(2021-02-19). And then there was X: Malcolm's life and legacy. therealnews.com 
Sunday, Feb. 21, 2021, marks the 56th anniversary of the assassination of freedom fighter Malcolm X. To honor Malcolm's life and legacy, we revisit this powerful 2015 documentary, "X: Malcolm's Final Years," produced by The Real News Network.
(2021-02-19). Organizing White Workers When the Klan is in the Shop. counterpunch.org 
With the rise of the extreme right, the Klan and its modern descendants are definitely "in the shop." Here's a story from a long time ago but it could have happened only yesterday. This is not a heroic tale just a memory of day-to-day struggle and the lessons learned. As a young organizer in the mid-1970s, I went to work for District 65, an independent radical union. Martin Luther King called District 65 "The Conscience of the Labor Movement" after their early and staunch support for the civil rights movement. Our dress pin was a black hand and a white hand working both ends of an old fashioned two-man tree- saw…
(2021-02-19). George Jackson on the role of prisons, 50 years after his death. workers.org 
This year will mark the 50th anniversary of the assassination of George Jackson, an African American prison leader sentenced to a life sentence as a teenager for "stealing" $40 from a gas station. His 11 years behind the walls were spent in California's Soledad and San Quentin prisons. Jackson became . . . |
(2021-02-19). How Will Our Children Know They Face a Crushing Debt Burden? counterpunch.org 
That may seem like a silly question. Of course they will know because there are a number of well-funded policy shops that will be spewing out endless papers and columns telling them that they are facing a crushing debt burden. And, because these policy shops are well-funded and well-connected we can be sure that major
(2021-02-19). The 30 x 30 Protection Plan and the George Washington National Forest Ark. counterpunch.org 
The Biden administration's recent announcement of the 30 by 30 conservation initiative was a welcome ray of light in the dark of winter. The goal is to have 30% of America's lands "protected" by 2030. But what exactly is meant by and would qualify as "protected"? In this age of ecological meltdown and mass extinction/extermination,
(2021-02-19). 'Black Freedom Fighters in Steel' — a book review. workers.org 
Ruth Needleman's "Black Freedom Fighters in Steel: The Struggle for Democratic Unionism," tells of five Black union activists who took on the steel industry of Indiana's Calumet Region along Lake Michigan at Youngstown Sheet and Tube, Inland Steel and U.S. Steel. (Cornell University Press, 2003) Needleman's rich narrative contains interviews . . . |
(2021-02-19). 'This is the Way We Rise': Hawaiian poetry in motion. peoplesworld.org 
The Tidal Wave of Indigenous Cinema continues to swell with Hawaiian filmmaker Ciara Lacy's stirring This is the Way We Rise, a poetic short about Polynesian slam poet Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio that recently screened as part of the Sundance Film Festival. Jamaica is the daughter of Jon Osorio, Dean of Hawai ªinuiƒÅkea School of Hawaiian Knowledge …
(2021-02-19). The Guardian shuts down criticism of Israel. therealnews.com 
Nathan Robinson's column at The Guardian US was shut down after a tweet criticizing US-Israel relations. Then, Tamara Payne explains how Malcolm Little became Malcolm X.
(2021-02-19). Haywood County, North Carolina car protest: 'Fund services, not jails'. liberationnews.org 
In North Carolina's Haywood County a car protest was organized on Feb. 1 by the Party for Socialism and Liberation to oppose Haywood County's plan to expand the existing jail in Waynesville, North Carolina.
(2021-02-19). George Jackson on the role of prisons, 50 years after his death. workers.org This year will mark the 50th anniversary of the assassination of George Jackson, an African American prison leader sentenced to a life sentence as a teenager for "stealing" $40 from a gas station. His 11 years behind the walls were spent in California's Soledad and San Quentin prisons. Jackson became . . . |
(2021-02-19). Sometimes Marx's Capital is a pillow, sometimes it obliges us to deepen our struggles. mronline.org 
In 1911, a young Ho Chi Minh (1890-1969) arrived in France, which had colonised his homeland of Vietnam. Though he had been raised with a patriotic spirit committed to anti-colonialism, Ho Chi Minh's temperament did not allow him to retreat into a backward-looking romanticism.
(2021-02-19). New York sues Amazon for not protecting workers against COVID, firing whistleblowers. peoplesworld.org 
NEW YORK (PAI)—Donald Trump isn't Letitia "Tish" James's only big legal target. Neither is the notorious radical right-wing U.S. gun lobby. Now she's taking on Amazon. James, New York state's Attorney General, is probing Trump's financial crimes committed through his private foundation. Last year, she sued the National Rifle Association and its top officers for …
(2021-02-19). Social movements and organizations condemn arrest of 21-year-old Indian climate activist. mronline.org 
21-year-old Disha Ravi was arrested on charges of sedition and criminal conspiracy for her involvement with a 'toolkit' which contained campaign material in support of the the ongoing farmers' agitation in the country. Two other activists also face arrest.
(2021-02-19). The Culture Wars Continue: Biden Takes on Abortion. counterpunch.org 
Joe Biden is moving aggressively to redress many of the conditions left by Donald Trump's administration, notably the Covid-19 pandemic, the economic recession and white nationalism. However, the most intractable challenge that he will face may be the resistance of the culture wars, particularly a woman's right to an abortion. The culture wars long anchored
(2021-02-19). Communist Alphaeus Hunton drew together anti-fascist, anti-racist, anti-colonial struggles. peoplesworld.org 
People's World is happy to reprint below an article from the Feb. 15, 1945 issue of the Daily Worker by W. Alphaeus Hunton, then the educational director of the Council on African Affairs (CAA). Hunton, considered "one of the most neglected African American intellectuals" in U.S. history, partly due to his membership in the Communist …
(2021-02-19). Go St. Pauli! Beat Fascism! counterpunch.org 
Most sports teams have a dedicated fan base. Most often, that fan base is mostly composed of people who live or lived in the region the team is located. Many of these fans grew up with their favorite team, watching players come and go, championships missed and won; they have opinions on the players, the
(2021-02-19). Pandemic's 1-2 punch: Unemployment up, life expectancy down. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON (PAI)—The ongoing coronavirus pandemic packed a one-two punch against the nation's workers, federal agencies reported, as almost 1.38 million more people sought federal or state jobless aid in the week ending Feb. 13. Meanwhile, U.S. life expectancy dropped by a year in the first half of 2020, another federal report showed. And that second …
(2021-02-19). The Atrocious Prosecution of Julian Assange. counterpunch.org 
What do Biden and Trump have in common? (Aside from jerking Iran around over the nuclear treaty, proclaiming support for a phony, unelected pretender to the Venezuelan presidency, Juan Guaido, and posturing aggressively toward China?) Both Biden and Trump support the utterly baseless Espionage Act case against journalist and publisher Julian Assange. Make no mistake,
(2021-02-19). Snowstorm + capitalism = disaster for more than 100K in Mississippi. liberationnews.org 
The unpreparedness of the utility giants, and the pathetic response of the capitalist government at the local and federal level, is nothing short of criminal neglect by those motivated solely by profit making.
(2021-02-19). Bogazici resistance is about more than liberal notions of academic freedom, it is a fight against the whole system of oppression. mronline.org 
TURKEY'S revolutionary forces said today that protests centered on Bogazici University must remain a fight against fascism and oppression—not for "liberal ideas of academic freedom."
(2021-02-19). 'The Mauritanian' rekindles debate over Gitmo detainees' torture—with 40 still held there. mronline.org 
"The Mauritanian," directed by Kevin Macdonald, is the first feature film to dramatize how the war on terror became a war in court.
(2021-02-19). Biden's First Month Marked by Broken Promises. mintpressnews.com 
Biden kicked off his campaign by telling wealthy donors that "nothing would fundamentally change" under his presidency. After one month in office, it appears as if that is one campaign promise he is likely to keep.
(2021-02-19). Who Won the Impeachment? counterpunch.org 
If you're Donald Trump, watching the last act of your impeached presidency, you don't need a Weatherman to tell you which way the wind is blowing, which is in the direction of a District of Columbia courtroom, where you will either be convicted as an accessory to second-degree murder ("an extreme indifference to human life…") or a runaway jury will award plaintiffs (the Capitol police injured or killed in the riot) $1.8 billion in damages (which by the way Deutsche Bank will not cover with another overdraft).
(2021-02-19). And then there was X: Malcom's life and legacy. therealnews.com Sunday, Feb. 21, 2021, marks the 56th anniversary of the assassination of freedom fighter Malcolm X. To honor Malcolm's life and legacy, we revisit this powerful 2015 documentary, "X: Malcolm's Final Years," produced by The Real News Network.
(2021-02-19). Illegal checkpoint arrest tied to a controversial shooting. therealnews.com 
In the small town of Talking Rock, Georgia, a man was supposedly stopped for avoiding a roadblock, had his car searched without consent, and was arrested for having balding tires. But residents say the story of gross overpolicing in their area goes much deeper.
(2021-02-19). America's Sick Metamorphosis: Have we Awoken to find our Country a Trump Roach Hotel? juancole.com 
( Tomdispatch.com) — Like Gregor Samsa, the never-to-be-forgotten character in Franz Kafka's story "The Metamorphosis," we awoke on January 7th to discover that we, too, were "a giant insect" with "a domelike brown belly divided into stiff arched segments" and numerous "pitifully thin" legs that "waved helplessly" before our eyes. If you prefer, though, you …
(2021-02-19). Why the Alabama Amazon struggle matters to workers everywhere. peoplesworld.org 
Sometimes a fight at one particular workplace can be so important that workers and their allies everywhere need to take notice. The struggle going on right now at the Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama, is one of those fights. From now until March 29, nearly 6,000 employees at the Amazon order fulfillment and processing center …
(2021-02-19). '41st & Central: The Untold Story of the L.A. Black Panthers' to be screened Feb. 20. peoplesworld.org 
The 29th Pan African Film Festival has moved online, taking place Feb. 28—March 14. This year's PAFF is screening at least three Black Panther Party-related films: The documentary Truth to Power: Barbara Lee Speaks for Me and Judas and the Black Messiah, probably Hollywood's best political feature in years. The third is a reprise of …
(2021-02-19). Donation match: Will you meet my challenge for People's World? peoplesworld.org 
Dear readers, I recently posted on social media Marilyn Bechtel's story in People's World headlined, "U.S. and Russia Extend New START Nuclear Treaty for Five Years." Bechtel's article was the first I read about this hugely significant step by President Joe Biden reversing former President Trump's attempt to wreck the New START treaty. The people's …
(2021-02-19). UN report slams U.S. economic sanctions against Venezuela. peoplesworld.org 
Editor's Note: A group of 27 U.S. senators and representatives on Feb. 11 urged President Joe Biden to "consider the humanitarian impacts of sanctions." They did not name specific countries, but at the top of the list of countries currently on the receiving end of U.S. sanctions is Venezuela. The country was the target of …
(2021-02-19). 'Leaving Aside' International Law: Why Democrats are as Dangerous as Republicans to a Just Peace in Palestine. counterpunch.org 
Motivated by their justifiable aversion to former US President Donald Trump, many analysts have rashly painted a rosy picture of how Democrats could quickly erase the bleak trajectory of the previous Republican administration. This naivety is particularly pronounced in the current spin on the Palestinian-Israeli discourse, which is promoting, again, the illusion that Democrats will
(2021-02-19). Idiocy in Theory and Practice. counterpunch.org 
Idiocy is as complex as genius. In fact, we like to think them indistinguishable, joined by the ruthless common denominator of an innocence which makes both conditions holy. The lives of geniuses are bestsellers because everyone wants to see themselves in there, which nourishes our profound self-interest and even more profound masochism. Read about the
(2021-02-19). Trailblazing former Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis dies at 68. peoplesworld.org 
CHICAGO (PAI)—If you're looking for who started "Red for Ed," figuratively if not literally, you'll find Karen Lewis. Because it could arguably be said that Lewis, the former President of the Chicago Teachers Union/AFT Local 1, who died in early February at 68 after a long battle with cancer, originated the combination of teacher activism …
(2021-02-19). Biden Offers Moderate Solutions to Radical Problems. counterpunch.org 
"Radical solutions require radical solutions," I wrote in my 2010 book "The Anti-American Manifesto," a polemic that calls upon us to save ourselves from imminent social, economic and political collapse by overthrowing the system and rebuilding society from the ground up. We currently face several radical problems. But we're not likely to rise to the
(2021-02-19). Limbaugh's Legacy: Normalizing Hate for Profit. counterpunch.org 
Rush Limbaugh's death represents a moment for reflection on the state of American politics. Limbaugh amassed a fortune of more than $600 million over 32 years in the talk radio business, in the process building up more than 15 million regular listeners. It was no exaggeration when CNN referred to him as a "pioneer of AM talk-radio." He made possible the rise of propagandistic partisan media, demonstrating that this format could be incredibly profitable for news channels looking for low-budget programming filled by pundits who tell audiences what they want to hear, while strengthening their prior beliefs and value…
(2021-02-19). Portland, OR power outages affect 300K residents after ice storm. liberationnews.org 
In a pandemic winter, when the risk of spreading COVID-19 between households is high, neighbors have had to take the risk to help each other by sharing generators, firewood, food, cooking equipment, clean water and more.
(2021-02-19). Man-made disaster: Capitalism and Republicans failed the people of Texas. peoplesworld.org 
Winter storms, freezing temperatures, and a failed power grid have left millions of Texans fighting for their lives this week. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz being caught attempting a family vacation to the warmth of Cancun, Mexico, while his constituents faced a humanitarian disaster is the epitome of an unequal system at work. The tragedy in …
(2021-02-19). 40,000 BC: Earth's magnetic field flipped, causing massive sudden climate change and Extinction of Neanderthals. juancole.com 
By Chris Fogwill, Alan Hogg, Chris Turney, and Zoà´ Thomas | — The world experienced a few centuries of apocalyptic conditions 42,000 years ago, triggered by a reversal of the Earth's magnetic poles combined with changes in the Sun's behaviour. That's the key finding of our new multidisciplinary study, published in Science. This last major …
(2021-02-19). Britain's Double Standards in International Affairs. counterpunch.org 
On February 12 it was announced by the UN that a British lawyer had been elected as chief prosecutor for the International Criminal Court. No matter what one might think of the ICC, it is taking steps to investigate war crimes in Afghanistan and Yemen, so it can't be all bad. But a major point
(2021-02-19). Democracy Now! Turns 25: Celebrating a Quarter-Century of Independent News on the Frontlines. democracynow.org 
Democracy Now! first aired on nine community radio stations on February 19, 1996, on the eve of the New Hampshire presidential primary. In the 25 years since that initial broadcast, the program has greatly expanded, airing today on more than 1,500 television and radio stations around the globe and reaching millions of people online. We celebrate 25 years of the War and Peace Report with an hour-long retrospective, including highlights from the show's early years, some of the most controversial interviews, and groundbreaking reports from East Timor, Standing Rock, Western Sahara and more.
(2021-02-19). Chuck some borscht on the barbie? Amid Australian news row, Facebook 'accidentally' clamps down on RUSSIAN CULTURE SITE. rt.com 
Facebook's new algorithms targeting Aussie news websites evidently need some fine-tuning: citing "Australian government legislation," the social media behemoth has banned sharing links to a Russian culture site, Russia Beyond. | As of Wednesday, Australian Facebook users found themselves unable to share links to local and international news sites, a change that Facebook implemented as retaliation against the Australian government for legislation that would require Facebook and other companies to pay news creators for their content. Globally, all users are forbidden from sharing links to Australian news sources…
(2021-02-19). Dutch curfew extended by emergency bill as government shuns court ruling of Covid lockdown 'illegality'. rt.com (2021-02-19). Empty shelves & long lines outside stores as Texas runs out of food amid deadly cold snap (VIDEO). rt.com (2021-02-19). DISTURBING VIDEO shows cop punching alleged attacker in the head as assaults on transit police TRIPLE in NYC. rt.com (2021-02-19). Democracy must prevail over autocracy, Biden tells the world — even as he's accused of autocratic tendencies back home. rt.com (2021-02-19). At least Joe Rogan is 'freezing': progressive pundit finds UPSIDE in deadly Texas storm. rt.com (2021-02-19). Lucasfilm president excoriated for talking of EMPOWERING WOMEN after firing Gina Carano, forcing Oscars to wipe comments. rt.com (2021-02-19). US 'ready' for nuclear talks with Iran… with precondition of addressing 'regional issues'. rt.com (2021-02-19). 'Idea of Sacrifice a complete nonstarter in US culture before Covid': Pandemic spurred major shift in American values, study finds. rt.com (2021-02-19). Left & right alike fume over Dems' bill to ban 'twice-impeached presidents' from burial at Arlington, any honoring of their names. rt.com 
Dutch senators have voted overwhelmingly to pass an emergency act to continue a nationwide curfew, disregarding a judge's ruling this week that the restriction violates the law as well as the rights of citizens. | The emergency bill passed in a 45-13 vote on Friday evening, While a lower court 
Grocery stores in Texas have become a sorry sight with empty shelves and people queuing outside after a freak winter storm caused massive power outages and completely disrupted food supply chains in the unprepared Southern state. | RT's Ruptly video agency visited one of the stores in Dallas, filming shelves and fridges that were bursting with produce not long ago but now stand completely empty. | After several days of the deep freeze and heavy snowfall, even common products like milk, cold meats, vegetables and many others became inaccessible to Texans. | Outside the Dallas store, people with shopping carts s…
The NYPD have been accused of using excessive force after a video showed a cop repeatedly punching a man in the subway. But police claim the officer was acting in self-defense after the suspect allegedly nearly ripped his ear off. | Graphic footage surfaced on Thursday showing three New York Police Department (NYPD) officers restraining a man on the floor of a subway station, while a fourth cop took swings at him, striking him numerous times in the head, face and upper body. The man is seen struggling to break free as the officers eventually turn him on his back and cuff him. | The person filming the video can…
Fresh from taking office with 3/4 of Republicans believing his election victory was fraudulent, then signing executive orders at a record pace, President Joe Biden evangelized about democracy at the Munich Security Conference. | "We must demonstrate that democracies can still deliver for our people," Biden said Friday via video link at the the conference. | That is our galvanizing mission. Democracy doesn't happen by accident. We have to defend it, strengthen it, renew it. We have to prove that our model isn't a relic of our history. | Biden made his comments in the context of "democratic progress" being "unde…
Texans may be suffering without electricity in bitter temperatures, but Young Turks host Cenk Uygur can see the bright side, as podcaster Joe Rogan and others who relocated to the state are "freezing their asses off." | Two dozen Texans are dead, food supplies can't reach supermarkets, and nearly
Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, fresh from firing actress Gina Carano from 'The Mandalorian' for political incorrectness, made the ironic decision to speak about empowering women and hearing their voices. It didn't end well. | The Oscars posted the video on Tuesday, featuring Kennedy speaking about its scientific and technical awards. Kennedy, who fired Carano last week over "abhorrent and unacceptable" social media posts, said in the video that "women are helping to redefine science and technology in the movies, and that means a brave, bold future without limits for each and every storyteller." | 'St…
The Joe Biden administration said it's willing to sit down with Iran to discuss renewing the 2015 nuclear pact, though a senior US official noted the talks must cover other "regional issues" — a potential deal-breaker for Tehran. | "The United States would accept an invitation from the European Union High Representative to attend a meeting of the P5+1 and Iran to discuss a diplomatic way forward on Iran's nuclear program," State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a brief statement on Thursday, referring to the five permanent members of the UN Security Council: the US, Britain, France, Russia and Chin…
Researchers from UCLA and Harvard University analyzed internet activity, namely online searches and social media posts, and found a significant return to more traditional, rural American values emerged as the pandemic took hold. | The team In their analysis, they used Google searches as one metric to reflect societal mood and attitudes w…
House Democrats have apparently found time to plot more ways to punish Donald Trump — even as a pandemic and other troubles devastate their constituents — angering Americans of virtually all political persuasions. | The '