instantly. The death of Faisel came as the United Nations announced a new decision this week to remove the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen from a blacklist of parties that violate the human rights of children. This, despite the fact UN investigators have themselves reported that the Saudi forces have killed hundreds of children in Yemen in the past year alone.
In fact, even as Virginia Gamba, the United Nations Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, was busy telling reporters at a news conference that her boss had made the decision to remove Saudi Arabia from the blacklist, the bodies of children were burning inside of a car that was targeted by Saudi warplanes in Yemen’s northwestern province of Sadaa.
MintPress normally refrains from publishing graphic footage, but this latest decision by the United Nations puts the reality of what is happening on the ground in Yemen in the public interest. The aftermath of the Saudi attack on a family car filled with children is not easy to watch but it lays bare the nature of the total war that the Saudi coalition is waging on Yemeni civilians. MintPress cameraman Abdullah al- Humran captured the following images from the aftermath of the attack.
Warning | Graphic Content
“Unbelievable, dirty Saudi Riyals have dropped the Kingdom from the blacklist, shame on the UN,” Abdullah Jaber Ali al-Bojani told MintPress. Al-Bojani was among the family members gathered to recover the body parts of 12-year-old Abdullah, who was killed on Monday when a Saudi airstrike hit the car he was traveling in on a highway in the Sheda district in Saada province. In addition to Faisel and Abdullah, at least 14 people, among them four children and a woman, were killed and others were injured in the attack.
Two mine-clearance personnel and a medic also lost their lives on Monday when Saudi warplanes pounded the Kataf district in the same province just one after a similar attack last Wednesday that killed three civilians and injured another.
The recent United Nations decision has not only completely shaken up Yemen’s broken-heart families who lost children to coalition attacks, but it has also sparked concern that the United Nations is taking steps that will leave their-loved ones vulnerable to further Saudi attacks.
Yemeni activists and human rights groups accuse Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, of bias, saying that the move shows a blatant disregard for Saudi crimes that have documented by the UN itself. They say that the decision places a moral responsibility on Guterres and the United Nations for future Saudi crimes against children.
Yemen’s National Committee for Women views the UN decision as an attempt to provide official cover for all Saudi human rights violations and crimes against children and women in Yemen. The group pointed out that removing Saudi Arabia from the blacklist does not negate the crimes it has committed in Yemen.
For their part, Ansar Allah (Houthis) sharply censured the United Nations over the decision. Mohammed AbdulSalam, the spokesman and chief negotiator for Ansar Allah, condemned the UN decision and said that it cannot erase Saudi crimes from the record. He also stated that the move affirms that the UN is colluding with Saudi Arabia is no longer capable of acting as a broker for any political solution in Yemen or anywhere else.
Hisham Sharaf, Ansar Allah’s Foreign Minister in Sana’a, warned that removing the Saudi-led coalition from the list will only encourage the Saudi regime and its air force to continue their crimes against Yemen’s children. He described the decision as a setback for UN efforts to protect and promote children’s rights all over the world.
In retaliation for the latest Saudi attacks, the Yemeni army loyal to Houthis launched a massive operation on Thursday against coalition aircraft, armories, and other sensitive targets at the Saudi military base in Khamis Masheit.
Guterres’s “list of shame”
International human rights groups have also spoken out against the UN decision. Human Rights Watch accused Guterres of ignoring evidence of grave human rights violations.
“The secretary-general is adding a new level of shame to his ‘list of shame’ by removing the Saudi-led coalition and ignoring the UN’s own evidence of continued grave violations against children,” said Jo Becker, children’s rights advocacy director for Human Rights Watch.
Adrianne Lapar, director of Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict, said that the delisting “sends the message that powerful actors can get away with killing children,” and called for “an independent, objective, transparent assessment of the process leading to the decision.”
The coalition has been on the blacklist for three years. It was added in 2016 but subsequently removed following protests from the Saudi government. Former Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon accused the kingdom of exerting unacceptable pressure on the UN with allied countries, allegedly threatening to cut vital funding for aid programs.
Guterres returned the Saudi-led coalition to the list in 2017 in the wake of Saudi attacks on Yemeni schools and hospitals but placed it in a newly created category. In 2018, Guterres removed the coalition from a list of parties that attack schools and hospitals, despite 19 UN-documented attacks on schools in the previous year.
In his annual report on children and armed conflict, released on June 15, 2020, Guterres reported that the Saudi-led coalition was responsible for 222 child casualties and four attacks on schools and hospitals in Yemen in 2019, but he removed the Kingdom from a list of parties responsible for grave human rights violations against children.
Guterres’s removal of Saudi Arabia from the list is also at odds with his “Call to Action on Human Rights” announced earlier this year, Human Rights Watch said. In that appeal, he said, “International humanitarian law and human rights law must be respected.” Yet his decision to delist or omit the Saudi Kingdom for grave violations of the rights of children raises questions about that commitment.
Feature photo | Yemeni mourners carry the coffin of a boy who was killed by a Saudi airstrike, during a funeral in Saada, Yemen, Aug. 13, 2018. Hani Mohammed | AP
Ahmed AbdulKareem is a Yemeni journalist. He covers the war in Yemen for MintPress News as well as local Yemeni media.


mintpressnews--2020-06-19--Speight of Black Men Found Hanged Sparks Fears of Wave of Racist Terror

Amid nationwide demonstrations that have brought racist violence to public attention , at least four black people have been found hanged in suspicious circumstances , sparking fears that the incidents mark a wave of lynchings , not seen for decades .
The cases are also bringing renewed attention to other recent hanging deaths involving people of color , including the 2019 death of a black transgender woman , Titi Gulley , and the June 15 death of a Hispanic man in Houston .
Foul play is not suspected in the case of the Hispanic man , but police have reopened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the family ’ s request .
The body of 27-year-old black man Dominique Alexander was found hanging from a tree in Manhattan .
And in Houston , a black teenager was found hanged on Tuesday .
Police ruled both deaths to be suicides .
Perhaps more troubling , however , are the cases of two black Californians found hanged .
On the morning of May 31 , after responding to a 911 call , firefighters found Malcolm Harsch ’ s body hanging from a tree .
Police appear confident there was no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There was nothing else found at the scene other than the rope , which was used to hang the victim , and the contents of his pocket , as well as a backpack he was wearing , ” said Capt .
Kent Wegener of the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s Department .
But Harsch ’ s family strongly disputes the police position .
“ The explanation of suicide does not seem plausible , ” they told the Victor Valley News .
“ [ We ] feel that our brother ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suicide to avoid any further media attention… There are many ways to die but considering the current racial tension , a black man hanging himself from a tree definitely doesn ’ t sit well with us right now .
We want justice , not comfortable excuses , ” they added .
Harsch ’ s sister insisted that the police ’ s explanation “ doesn ’ t sound right , ” noting he was anything but suicidal , also pointing out what she sees as inconsistencies with the official narrative : “ My brother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was four feet… My brother was tied to a tree with a HDMI cord .
Someone took their time with that knot , took their time tying this !
It was too perfect , too perfect !
” she said on her Facebook page .
Less than two weeks later , the LA County Sheriff ’ s Department was once again forced to dampen rumors of another lynching .
24-year-old Robert Fuller was found hanging from a tree in Palmdale .
“ Although the investigation is on-going , it appears Mr. Fuller , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ declared .
Yet Fuller ’ s death was , if anything , more suspicious than those previously mentioned .
For once , he was found swinging from a small and weak-looking tree in the center of a leafy square surrounded by restaurants and right in front of Palmdale City Hall and the Council Chamber .
While it is certainly possible he could have climbed the tree and hanged himself , the location could barely have been more conspicuous .
As with Harsch , Fuller ’ s family does not believe he killed himself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been telling us has not been right , ” said his sister at a public demonstration in the square where he was found .
“ Staring at this tree , I don ’ t make no sense !
My brother was tall .
My brother was not suicidal.
” Black Lives Matter Los Angeles was even more skeptical , writing : “ Two Black men were found hanging from trees in California in the last 2 weeks… Authorities are calling them suicides .
What Black man do you know who hangs himself from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Not ‘ modern day lynchings , ’ old school ones.
” The Los Angeles Times ’ editorial board has also expressed doubt over the police account and called for a full investigation .
One family member not expressing skepticism over the story is Fuller ’ s half-brother Terron Jamal Boone .
This is because the same police force that ruled Fuller ’ s death a suicide shot and killed him yesterday , in an incident hardly likely to reduce tensions .
A large number of key activists from the protests in Ferguson in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ circumstances .
New research published this week shows that almost 6,500 people were lynched between 1865 and 1950 ( 2,000 more than previously thought ) , the majority of them in the south .
Until the mid-20th century , the practice was relatively common , meaning that considerable numbers of Americans alive today witnessed them .
The point of lynchings , according to the NAACP , was to reassert control over the newly freed black population through terror .
As such , they represented an explicit reaction to a black population trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Popular jazz singer Billie Holiday immortalized the practice in her 1939 song Strange Fruit : Blood on the leaves and blood at the root After over 100 years of attempts , the House of Representatives finally passed an anti-lynching bill in February this year .
However , the bill that would make the practice a federal hate crime is meeting stiff opposition in the Senate , primarily from Kentucky Republican Rand Paul , who is stalling the process .
He argues that the anti-lynching legislation is drafted too broadly and could define minor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as written would allow altercations resulting in a cut , abrasion , bruise , or any other injury no matter how temporary to be subject to a 10-year penalty , ” Paul said .
“ My amendment would simply apply a serious bodily injury standard , which would ensure crimes resulting in substantial risk of death and extreme physical pain be prosecuted as a lynching.
” If the families of the deceased are to be believed , the bill could be put to use sooner than expected .
Correction | An earlier version @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of color had been hanged since the protests began but one of the hangings was from 2019 .
The article has been updated to reflect this information .
Feature photo | Activist Najee Ali , center , kneels with demonstrators , June 13 , 2020 , in front of the Palmdale Sheriff ’ s station in Palmdale , Calif. People marched to demand an investigation into the death of 24-year-old Robert Fuller , who was found hanging from a tree early Wednesday near City Hall .
Josie Huang | KPCC | LAist via @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for MintPress News .
After completing his PhD in 2017 he published two books : Bad News From Venezuela : Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age : Still Manufacturing Consent .
He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting , The Guardian , Salon , The Grayzone , Jacobin Magazine , Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary .

Amid nationwide demonstrations that have brought racist violence to public attention, at least four black people have been found hanged in suspicious circumstances, sparking fears that the incidents mark a wave of lynchings, not seen for decades. The cases are also bringing renewed attention to other recent hanging deaths involving people of color, including the 2019 death of a black transgender woman, Titi Gulley, and the June 15 death of a Hispanic man in Houston. Foul play is not suspected in the case of the Hispanic man, but police have reopened the investigation into the death of Gulley at the family’s request.
Suspicious Deaths
The body of 27-year-old black man Dominique Alexander was found hanging from a tree in Manhattan. And in Houston, a black teenager was found hanged on Tuesday. Police ruled both deaths to be suicides.
Perhaps more troubling, however, are the cases of two black Californians found hanged. On the morning of May 31, after responding to a 911 call, firefighters found Malcolm Harsch’s body hanging from a tree. Police appear confident there was no foul play; “There was nothing. There was nothing else found at the scene other than the rope, which was used to hang the victim, and the contents of his pocket, as well as a backpack he was wearing,” said Capt. Kent Wegener of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
But Harsch’s family strongly disputes the police position. “The explanation of suicide does not seem plausible,” they told the Victor Valley News. “[We] feel that our brother’s death will be waved off as a suicide to avoid any further media attention… There are many ways to die but considering the current racial tension, a black man hanging himself from a tree definitely doesn’t sit well with us right now. We want justice, not comfortable excuses,” they added.
Harsch’s sister insisted that the police’s explanation “doesn’t sound right,” noting he was anything but suicidal, also pointing out what she sees as inconsistencies with the official narrative: “My brother is 6’3.” That tree was four feet… My brother was tied to a tree with a HDMI cord. Someone took their time with that knot, took their time tying this! It was too perfect, too perfect!” she said on her Facebook page.
Less than two weeks later, the LA County Sheriff’s Department was once again forced to dampen rumors of another lynching. 24-year-old Robert Fuller was found hanging from a tree in Palmdale. “Although the investigation is on-going, it appears Mr. Fuller, tragically, committed suicide,” they declared. Yet Fuller’s death was, if anything, more suspicious than those previously mentioned. For once, he was found swinging from a small and weak-looking tree in the center of a leafy square surrounded by restaurants and right in front of Palmdale City Hall and the Council Chamber. While it is certainly possible he could have climbed the tree and hanged himself, the location could barely have been more conspicuous.
As with Harsch, Fuller’s family does not believe he killed himself. “Everything that they’ve been telling us has not been right,” said his sister at a public demonstration in the square where he was found. “Staring at this tree, I don’t make no sense! My brother was tall. My brother was not suicidal.”
Black Lives Matter Los Angeles was even more skeptical, writing: “Two Black men were found hanging from trees in California in the last 2 weeks… Authorities are calling them suicides. What Black man do you know who hangs himself from a tree? These are lynchings. Not ‘modern day lynchings,’ old school ones.” The Los Angeles Times’ editorial board has also expressed doubt over the police account and called for a full investigation.
One family member not expressing skepticism over the story is Fuller’s half-brother Terron Jamal Boone. This is because the same police force that ruled Fuller’s death a suicide shot and killed him yesterday, in an incident hardly likely to reduce tensions. A large number of key activists from the protests in Ferguson in 2014 have also died in highly suspicious circumstances.
Who the fuck climbs a tree ,sit on a branch tie a rope and hang themselves? Like I’m trying to picture it in my head and i can’t see it .These hangings are not suicide it’s MURDER ….and the timing ?🧐😒 — iamcardib (@iamcardib) June 18, 2020
Strange Fruit
New research published this week shows that almost 6,500 people were lynched between 1865 and 1950 (2,000 more than previously thought), the majority of them in the south. Until the mid-20th century, the practice was relatively common, meaning that considerable numbers of Americans alive today witnessed them. The point of lynchings, according to the NAACP, was to reassert control over the newly freed black population through terror. As such, they represented an explicit reaction to a black population trying to organize for and assert its rights.
Popular jazz singer Billie Holiday immortalized the practice in her 1939 song Strange Fruit:
Southern trees bear a strange fruit
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root
Black bodies swingin’ in the southern breeze
Strange fruit hangin’ from the poplar trees
After over 100 years of attempts, the House of Representatives finally passed an anti-lynching bill in February this year. However, the bill that would make the practice a federal hate crime is meeting stiff opposition in the Senate, primarily from Kentucky Republican Rand Paul, who is stalling the process. He argues that the anti-lynching legislation is drafted too broadly and could define minor assaults as lynching. “The bill as written would allow altercations resulting in a cut, abrasion, bruise, or any other injury no matter how temporary to be subject to a 10-year penalty,” Paul said. “My amendment would simply apply a serious bodily injury standard, which would ensure crimes resulting in substantial risk of death and extreme physical pain be prosecuted as a lynching.”
If the families of the deceased are to be believed, the bill could be put to use sooner than expected.
Correction | An earlier version of this article stated that five people of color had been hanged since the protests began but one of the hangings was from 2019. The article has been updated to reflect this information.
Feature photo | Activist Najee Ali, center, kneels with demonstrators, June 13, 2020, in front of the Palmdale Sheriff’s station in Palmdale, Calif. People marched to demand an investigation into the death of 24-year-old Robert Fuller, who was found hanging from a tree early Wednesday near City Hall. Josie Huang | KPCC | LAist via AP
Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News. After completing his PhD in 2017 he published two books: Bad News From Venezuela: Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age: Still Manufacturing Consent. He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, The Guardian, Salon, The Grayzone, Jacobin Magazine, Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary.