democracynow--2020-07-31--Civil Rights Hero John Lewis Remembered at Funeral as "Patriot Who Risked His Life" for Democracy

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : This is Democracy Now !
, Democracynow.org , The Quarantine Report .
I ’ m Amy Goodman .
Family members , lawmakers , three living former U.S. presidents gathered in Atlanta , Georgia , Thursday to honor the life of civil rights legend , 17-term Congressmember John Lewis , who represented the city of Atlanta for more than three decades and was known as the conscience of Congress .
John Lewis died July 17th at the age of 80 .
Thursday ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homegoing journey that began over the weekend in Troy , Alabama , where he was born , carried his body onward to Selma , over the Edmund Pettus Bridge and Washington D.C. , then to Atlanta .
Former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton each spoke at the service and remarks from Jimmy Carter , who doesn ’ t travel due to coronavirus , were read aloud .
President Barack Obama delivered the eulogy .
President Donald Trump was notably absent .
Interestingly , John Lewis boycotted both Donald Trump and George @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an early outspoken critic of the Iraq War .
The funeral took place at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta , once led by Martin Luther King Jr. and his father .
Dr. King nicknamed John Lewis “ the boy from Troy ” when they first met in Montgomery in 1958 .
In a minute we will hear the words of President Obama and civil rights legend , Reverend James Lawson .
But first , Reverend Raphael Warnock gave the opening remarks as he presided over the funeral .
REV .
RAPHAEL @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lewis , and as we gather in this house of God , we are reminded that as a teenager , he actually wrestled with a call to ministry .
A farm boy , he used to preach to the chickens .
I guess you have to start somewhere .
At age 16 , he preached what we Baptists call his trial sermon in a little country church .
But as his life took shape , instead of preaching sermons , he became one .
He became a living , walking sermon about truth-telling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loved America until America learned how to love him back .
We celebrate John Lewis .
At a time that there is so much going on in our world , the news cycle is packed and moves at a dizzying pace , yet for the last several days , it is as if time stood still while the nation takes its time to remember him .
And , I rise simply to ask , in this call to celebration , what is it that has summoned us here and calls us to slow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while , with so much swirling around us ?
We are summoned here because in a moment where there are some in high office who are much better at division than vision , who can not lead us so they seek to divide us , in a moment when there is so much political cynicism and narcissism that masquerades as patriotism , here lies a true American patriot who risked his life and limb for the hope and the promise of democracy .
We celebrate John Lewis .
Beaten and battered , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bridge in Selma , he stared down bigotry and brutality and tyranny and won .
How did he do it ?
The great , great grandson of slaves , he received a spiritual power born of suffering .
A moral audacity that transcended human station and called upon the human law to more closely align itself with the law of love .
Howard Thurman said , “ By some amazing but vastly creative spirituality , the slave undertook the redemption of a religion that the master had profaned in his midst.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ named Jesus in the brush arbors of Alabama and Georgia and Mississippi , and John Lewis received that faith and took it with him across that bridge in Selma , and every other bridge .
We come to celebrate John Lewis .
So , let us be clear .
When President Lyndon Baines Johnson picked up his pen to sign the voting rights bill into law , what he etched in ink had already been sanctioned by blood .
The blood of the martyrs , the blood of Schwerner , Chaney and Goodman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who were murdered in Mississippi .
The blood of Viola Liuzzo , the blood of John Lewis .
We celebrate John Lewis .
He was wounded for America ’ s transgressions .
Bruised , for our iniquities .
The chastisement of our peace was upon him .
And by his stripes , we are healed .
So , let ’ s remember him today , and let ’ s recommit tomorrow to standing together and fighting together and voting together and standing up on behalf of truth and righteousness , together .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Let ’ s save the soul of our democracy together .
Let ’ s worship the Lord .
Let ’ s worship the Lord together .
Thank God for John Robert Lewis .
AMY GOODMAN : Senior Pastor Raphael Warnock of the Ebenezer Baptist Church .
He is actually running for the U.S. Senate in November .
Speaking at Thursday ’ s funeral for John Lewis in Atlanta .
You can see our full interview with Warnock earlier this week at our website , Democracynow.org .
When we come back , we will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a civil rights icon himself , and former President Barack Obama .
Stay with us .

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: Family members, lawmakers, three living former U.S. presidents gathered in Atlanta, Georgia, Thursday to honor the life of civil rights legend, 17-term Congressmember John Lewis, who represented the city of Atlanta for more than three decades and was known as the conscience of Congress. John Lewis died July 17th at the age of 80.
Thursday’s service marked the end of a homegoing journey that began over the weekend in Troy, Alabama, where he was born, carried his body onward to Selma, over the Edmund Pettus Bridge, and Washington, D.C., then to Atlanta. Former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton each spoke at the service, and remarks from Jimmy Carter, who doesn’t travel due to coronavirus, were read aloud. President Barack Obama delivered the eulogy. President Donald Trump was notably absent. Interestingly, John Lewis boycotted both Donald Trump and George W. Bush’s inaugurations and was an early outspoken critic of the Iraq War.
The funeral took place at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, once led by Martin Luther King Jr. and his father. Dr. King nicknamed John Lewis “the boy from Troy” when they first met in Montgomery in 1958. In a minute, we’ll hear the words of President Obama and civil rights legend, Reverend James Lawson. But first, Reverend Raphael Warnock gave the opening remarks as he presided over the funeral.
REV. RAPHAEL WARNOCK: We praise God for John Lewis. And as we gather in this house of God, we are reminded that as a teenager, he actually wrestled with a call to ministry. A farm boy, he used to preach to the chickens. I guess you have to start somewhere. And at age 16, he preached what we Baptists call his trial sermon in a little country church. But as his life took shape, instead of preaching sermons, he became one. He became a living, walking sermon about truth-telling and justice-making in the Earth. He loved America until America learned how to love him back. We celebrate John Lewis.
At a time that there is so much going on in our world, the news cycle is packed and moves at a dizzying pace, yet for the last several days, it is as if time stood still while the nation takes its time to remember him. And I rise simply to ask: In this call to celebration, what is it that has summoned us here and calls us to slow down, to linger for a little while, with so much swirling around us?
We are summoned here because in a moment when there are some in high office who are much better at division than vision, who cannot lead us so they seek to divide us, in a moment when there is so much political cynicism and narcissism that masquerades as patriotism, here lies a true American patriot who risked his life and limb for the hope and the promise of democracy. We celebrate John Lewis.
Beaten and battered, but never bitter and always unbowed. On a bridge in Selma, he stared down bigotry and brutality and tyranny, and won. How did he do it? The great-great-grandson of slaves, he received a spiritual power, born of suffering, a moral audacity that transcended human station and called upon the human law to more closely align itself with the law of love.
Howard Thurman said, “By some amazing but vastly creative spirituality, the slave undertook the redemption of a religion that the master had profaned in his midst.” John Lewis’s ancestors met a man named Jesus in the brush arbors of Alabama and Georgia and Mississippi, and John Lewis received that faith and took it with him across that bridge in Selma and every other bridge. We come to celebrate John Lewis.
And so, let us be clear: When President Lyndon Baines Johnson picked up his pen to sign the voting rights bill into law, what he etched in ink had already been sanctioned by blood — the blood of the martyrs; the blood of Schwerner, Chaney and Goodman, two Jews and an African American who were murdered in Mississippi; the blood of Viola Liuzzo; the blood of John Lewis. We celebrate John Lewis.
He was wounded for America’s transgressions, bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him. And by his stripes, we are healed. So, let’s remember him today, and let’s recommit tomorrow to standing together and fighting together and voting together and standing up on behalf of truth and righteousness together. We’ll get through this together. Let’s save the soul of our democracy together. Let’s worship the Lord. Let’s worship the Lord together. Thank God for John Robert Lewis.
AMY GOODMAN: Senior Pastor Raphael Warnock of the Ebenezer Baptist Church — he is actually running for the U.S. Senate in November — speaking at Thursday’s funeral for John Lewis in Atlanta. You can see our full interview with Warnock earlier this week at our website, democracynow.org.
When we come back, we’ll hear from the Reverend James Lawson, a civil rights icon himself, and former President Barack Obama. Stay with us.
[break]
AMY GOODMAN: Jennifer Holliday singing “Precious Lord, Take My Hand” at John Lewis’s funeral on Thursday.


democracynow--2020-07-31--Headlines for July 31, 2020

Headlines for July 31, 2020

Back in the United States , President Trump is facing bipartisan outrage after suggesting delaying the November election .
Trump floated the idea Thursday morning at a time when nearly all polls project he will lose against Joe Biden in November .
Trump tweeted , “ With Universal Mail-In Voting ( not Absentee Voting , which is good ) , 2020 will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history .
It will be a great embarrassment to the USA .
Delay the Election until people can properly , securely and safely vote ?
?
?
” Voting experts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up Trump ’ s claim .
Five states already conduct voting almost entirely by mail : Colorado , Hawaii , Oregon , Washington and Utah .
The president also does not have the constitutional power to postpone an election — only Congress does .
However , during a congressional hearing on Thursday , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo claimed the Justice Department can make that determination .
Pompeo was questioned by Democratic Senator Tim Kaine .
Mike Pompeo “ Senator , the Department of Justice and others will make that legal determination .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ know you do too , Senator Kaine — want to make sure we have an election that everyone is confident in , that ’ s not only for — ” Even many Trump supporters have condemned the president ’ s call to delay the election .
Steven Calabresi of the arch-conservative Federalist Society wrote in a New York Times op-ed , “ This latest tweet is fascistic and is itself grounds for the president ’ s immediate impeachment again by the House of Representatives and his removal from office by the Senate .
@

In the United States, President Trump is facing bipartisan outrage after suggesting delaying the November election. Trump floated the idea Thursday morning at a time when nearly all polls project he will lose against Joe Biden in November. Trump tweeted, “With Universal Mail-In Voting (not Absentee Voting, which is good), 2020 will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history. It will be a great embarrassment to the USA. Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???”
Voting experts say there is no evidence to back up Trump’s claim. Five states already conduct voting almost entirely by mail: Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington and Utah. The president also does not have the constitutional power to postpone an election — only Congress does. However, during a congressional hearing on Thursday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo claimed the Justice Department can make that determination. Pompeo was questioned by Democratic Senator Tim Kaine.
Sen. Tim Kaine “Can a president delay a presidential election?”
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo: “Senator, the — and the Department of Justice, others will make that legal determination. We all should want — I know you do, too, Senator Kaine — want to make sure we have an election that everyone is confident in, that’s not only fully free, but validated.”
Sen. Tim Kaine: “Are you indifferent to the date of the election?”
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo: “It should happen lawfully.”
Sen. Tim Kaine: “Right.”
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo: “Yeah.”
Even many Trump supporters have condemned the president’s call to delay the election. Steven Calabresi of the archconservative Federalist Society wrote in a New York Times op-ed, “This latest tweet is fascistic and is itself grounds for the president’s immediate impeachment again by the House of Representatives and his removal from office by the Senate.”


democracynow--2020-07-30--Noam Chomsky: Decades of the "Neoliberal Plague" Left U.S. Unprepared for COVID-19 Outbreak

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : The U.S. coronavirus death toll has topped 150,000 Wednesday — the highest of any nation by far .
The hardest-hit states per capita are Florida , Louisiana , Arizona , Mississippi , Alabama , Nevada , South Carolina , Texas , Idaho , Tennessee and Georgia — a list that includes all seven of the original Confederate states .
Today we talk about COVID and so much more as we spend the hour with Noam Chomsky , the world-renowned political dissident , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Massachusetts Institute of Technology , where he taught for more than 50 years , now laureate professor in the Department of Linguistics at the University of Arizona , author of more than a hundred books .
Professor Chomsky spoke with Democracy Now !
’ s Nermeen Shaikh and I on Thursday from his home in Tucson , Arizona , about the coronavirus crisis .
NOAM CHOMSKY We should understand the roots of this pandemic .
If we don ’ t understand the roots and extirpate them , there ’ s going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So far , we ’ ve been kind of lucky .
There are coronaviruses , pandemics of — epidemics are very serious , and there are many possibilities .
So far , all the ones that have happened in the last 10 or 15 years , either the virus has been very deadly but not very contagious , like Ebola , or very contagious but not very deadly , like COVID-19 .
What happens when the next one comes along that ’ s both very contagious and very deadly ?
We are in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than this .
Much worse than the so-called Spanish flu , which ought to be called the Kansas flu by Trump ’ s logic .
It originated in Kansas a century ago .
We may be facing something much worse than that .
The government could step in .
The government , in any event , does most of the basic research for vaccines and drugs , almost all of them .
So it could have stepped in , create laboratories .
Plenty of — unlimited resources .
But they ’ re blocked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reagan , that government is the problem , not the solution , which means we have to take decision-making and action out of the hands of government , which has a flaw : It ’ s somewhat responsive to the population .
We have to shift it to unaccountable , private tyrannies , which are totally unaccountable to the population .
That ’ s the meaning of Reagan ’ s slogan .
That ’ s the fundamental principle of neoliberalism .
We ’ ve been suffering — the world has been suffering from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tiny percentage who have become super rich and extremely powerful .
Well , that blocks the government .
Other countries were doing things .
In Asia , Oceania , Australia , New Zealand , they were reacting .
Some of it — South Korea , which was one of the first places hit , never had to go to a lockdown , because they dealt with it rationally .
They identified the places that were hot spots , controlled them , tested , traced people , looked for contacts .
Countries pretty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths , and apparently that ’ s taken quite seriously by leading U.S. specialists .
Johns Hopkins School of Public Health , which monitors the international situation , records zero deaths from Vietnam , which has a 1,400-mile border with China .
South Korea , Taiwan , New Zealand , Australia are doing quite well .
And Europe , they delayed .
They didn ’ t act quick , right away , but they did finally act .
And as you mentioned , the curve has sharply reduced since March for most of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Norway and Germany , doing quite well in this respect .
People are traveling through southern Italy almost like normal .
And one of the really world-shaking crimes that ’ s being carried out is the destruction of the Amazon .
That affects the whole world , not just Brazil .
I mean , it means basically genocide for the Indigenous populations .
The scientific predictions are that , on our current course , the Amazon will shift in about 15 years from being a net sink of carbon dioxide to a net @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lungs of the Earth .
Forest absorbs huge amounts of carbon dioxide .
It will start emitting them instead .
A little farther down the road , the Amazon , under the current course , will just turn into savanna , no forest anymore .
Devastating for Brazil and the other Amazonian countries .
Devastating for the world .
It ’ s one of the main oxygen producers in the world .
The Republican Party , we know how they shifted .
You go back just a decade or so .
John @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president .
His program had some pretty weak , but some policies directed to global warming .
The Republican Congress was beginning to contemplate global warming , policies to restrict global warming .
The Koch brothers , the super rich energy corporation , got wind of this .
They had been working for years to prevent it .
David Koch , one of the Koch brothers — died recently — launched an incredible campaign to make sure that the Republican Party would turn to denialism .
They bribed senators , intimidated others with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — huge lobbying campaign , astroturf campaigns , a massive juggernaut .
The party shifted , dropped all of its efforts to deal with climate change .
It ’ s now a party led by denialists .
AMY GOODMAN : As you talk about this denialism and the science denialism , first dealing with the climate crisis and then extending to the pandemic , both threatening life on Earth , with President Trump now holding a daily coronavirus press briefing without the scientists , you have Anthony Fauci throwing out the first ball @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chief infectious disease scientist , who won ’ t play ball exactly with the White House , so he ’ s not in this coronavirus briefing .
You have Dr. Birx .
President Trump says she ’ s right outside , but she ’ s not a part of this news conference .
Do you think reporters who are sitting in the White House briefing room should refuse to be there unless scientists are there and unless President Trump wears a mask ?
Every year that Trump has been in office , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Two years ago , it reached the closest it had ever been .
This last January , the analysts gave up minutes ; they moved to seconds .
A hundred seconds to midnight .
Since January , Trump has made every one of the issues that they brought up worse .
There were three major issues .
One is , of course , the threat of nuclear war ; second , the threat of environmental catastrophe ; the third , the deterioration of democracy — which does belong , because it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ informed , engaged public that we can have any hope of escaping from the two existential crises .
The inspectors general , who were imposed by Congress , by the Republican Congress , to monitor malfeasance of the executive branches , purged .
Trump , in fact , went out of his way to humiliate the senior Republican senator , Charles Grassley , who had spent much of his career imposing these monitors .
The attorney for the state , Southern District of New York , looked into the Trump swamp — fired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used to be called the greatest deliberative body in the world .
Now it ’ s a joke , doesn ’ t do any deliberation .
It does essentially nothing , except try to race through as many appointments of young , ultra-right judges as possible , so they can pack the judiciary for a generation .
The only other thing it does is figure out ways to pour money into the — dollars into the pockets of the rich , like the tax scam .
That ’ s the Senate , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the House for legislation ; McConnell just cans them .
Don ’ t look at them .
That ’ s not the role of the Senate .
So , going back to the — that ’ s why there should be the Doomsday Clock on the front of every newspaper .
Show us what the United States is doing to the world , to itself and the world .
That should be in front of everyone ’ s attention .
And there are many other things that should be done .
There should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against the use of military force to occupy American cities and to crush peaceful dissidents .
This is intolerable in a functioning democracy .
We can ’ t sit by and let it happen , just let it proceed step by step until we reach real catastrophe .
AMY GOODMAN : Professor Noam Chomsky .
When we come back from break , he talks about Israel ’ s threat to annex the West Bank , the upcoming U.S. election and more .
AMY GOODMAN : “ Swept Away ” by The Roots .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ B. , has passed away at the age of 47 .

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: The U.S. coronavirus death toll has topped 150,000 Wednesday — the highest of any nation by far. The hardest-hit states per capita are Florida, Louisiana, Arizona, Mississippi, Alabama, Nevada, South Carolina, Texas, Idaho, Tennessee and Georgia — a list that includes all seven of the original Confederate states.
Today we talk about COVID and so much more as we spend the hour with Noam Chomsky, the world-renowned political dissident, linguist and author, professor emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he taught for more than 50 years, now laureate professor in the Department of Linguistics at the University of Arizona, author of more than a hundred books. Professor Chomsky spoke with Democracy Now!’s Nermeen Shaikh and I on Thursday from his home in Tucson, Arizona, about the coronavirus crisis.
NOAM CHOMSKY We should understand the roots of this pandemic. If we don’t understand the roots and extirpate them, there’s going to be another and worse one coming. So far, we’ve been kind of lucky. There are coronaviruses, pandemics of — epidemics are very serious, and there are many possibilities. So far, all the ones that have happened in the last 10 or 15 years, either the virus has been very deadly but not very contagious, like Ebola, or very contagious but not very deadly, like COVID-19. What happens when the next one comes along that’s both very contagious and very deadly? We are in deep trouble. Deep. Much worse than this. Much worse than the so-called Spanish flu, which ought to be called the Kansas flu by Trump’s logic. It originated in Kansas a century ago. We may be facing something much worse than that.
There are ways of dealing with it. After the SARS epidemic in 2003, scientists knew that another one is very likely. They warned against it. They presented policies that could be carried out. They weren’t implemented, in part because of deep institutional pathologies. The drug companies, who are the obvious candidates for dealing with it, can’t, by straight capitalist logic. You don’t spend money to try to prevent a catastrophe 10 years from now. What you do is try to make money tomorrow. That’s the logic of the system. So the pharmaceutical companies are ruled out by capitalist logic.
The government could step in. The government, in any event, does most of the basic research for vaccines and drugs, almost all of them. So it could have stepped in, create laboratories. Plenty of — unlimited resources. But they’re blocked by the neoliberal plague. Remember Ronald Reagan, that government is the problem, not the solution, which means we have to take decision-making and action out of the hands of government, which has a flaw: It’s somewhat responsive to the population. We have to shift it to unaccountable, private tyrannies, which are totally unaccountable to the population. That’s the meaning of Reagan’s slogan. That’s the fundamental principle of neoliberalism. We’ve been suffering — the world has been suffering from it for 40 years, except for the tiny percentage who have become super rich and extremely powerful. Well, that blocks the government.
Nevertheless, there were things that the government could do. When the Obama administration took office, in the first few days, Obama called the presidential scientific advisory board, which had been established by George H.W. Bush, the first Bush, who had some respect for science. Obama called it. He requested that they put together a pandemic reaction program, a way to deal with a pandemic if it comes. They came up with a report a couple weeks later. It was implemented. It was in place until January 2017.
Trump came into office, first few days, dismantled the whole system. Nothing. That’s part of the general wrecking ball. “We have to destroy everything that Obama did. We have to wreck everything,” because it’s the only way to look like you’re doing something. Happening all over. So that went.
There were programs of U.S. scientists working in China with Chinese colleagues to try to detect and identify coronaviruses. Most of them are deep in caves. It’s very dangerous work. Some have been killed, Chinese scientists. But they were finding them and identifying them and testing them. The Wuhan Institute of Virology is the main center for investigating this. Trump canceled the programs.
There were simulations run of a pandemic as late as October 2019 warning of what would happen. No attention. Trump administration isn’t interested. So, when the epidemic finally hit, the United States was singularly unprepared. After that comes a series of grotesque inactions and actions. For a couple of months, Trump refused to admit that it was happening.
Other countries were doing things. In Asia, Oceania, Australia, New Zealand, they were reacting. Some of it — South Korea, which was one of the first places hit, never had to go to a lockdown, because they dealt with it rationally. They identified the places that were hot spots, controlled them, tested, traced people, looked for contacts. Countries pretty much functioned. Vietnam has reported zero deaths, and apparently that’s taken quite seriously by leading U.S. specialists. Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, which monitors the international situation, records zero deaths from Vietnam, which has a 1,400-mile border with China. South Korea, Taiwan, New Zealand, Australia are doing quite well. And Europe, they delayed. They didn’t act quick, right away, but they did finally act. And as you mentioned, the curve has sharply reduced since March for most of Europe — some of them, like Norway and Germany, doing quite well in this respect. People are traveling through southern Italy almost like normal.
It’s gotten so extreme that, as you know, Europe has banned American visitors. The United States is such a pariah state that Americans aren’t permitted to go to other countries. Other countries won’t allow them in.
This is kind of mimicked in a horrible way in Brazil. Bolsonaro just denies that it’s happening. “It’s just a mild flu. Don’t worry about it. Brazilians are strong. We don’t care.” So, big meetings of right-wing Bolsonaro supporters dancing in the streets and spreading the virus, and Bolsonaro says fine.
And one of the really world-shaking crimes that’s being carried out is the destruction of the Amazon. That affects the whole world, not just Brazil. I mean, it means basically genocide for the Indigenous populations. The scientific predictions are that, on our current course, the Amazon will shift in about 15 years from being a net sink of carbon dioxide to a net emitter of carbon dioxide, sometimes called the lungs of the Earth. Forest absorbs huge amounts of carbon dioxide. It will start emitting them instead. A little farther down the road, the Amazon, under the current course, will just turn into savanna, no forest anymore. Devastating for Brazil and the other Amazonian countries. Devastating for the world. It’s one of the main oxygen producers in the world.
I mean, at every level, we are racing madly towards total catastrophe under the leadership of sociopathic fanatics. It’s as if some evil demon decided to take over the human species and drive them to self-destruction. Much of the world is trying to counter it, almost all the world, but the United States and Brazil are the extreme cases of racing with dedication towards disaster.
Going back to this election, that’s the reason why it’s the most dangerous, the most significant election in history, why Trump is in fact — this may sound outrageous, but it’s true — Trump is the most dangerous figure in human history. The Republican Party today is the most dangerous organization in human history. You can compare Trump to, say, Hitler. The Wannsee Declaration in 1942 called for killing all the Jews, tens of millions of Slavs, not destroying organized human society. There has been nothing like this. Nothing.
The Republican Party, we know how they shifted. You go back just a decade or so. John McCain, 2008, was running for president. His program had some pretty weak, but some policies directed to global warming. The Republican Congress was beginning to contemplate global warming, policies to restrict global warming. The Koch brothers, the super rich energy corporation, got wind of this. They had been working for years to prevent it. David Koch, one of the Koch brothers — died recently — launched an incredible campaign to make sure that the Republican Party would turn to denialism. They bribed senators, intimidated others with the threat of running countercampaigns against them — huge lobbying campaign, astroturf campaigns, a massive juggernaut. The party shifted, dropped all of its efforts to deal with climate change. It’s now a party led by denialists.
AMY GOODMAN: As you talk about this denialism and the science denialism, first dealing with the climate crisis and then extending to the pandemic, both threatening life on Earth, with President Trump now holding a daily coronavirus press briefing without the scientists, you have Anthony Fauci throwing out the first ball at the Washington Nationals game, the chief infectious disease scientist, who won’t play ball exactly with the White House, so he’s not in this coronavirus briefing. You have Dr. Birx. President Trump says she’s right outside, but she’s not a part of this news conference. Do you think reporters who are sitting in the White House briefing room should refuse to be there unless scientists are there and unless President Trump wears a mask?
NOAM CHOMSKY: Yes, I think so, and I think they should do much more. They should say — they should be pointing out constantly what I just said — we’re dealing with the most dangerous figure in human history, backed by the most dangerous organization in human history — and give the facts, not only the pandemic, but the much more serious threat of environmental disaster and the growing, very severe threat of nuclear war.
In my opinion, every newspaper should have on the front page an image of the Doomsday Clock. You know all about this, but every January, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists gathers — the main scientific journal dealing with these issues — gathers scientists, political analysts to try to give an estimate of the security — the state of world security. Started shortly after the atom bomb, it’s been going on for 75 years. The minute hand is moved closer or farther — it oscillates, closer or farther to midnight, depending how dangerous the world situation is. Midnight means we’re finished.
Every year that Trump has been in office, the minute hand has moved closer to midnight. Two years ago, it reached the closest it had ever been. This last January, the analysts gave up minutes; they moved to seconds. A hundred seconds to midnight. Since January, Trump has made every one of the issues that they brought up worse. There were three major issues. One is, of course, the threat of nuclear war; second, the threat of environmental catastrophe; the third, the deterioration of democracy — which does belong, because it’s only with a vibrant democracy of informed, engaged public that we can have any hope of escaping from the two existential crises.
Since January, Trump has succeeded in making all three crises worse. I mentioned the nuclear weapons issue — considerably worse, thanks to Trump’s actions. The environmental crisis, of course, getting worse as he continues to press for maximization of the use of the most dangerous fossil fuels, cuts back — through his EPA representatives and others, cuts back on the efforts to mitigate the crisis through regulatory means. And democracy, it’s pretty obvious: The executive branch has been essentially cleansed of independent voices. Nothing but sycophants of the Pompeo variety, sent by God to save Israel.
The inspectors general, who were imposed by Congress, by the Republican Congress, to monitor malfeasance of the executive branches, purged. Trump, in fact, went out of his way to humiliate the senior Republican senator, Charles Grassley, who had spent much of his career imposing these monitors. The attorney for the state, Southern District of New York, looked into the Trump swamp — fired. Congress, turned by McConnell, used to be called the greatest deliberative body in the world. Now it’s a joke, doesn’t do any deliberation. It does essentially nothing, except try to race through as many appointments of young, ultra-right judges as possible, so they can pack the judiciary for a generation. The only other thing it does is figure out ways to pour money into the — dollars into the pockets of the rich, like the tax scam. That’s the Senate, the greatest deliberative body. Proposals come from the House for legislation; McConnell just cans them. Don’t look at them. That’s not the role of the Senate.
So, going back to the — that’s why there should be the Doomsday Clock on the front of every newspaper. Show us what the United States is doing to the world, to itself and the world. That should be in front of everyone’s attention. And there are many other things that should be done. There should be major protests now, everywhere, against the use of military force to occupy American cities and to crush peaceful dissidents. This is intolerable in a functioning democracy. We can’t sit by and let it happen, just let it proceed step by step until we reach real catastrophe.
AMY GOODMAN: Professor Noam Chomsky. When we come back from break, he talks about Israel’s threat to annex the West Bank, the upcoming U.S. election and more.
[break]
AMY GOODMAN: “Swept Away” by The Roots. One of their founding members, Malik B., has passed away at the age of 47.


democracynow--2020-07-30--Chomsky on Israel's Hindering of Palestinian Pandemic Response & Threat to Annex Occupied West Bank

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : I wanted to ask you about Israel .
Thousands of people have been protesting the way Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dealt with the coronavirus pandemic , also protesting his corruption .
This comes as the United Nations warns Israel ’ s threat to annex parts of the West Bank has hindered Palestinian efforts to control the pandemic .
The U.N. special envoy made the remarks a day after Israeli authorities demolished a coronavirus testing center in the West Bank city of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s happening there , both the issue of the coronavirus pandemic and Netanyahu ’ s express attempt , any day now , to annex the West Bank ?
NOAM CHOMSKY : Well , what ’ s happening with the virus is pretty horrible .
If you look at the records of the main Israeli human rights group , B ’ Tselem , they actually report cases in which settlers , what ’ s called the Hilltop Youth — extremist , right-wing , ultra-religious settlers in settlements that even the government of Israel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alone and supports them — some of them did have coronavirus .
These young , crazed militants broke into Palestinian villages to try to spread the virus .
I mean , that ’ s at the extreme end .
Destroying the centers , as you described , is the legal part of it .
This is both major political groupings .
The Labor Party has pretty much disappeared , but it used to be the major party .
So , under the Labor Party , Golda Meir , Moshe Dayan , others , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Labor Party , as under the Likud-based coalition , the same policies have been carried out , trying to create a Greater Israel , which takes over everything in the West Bank that is valuable , and integrates it into Israel , with huge infrastructure projects , and ban Palestinians , of course .
You can drive from Ma ’ ale Adumim , built mostly during the Clinton years , a town east of Jerusalem , kind of virtually bisects the West Bank — you can drive from there to Tel Aviv @ @ @ @ @ @ @ superhighway .
So , you take what ’ s important , but avoid the population centers .
Israel does not want to bring Palestinian populations into the Greater Israel they ’ re constructing .
That ’ s what ’ s called the demographic problem : too many non-Jews in a Jewish state .
Can ’ t have that .
So , we want to avoid the population centers , don ’ t take over Nablus , other population centers .
Take over the areas that are of value to us .
There is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rid of them as much as possible by making life unlivable , or else isolate them in unviable cantons , probably almost 200 of them in the areas that Israel is taking over , where people are cut off from their fields , from their olive groves .
They have to pass through checkpoints to cross the road .
Just make life as impossible as possible , and try to limit the population and take over what ’ s valuable .
The Jordan Valley , about a third of the West Bank , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mostly been removed by one or another technique .
Set up military firing zones , where nobody ’ s allowed in it .
So you kick out the Palestinians , then you put in a Jewish settlement and tie it to the electrical and water grid .
Pretty soon , it ’ s settled by Jews .
Do the same with the Gurion Park , and so on .
That ’ s the policy for the last 50 years .
Do it slowly , sort of under the radar , so outsiders can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But that ’ s what ’ s been happening .
Annexation will essentially formalize it .
NERMEEN SHAIKH : I wanted to ask what you would like to see happen here in the U.S. in the months leading up to this election , which you ’ ve said is the most important in human history .
What should happen here in the country , in the U.S. ?
What should people be doing to organize ?
NOAM CHOMSKY : They should be doing anything they can think of — demonstrations , protests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pressure point you can think of , to try to block the very transparent effort of Trump , backed by his party , to set up major military confrontations , which will be an excuse for trying to either eliminate the election or to affect its results so that he doesn ’ t have to leave the White House .
Also , stressing the fact that we are in a major crisis .
The pandemic is the immediate crisis .
Meanwhile , the environmental crisis is growing seriously , has to be addressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We must put into practice means to mitigate the crisis and overcome it , to get off of fossil fuels , to get to zero net emissions within a short time .
All of this has to be done now .
We have to strongly act constantly to try to prevent the crazed lunatics in the White House from carrying out nuclear weapons tests .
That ’ s the next thing on the agenda , breaking down the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty .
Try to pressure them — it ’ s possible — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If the Democrats win the election , they ’ ll do it , even though it may be too late to get anywhere .
All of these things have to be done right away .
No let-up .
We ’ re in a very dangerous period for the next few months .
What happens may determine the fate of the country , the fate of the species .
AMY GOODMAN : Noam Chomsky , world-renowned political dissident , linguist and author , joining us from Tucson , Arizona , where he ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic with his wife .
Noam Chomsky is 91 years old .
He ’ s professor emeritus at Massachusetts Institute of Technology , where he taught for more than 50 years , now laureate professor in the Department of Linguistics at the University of Arizona , Tucson , author of more than 100 books .
To see Part 1 of our interview we broadcast last week , go to democracynow.org .
And this news just in : The U.S. economy contracted by a record 33 % in the second quarter , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unemployment last week .
More than 50 million people have filed for unemployment since the start of the pandemic .
And that does it for our show .
I ’ m Amy Goodman , with Nermeen Shaikh .
Thanks so much for joining us .

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: I wanted to ask you about Israel. Thousands of people have been protesting the way Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dealt with the coronavirus pandemic, also protesting his corruption. This comes as the United Nations warns Israel’s threat to annex parts of the West Bank has hindered Palestinian efforts to control the pandemic. The U.N. special envoy made the remarks a day after Israeli authorities demolished a coronavirus testing center in the West Bank city of Hebron. Can you talk about what’s happening there, both the issue of the coronavirus pandemic and Netanyahu’s express attempt, any day now, to annex the West Bank?
NOAM CHOMSKY: Well, what’s happening with the virus is pretty horrible. If you look at the records of the main Israeli human rights group, B’Tselem, they actually report cases in which settlers, what’s called the Hilltop Youth — extremist, right-wing, ultra-religious settlers in settlements that even the government of Israel regards as illegal, but leaves them alone and supports them — some of them did have coronavirus. These young, crazed militants broke into Palestinian villages to try to spread the virus. I mean, that’s at the extreme end. Destroying the centers, as you described, is the legal part of it.
In fact, Israel is treating the Palestinians — it has for a long time, all of modern history — pretty much the way the United States is treating immigrants in the virtual concentration camps south of where I live. The annexation, which they’re holding off for the moment, basically formalizes policies that have been implemented over the last 50 years.
This is both major political groupings. The Labor Party has pretty much disappeared, but it used to be the major party. So, under the Labor Party, Golda Meir, Moshe Dayan, others, under the — Shimon Peres — under the Labor Party, as under the Likud-based coalition, the same policies have been carried out, trying to create a Greater Israel, which takes over everything in the West Bank that is valuable, and integrates it into Israel, with huge infrastructure projects, and ban Palestinians, of course. You can drive from Ma’ale Adumim, built mostly during the Clinton years, a town east of Jerusalem, kind of virtually bisects the West Bank — you can drive from there to Tel Aviv without even seeing a Palestinian on a superhighway.
So, you take what’s important, but avoid the population centers. Israel does not want to bring Palestinian populations into the Greater Israel they’re constructing. That’s what’s called the demographic problem: too many non-Jews in a Jewish state. Can’t have that. So, we want to avoid the population centers, don’t take over Nablus, other population centers. Take over the areas that are of value to us. There is a Palestinian population; try to get rid of them as much as possible by making life unlivable, or else isolate them in unviable cantons, probably almost 200 of them in the areas that Israel is taking over, where people are cut off from their fields, from their olive groves. They have to pass through checkpoints to cross the road. Just make life as impossible as possible, and try to limit the population and take over what’s valuable.
The Jordan Valley, about a third of the West Bank, take that over. Palestinian populations have mostly been removed by one or another technique. Set up military firing zones, where nobody’s allowed in it. So you kick out the Palestinians, then you put in a Jewish settlement and tie it to the electrical and water grid. Pretty soon, it’s settled by Jews. Do the same with the Gurion Park, and so on. That’s the policy for the last 50 years. Do it slowly, sort of under the radar, so outsiders can pretend they don’t see it. But that’s what’s been happening. Annexation will essentially formalize it.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: I wanted to ask what you would like to see happen here in the U.S. in the months leading up to this election, which you’ve said is the most important in human history. What should happen here in the country, in the U.S.? What should people be doing to organize?
NOAM CHOMSKY: They should be doing anything they can think of — demonstrations, protests, political organization, pressure on every pressure point you can think of, to try to block the very transparent effort of Trump, backed by his party, to set up major military confrontations, which will be an excuse for trying to either eliminate the election or to affect its results so that he doesn’t have to leave the White House.
Also, stressing the fact that we are in a major crisis. The pandemic is the immediate crisis. Meanwhile, the environmental crisis is growing seriously, has to be addressed now. We cannot wait. We must put into practice means to mitigate the crisis and overcome it, to get off of fossil fuels, to get to zero net emissions within a short time. All of this has to be done now.
We have to strongly act constantly to try to prevent the crazed lunatics in the White House from carrying out nuclear weapons tests. That’s the next thing on the agenda, breaking down the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. Try to pressure them — it’s possible — to renegotiate the New START treaty. If the Democrats win the election, they’ll do it, even though it may be too late to get anywhere. All of these things have to be done right away. No let-up. We’re in a very dangerous period for the next few months. What happens may determine the fate of the country, the fate of the species.
AMY GOODMAN: Noam Chomsky, world-renowned political dissident, linguist and author, joining us from Tucson, Arizona, where he’s sheltering at home in the midst of the pandemic with his wife. Noam Chomsky is 91 years old. He’s professor emeritus at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he taught for more than 50 years, now laureate professor in the Department of Linguistics at the University of Arizona, Tucson, author of more than 100 books. To see Part 1 of our interview we broadcast last week, go to democracynow.org.
And this news just in: The U.S. economy contracted by a record 33% in the second quarter, and another 1.43 million people filed for state unemployment last week. More than 50 million people have filed for unemployment since the start of the pandemic.
And that does it for our show. I’m Amy Goodman, with Nermeen Shaikh. Thanks so much for joining us.


democracynow--2020-07-30--Chomsky on Cuba's "Internationalist" Response to Pandemic & Need to Make Vaccine Globally Accessible

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : This is Democracy Now !
I ’ m Amy Goodman .
It ’ s The Quarantine Report .
We return now to the interview I did with Nermeen Shaikh with professor Noam Chomsky .
NERMEEN SHAIKH : Professor Chomsky , I ’ d like to ask about one of the immediate crises we ’ re facing , which you ’ ve just spoken about earlier , which is , of course , this pandemic .
If you could say a little — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that a vaccine will be possible for this virus .
Could you talk a little about what you hope will happen in terms of access to this vaccine ?
NOAM CHOMSKY : Well , first of all , whether a vaccine will be available is an open question .
There are some pretty favorable reports , but the development of safe vaccines is a pretty slow process .
And rushing vaccines through has dangers associated with it .
There may be unknown side effects , lots of problems that can be dealt with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through does raise these problems .
Nevertheless , given the spread of the virus , it ’ s imperative to do whatever can be done .
Then comes your question : How is it distributed ?
Well , in the kind of society in which we live , it will be distributed pretty much the way the stimulus money is being distributed , or the way the bailout in 2008 was distributed .
That was the Obama administration , not the administration of a psychopath .
So , how was it done under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with two parts , to bail out the perpetrators of the crisis , the big banks , the ones who had played games with derivatives and so on — “ Let ’ s bail them out ” — and the other part was to provide support for the victims , the people who lost their homes under foreclosure — “ Well , let ’ s do something for them.
” Half the program was enacted : the first part .
The inspector general for the Treasury Department , Neil Barofsky , was so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He even wrote a book about the scandal .
That was the good guys , the Obama administration .
Now we ’ re talking about the bad guys , the Trump administration , off the spectrum .
That ’ s what ’ s been happening with the stimulus funds .
One of the major funds , about 80 % of it went to people who earn over a million dollars a year .
You just gave the figures before about the cornucopia that ’ s flowing to the super rich — Bezos , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the way the vaccine is distributed , too , if we retain our current social order .
We don ’ t have to do that .
Maybe Trump was sent by God to Earth , but the system that we live in wasn ’ t .
It ’ s humanly designed and can be changed , can readily be changed .
The coming election could lead to a change , if there ’ s real dedication to getting rid of the malignancy in the White House that ’ s destroying us , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called a political party , that backs it , the radical insurgency .
If that can be tamed and returned to something like it was , we can get a stable government , run by people who care somewhat about the population .
And if popular activism continues , which has made a big impact , it ’ s worth — the Sanders campaign was a remarkable success .
Sanders joined the planning of the Biden campaign .
It ’ s had a big impact on the program .
It ’ s the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent history , maybe as far back as Roosevelt .
The climate change program is not what I would like , not what you would like , but it ’ s better than anything that ’ s been proposed by anyone .
It was partially written by the activists of Sunrise Movement .
The leadership of the movement strongly endorses it .
If popular activism continues , it can ensure , or at least make it highly probable , that these programs will be enacted and improved .
That ’ s the key @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep the pressure on daily , not just push a lever every four years .
That ’ s what has effect .
If that can continue , we can escape from this crisis .
There are ways to deal with the environmental crisis .
There are ways to deal with a pandemic .
Of course , nuclear war , yes , there are ways to deal with it .
They ’ re not insoluble .
But you have to grasp the opportunity .
Now , as far as distributing the vaccine is concerned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facing real problems .
One is the radical inequality in the society , which is going to push the more wealthy and privileged to the front .
That has to be stopped .
The vaccine should go to those who need it , who are mostly the poor and vulnerable .
They ’ re the ones who are suffering most .
They should be up front .
People in impossible — like the concentration camps not far from where I live , on the southern border with Mexico , the pandemic is raging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these have to be dealt with .
We ’ re going to face another problem .
The anti-science thrust of this administration has accelerated a tendency in the country to be opposed to science .
It ’ s very strong .
There ’ s a strong anti-vaccination movement , which says , “ We can ’ t take vaccines .
They ’ re too dangerous.
” You ’ ve probably seen a story circulating that the pandemic was created by Bill Gates and George Soros to try to control the world population @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A recent investigation by Pew Research Center found that among Republicans , of those who are familiar with the story , which is a great many , that almost 60 % believe it .
I mean , these are people who listen to Rush Limbaugh , who tells his 30 million people in the audience — this is Trump ’ s favorite news man , just got the Medal of Freedom — he tells his audience there are four corners of deceit : government , media , academia and science .
They thrive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ millions of people hear that kind of thing .
They see what you described in the White House with the scientists pushed to the side .
“ We don ’ t want science.
” OK , they believe it .
Not surprising .
That ’ s what people are inundated with .
And coming back to the distribution of the virus , they may refuse to take the vaccine .
A person who refuses to take the vaccine is not just harming him or herself .
It ’ s like a person who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an assault rifle .
I want to run around the streets shooting it at random.
” That ’ s what it means not to wear a mask or not to take the vaccine .
Well , you know , they get some relief from the World Health Organization .
It hasn ’ t been discussed , as far as I know , but something pretty shocking just took place .
When Trump , as I said before , flailing around to try to find some scapegoat to cover up the fact that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thousands of Americans , one of his targets is the World Health Organization — first , defunding ; second , trying to destroy it .
What does this mean to tens of thousands , if not millions , of poor people in Africa ?
The World Health Organization is what provides them with medical support and treatment for the many diseases that they face all the time .
Now it ’ s getting worse under the virus .
What does it mean for Yemen , the worst humanitarian crisis in the world , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arms and intelligence so that they can destroy the country , a large part of it ?
The population , they have a terrible pandemic raging .
The World Health Organization is one of the few means of providing medical support for them .
So let ’ s withdraw it .
Well , there ’ s at least one country in the world that is showing genuine internationalism , providing medical aid and support for people who need it .
When there was a pandemic in northern Italy — serious , serious epidemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rich countries to the north — Germany , Austria — which had it pretty much in control .
They didn ’ t send doctors .
Doctors were sent from Cuba , the country that the — a poor country that the United States has been trying to crush for 60 years .
They were able to send doctors to northern Italy , as they ’ ve done before and elsewhere — not the rich countries in what ’ s called the European Union .
Well , that ’ s the kind of world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ covered and discussed in the U.S. media , but the way it ’ s done is to accuse the Cuban government of using slave labor to enrich themselves .
That ’ s what it means for Cuba to send doctors to work in dangerous places to deal with a pandemic , as they ’ ve done many times before .
It ’ s true that the Cuban government takes part of the funding for this to use for their medical system , their remarkable medical system .
So , you turn that through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ using slave labor to enrich themselves .
This is the country that we are crushing , starting with a terrorist war and a vicious economic strangulation .
The whole world is opposed to it .
When it comes up in the United Nations every year , the world votes unanimously against the United States — one exception , Israel , which has to go along with the U.S. Everyone else opposed .
Who cares ?
We ’ re the global pariah state .
We don ’ t care about anybody else .
These @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and center .

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now! I’m Amy Goodman. It’s The Quarantine Report. We return now to the interview I did with Nermeen Shaikh with professor Noam Chomsky.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: Professor Chomsky, I’d like to ask about one of the immediate crises we’re facing, which you’ve just spoken about earlier, which is, of course, this pandemic. If you could say a little — I mean, now many scientists believe that a vaccine will be possible for this virus. Could you talk a little about what you hope will happen in terms of access to this vaccine?
NOAM CHOMSKY: Well, first of all, whether a vaccine will be available is an open question. There are some pretty favorable reports, but the development of safe vaccines is a pretty slow process. And rushing vaccines through has dangers associated with it. There may be unknown side effects, lots of problems that can be dealt with by slow development. But racing it through does raise these problems. Nevertheless, given the spread of the virus, it’s imperative to do whatever can be done.
Then comes your question: How is it distributed? Well, in the kind of society in which we live, it will be distributed pretty much the way the stimulus money is being distributed, or the way the bailout in 2008 was distributed. That was the Obama administration, not the administration of a psychopath. So, how was it done under Obama? Well, Congress passed legislation with two parts, to bail out the perpetrators of the crisis, the big banks, the ones who had played games with derivatives and so on — “Let’s bail them out” — and the other part was to provide support for the victims, the people who lost their homes under foreclosure — “Well, let’s do something for them.” Half the program was enacted: the first part. The inspector general for the Treasury Department, Neil Barofsky, was so outraged, he was writing articles. He even wrote a book about the scandal. That was the good guys, the Obama administration.
Now we’re talking about the bad guys, the Trump administration, off the spectrum. That’s what’s been happening with the stimulus funds. One of the major funds, about 80% of it went to people who earn over a million dollars a year. You just gave the figures before about the cornucopia that’s flowing to the super rich — Bezos, others. Well, that will be the way the vaccine is distributed, too, if we retain our current social order.
We don’t have to do that. Maybe Trump was sent by God to Earth, but the system that we live in wasn’t. It’s humanly designed and can be changed, can readily be changed. The coming election could lead to a change, if there’s real dedication to getting rid of the malignancy in the White House that’s destroying us, and changing the former political party, still called a political party, that backs it, the radical insurgency. If that can be tamed and returned to something like it was, we can get a stable government, run by people who care somewhat about the population.
And if popular activism continues, which has made a big impact, it’s worth — the Sanders campaign was a remarkable success. Sanders joined the planning of the Biden campaign. It’s had a big impact on the program. It’s the most progressive program of any candidate in recent history, maybe as far back as Roosevelt. The climate change program is not what I would like, not what you would like, but it’s better than anything that’s been proposed by anyone. It was partially written by the activists of Sunrise Movement. The leadership of the movement strongly endorses it.
If popular activism continues, it can ensure, or at least make it highly probable, that these programs will be enacted and improved. That’s the key. That’s real politics: keep the pressure on daily, not just push a lever every four years. That’s what has effect. If that can continue, we can escape from this crisis. There are ways to deal with the environmental crisis. There are ways to deal with a pandemic. Of course, nuclear war, yes, there are ways to deal with it. They’re not insoluble. But you have to grasp the opportunity.
Now, as far as distributing the vaccine is concerned, we’re going to be facing real problems. One is the radical inequality in the society, which is going to push the more wealthy and privileged to the front. That has to be stopped. The vaccine should go to those who need it, who are mostly the poor and vulnerable. They’re the ones who are suffering most. They should be up front. People in impossible — like the concentration camps not far from where I live, on the southern border with Mexico, the pandemic is raging there — prisons, raging. All of these have to be dealt with.
We’re going to face another problem. The anti-science thrust of this administration has accelerated a tendency in the country to be opposed to science. It’s very strong. There’s a strong anti-vaccination movement, which says, “We can’t take vaccines. They’re too dangerous.” You’ve probably seen a story circulating that the pandemic was created by Bill Gates and George Soros to try to control the world population. It’s very widespread. A recent investigation by Pew Research Center found that among Republicans, of those who are familiar with the story, which is a great many, that almost 60% believe it. I mean, these are people who listen to Rush Limbaugh, who tells his 30 million people in the audience — this is Trump’s favorite news man, just got the Medal of Freedom — he tells his audience there are four corners of deceit: government, media, academia and science. They thrive on deceit. OK?
Tens of millions of people hear that kind of thing. They see what you described in the White House with the scientists pushed to the side. “We don’t want science.” OK, they believe it. Not surprising. That’s what people are inundated with. And coming back to the distribution of the virus, they may refuse to take the vaccine. A person who refuses to take the vaccine is not just harming him or herself. It’s like a person who says, “I’ve got an assault rifle. I want to run around the streets shooting it at random.” That’s what it means not to wear a mask or not to take the vaccine.
AMY GOODMAN: Do people have reason to be afraid, Professor Chomsky, about a vaccine that’s been developed at — well, in Trump’s words, the name of the program — Warp Speed, that in his zeal at deregulation and to get a vaccine, which so many people want around the world, that there would be a danger in the original vaccines?
NOAM CHOMSKY: Well, if vaccines are rushed through, there’s always a danger. It means that many of the possibilities simply haven’t been tested. That’s what happens when you rush things through. Well, maybe the balance of costs and benefits says you should do it anyway.
But the real — what are we going to do? We’re talking about the United states, how to distribute a vaccine. What about Africa? What about Yemen? What about poor areas of Latin America? And what about the huge mass of deeply impoverished people in India? What’s going to happen to them? That’s most of the population of the world.
Well, you know, they get some relief from the World Health Organization. It hasn’t been discussed, as far as I know, but something pretty shocking just took place. When Trump, as I said before, flailing around to try to find some scapegoat to cover up the fact that he’s responsible for killing tens of thousands of Americans, one of his targets is the World Health Organization — first, defunding; second, trying to destroy it.
What does this mean to tens of thousands, if not millions, of poor people in Africa? The World Health Organization is what provides them with medical support and treatment for the many diseases that they face all the time. Now it’s getting worse under the virus. What does it mean for Yemen, the worst humanitarian crisis in the world, thanks to our providing Saudi Arabia with arms and intelligence so that they can destroy the country, a large part of it? The population, they have a terrible pandemic raging. The World Health Organization is one of the few means of providing medical support for them. So let’s withdraw it.
Getting rid of the — pulling out of the World Health Organization and defunding it is threatening the lives of huge, uncountable numbers of people. Why isn’t that a headline? Or even a small story somewhere? I mean, it’s shocking, what we’re overlooking. So, going back to your question of distribution of vaccines, they ought to be right in front. We should be doing something for them.
Well, there’s at least one country in the world that is showing genuine internationalism, providing medical aid and support for people who need it. When there was a pandemic in northern Italy — serious, serious epidemic in northern Italy — there were some rich countries to the north — Germany, Austria — which had it pretty much in control. They didn’t send doctors. Doctors were sent from Cuba, the country that the — a poor country that the United States has been trying to crush for 60 years. They were able to send doctors to northern Italy, as they’ve done before and elsewhere — not the rich countries in what’s called the European Union.


democracynow--2020-08-03--"They Have No Evidence": Moroccan Journalist Omar Radi Jailed, Surveilled After Criticizing Gov't

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : This is Democracy Now !
I ’ m Amy Goodman .
We turn to Morocco , where authorities have arrested the award-winning journalist , human rights activist Omar Radi on what press freedom advocates are calling “ retaliatory charges.
” Omar Radi reported on the role of the Moroccan state and big business in dispossessing farmers of their tribal lands .
He ’ s spoken out about facing harassment and surveillance .
He was arrested on Wednesday , July 29th , just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focus of an Amnesty International report that alleged Moroccan authorities hacked Radi ’ s phone using Pegasus spyware from the Israeli company NSO Group .
Now a court has charged him with undermining state security by receiving foreign funding and collaborating with foreign intelligence .
The court also just charged him with rape .
The Committee to Protect Journalists issued a statement that , quote , “ Moroccan authorities in the past have plainly tried to make any charge against him stick in retaliation for his work as a journalist.
” CPJ called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any sexual assault charges in a “ credible and transparent manner , ” unquote .
Omar Radi ’ s lawyers deny all the charges against him .
He ’ s reportedly being held in a prison in Casablanca that ’ s a COVID hot spot , and has not been allowed any visitors , not even his lawyer or his parents .
His next court hearing is scheduled for September 22nd .
I spoke with Omar Radi , before his arrest and the latest charges , on July 16th , when he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for questioning , and asked him to explain what was happening .
And this was really serious because it ’ s the government , in person , who is threatening me and accusing me of all this , while I ’ m just — I was the victim here , and I was the person who has been spied on .
The least I wanted from the government is to launch an investigation about what was happening .
And I was even OK to give them my phone to audit it .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I have been attacked and aggressed and accused of treason and many other insults that tried to discredit me with the public opinion .
OMAR RADI : The criminal code , the articles , yeah .
It ’ s large , and I don ’ t know .
I think they have no evidence against me and this is an empty case .
But if they want to charge me , I can go from one year , five years of prison , to death penalty .
But I think it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serious , because I can ’ t — they can not — the state can not consider that — I ’ m an individual — I ’ m in a war against all the institutions .
I ’ m not in confrontation with the state .
I ’ m an individual that needs to do his journalism in a safe way , and people let me do it in peace and also to let me express myself as I want to .
I ’ m not in a war against anybody .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going in a war .
This is surrealistic .
And yeah , I don ’ t know .
OMAR RADI : I think what we ’ ve done with many other journalists in the past has upset the state .
And the state , in its strategy towards the media , decided not to make this happen again and not to make it repeat again and not to make this kind of journalism exist .
So , yes , I think that it ’ s also — it ’ s revenge , actually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fast reaction after the Amnesty report .
But also , it has this function to make people afraid by this kind of courage , of this kind of journalism , this kind of people who speak out and who call out against injustice , etc .
I think this is considered as dangerous by the state .
AMY GOODMAN : Award-winning journalist and human rights activist Omar Radi , speaking to us from Casablanca , Morocco , July 16th .
Two weeks later , on July 29th , last Wednesday , Moroccan authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being held in a Casablanca prison that ’ s a COVID hot spot , and has not been allowed to have visits from his lawyer or his parents .
We ’ ll link to the Amnesty International report that alleges Moroccan authorities hacked Radi ’ s phone using Pegasus spyware from the Israeli company NSO Group .
And that does it for our show .
I ’ m Amy Goodman .
This is Democracy Now !
Stay safe .
Save lives .
Wear a mask .

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now! I’m Amy Goodman. We turn to Morocco, where authorities have arrested the award-winning journalist, human rights activist Omar Radi on what press freedom advocates are calling “retaliatory charges.” Omar Radi reported on the role of the Moroccan state and big business in dispossessing farmers of their tribal lands. He’s spoken out about facing harassment and surveillance.
He was arrested on Wednesday, July 29th, just over one month after he was the focus of an Amnesty International report that alleged Moroccan authorities hacked Radi’s phone using Pegasus spyware from the Israeli company NSO Group. Now a court has charged him with undermining state security by receiving foreign funding and collaborating with foreign intelligence. The court also just charged him with rape.
The Committee to Protect Journalists issued a statement that, quote, “Moroccan authorities in the past have plainly tried to make any charge against him stick in retaliation for his work as a journalist.” CPJ called on them to release Radi and investigate any sexual assault charges in a “credible and transparent manner,” unquote.
Omar Radi’s lawyers deny all the charges against him. He’s reportedly being held in a prison in Casablanca that’s a COVID hot spot, and has not been allowed any visitors, not even his lawyer or his parents. His next court hearing is scheduled for September 22nd.
I spoke with Omar Radi, before his arrest and the latest charges, on July 16th, when he was being taken in several times a week for questioning, and asked him to explain what was happening.
OMAR RADI: First, it all started by a media harassment, by pro-state media, that started leaking my private information and also saying fake news about me and insulting me, my family, my colleagues and my friends, with a lot of fake news but also with real news — my bank information, for example — that only state officials can access to them. So, this harassment campaign accused me of been working — of having worked for intelligence agencies, especially U.S. and British intelligence agencies.
And, surprise, June 22, June 22nd, Amnesty International released its report about me being spied on by Moroccan authorities using the Pegasus virus. [June] 23, the next day, the prosecutor, the general prosecutor of Casablanca, ordered the National Brigade of Judicial Police to investigate with me on the basis of the same information that has been leaked on this pro-state media about me having been a spy for — I don’t know what country. So, 24, I got the police summons, and, 25, I had my first hearing by the national — the political police in Morocco.
And it continued, and now I’m one out of two days at their offices answering ridiculous and surrealistic questions, such as, “You have met with the spokesperson or a diplomat from the Dutch Embassy. What kind of intelligence services were you providing him?” And without any evidence — they don’t face me with any evidence. They just ask me questions like that, that are empty questions. And they want me to confess something I didn’t know. And now it looks like harassment, and everybody in Morocco knows it is a judicial harassment for what happened with Amnesty.
AMY GOODMAN: So, let me step back for a moment. Omar, can you talk about your work as a journalist, the kind of stories that you do?
OMAR RADI: Yeah. This year I worked a lot on land dispossession, because in Morocco we have collective land ownership, and the tribal lands are very, very, very, very large in Morocco, and the state is trying to get these lands and to inject them into the market. And there is a lot of injustice in these policies, because people are not compensated well, and these lands are revaluated very highly, and its all benefits to the big capital in Morocco actually. So I work on land grabbing, land dispossessions. I also work on finance sectors and the relationship between the power and business in Morocco. That’s my framework, and also human rights.
AMY GOODMAN: And so, then explain what this Pegasus program is, how you believe — I mean, the government in Morocco has access to your bank accounts and other information. But what happened to your phone?
OMAR RADI: Pegasus is a quite silent program. You don’t feel it, actually. And it’s not a persistent program. It doesn’t stay in your phone or in your computer. It works using a network injection, so people need to be near you to make themselves pass as a relay antenna. And your phone is connected to a fake relay antenna, and then the network injection works, and then the program works, and they get — I don’t know. It has a lot of features. It can use your microphone, it can use your keyboard, it can use your screen, and get any information that is stored in your phone.
So, I don’t know the amount of information they’ve stolen from my phone. But I’m sure, in this pro-medias — pro-state medias, they published many information that I have exchanged even in Signal, which is known that is a very safe program. So I have evidence that my own conversations have been leaked to pro-state media, the same that are leaking also my bank information.
AMY GOODMAN: And can you talk about what happened specifically when the Amnesty report came out, the significance of what they said — it very much focused on your case — and then what the Moroccan government said to you when they started calling you in for these interrogations? And what have you been charged with?
OMAR RADI: In the police, they don’t talk about the Amnesty report. The government said — in a public statement, an official statement, the head of the Moroccan diplomacy said that I have been used as a pawn by Amnesty International to harass Morocco, that is a democracy, and that I, myself, I have ties with an agent, liaison agent, from another country.
And this was really serious because it’s the government, in person, who is threatening me and accusing me of all this, while I’m just — I was the victim here, and I was the person who has been spied on. The least I wanted from the government is to launch an investigation about what was happening. And I was even OK to give them my phone to audit it. But I have been — the next day, I have been attacked and aggressed and accused of treason and many other insults that tried to discredit me with the public opinion.
AMY GOODMAN: Omar, if you’re charged with treason, could you face the death penalty in Morocco?
OMAR RADI: The criminal code, the articles, yeah. It’s large, and I don’t know. I think they have no evidence against me and this is an empty case. But if they want to charge me, I can go from one year, five years of prison, to death penalty. But I think it’s unlikely. This is not really serious, because I can’t — they cannot — the state cannot consider that — I’m an individual — I’m in a war against all the institutions. I’m not in confrontation with the state. I’m an individual that needs to do his journalism in a safe way, and people let me do it in peace and also to let me express myself as I want to. I’m not in a war against anybody. And the state thinks that I’m going in a war. This is surrealistic. And yeah, I don’t know.
AMY GOODMAN: Are you worried about the people around you, closest to you? Can you talk about who they are attacking and revealing who are your friends, your colleagues, who you live with?
OMAR RADI: Yeah. The very last surprise, for example, was that my father’s phone calls have been transcripted in this pro-state thug medias. So even my father has been —
AMY GOODMAN: Wait a second. You father — transcripts of your father’s conversations are printed in the Moroccan media?
OMAR RADI: Phone calls, yeah, yeah. So, now even my father is, his phone taped. So, this is crazy. This has taken proportions that are incredible.
AMY GOODMAN: So, let’s talk about when all of this happened. The Amnesty report says forensic artifacts that Amnesty International extracted from your phone suggest that the Pegasus network injection attacks occurred on January 27th, February 11th and the 13th of September, 2019.
OMAR RADI: Yeah, yeah. This is what they found, because the virus makes disappear its fingerprints. So it’s hard to find all the traces of the active virus, actually.
AMY GOODMAN: Now, we spoke to you in March. Shortly after we first spoke with you, you were given a suspended four-month prison term for a tweet that you put out in 2019 about the jailing of a group of activists. What were you tweeting about?
OMAR RADI: They were this strong social movement in the north of Morocco, the Hirak of the Rif. And its leaders were asking for hospitals, jobs, job opportunities and public services. And they ended up jailed, some of them for 20 years of jail, of being accused, like I’m accused now, of jeopardizing national security. And I tweeted about this judge. And I said, “We will never forget about all these people with no dignity.” And I have been accused of outrage to a judge and sentenced to four months suspended. And I went to the appeals. I’m still waiting for the appeals date.
AMY GOODMAN: Do you assume you are always being surveilled, Omar?
OMAR RADI: Yeah. I have evidence about that, actually, because the police showed me that I was — they were surveilling my phones and my calls and my SMS messages since 2011. The investigation with the police went back until 2011. So they knew who I was talking to, who I was texting, who was texting me, who was calling me, etc. It’s not a speculation. It’s not supposition. I am now sure that I have been surveilled by the state.
And the state in Morocco has a good track record of acquiring these kind of tools. Hacking Team, FinFisher, BAE Systems, Morocco is a customer and bought, and we have the proofs and the evidence that Morocco have paid more than $3 million, for example, to Hacking Team, the Italian company, for its virus remote control system, RCS.
AMY GOODMAN: Omar Radi, how is the Moroccan media covering what’s happening to you? What are other journalists saying? Is civil society rallying around you?
OMAR RADI: Yeah, civil society is rallying around me. And I think the public opinion is very, very — showed a lot of solidarity, as well as the Moroccans living abroad and many other NGOs on the international level. Medias also are, yeah, precautiously covering the facts of what’s happening, and waiting to see the next steps — except the pro-state media and what I call the thugs that are working as journalists for the state, that are — they already sentenced me. They already called me “this spy,” “the traitor,” etc. Those media are in their role, I think. They’re just functioning as state thugs.
AMY GOODMAN: Do you think that the Moroccan government is using you, Omar Radi, as an example, a warning to other journalists not to do the kind of corporate and state investigations that you do?
OMAR RADI: I think what we’ve done with many other journalists in the past has upset the state. And the state, in its strategy towards the media, decided not to make this happen again and not to make it repeat again and not to make this kind of journalism exist. So, yes, I think that it’s also — it’s revenge, actually. And it’s a very fast reaction after the Amnesty report. But also, it has this function to make people afraid by this kind of courage, of this kind of journalism, this kind of people who speak out and who call out against injustice, etc. I think this is considered as dangerous by the state.
AMY GOODMAN: The first Amnesty report showed examples of this Pegasus software injected into other journalists’ phones, documenting, surveilling, spying on everything they were doing. What advice do you have to working journalists?
OMAR RADI: Yeah, we cannot have the means of states and huge companies, huge defense, cyberdefense companies. I think the best thing to do is to get a lot of precautions, not to use the phone if it’s not necessary, if we can do the things physically, etc. Protecting sources as journalists is very, very important, because one of the purposes of the surveillance is to access, to map your network. And using the latest security software and anonymity connections, I think this is very, very important.
AMY GOODMAN: And, Omar, does it make sources afraid to talk to you? You are a targeted journalist. Has anything happened to people you spoke to for your stories?
OMAR RADI: I didn’t try to call them yet, because I’m always in the police offices. I need to go back to my work. So, I hope to see what’s happening after all this nightmare is over.
AMY GOODMAN: We are speaking to you right before your sixth interrogation tomorrow. Are you concerned at any point, like tomorrow, you could be taken and not released?
OMAR RADI: Everything is possible, actually. It’s not excluded. But if they arrest me, they have to show material evidence, which they don’t have, so it would be an abusive arrest. And my lawyers are aware of all that, and I gave all evidence and all the proofs of my innocence to my lawyers, and all my partners to journalists, etc.
So, I’m not afraid. I’ll go there. I stopped answering their questions, and I stopped signing their reports since yesterday, and I’m not doing it again. So I stopped cooperating with the police because they’re asking empty questions and questions that don’t respect the presumption of innocence. So I’m not playing this game. If they have something, they just arrest me and send me to the prosecutor and then to trial, but I’m not playing this Q&A game with the police, that just want me to confess that I was something I never was. So, I took this very hard decision, not — keeping silent and not signing any testimonies or confessions.
AMY GOODMAN: You said you’ve made this decision to keep silent?
OMAR RADI: Yes, yes. I’m not cooperating with the Moroccan police.
AMY GOODMAN: Award-winning journalist and human rights activist Omar Radi, speaking to us from Casablanca, Morocco, July 16th. Two weeks later, on July 29th, last Wednesday, Moroccan authorities arrested him. He’s reportedly being held in a Casablanca prison that’s a COVID hot spot, and has not been allowed to have visits from his lawyer or his parents. We’ll link to the Amnesty International report that alleges Moroccan authorities hacked Radi’s phone using Pegasus spyware from the Israeli company NSO Group.
And that does it for our show. I’m Amy Goodman. This is Democracy Now! Stay safe. Save lives. Wear a mask.