mintpressnews--2020-05-07--Surviving this Pandemic is Hard, For America’s Most Vulnerable, its Nearly Impossible

They talk about it as if they ’ re doing a garbage , low budget remake of “ Charlie and the Chocolate Factory , ” but instead of a golden ticket , it ’ s a $ 1,200 check .
And instead of a magical trip through a fantasy land of candy and orange-faced crooners , it ’ s a paltry pittance from an orange-faced fascist who held up the delivery in order to ensure brand advertising on each and every check .
For all of us stuck in the real world , outside the movie magic , the illusion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their all too real and all too poor existences is just that – an illusion .
It ’ s an illusion made all the more sick and dangerous when one considers the fact that millions of people who desperately need a “ golden ticket ” will never see one .
Millions of people in the U.S. fall through gaping cracks purposefully designed to oppress and marginalize the most vulnerable .
The exclusion of workers such as undocumented folks , street vendors , domestic workers , and sex workers exemplifies the toxic mix of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the U.S. blends so well .
A Pew Research report from last year estimates that there are some 10.5 million undocumented people in the United States .
Many , if not most of these folks , find seasonal or full-time subsistence wage jobs in industries we now deem “ essential.
” They build families , pay taxes , and contribute socially , politically , and economically to their new home places .
They pay billions into a system that profits doubly off their labor : by paying starvation wages and excluding these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or local assistance .
Now , millions of undocumented workers find themselves without even a measly bailout , and unable to apply for unemployment benefits due to their immigration status .
To add injury to injury , as many are “ essential ” workers , they run a much higher risk of contracting COVID-19 .
And then what ?
Do they die in the shadows without seeking medical help for fear of being reported to ICE ?
Or do they roll those dice and hope they aren ’ t forced into the plagued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
It ’ s a decision many have already had to make .
Here in D.C. , one family watched in confused grief as their relative was taken away by an ambulance , only to find out days later that they died .
Applications for financial assistance for burials require a social security number .
Even after Events DC , the official convention and sports authority for D.C. approved an $ 18 million relief package in early April , which includes $ 5 million for undocumented workers , folks have been left wondering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for people .
In the end , local organizers and street vendors raised the funds for the family , not the city .
The chance for reimbursement feels about as likely as finding a golden ticket .
In the Venn diagram of exclusion , street vendors make up a large group of both documented and undocumented workers who will never see a check .
Here in D.C. , Soledad Miranda explained to me that “ Before , I would work cleaning eight hours , then I would pick up my daughter and we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as street vendors ) .
And now , not anymore .
We can ’ t sell on the street anymore , ” she says .
“ We don ’ t have enough to survive for us here .
We don ’ t have anything left from what we ’ ve saved .
We hope this all will end soon.
” The Venn diagram adds another ring : domestic workers .
First off , just the mere fact that someone has to work eight hours and then go to another job in order to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all too real fact that rings true for millions .
In a conservative 2019 estimate , the Census Bureau found that some 13 million workers have more than one job .
Furthermore , women are more likely than men to hold multiple jobs .
How ’ s that for women ’ s progress ?
!
Not only can we grow and birth humans , but we ’ re also proving that women are strong enough to work multiple jobs for subsistence pay in a system that devalues our labor , our lives , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Murica !
In an email , Stacy Kono , Executive Director at Hand in Hand , a Domestic Employers Network told me “ Domestic workers are disproportionately women of color and immigrants .
COVID-19 has magnified their challenges as families stay at home , suddenly laying off domestic workers who lack access to unemployment and relief.
” Hand in Hand has put out a call to domestic employers , asking them to pledge to continue paying their workers during this crisis .
This Venn diagram of overlapping oppression highlights another important fact : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the labor force .
Running households , raising children , caring for elderly or sick relatives – these are incredibly labor-intensive jobs , jobs that are predominantly done by women .
The International Labor Organization estimates that some 83 percent of domestic workers are women , many of whom are migrants .
Still , as ILO notes , domestic work is “ often hidden and unregistered.
” Indeed , it is work that is largely unpaid and unrecognized .
In a recent Politico article , journalist Renuka Rayasam noted that “ More of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on average , on women : From the increased cleaning and chores that come with more time spent in the home , which falls disproportionately to so many female household members , to the extra education and childcare work created through closures of school and daycare , where men have also been known , on average , to skimp.
” In short , the “ unseen ” work is piling up , and those carrying the weight continue to labor in the shadows of a system disinterested in their plight – a plight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A recent report by the UN Population Fund found that “ If the lockdown continues for 6 months , 31 million additional gender-based violence cases can be expected.
” Already back in early April , nine of the 20 largest metropolitan police departments reported double-digit jumps in domestic violence calls .
Still , the reality is likely much worse considering the fact that survivors often avoid calling authorities or domestic abuse hotlines , fearing more violence if their calls for help are found out by their abuser .
And with shelters overrun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly LGBTQ survivors , those suffering from domestic abuse find themselves dangerously locked in during the lockdown .
Taken together , it ’ s perhaps not surprising that the fastest growing population among the unhoused are women and children .
The combination of poverty , abuse , and unseen or shunned work is an oppressive trifecta that describes millions of women ’ s lives .
The US PROS Collective , a multiracial network of women fighting for the protection of sex workers and the decriminalization of prostitution notes that “ Women and children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the US , 1 in 25 families , and around three million children are in households living on $ 2 a day.
” Sex workers represent yet another part of the excluded workers Venn diagram .
As Rachel West , founder of the US PROS Collective wrote in an April press release , “ Most sex workers are mothers , primarily single mothers…Sex workers are deliberately excluded on moralistic grounds from the coronavirus $ 2 trillion bailout bill if their work is judged to be of a “ prurient sexual nature ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get a bailout but selling sex means you don ’ t . )
.
” Ah , good ole American values .
Sex sells , but war pays .
Bombs matter .
Women don ’ t .
Considering these policy points , it ’ s not all that surprising that our two choices for president this year are two men accused of sexual assault .
Two men that have done more than their fair share of war hawking too .
One can ’ t help but think of George Carlin ’ s assertion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are insecure about their penis size .
For more evidence of this violent fetish , one need only have looked up this past weekend .
Above crowds of people huddled together in the midst of a pandemic , fighter jets seared the afternoon sky in a loud and masturbatory display all meant to honor healthcare workers .
Because what says “ thanks ” to our medical professionals more than pedestaling the number one cause of global death and destruction while risking more mass infection in the midst of a pandemic ?
I feel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that could be a fever .
Adding to the frighteningly stupid and reckless nature of the whole charade is the fact that this display of imperialist violence cost taxpayers some $ 1.32 million .
That ’ s roughly 66 ventilators going for $ 20k a piece .
Or 1.32 million N95 masks , listed at one dollar a piece .
Or 1,100 $ 1,200 checks .
Now , military officials assure us that this isn ’ t money that ’ s being freshly allocated but money that ’ s already in the Pentagon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ logical person ’ s response should be “ why ?
” A follow-up question might be : “ hey , instead of using that money for this mind-bendingly stupid display , why not re-allocate that money to deal with the crisis at hand ?
” The answer boils down to that toxic blend of racism , sexism , imperialism , and capitalism .
Indeed , if the U.S. can claim American exceptionalism in anything , it would have to be that no one in the world does imperialist capitalism better than our government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government keeps money out of the hands of people who labor , tells us to be grateful for bread crumbs when we ’ re the ones making the bread – and going hungry .
They tell the most marginalized and poor that their personal failings are to blame while bloated billionaires are propped up at the expense of those very same poor .
Indeed , as we ’ ve seen in previous bailouts , to the hoarders go the spoils .
To the hoarders go the spoils The latest $ 484 billion “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food aid , rent relief , and basic worker protections comes on the heels of the ironically named CARES Act which includes a tax break for those earning more than one million dollars per year .
To be more precise , 82 percent of the tax benefits will go to roughly 43,000 taxpayers .
This generous cut will cost $ 90 billion this year alone .
That comes out to an average handout of $ 1.6 million to each millionaire or billionaire in 2020 .
To put that into perspective for all those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the CARE-ing tax break handout is worth 1,300 times as much as that $ 1,200 check .
And that ’ s just one section of tax breaks .
Big corporations are on track to get trillions from the Federal Reserve as the largest asset manager in the world ( as well as a piggy bank for weapons manufacturers and the fossil fuel industry ) , Black Rock has been tapped to manage these bailout programs .
As journalist David Dayen wrote in a recent article , “ This is a robbery in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s been a robbery in progress .
The entire system of capitalism is built on robbing the working class to profit the ruling class .
It ’ s why billionaires are so eager for us to get back to work .
This economy is built to serve them , not us .
Consequentially , it ’ s why strikes have the potential to force the hand of the ruling class : without our labor , without our complicity in a system built on our oppression , they lose – literally and figuratively .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a map of past and ongoing strikes throughout the country , and it ’ s an inspiring visual .
Wildcat strikes have been popping off since March in defiance of unsafe working conditions , low pay or no pay , and the lack of basic worker rights like paid sick leave .
The rolling movement to cancel rent , combined with coordinated rent strikes has further highlighted the need and the demand for housing as a human right .
Organizers have deployed tactics like caravan protests to amplify a wide array of issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to climate justice .
Mutual aid efforts continue to grow and evolve , showing the myriad ways in which communities can and do look out for each other .
Indeed , the avarice and sadistic oppression of the ruling class is matched only by the powerful and vital displays of our humanity and solidarity .
For instance , despite her precarious financial situation , Soledad now makes masks for children and adults .
“ I make one , and I give one away .
I am selling in my home .
I love @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who are worse off than me , ” she says .
We can ’ t undo the harm already done , and we can ’ t smooth over all the sharp teeth of oppression that tear through people ’ s lives .
But we can manifest an alternative .
We can show through our work that human value is not tied to a dollar sign and that a few golden tickets will not pacify our passion for change .
As historian Howard Zinn once wrote , “ Small acts , when multiplied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a power no government can suppress , a power than can transform the world.
” And what time better than now – in the midst of a global pandemic – to show that dissent can be contagious ?
We are linked by more than our shared oppression – we are linked by our shared humanity .
And from this foundation , we can rattle thrones .
We can topple empires .
We can transform the world .
Feature photo | Women in Brooklyn ’ s Sunset Park , a neighborhood with one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hispanic community , wear masks to help stop the spread of coronavirus while waiting in line to enter a store , May 5 , 2020 , in New York .
Bebeto Matthews | 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 Art Killing Apathy .

They talk about it as if they’re doing a garbage, low budget remake of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” but instead of a golden ticket, it’s a $1,200 check. And instead of a magical trip through a fantasy land of candy and orange-faced crooners, it’s a paltry pittance from an orange-faced fascist who held up the delivery in order to ensure brand advertising on each and every check. For all of us stuck in the real world, outside the movie magic, the illusion of these golden tickets saving Americans from their all too real and all too poor existences is just that – an illusion.
It’s an illusion made all the more sick and dangerous when one considers the fact that millions of people who desperately need a “golden ticket” will never see one. Millions of people in the U.S. fall through gaping cracks purposefully designed to oppress and marginalize the most vulnerable. The exclusion of workers such as undocumented folks, street vendors, domestic workers, and sex workers exemplifies the toxic mix of racism, sexism, imperialism and capitalism that the U.S. blends so well.
A Pew Research report from last year estimates that there are some 10.5 million undocumented people in the United States. Many, if not most of these folks, find seasonal or full-time subsistence wage jobs in industries we now deem “essential.” They build families, pay taxes, and contribute socially, politically, and economically to their new home places. They pay billions into a system that profits doubly off their labor: by paying starvation wages and excluding these workers from any federal, state, or local assistance.
Now, millions of undocumented workers find themselves without even a measly bailout, and unable to apply for unemployment benefits due to their immigration status. To add injury to injury, as many are “essential” workers, they run a much higher risk of contracting COVID-19. And then what? Do they die in the shadows without seeking medical help for fear of being reported to ICE? Or do they roll those dice and hope they aren’t forced into the plagued Petri dishes that are U.S. detention centers? It’s a decision many have already had to make.
Here in D.C., one family watched in confused grief as their relative was taken away by an ambulance, only to find out days later that they died. Applications for financial assistance for burials require a social security number. Even after Events DC, the official convention and sports authority for D.C. approved an $18 million relief package in early April, which includes $5 million for undocumented workers, folks have been left wondering when that money will actually be there for people. In the end, local organizers and street vendors raised the funds for the family, not the city. The chance for reimbursement feels about as likely as finding a golden ticket.
A Venn diagram of overlapping oppression
In the Venn diagram of exclusion, street vendors make up a large group of both documented and undocumented workers who will never see a check. Here in D.C., Soledad Miranda explained to me that “Before, I would work cleaning eight hours, then I would pick up my daughter and we would go sell on the street (as street vendors). And now, not anymore. We can’t sell on the street anymore,” she says. “We don’t have enough to survive for us here. We don’t have anything left from what we’ve saved. We hope this all will end soon.”
The Venn diagram adds another ring: domestic workers. First off, just the mere fact that someone has to work eight hours and then go to another job in order to make ends meet is a grotesque and all too real fact that rings true for millions. In a conservative 2019 estimate, the Census Bureau found that some 13 million workers have more than one job. Furthermore, women are more likely than men to hold multiple jobs. How’s that for women’s progress?! Not only can we grow and birth humans, but we’re also proving that women are strong enough to work multiple jobs for subsistence pay in a system that devalues our labor, our lives, and our basic human rights. ‘Murica!
In an email, Stacy Kono, Executive Director at Hand in Hand, a Domestic Employers Network told me “Domestic workers are disproportionately women of color and immigrants. COVID-19 has magnified their challenges as families stay at home, suddenly laying off domestic workers who lack access to unemployment and relief.” Hand in Hand has put out a call to domestic employers, asking them to pledge to continue paying their workers during this crisis.
This Venn diagram of overlapping oppression highlights another important fact: that women have always been part of the labor force. Running households, raising children, caring for elderly or sick relatives – these are incredibly labor-intensive jobs, jobs that are predominantly done by women. The International Labor Organization estimates that some 83 percent of domestic workers are women, many of whom are migrants. Still, as ILO notes, domestic work is “often hidden and unregistered.” Indeed, it is work that is largely unpaid and unrecognized. In a recent Politico article, journalist Renuka Rayasam noted that “More of the daily grind tends to fall, on average, on women: From the increased cleaning and chores that come with more time spent in the home, which falls disproportionately to so many female household members, to the extra education and childcare work created through closures of school and daycare, where men have also been known, on average, to skimp.” In short, the “unseen” work is piling up, and those carrying the weight continue to labor in the shadows of a system disinterested in their plight – a plight that for many also includes domestic violence.
A recent report by the UN Population Fund found that “If the lockdown continues for 6 months, 31 million additional gender-based violence cases can be expected.” Already back in early April, nine of the 20 largest metropolitan police departments reported double-digit jumps in domestic violence calls. Still, the reality is likely much worse considering the fact that survivors often avoid calling authorities or domestic abuse hotlines, fearing more violence if their calls for help are found out by their abuser. And with shelters overrun and difficult to access for many, particularly LGBTQ survivors, those suffering from domestic abuse find themselves dangerously locked in during the lockdown. Taken together, it’s perhaps not surprising that the fastest growing population among the unhoused are women and children. The combination of poverty, abuse, and unseen or shunned work is an oppressive trifecta that describes millions of women’s lives.
The US PROS Collective, a multiracial network of women fighting for the protection of sex workers and the decriminalization of prostitution notes that “Women and children make up 73% of the poor in the US, 1 in 25 families, and around three million children are in households living on $2 a day.” Sex workers represent yet another part of the excluded workers Venn diagram. As Rachel West, founder of the US PROS Collective wrote in an April press release, “Most sex workers are mothers, primarily single mothers…Sex workers are deliberately excluded on moralistic grounds from the coronavirus $2 trillion bailout bill if their work is judged to be of a “prurient sexual nature”. (So selling weapons means you get a bailout but selling sex means you don’t.).” Ah, good ole American values. Sex sells, but war pays. Bombs matter. Women don’t. Considering these policy points, it’s not all that surprising that our two choices for president this year are two men accused of sexual assault. Two men that have done more than their fair share of war hawking too. One can’t help but think of George Carlin’s assertion that wars are started by men who are insecure about their penis size.
A $1.32 million token of appreciation
For more evidence of this violent fetish, one need only have looked up this past weekend. Above crowds of people huddled together in the midst of a pandemic, fighter jets seared the afternoon sky in a loud and masturbatory display all meant to honor healthcare workers. Because what says “thanks” to our medical professionals more than pedestaling the number one cause of global death and destruction while risking more mass infection in the midst of a pandemic? I feel all warm and cozy already – tho that could be a fever.
Adding to the frighteningly stupid and reckless nature of the whole charade is the fact that this display of imperialist violence cost taxpayers some $1.32 million. That’s roughly 66 ventilators going for $20k a piece. Or 1.32 million N95 masks, listed at one dollar a piece. Or 1,100 $1,200 checks. Now, military officials assure us that this isn’t money that’s being freshly allocated but money that’s already in the Pentagon’s budget, to which any logical person’s response should be “why?” A follow-up question might be: “hey, instead of using that money for this mind-bendingly stupid display, why not re-allocate that money to deal with the crisis at hand?” The answer boils down to that toxic blend of racism, sexism, imperialism, and capitalism. Indeed, if the U.S. can claim American exceptionalism in anything, it would have to be that no one in the world does imperialist capitalism better than our government.
With this sadistic efficiency, our government keeps money out of the hands of people who labor, tells us to be grateful for bread crumbs when we’re the ones making the bread – and going hungry. They tell the most marginalized and poor that their personal failings are to blame while bloated billionaires are propped up at the expense of those very same poor. Indeed, as we’ve seen in previous bailouts, to the hoarders go the spoils.
To the hoarders go the spoils
The latest $484 billion “relief” bill which lacks funding for food aid, rent relief, and basic worker protections comes on the heels of the ironically named CARES Act which includes a tax break for those earning more than one million dollars per year. To be more precise, 82 percent of the tax benefits will go to roughly 43,000 taxpayers. This generous cut will cost $90 billion this year alone. That comes out to an average handout of $1.6 million to each millionaire or billionaire in 2020. To put that into perspective for all those who got a “stimulus” check, the CARE-ing tax break handout is worth 1,300 times as much as that $1,200 check. And that’s just one section of tax breaks. Big corporations are on track to get trillions from the Federal Reserve as the largest asset manager in the world (as well as a piggy bank for weapons manufacturers and the fossil fuel industry), Black Rock has been tapped to manage these bailout programs. As journalist David Dayen wrote in a recent article, “This is a robbery in progress.”
More broadly, it’s been a robbery in progress. The entire system of capitalism is built on robbing the working class to profit the ruling class. It’s why billionaires are so eager for us to get back to work. This economy is built to serve them, not us. Consequentially, it’s why strikes have the potential to force the hand of the ruling class: without our labor, without our complicity in a system built on our oppression, they lose – literally and figuratively.
On their site, PayDay Report hosts a map of past and ongoing strikes throughout the country, and it’s an inspiring visual. Wildcat strikes have been popping off since March in defiance of unsafe working conditions, low pay or no pay, and the lack of basic worker rights like paid sick leave. The rolling movement to cancel rent, combined with coordinated rent strikes has further highlighted the need and the demand for housing as a human right. Organizers have deployed tactics like caravan protests to amplify a wide array of issues, from excluded workers to universal healthcare to climate justice. Mutual aid efforts continue to grow and evolve, showing the myriad ways in which communities can and do look out for each other. Indeed, the avarice and sadistic oppression of the ruling class is matched only by the powerful and vital displays of our humanity and solidarity. For instance, despite her precarious financial situation, Soledad now makes masks for children and adults. “I make one, and I give one away. I am selling in my home. I love to share with people who have nothing, who are worse off than me,” she says.
We can’t undo the harm already done, and we can’t smooth over all the sharp teeth of oppression that tear through people’s lives. But we can manifest an alternative. We can show through our work that human value is not tied to a dollar sign and that a few golden tickets will not pacify our passion for change. As historian Howard Zinn once wrote, “Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can become a power no government can suppress, a power than can transform the world.” And what time better than now – in the midst of a global pandemic – to show that dissent can be contagious? We are linked by more than our shared oppression – we are linked by our shared humanity. And from this foundation, we can rattle thrones. We can topple empires. We can transform the world.
Feature photo | Women in Brooklyn’s Sunset Park, a neighborhood with one of the city’s largest Mexican and Hispanic community, wear masks to help stop the spread of coronavirus while waiting in line to enter a store, May 5, 2020, in New York. Bebeto Matthews | 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 Art Killing Apathy.


mintpressnews--2020-05-08--Are We on the Verge of a Global Financial Collapse

Money has been moving like lava through the economy for almost two months now amid the coronavirus shutdowns resulting in millions of layoffs , which some bank officials like J.P. Morgan ’ s Bob Michele , say will keep unemployment high for at least a decade .
The bleak prediction comes as the April jobs report , published today , reported that 20.5 million people joined the ranks of the unemployed .
If we consider a study done by the Economic Policy Institute , the real figure could be twice larger .
Meanwhile , mortgage lending has slowed to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since February and laid-off workers around the country are finding they make more money collecting unemployment than cashing their payroll check .
Michele speculated about what might happen “ when Paycheck Protection Program ( PPP ) runs out of money ” , venturing that curbed consumer spending will cause even more layoffs in the near future .
But the dangers of an exceptionally slowed-down U.S. economy can and is already starting to have an acute effect on the rest of the world .
Brazilian Economy Minister Paulo Guedes , warned yesterday of an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the measures put in place to stem the coronavirus outbreak .
The sudden downturn has left Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro ’ s plan to “ re-start ” Brazil ’ s economy in the dust , as the IMF predicts a 5.3 percent contraction to the Brazilian economy this year .
A brief emitted and updated on May 4 by the UN ’ s Industrial Development Organization ( UNIDO ) , projects that developing countries , especially in Latin America and Eurasia , will be the “ hardest hit ” by the economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tellingly , the brief includes a study showing “ unprecedented outflows of capital from emerging economies ” into the coffers of the first world .
As jobs disappear and our everyday lives are disrupted in the name of flattening the curve of the coronavirus WHO-declared pandemic , a picture of what tomorrow will look like is still too uncertain to make out , but all indications show that we are close to a breaking point .
No Jobs and no credit In a “ series of economic briefings ” leading up to President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the CDC ’ s reopening guidelines yesterday , the President was warned that up to “ 50 percent of the country ’ s small businesses ” could disappear .
Mortgage lending has also come to a standstill , as banks get stricter on lending terms and reserve the toughest rules for Fannie & Freddie Mac loans .
J.P. Morgan and Wells Fargo , two of the usual suspects in this century ’ s financial scandals , are requiring prime credit scores of 700 or above and , in the case of JPM , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home price .
Indeed , our too-big-to-fail financial institutions who benefited so egregiously in the 2008 bailouts are once again mitigating their risk on our dime , but this time before the crash actually happens .
As reported by Bloomberg , lenders are imposing “ restrictions ” on the way they disburse the $ 2.2 trillion just handed to them by Congress in the March stimulus bill .
Bloomberg also hints that these limits are being applied to “ regular refinances ” as well .
The pause in the movement of money extends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where both empty cruise-line vessels and offshore bank accounts are in a holding pattern .
An astonishing $ 4.77 trillion in cash is sitting in tax havens around the world , most of it tied to U.S. Treasury bonds and other low-risk investments with no intention of going anywhere else .
Fund managers are closing off funds to new investors in order to maximize returns of those already in a particular fund as margins get razor-thin .
Insiders acknowledge that “ there ’ s going to be some pain that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” For the rest of us , the uncertainty is many times greater than the worries of money managers and their extremely wealthy clientele .
The nation ’ s largest mall operator , SIMON , announced that they would be reopening 49 shopping centers with new post-coronavirus mall guidelines for visitors , encouraging people to wear masks and imposing social distancing rules .
Such a day-to-day reality is unlikely to spur much consumer spending or even socializing in bars and restaurants , ramping up the pressure on the most economically vulnerable among us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s briefings on the reopening of the country calculated that the pain on main street would still be felt through the fall and aides acknowledged that it would be “ brutal ” for millions of Americans .
As trillions of dollars are allocated to financial institutions unwilling to part with any of it and asset-holders try to ride it out , regular people ’ s jobs are quickly vanishing and with no return-date on them .
And if Brazil is any indication , the problem is about to spread faster and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Feature photo | A homeless man carrying his bedding walks past a shuttered Miami Jewelry & Pawn Shop during the coronavirus pandemic , May 7 , 2020 , in Miami .
Lynne Sladky | AP

Money has been moving like lava through the economy for almost two months now amid the coronavirus shutdowns resulting in millions of layoffs, which some bank officials like J.P. Morgan’s Bob Michele, say will keep unemployment high for at least a decade. The bleak prediction comes as the April jobs report, published today, reported that 20.5 million people joined the ranks of the unemployed. If we consider a study done by the Economic Policy Institute, the real figure could be twice larger.
Meanwhile, mortgage lending has slowed to a standstill as credit availability tanked 26 percent since February and laid-off workers around the country are finding they make more money collecting unemployment than cashing their payroll check. Michele speculated about what might happen “when Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) runs out of money”, venturing that curbed consumer spending will cause even more layoffs in the near future.
But the dangers of an exceptionally slowed-down U.S. economy can and is already starting to have an acute effect on the rest of the world. Brazilian Economy Minister Paulo Guedes, warned yesterday of an “economic collapse” as a result of the measures put in place to stem the coronavirus outbreak. The sudden downturn has left Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s plan to “re-start” Brazil’s economy in the dust, as the IMF predicts a 5.3 percent contraction to the Brazilian economy this year.
A brief emitted and updated on May 4 by the UN’s Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), projects that developing countries, especially in Latin America and Eurasia, will be the “hardest hit” by the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic response. Tellingly, the brief includes a study showing “unprecedented outflows of capital from emerging economies” into the coffers of the first world.
As jobs disappear and our everyday lives are disrupted in the name of flattening the curve of the coronavirus WHO-declared pandemic, a picture of what tomorrow will look like is still too uncertain to make out, but all indications show that we are close to a breaking point.
No Jobs and no credit
In a “series of economic briefings” leading up to President Donald Trump’s decision to scrap the CDC’s reopening guidelines yesterday, the President was warned that up to “50 percent of the country’s small businesses” could disappear.
Mortgage lending has also come to a standstill, as banks get stricter on lending terms and reserve the toughest rules for Fannie & Freddie Mac loans. J.P. Morgan and Wells Fargo, two of the usual suspects in this century’s financial scandals, are requiring prime credit scores of 700 or above and, in the case of JPM, a 20 percent down payment on the home price. Indeed, our too-big-to-fail financial institutions who benefited so egregiously in the 2008 bailouts are once again mitigating their risk on our dime, but this time before the crash actually happens.
As reported by Bloomberg, lenders are imposing “restrictions” on the way they disburse the $2.2 trillion just handed to them by Congress in the March stimulus bill. Bloomberg also hints that these limits are being applied to “regular refinances” as well. The pause in the movement of money extends all the way to the open sea, where both empty cruise-line vessels and offshore bank accounts are in a holding pattern.
Sitting Pretty on the Titanic
An astonishing $4.77 trillion in cash is sitting in tax havens around the world, most of it tied to U.S. Treasury bonds and other low-risk investments with no intention of going anywhere else. Fund managers are closing off funds to new investors in order to maximize returns of those already in a particular fund as margins get razor-thin. Insiders acknowledge that “there’s going to be some pain that’s felt both by clients and fund managers.”
For the rest of us, the uncertainty is many times greater than the worries of money managers and their extremely wealthy clientele. The nation’s largest mall operator, SIMON, announced that they would be reopening 49 shopping centers with new post-coronavirus mall guidelines for visitors, encouraging people to wear masks and imposing social distancing rules.
Such a day-to-day reality is unlikely to spur much consumer spending or even socializing in bars and restaurants, ramping up the pressure on the most economically vulnerable among us who work in the service sector. Trump’s briefings on the reopening of the country calculated that the pain on main street would still be felt through the fall and aides acknowledged that it would be “brutal” for millions of Americans.
As trillions of dollars are allocated to financial institutions unwilling to part with any of it and asset-holders try to ride it out, regular people’s jobs are quickly vanishing and with no return-date on them. And if Brazil is any indication, the problem is about to spread faster and wider than the coronavirus ever could.
Feature photo | A homeless man carrying his bedding walks past a shuttered Miami Jewelry & Pawn Shop during the coronavirus pandemic, May 7, 2020, in Miami. Lynne Sladky | AP
Raul Diego is a MintPress News Staff Writer, independent photojournalist, researcher, writer and documentary filmmaker.


mintpressnews--2020-05-08--Victory in Europe Day: These American Corporations Aided Nazi Germany

May 8 marks the 75th anniversary of the Allied armies ’ victory in Europe , the day when they accepted the formal surrender of Nazi Germany after a bitter , six-year-long struggle that saw tens of millions killed in fighting , famines or exterminated in death camps .
While many novel socially-distanced celebrations across the world are going on , some large corporations are laying low in the knowledge that they actively collaborated with and helped Hitler ’ s war machine .
Standard Oil , a huge monolith now split up into a myriad of smaller ones , including Chevron @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , was crucial to both prolonging and intensifying the bloodiest conflict in human history .
In the 1930s and 1940s , only the United States and Venezuela produced large quantities of oil .
Starved of the substance , Germany was almost completely dependent on imports from the Western hemisphere , which Standard Oil dominated .
Even after the United States declared war on Germany , it continued to use a great array of tricks to fuel Germany ’ s war effort , quietly filling up German tankers in the Spanish Canary Islands who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ German ports .
Indeed , one historian quipped that “ Without the explicit help of Standard Oil , the Nazi air force would never have gotten off the ground in the first place.
” The American business community was deeply impressed by Hitler .
Wall Street executive Prescott Bush ( the father and grandfather of two presidents ) aided Hitler ’ s rise and even organized a failed coup to overthrow President Roosevelt and install German-style fascism in the United States .
Chase Bank performed a number of key duties for the Nazis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their money into foreign currency .
In 1945 , they were placed on trial in a federal court for violation of the Trading with the Enemy Act .
And if there is one thing Henry Ford is known for besides his cars , it is his antisemitism .
Ford himself received a medal from Hitler in 1938 and profiteered from both sides during the war , manufacturing vehicles for both the Allies and the Nazis .
The company is also widely accused of knowingly using slave labor in its German plants .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over $ 14 million to survivors for the same practice .
Despite being an iconic American brand , Coca-Cola was also intimately intertwined with fascism , conducting years-long publicity campaigns associating itself with Nazism and the Hitler Youth .
As a result , between 1933 and 1939 , the company ’ s sales in Germany rocketed 4,400 percent .
As Coke syrup shipments dried up during the war , the company created a new drink for the German market that still exists to this day : Fanta .
Perhaps New York-based tech company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Nazis , however .
Through their subsidiary , Dehomag , the company supplied Hitler with new technology to identify undesirable classes of people and to facilitate their transport to extermination camps .
IBM made huge profits designing and manufacturing a system of punch cards that allowed officials to search through databases to identify individuals for extermination , expanding their business as the Holocaust accelerated .
While many corporations are keen for the day to be over , other groups want the public to remember their particular version of events .
The U.K. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a video where Russia ’ s role in bringing about the end of the war was barely to be seen .
NATO ’ s Joint Force Commander in Naples , Admiral James Foggo , also described the brave Allied forces engaged in combat in North Africa , Normandy and Italy , but appeared to make a point of not mentioning any of the far larger battles that raged on the Eastern Front , between Soviet and Axis forces .
Meanwhile , NATO-linked think tank the Atlantic Council used the occasion to accuse Putin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aggression in Eastern Europe .
The Soviet Union comprised 80 percent of German casualties , with the current Russian government estimating their own total losses at 26.6 million people .
In contrast , the U.S. did not enter the European area in any serious numbers until well after the tide had been turned , the Soviets driving Axis forces back hundreds of miles out of Russia and Ukraine by 1944 .
However , decades of propaganda have got people to forget these inconvenient facts ; by 2015 , only 11 percent of Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S.S.R. when asked which country contributed most to the defeat of Hitler .
Lest we forget , remembrance is always political .
There are some who would prefer we remember certain particular aspects of events .
There are others who would prefer we forgot altogether .
Feature photo | A damaged Nazi swastika flag hangs among other flags decorating Market Street in San Francisco , Calif. , in anticipation of the Golden Gate Bridge Fiesta , May 27 , 1937 .
Richard J. Fry | AP Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 .

May 8 marks the 75th anniversary of the Allied armies’ victory in Europe, the day when they accepted the formal surrender of Nazi Germany after a bitter, six-year-long struggle that saw tens of millions killed in fighting, famines or exterminated in death camps. While many novel socially-distanced celebrations across the world are going on, some large corporations are laying low in the knowledge that they actively collaborated with and helped Hitler’s war machine.
Standard Oil, a huge monolith now split up into a myriad of smaller ones, including Chevron, ExxonMobil, BP, and Marathon, was crucial to both prolonging and intensifying the bloodiest conflict in human history. In the 1930s and 1940s, only the United States and Venezuela produced large quantities of oil. Starved of the substance, Germany was almost completely dependent on imports from the Western hemisphere, which Standard Oil dominated. Even after the United States declared war on Germany, it continued to use a great array of tricks to fuel Germany’s war effort, quietly filling up German tankers in the Spanish Canary Islands who would then transport the crucial liquid to German ports. Indeed, one historian quipped that “Without the explicit help of Standard Oil, the Nazi air force would never have gotten off the ground in the first place.”
The American business community was deeply impressed by Hitler. Wall Street executive Prescott Bush (the father and grandfather of two presidents) aided Hitler’s rise and even organized a failed coup to overthrow President Roosevelt and install German-style fascism in the United States. Chase Bank performed a number of key duties for the Nazis, including accepting, laundering and converting their money into foreign currency. In 1945, they were placed on trial in a federal court for violation of the Trading with the Enemy Act. And if there is one thing Henry Ford is known for besides his cars, it is his antisemitism. Ford himself received a medal from Hitler in 1938 and profiteered from both sides during the war, manufacturing vehicles for both the Allies and the Nazis. The company is also widely accused of knowingly using slave labor in its German plants. In 2000, Food giant Nestle paid out over $14 million to survivors for the same practice.
Despite being an iconic American brand, Coca-Cola was also intimately intertwined with fascism, conducting years-long publicity campaigns associating itself with Nazism and the Hitler Youth. As a result, between 1933 and 1939, the company’s sales in Germany rocketed 4,400 percent. As Coke syrup shipments dried up during the war, the company created a new drink for the German market that still exists to this day: Fanta.
Perhaps New York-based tech company IBM has the most infamous connection to the Nazis, however. Through their subsidiary, Dehomag, the company supplied Hitler with new technology to identify undesirable classes of people and to facilitate their transport to extermination camps. IBM made huge profits designing and manufacturing a system of punch cards that allowed officials to search through databases to identify individuals for extermination, expanding their business as the Holocaust accelerated.
While many corporations are keen for the day to be over, other groups want the public to remember their particular version of events. The U.K. Foreign Office, for example, released a video where Russia’s role in bringing about the end of the war was barely to be seen. NATO’s Joint Force Commander in Naples, Admiral James Foggo, also described the brave Allied forces engaged in combat in North Africa, Normandy and Italy, but appeared to make a point of not mentioning any of the far larger battles that raged on the Eastern Front, between Soviet and Axis forces. Meanwhile, NATO-linked think tank the Atlantic Council used the occasion to accuse Putin of hijacking V-E Day to push Russian aggression in Eastern Europe. The Soviet Union comprised 80 percent of German casualties, with the current Russian government estimating their own total losses at 26.6 million people. In contrast, the U.S. did not enter the European area in any serious numbers until well after the tide had been turned, the Soviets driving Axis forces back hundreds of miles out of Russia and Ukraine by 1944. However, decades of propaganda have got people to forget these inconvenient facts; by 2015, only 11 percent of Americans and 15 percent of Britons answered the U.S.S.R. when asked which country contributed most to the defeat of Hitler.
Lest we forget, remembrance is always political. There are some who would prefer we remember certain particular aspects of events. There are others who would prefer we forgot altogether.
Feature photo | A damaged Nazi swastika flag hangs among other flags decorating Market Street in San Francisco, Calif., in anticipation of the Golden Gate Bridge Fiesta, May 27, 1937. Richard J. Fry | 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--2020-05-08--As COVID-19 Grips Yemen, Saudi Warplanes Target Trucks Laden with Medical Supplies

AL-BAYDA , YEMEN — Despite calls by the United Nations Secretary General , the Security Council and the World Health Organization to stop its war on Yemen amid the COVID-19 pandemic , the Saudi-led coalition has been intentionally targeting food and drug supplies in the country .
On Wednesday , at least 12 trucks loaded with food and medicine and other basic commodities went up in flames when Saudi warplanes struck them as they awaited passage through a customs checkpoint at the Afar Port in Al-Bayda .
Multiple drivers , including foreign nationals , were killed or injured in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Afar crossing was recently established in the central province of al-Bayda as a major point of entry for food and medicine in light of the continued siege on the port of Hodeida and Sana ’ a International Airport .
The attack comes amid a number of Saudi-Coalition attacks on food and medicine supplies in Yemen .
On Thursday , at least six civilians , including a child , were killed and others injured when Saudi warships targeted a food storage facility in the al-Jurr area in the Abbs District in the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On April 8 , Saudi Arabia claimed it was halting military attacks and suspending hostilities in support of United Nations ’ peace efforts and to avoid further spread of the new coronavirus in Yemen , however , the onslaught continues .
The Coalition has carried out 76 offensives , over 810 airstrikes since April , according to the Yemen Army .
Just last month , a Saudi airstrike killed 31 civilians , 19 of them children , and injured another 18 children in al-Jawf .
“ It was an attack on a civilian-populated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” UNICEF reported .
Following the uptick in attacks on Yemeni ports and other vital facilities , Yemen ’ s health minister held a presser in Sana ’ a , accusing Saudi Arabia of deliberately attempting to spread the COVID-19 pandemic .
Medical authorities in Sana ’ a ’ reported their first case of the novel coronavirus , a Somali national who had underlying liver and kidney problems and was found dead in their Sana ’ a hotel .
The health minister , Taha al-Mutawakkil , said , “ We received a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the capital Sana ’ a on Sunday and epidemiological investigation teams went there immediately , where the affected person had died .
As a result of the ongoing blockade , particularly on medical devices , the coronavirus is suspected to have already spread undetected across much of the country , with testing virtually nonexistent .
Moreover , 70 percent of all medical facilities in the country are not functioning and are poorly positioned to treat victims of the respiratory virus , let alone to protect healthcare workers .
According to the UN @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been paid , or have been paid irregularly , for over two years , it added that equipment and medical supplies are insufficient or obsolete .
The attacks on food and medicine trucks come as Yemen grapples with funding cuts from international aid organizations according to the Aid Chief of the World Health Organization ( WHO ) , who said that nutrition programs will also be cut and 80 percent of health services provided through U.N.-funded programs could also stop .
The WHO also said that there are currently 260,000 severely malnourished children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affected by moderate malnutrition .
“ These children ’ s immune systems will be weakened , making them much more vulnerable to COVID-19 and other diseases , ” said Mark Lowcock , the UN ’ s Under-Secretary-General and Emergency Relief Coordinator .
Lowcock has called for nearly $ 60 million to urgently protect the health and safety of women and girls in Yemen , where figures show that every two hours a woman loses her life during labor .
On Monday , the UN warned that a shocking 16 million Yemenis are at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a whopping blow to what it has already described as the world ’ s worst humanitarian crisis .
The “ most likely scenario would see COVID-19 strike 55 percent of Yemen ’ s entire population , the global body ’ s aid chief , Lise Grande said .
The United Nations Population Fund ( UNFPA ) said $ 24 million was also needed for the COVID-19 response to protect health workers and help women and girls gain access to reproductive health services .
This pandemic has proven a formidable foe for the health-care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those in Europea , but to Yemen , which is suffering from five years of the war and an ongoing Saudi blockade , COVID-19 could result in an unprecedented death toll reminiscent of that that the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 wrought upon much of the world .
The UN said in a statement on Wednesday that the dire humanitarian situation for Yemeni women would deteriorate even further as the COVID-19 pandemic enters the war-torn country .
According to the international agency , more than 48,000 Yemeni women could lose their lives from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impoverished country due to critical funding shortages and the possible shutting down of reproductive health facilities .
According to the United Nations Population Fund ( UNFPA ) , nearly half of all health facilities in Yemen are not functioning or only partially functioning , and “ only 20 percent of health facilities provide maternal and child health services due to staff shortages , lack of supplies , inability to meet operational costs , or damage due to the war.
” The organization also said that “ if such facilities shut down , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from reproductive health centers and over 48,000 women could lose their lives of emergency obstetric complications in Yemen .
The best preventive measure to control the spread of the COVID-19 has so far been the practice of good hygiene , but the Saudi war and blockade have mired much of the country in filth as chemicals used to sanitize the water supply sit idle for a lack of fuel thanks to the blockade .
In fact , the ongoing Saudi blockade has deprived Yemenis of the opportunity to reap the benefit of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saudi Arabia has prevented 18 tankers , carrying more than 450 thousand tons of gasoline , from reaching electric stations and hospitals , despite carrying international permits , according to a statement by the Yemeni Oil Company .
Meanwhile , trucks carrying canned food and medicine en route to the besieged residents of al-Durayhimi have remained in Musai village for two weeks , unable to proceed thanks to the seemingly endless barrage of coalition rocket and artillery attacks , making it difficult to smuggle even to medical aid into the district .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 kilometers from the Red Sea port city of Hodeida .
The civilians there endure an acute shortage of food and medicine with no corridors for aid amid daily rocket and artillery strikes on the district by Saudi forces .
The district has been blockaded by Saudi-led Coalition since June 2018 .
Feature photo | A screenshot from video released by the Ansarallah Media Center shows civilian trucks that were targeted in a Wednesday airstrike by the Saudi-led Coalition at the Afar Port in Al-Bayda , Yemen .
Ahmed AbdulKareem is a Yemeni @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yemen for MintPress News as well as local Yemeni media .

AL-BAYDA, YEMEN — Despite calls by the United Nations Secretary General, the Security Council and the World Health Organization to stop its war on Yemen amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Saudi-led coalition has been intentionally targeting food and drug supplies in the country.
On Wednesday, at least 12 trucks loaded with food and medicine and other basic commodities went up in flames when Saudi warplanes struck them as they awaited passage through a customs checkpoint at the Afar Port in Al-Bayda. Multiple drivers, including foreign nationals, were killed or injured in the attack and others are still missing.
The Afar crossing was recently established in the central province of al-Bayda as a major point of entry for food and medicine in light of the continued siege on the port of Hodeida and Sana’a International Airport. The attack comes amid a number of Saudi-Coalition attacks on food and medicine supplies in Yemen.
On Thursday, at least six civilians, including a child, were killed and others injured when Saudi warships targeted a food storage facility in the al-Jurr area in the Abbs District in the country’s northwestern province of Hajjah.
On April 8, Saudi Arabia claimed it was halting military attacks and suspending hostilities in support of United Nations’ peace efforts and to avoid further spread of the new coronavirus in Yemen, however, the onslaught continues. The Coalition has carried out 76 offensives, over 810 airstrikes since April, according to the Yemen Army. Just last month, a Saudi airstrike killed 31 civilians, 19 of them children, and injured another 18 children in al-Jawf. “It was an attack on a civilian-populated area where children were in the vicinity,” UNICEF reported.
The world’s worst humanitarian crisis
Following the uptick in attacks on Yemeni ports and other vital facilities, Yemen’s health minister held a presser in Sana’a, accusing Saudi Arabia of deliberately attempting to spread the COVID-19 pandemic.
Medical authorities in Sana’a’ reported their first case of the novel coronavirus, a Somali national who had underlying liver and kidney problems and was found dead in their Sana’a hotel. The health minister, Taha al-Mutawakkil, said, “We received a report about a situation in a hotel in the capital Sana’a on Sunday and epidemiological investigation teams went there immediately, where the affected person had died.
As a result of the ongoing blockade, particularly on medical devices, the coronavirus is suspected to have already spread undetected across much of the country, with testing virtually nonexistent. Moreover, 70 percent of all medical facilities in the country are not functioning and are poorly positioned to treat victims of the respiratory virus, let alone to protect healthcare workers.
According to the UN, most Yemeni healthcare workers have not been paid, or have been paid irregularly, for over two years, it added that equipment and medical supplies are insufficient or obsolete.
The attacks on food and medicine trucks come as Yemen grapples with funding cuts from international aid organizations according to the Aid Chief of the World Health Organization (WHO), who said that nutrition programs will also be cut and 80 percent of health services provided through U.N.-funded programs could also stop.
The WHO also said that there are currently 260,000 severely malnourished children and 2 million others that will be affected by moderate malnutrition. “These children’s immune systems will be weakened, making them much more vulnerable to COVID-19 and other diseases,” said Mark Lowcock, the UN’s Under-Secretary-General and Emergency Relief Coordinator. Lowcock has called for nearly $60 million to urgently protect the health and safety of women and girls in Yemen, where figures show that every two hours a woman loses her life during labor.
On Monday, the UN warned that a shocking 16 million Yemenis are at risk of contracting the coronavirus, dealing a whopping blow to what it has already described as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. The “most likely scenario would see COVID-19 strike 55 percent of Yemen’s entire population, the global body’s aid chief, Lise Grande said. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) said $24 million was also needed for the COVID-19 response to protect health workers and help women and girls gain access to reproductive health services.
This pandemic has proven a formidable foe for the health-care systems of advanced, stable countries like those in Europea, but to Yemen, which is suffering from five years of the war and an ongoing Saudi blockade, COVID-19 could result in an unprecedented death toll reminiscent of that that the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 wrought upon much of the world.
A death toll reminiscent of the Spanish flu
The UN said in a statement on Wednesday that the dire humanitarian situation for Yemeni women would deteriorate even further as the COVID-19 pandemic enters the war-torn country. According to the international agency, more than 48,000 Yemeni women could lose their lives from complications of pregnancy and childbirth in the impoverished country due to critical funding shortages and the possible shutting down of reproductive health facilities.
According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), nearly half of all health facilities in Yemen are not functioning or only partially functioning, and “only 20 percent of health facilities provide maternal and child health services due to staff shortages, lack of supplies, inability to meet operational costs, or damage due to the war.”
The organization also said that “if such facilities shut down, an estimated 320,000 pregnant women would lose services from reproductive health centers and over 48,000 women could lose their lives of emergency obstetric complications in Yemen.
The best preventive measure to control the spread of the COVID-19 has so far been the practice of good hygiene, but the Saudi war and blockade have mired much of the country in filth as chemicals used to sanitize the water supply sit idle for a lack of fuel thanks to the blockade. In fact, the ongoing Saudi blockade has deprived Yemenis of the opportunity to reap the benefit of the sharp decline in crude oil prices.
Saudi Arabia has prevented 18 tankers, carrying more than 450 thousand tons of gasoline, from reaching electric stations and hospitals, despite carrying international permits, according to a statement by the Yemeni Oil Company.
Meanwhile, trucks carrying canned food and medicine en route to the besieged residents of al-Durayhimi have remained in Musai village for two weeks, unable to proceed thanks to the seemingly endless barrage of coalition rocket and artillery attacks, making it difficult to smuggle even to medical aid into the district.
The heavily populated area of al-Durayhimi lies nearly 20 kilometers from the Red Sea port city of Hodeida. The civilians there endure an acute shortage of food and medicine with no corridors for aid amid daily rocket and artillery strikes on the district by Saudi forces. The district has been blockaded by Saudi-led Coalition since June 2018.
Feature photo | A screenshot from video released by the Ansarallah Media Center shows civilian trucks that were targeted in a Wednesday airstrike by the Saudi-led Coalition at the Afar Port in Al-Bayda, Yemen.
Ahmed AbdulKareem is a Yemeni journalist. He covers the war in Yemen for MintPress News as well as local Yemeni media.


mintpressnews--2020-05-08--How Much Did the Trump Administration Know About the Failed Venezuela Coup Attempt?

The government of Venezuela is claiming victory after a coup attempt led by a group of mercenaries led by ex-Green Berets failed spectacularly Sunday , as the highly trained group ’ s incursion failed to even make it to the beach , overpowered by local fishermen ’ s collectives .
Eight of the party were killed , and 23 more are in custody , including two Americans .
Now , as the dust settles , recriminations are beginning at home .
Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy described the fiasco as a “ botched Bay of Pigs like paramilitary operation.
” “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Tom Udall and I are asking the administration a simple question : What did they know , and if they didn ’ t know , why not ?
” he added .
President Nicholas Maduro , whose forces appear to have had knowledge of the attack before it took place , is certain who was behind it .
“ The United States government is fully and completely involved in this defeated raid , ” he said , describing it as a “ covert operation ordered by Donald Trump , ” supported by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ interim president ” Juan Guaidó , outsourced to “ professional American mercenaries ” on a mission to assassinate him .
Trump officially denied all knowledge of the weekend ’ s events .
But Secretary of State Mike Pompeo contradicted the president ’ s words on Wednesday , stating only that “ there was no U.S. government direct involvement , ” although he did admit that he had known who bankrolled the failed project , promising to divulge the information “ at an appropriate time.
” However , in an interview with CNN @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s organizers , Juan José Rendon , may have let slip that the Trump administration was even more heavily involved than it concedes .
Referring to a $ 212.9 million contract they signed with Guaidó in October to overthrow the government , Rendon explained that it was above board as they were merely capturing and delivering to justice members of the Maduro regime who have an arrest warrant in the United States .
The problem is that those warrants , along with the $ 15 million bounty placed on Maduro ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March .
Therefore , if Rendon spoke correctly , it indicates his team may have had months of contact and cooperation with the U.S. Department of State .
The two Americans captured have been named as Airan Berry and Luke Denman .
Both are ex-Special Forces and honed their skills in the U.S. wars in the Middle East .
Denman ’ s family made an impassioned plea for his safe return .
“ He deserves to come home , ” said his brother Mark , claiming that , “ Luke ’ s motivation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any way he can… He thinks of kids who are being harmed and innocent people who are suffering and I ’ m sure this was his motivation to do this.
” Perhaps he had not watched Denman ’ s interview broadcast on Venezuelan television , because the 34-year-old Texan said he participated after the promise of being paid between $ 50-100,000 for the job , describing himself as a “ mercenary ” for hire .
Both Berry and Denman worked for Silvercorp USA , a private security firm set up in 2018 by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The company began by trying to sell school security services , but Goudreau and his men diversified , even being directly employed as private security guards by the Trump team at their rallies .
While the White House might officially deny direct involvement in the latest coup attempt , it is difficult to see what stronger evidence could come out directly implicating them .
For a number of decades , U.S. regime change operations have been outsourced to semi-private companies and NGOs , rather than directly employing government officials , giving the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The founder of the National Endowment for Democracy , Allen Weinstein noted of his organization , “ A lot of what we do today was done covertly 25 years ago by the CIA.
” Thus , this is exactly the maximum extent of evidence that any modern covert regime change operation has linking it to the government .
The Trump administration refuses to recognize Maduro , despite his election victories , instead , propping up deeply unpopular right-wing politician Juan Guaidó as the ruler , despite his failure to control or command anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a long history of supporting coups against the socialist government .
In 2002 , it bankrolled a briefly-successful ouster of Hugo Chavez , only for it to be rolled back almost immediately through mass popular mobilization .
Since then , it has continued to fund , train and nurture virtually every opposition politician and organization , more or less openly .
Thus , the question of whether the operation was directly organized in Washington D.C. is moot , because , as with so many other botched power grabs , it would never have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the power of the U.S. empire .
Feature photo | Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , right , walks with Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido , Feb. 6 , 2020 , at the State Department in Washington .
Luis M. Alvarez | 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 .

The government of Venezuela is claiming victory after a coup attempt led by a group of mercenaries led by ex-Green Berets failed spectacularly Sunday, as the highly trained group’s incursion failed to even make it to the beach, overpowered by local fishermen’s collectives. Eight of the party were killed, and 23 more are in custody, including two Americans. Now, as the dust settles, recriminations are beginning at home.
Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy described the fiasco as a “botched Bay of Pigs like paramilitary operation.” “Now, [Senators] Tim Kaine, Tom Udall and I are asking the administration a simple question: What did they know, and if they didn’t know, why not?” he added.
President Nicholas Maduro, whose forces appear to have had knowledge of the attack before it took place, is certain who was behind it. “The United States government is fully and completely involved in this defeated raid,” he said, describing it as a “covert operation ordered by Donald Trump,” supported by Colombian President Ivan Duque and self-declared U.S.-backed “interim president” Juan Guaidó, outsourced to “professional American mercenaries” on a mission to assassinate him.
Trump officially denied all knowledge of the weekend’s events. But Secretary of State Mike Pompeo contradicted the president’s words on Wednesday, stating only that “there was no U.S. government direct involvement,” although he did admit that he had known who bankrolled the failed project, promising to divulge the information “at an appropriate time.”
However, in an interview with CNN on Wednesday, one of the coup’s organizers, Juan José Rendon, may have let slip that the Trump administration was even more heavily involved than it concedes. Referring to a $212.9 million contract they signed with Guaidó in October to overthrow the government, Rendon explained that it was above board as they were merely capturing and delivering to justice members of the Maduro regime who have an arrest warrant in the United States. The problem is that those warrants, along with the $15 million bounty placed on Maduro’s head, were only made public in March. Therefore, if Rendon spoke correctly, it indicates his team may have had months of contact and cooperation with the U.S. Department of State.
The two Americans captured have been named as Airan Berry and Luke Denman. Both are ex-Special Forces and honed their skills in the U.S. wars in the Middle East. Denman’s family made an impassioned plea for his safe return. “He deserves to come home,” said his brother Mark, claiming that, “Luke’s motivation has always been to help others in any way he can… He thinks of kids who are being harmed and innocent people who are suffering and I’m sure this was his motivation to do this.” Perhaps he had not watched Denman’s interview broadcast on Venezuelan television, because the 34-year-old Texan said he participated after the promise of being paid between $50-100,000 for the job, describing himself as a “mercenary” for hire.
Both Berry and Denman worked for Silvercorp USA, a private security firm set up in 2018 by another former soldier, Jordan Goudreau. The company began by trying to sell school security services, but Goudreau and his men diversified, even being directly employed as private security guards by the Trump team at their rallies.
If you were to tell me that a QAnon guy (Airan Seth Berry followed hashtags QArmy and QAnon8kun on twitter) would end up on Venezuelan state media confessing to a coup — in the middle of COVID — I would have been like lol gtfo. But here we are. pic.twitter.com/jMKgWK7mB6 — president trump please approve my visa (@julianfeeld) May 7, 2020
While the White House might officially deny direct involvement in the latest coup attempt, it is difficult to see what stronger evidence could come out directly implicating them. For a number of decades, U.S. regime change operations have been outsourced to semi-private companies and NGOs, rather than directly employing government officials, giving the government a paper-thin veneer of plausible deniability. The founder of the National Endowment for Democracy, Allen Weinstein noted of his organization, “A lot of what we do today was done covertly 25 years ago by the CIA.” Thus, this is exactly the maximum extent of evidence that any modern covert regime change operation has linking it to the government.
The Trump administration refuses to recognize Maduro, despite his election victories, instead, propping up deeply unpopular right-wing politician Juan Guaidó as the ruler, despite his failure to control or command anything inside the country. The U.S. has a long history of supporting coups against the socialist government. In 2002, it bankrolled a briefly-successful ouster of Hugo Chavez, only for it to be rolled back almost immediately through mass popular mobilization. Since then, it has continued to fund, train and nurture virtually every opposition politician and organization, more or less openly. Thus, the question of whether the operation was directly organized in Washington D.C. is moot, because, as with so many other botched power grabs, it would never have happened without the implicit and explicit support of the power of the U.S. empire.
Feature photo | Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, right, walks with Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, Feb. 6, 2020, at the State Department in Washington. Luis M. Alvarez | 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--2020-05-08--Justice is Indivisible: Placing Palestine Back at the Center of American Muslim Activism

It was nearly twenty years ago at a Muslim conference in Washington D.C. that I heard the distressing argument that Palestine should not be made a central topic in the American Muslim political agenda .
The point , which took many by surprise , was enunciated by a young American Pakistani Muslim academic , whose name is not important for my purpose here .
What I found reassuring then , however , was that almost everyone at the gathering shook their head in disagreement .
The young academic was clearly an intellectual pariah .
It was clear that Muslims , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conference , will not be abandoning their advocacy for the freedom of the Palestinian people anytime soon .
A few months later , the September 11 attacks took place , unleashing a Pandora ’ s Box of violence , racism , orientalism , and Islamophobia , the outcome of which would continue to be felt for years to come .
A less discussed portion of the American war on Islam and Muslims in the last twenty years is the systematic and centralized attempt at breaking down the American Muslim society .
The same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the anti-Muslim sentiment that flourished in Europe during the West ’ s wars on Afghanistan and Iraq , and other Muslim countries .
Since then and till today , American Muslims found themselves forced to make bleak choices to avoid media demonization and government persecution .
Some chose to toe the line , in fact , to become an advocate of the very colonial , savage powers that were unleashed against Muslims everywhere – killing , torturing , imprisoning and sanctioning with no regard whatsoever for the very international law that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ II .
The likes of Hamza Yusuf , formally known as Mark Hanson , was and , perhaps , remains the best example of the so-called ‘ pet Muslim ’ , as he became known due to his collaboration with the George W. Bush regime during the genocidal wars in Iraq and Afghanistan .
The likes of Yusuf became immensely crucial to the American-Western designs in Muslim countries , being the ideal amalgamation between the ‘ native informer ’ – as a supposedly learned Muslim , although a white person himself – and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that can be trusted in deciphering and dissecting the Muslim ‘ Orient ’ to the colonialist West .
According to the Guardian newspaper , Yusuf once told Muslim political dissidents , “ If you hate the west , emigrate to a Muslim country ” , thus displaying the same racist sentiment often lobbed by far-right chauvinists to anyone who dares question government policies on war , immigration , or anything else .
This very sentiment was repeated by US President , Donald Trump , when he tweeted last July , “ In America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you are free to leave.
” According to the infinite wisdom of Yusuf and Trump , one can only earn the right to be a fully bonified citizen if one fully abandons one ’ s right to display any disagreement with one ’ s government ’ s policies .
In Yusuf ’ s shameful thinking , it also follows that a Muslim can never truly be a permanent citizen in any western polity , a sentiment embraced by the very neo-fascist movements that are currently plaguing Europe .
It should come as no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Secretary of State and well-known anti-Muslim bigot , Mike Pompeo , announced the formation of the Commission on Unalienable Rights – another platform for political and religious prejudices targeting Trump ’ s enemies around the world – Yusuf was immediately handpicked to be a member of that commission .
The problem , however , is bigger than a single orientalist .
It has become clear that the terrible consequences of September 11 – the bloody wars that followed , and the tragic but predictable backlash of anti-Western militancy in the US , Europe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emasculated mainstream Muslim discourse in Western countries , the US especially .
Once upon a time , every Friday , hundreds of Imams throughout American mosques would breach solidarity with Palestine , Kashmir , Afghanistan , Chechnya , and so on .
Money would be raised for various organizations that provided aid for victims of wars throughout the Muslim world .
In fact , unity around Palestine seemed to bring millions of Muslims together despite their vastly different cultures , classes , and even their very own interpretations of Islam itself .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so-called ‘ war on terror ’ , has changed all of that , imposing a new paradigm and a stark choice on Muslim communities all across the country .
The shutting down of the Holy Land Foundation , because of its support of Palestinian and other victims of Israeli violence , was only the tip of the iceberg .
The accounts of many Muslim charities and organizations were drained , while hundreds , if not thousands of well-educated and outspoken Muslim intellectuals were either detained , deported , fired from their jobs or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sadly , it was the dawn of a new and tragic era where the self-loathing , self-seeking and opportunistic Muslim intellectual peddlers reigned supreme .
It is through this compromising bunch , that Western governments managed to tailor their own version of the ‘ good Muslim ’ , to be juxtaposed with the radical , God-forbid , free-thinking Muslim , unfairly but incessantly seen as a terrorist sympathizer .
I had the displeasure of knowing or learning about many of these ‘ good Muslims ’ in the last twenty years , who are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phony ‘ interfaith dialogue ’ conferences , giddily serving the role of the well-behaved Muslim whenever demanded of them .
For this odd breed of Muslims , Palestine is an obstacle and Kashmir is a forgotten , wasteland , for their mission is not to advocate on behalf of the oppressed .
Instead , they are often used as middlemen who convey the official diktats of governments , states , and city councils to their fellow Muslims .
In other words , they become the ‘ official ’ Muslims , whose agenda is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helping to mobilize , organize and advocate while building solidarity with other marginalized groups – but , as in the case of Yusuf , embracing the agenda of Trump himself .
The problem with these spiritual charlatans is that they feed the misguided view that Muslims can only be either quisling hacks or potential terrorists ; that Muslims must be subdued or they become a danger to society ; and that Muslims can not be part of a larger collective of political dissidents who advocate justice and equality in their own society , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at many mosques across the US , Palestine , Kashmir , Afghanistan , and other places of great and perpetual injustice are hardly mentioned .
Many shy away even from political advocacy and intersectionality within their own communities .
Perhaps , they fear that doing so would place them at the radar of the FBI or local enforcement agencies .
But , what is Islam without justice ?
In one Quranic verse ( 5:8 ) , God says , “ O you who have believed , be persistently standing firm for God , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just .
Be just ; that is nearer to righteousness ” .
The emphasis on justice , and the building of communities and nations that stand for what is right is at the core of Islamic values , and neither Mark Hansen nor any other self-proclaimed Muslims can possibly change that .
As for governments that are constantly caricaturing Muslims and Islam to fit their own agendas , they are not doing themselves any favors either , for a strong society is predicated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to operate within a legal and democratic framework , with the overriding goal of advancing the interests of the entire nation .
Freedom for Palestine , Kashmir , Afghanistan , as well as the rights of minorities , social justice , gender and racial equality , all go hand-in-hand .
No sincere justice advocate , self-respecting scholar , and needless to say , true Muslim , would disagree with the notion that justice is indivisible , a moral doctrine has defined Islam and Muslims for fifteen centuries .
Feature photo | A Palestinian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parade , June 3 , 2018 , in New York .
Andres Kudacki | AP Ramzy Baroud is a journalist and the Editor of The Palestine Chronicle .
He is the author of five books .
His latest is “ These Chains Will Be Broken : Palestinian Stories of Struggle and Defiance in Israeli Prisons ” ( Clarity Press , Atlanta ) .
Dr. Baroud is a Non-resident Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Islam and Global Affairs ( CIGA ) , Istanbul Zaim University ( IZU ) .
His website is @

It was nearly twenty years ago at a Muslim conference in Washington D.C. that I heard the distressing argument that Palestine should not be made a central topic in the American Muslim political agenda.
The point, which took many by surprise, was enunciated by a young American Pakistani Muslim academic, whose name is not important for my purpose here.
What I found reassuring then, however, was that almost everyone at the gathering shook their head in disagreement. The young academic was clearly an intellectual pariah. It was clear that Muslims, at least the attendees of that specific conference, will not be abandoning their advocacy for the freedom of the Palestinian people anytime soon.
A few months later, the September 11 attacks took place, unleashing a Pandora’s Box of violence, racism, orientalism, and Islamophobia, the outcome of which would continue to be felt for years to come.
A less discussed portion of the American war on Islam and Muslims in the last twenty years is the systematic and centralized attempt at breaking down the American Muslim society. The same can, of course, be said of the anti-Muslim sentiment that flourished in Europe during the West’s wars on Afghanistan and Iraq, and other Muslim countries.
Since then and till today, American Muslims found themselves forced to make bleak choices to avoid media demonization and government persecution.
Some chose to toe the line, in fact, to become an advocate of the very colonial, savage powers that were unleashed against Muslims everywhere – killing, torturing, imprisoning and sanctioning with no regard whatsoever for the very international law that the West itself had fashioned following World War II.
The likes of Hamza Yusuf, formally known as Mark Hanson, was and, perhaps, remains the best example of the so-called ‘pet Muslim’, as he became known due to his collaboration with the George W. Bush regime during the genocidal wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The likes of Yusuf became immensely crucial to the American-Western designs in Muslim countries, being the ideal amalgamation between the ‘native informer’ – as a supposedly learned Muslim, although a white person himself – and the typical orientalist – the Western scholar that can be trusted in deciphering and dissecting the Muslim ‘Orient’ to the colonialist West.
According to the Guardian newspaper, Yusuf once told Muslim political dissidents, “If you hate the west, emigrate to a Muslim country”, thus displaying the same racist sentiment often lobbed by far-right chauvinists to anyone who dares question government policies on war, immigration, or anything else.
This very sentiment was repeated by US President, Donald Trump, when he tweeted last July, “In America, if you hate our Country, you are free to leave.”
According to the infinite wisdom of Yusuf and Trump, one can only earn the right to be a fully bonified citizen if one fully abandons one’s right to display any disagreement with one’s government’s policies.
In Yusuf’s shameful thinking, it also follows that a Muslim can never truly be a permanent citizen in any western polity, a sentiment embraced by the very neo-fascist movements that are currently plaguing Europe.
It should come as no surprise, then, that when US Secretary of State and well-known anti-Muslim bigot, Mike Pompeo, announced the formation of the Commission on Unalienable Rights – another platform for political and religious prejudices targeting Trump’s enemies around the world – Yusuf was immediately handpicked to be a member of that commission.
The problem, however, is bigger than a single orientalist. It has become clear that the terrible consequences of September 11 – the bloody wars that followed, and the tragic but predictable backlash of anti-Western militancy in the US, Europe and elsewhere – have, sadly, emasculated mainstream Muslim discourse in Western countries, the US especially.
Once upon a time, every Friday, hundreds of Imams throughout American mosques would breach solidarity with Palestine, Kashmir, Afghanistan, Chechnya, and so on. Money would be raised for various organizations that provided aid for victims of wars throughout the Muslim world. In fact, unity around Palestine seemed to bring millions of Muslims together despite their vastly different cultures, classes, and even their very own interpretations of Islam itself.
The outcome of September 11, namely the so-called ‘war on terror’, has changed all of that, imposing a new paradigm and a stark choice on Muslim communities all across the country.
The shutting down of the Holy Land Foundation, because of its support of Palestinian and other victims of Israeli violence, was only the tip of the iceberg. The accounts of many Muslim charities and organizations were drained, while hundreds, if not thousands of well-educated and outspoken Muslim intellectuals were either detained, deported, fired from their jobs or forced into silence by other means.
Sadly, it was the dawn of a new and tragic era where the self-loathing, self-seeking and opportunistic Muslim intellectual peddlers reigned supreme.
It is through this compromising bunch, that Western governments managed to tailor their own version of the ‘good Muslim’, to be juxtaposed with the radical, God-forbid, free-thinking Muslim, unfairly but incessantly seen as a terrorist sympathizer.
I had the displeasure of knowing or learning about many of these ‘good Muslims’ in the last twenty years, who are so keen at claiming the spots at phony ‘interfaith dialogue’ conferences, giddily serving the role of the well-behaved Muslim whenever demanded of them.
For this odd breed of Muslims, Palestine is an obstacle and Kashmir is a forgotten, wasteland, for their mission is not to advocate on behalf of the oppressed. Instead, they are often used as middlemen who convey the official diktats of governments, states, and city councils to their fellow Muslims. In other words, they become the ‘official’ Muslims, whose agenda is not that of their own community – helping to mobilize, organize and advocate while building solidarity with other marginalized groups – but, as in the case of Yusuf, embracing the agenda of Trump himself.
The problem with these spiritual charlatans is that they feed the misguided view that Muslims can only be either quisling hacks or potential terrorists; that Muslims must be subdued or they become a danger to society; and that Muslims cannot be part of a larger collective of political dissidents who advocate justice and equality in their own society, and the world over.
Currently, at many mosques across the US, Palestine, Kashmir, Afghanistan, and other places of great and perpetual injustice are hardly mentioned. Many shy away even from political advocacy and intersectionality within their own communities. Perhaps, they fear that doing so would place them at the radar of the FBI or local enforcement agencies.
But, what is Islam without justice?
In one Quranic verse (5:8), God says, “O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for God, witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness”.
The emphasis on justice, and the building of communities and nations that stand for what is right is at the core of Islamic values, and neither Mark Hansen nor any other self-proclaimed Muslims can possibly change that.
As for governments that are constantly caricaturing Muslims and Islam to fit their own agendas, they are not doing themselves any favors either, for a strong society is predicated on the freedom of individuals and groups to operate within a legal and democratic framework, with the overriding goal of advancing the interests of the entire nation.
Freedom for Palestine, Kashmir, Afghanistan, as well as the rights of minorities, social justice, gender and racial equality, all go hand-in-hand. No sincere justice advocate, self-respecting scholar, and needless to say, true Muslim, would disagree with the notion that justice is indivisible, a moral doctrine has defined Islam and Muslims for fifteen centuries.
Feature photo | A Palestinian supporter protests during the annual Celebrate Israel parade, June 3, 2018, in New York. Andres Kudacki | AP
Ramzy Baroud is a journalist and the Editor of The Palestine Chronicle. He is the author of five books. His latest is “These Chains Will Be Broken: Palestinian Stories of Struggle and Defiance in Israeli Prisons” (Clarity Press, Atlanta). Dr. Baroud is a Non-resident Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Islam and Global Affairs (CIGA), Istanbul Zaim University (IZU). His website is www.ramzybaroud.net