Saturday, June 22, 2024

The government of Israel attacks designated safe zones

The Israeli government continues it's slaughter in Gaza. Nidal Al-Mughrabi (REUTERS) notes the death toll for today is at least 42 people. Hani Mahmoud (ALJAZEERA) adds, "Israeli warplanes have targeted buildings in the Shati refugee camp, killing dozens and injuring many more. Shati is one of eight historic camps established in Gaza after hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were displaced by the creation of Israel in 1948."

Amr Mostafa and Nagham Mohanna (THE NATIONAL) observe, "The latest attacks come a day after at least 25 Palestinians were killed and 50 others wounded in Al Mawasi humanitarian zone in western Rafah. Palestinians said a tank shell hit a tent housing displaced families."

On the Friday attacks, CNN's Jomana Karadsheh, Lauren Izso, Eyad Kourdi and Kareem Khadder report:

The strike hit the tents of displaced people in the Palestinian town of Mawasi, parts of which have been identified by the Israeli military as a humanitarian zone.

Israel has been intensifying its operation in nearby Rafah, where it launched an offensive last month as part of its campaign to dismantle Hamas in Gaza.

Following the strike, a nearby Red Cross field hospital received 22 bodies and 45 injured, the ICRC said.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) blamed Israel for the strike, saying it was dealing with extensive casualties.

The attack took place in an area "identified by the Israeli military as a humanitarian zone"? CBS NEWS notes that "the United Nations says no place in Gaza is safe and humanitarian conditions are dire as families shelter in tents and cramped apartments without adequate food, water or medical supplies." Robert Plummer (BBC News) notes that the attacks also left the "the office and residences of the International Committee of the Red Cross" damaged and Plummer quotes the European Union's "foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the EU condemned the attack and called for an independent investigation and for those responsible to be held accountable." Wednesday strike on Al-Mawasi began. Aurora Almendral (NBC NEWS) notes, "An investigation by NBC News into seven deadly airstrikes found Palestinians were killed in areas of southern Gaza that the Israeli military had explicitly designated as safe zones, including Al-Mawasi."

Where's the red line, Joe?

While Joe Biden seems unsure where his previously declared red line went, others have found their own. Katherine Doyle and Courtney Kube (NBC NEWS) report:

The death of 6-year-old Hind Rajab in February after she was trapped under Israeli fire in Gaza sparked international condemnation — and for Larry Hebert Jr., an active duty U.S. airman, the incident accelerated his decision to seek conscientious objector status from the U.S. military.

“She looks almost just like my daughter, and that was something that was extremely hard to grasp, is that all these children that have aspirations and dreams and lives that many of us are living and want, and it’s wholly unjustified to support what’s happening,” said Hebert, who told NBC News in an interview that he worked directly on a U.S. operation to provide weapons sales to Israel.

After witnessing footage of death and destruction in Gaza, senior U.S. Airman Juan Bettancourt said he could no longer ignore the U.S. government’s role in the war, including its supply of weapons, diplomatic coverage and intelligence.

“I see the slaughter of thousands of innocent civilians,” Bettancourt said during an interview in San Antonio, Texas, “all while the world watches through their smartphones.”

They have a red line. Joe? As the War Crimes continue, Joe can't find it. But REUTERS notes, "Israeli army forces strapped a wounded Palestinian man to the hood of a military Jeep during an arrest raid in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin on Saturday. A video circulating on social media and verified by Reuters showed a Palestinian resident of Jenin, Mujahed Azmi, on the Jeep that passes two ambulances." THE NATIONAL identifies the man as Mujahed Azmi and that "Mr Azmi’s family said there was an arrest raid and that he was injured, but when the family asked for an ambulance, the army strapped him onto the bonnet and drove off." In news of other War Crimes, ALJAZEERA reports:

Palestinian man Badr Dahlan, has described being tortured by Israeli forces while being imprisoned for a month without charges, in Khan Younis, Gaza.

“It was a nightmare,” said Dahlan, “I was beaten and battered inside the prison. I was frightened to death, I begged them to let go.”

Mansour Shouman, a humanitarian worker and activist who was in Gaza until March told Al Jazeera, that Dahlan’s experiences are “heartbreaking, but not surprising”.

“They are masters of psychological torture,” said Shouman.

“We need [the] Red Cross to go into Israel right now and check on the 1000+ prisoners that have been taken by this administration,” he added.

In other news, ALJAZEERA notes, "An estimated 150,000 people joined antigovernment protests calling for the release of Israeli captives in Tel Aviv on Saturday." BBC adds, "Tens of thousands of Israelis have protested in Tel Aviv demanding a Gaza ceasefire deal and the return of hostages held by Hamas. Organisers said it was the largest anti-government protest since the Gaza war began. Video shows scuffles and people being arrested as police – some on horseback – tried to move protesters off the city’s main highway." ALJAZEERA also notes, "Israeli broadcaster Channel 12 has published video from the mass antigovernment demonstrations taking place in the streets of Tel Aviv, Israel, showing police assaulting a member of the media."

Gaza remains under assault. Day 260 of the assault in the wave that began in October. Binoy Kampmark (DISSIDENT VOICE) points out, "Bloodletting as form; murder as fashion. The ongoing campaign in Gaza by Israel’s Defence Forces continues without stalling and restriction. But the burgeoning number of corpses is starting to become a challenge for the propaganda outlets: How to justify it? Fortunately for Israel, the United States, its unqualified defender, is happy to provide cover for murder covered in the sheath of self-defence." CNN has explained, "The Gaza Strip is 'the most dangerous place' in the world to be a child, according to the executive director of the United Nations Children's Fund." ABC NEWS quotes UNICEF's December 9th statement, ""The Gaza Strip is the most dangerous place in the world to be a child. Scores of children are reportedly being killed and injured on a daily basis. Entire neighborhoods, where children used to play and go to school have been turned into stacks of rubble, with no life in them." NBC NEWS notes, "Strong majorities of all voters in the U.S. disapprove of President Joe Biden’s handling of foreign policy and the Israel-Hamas war, according to the latest national NBC News poll. The erosion is most pronounced among Democrats, a majority of whom believe Israel has gone too far in its military action in Gaza." The slaughter continues. It has displaced over 1 million people per the US Congressional Research Service. Jessica Corbett (COMMON DREAMS) points out, "Academics and legal experts around the world, including Holocaust scholars, have condemned the six-week Israeli assault of Gaza as genocide." The death toll of Palestinians in Gaza is grows higher and higher. United Nations Women noted, "More than 1.9 million people -- 85 per cent of the total population of Gaza -- have been displaced, including what UN Women estimates to be nearly 1 million women and girls. The entire population of Gaza -- roughly 2.2 million people -- are in crisis levels of acute food insecurity or worse." THE NATIONAL notes, "Gaza's Health Ministry said on Saturday that at least 37,551 Palestinians have been killed and 85,911 were injured in Israel's war in Gaza. In the 24 hours to noon on Saturday, 101 people were killed and 169 injured, the ministry said." Months ago, AP noted, "About 4,000 people are reported missing." February 7th, Jeremy Scahill explained on DEMOCRACY NOW! that "there’s an estimated 7,000 or 8,000 Palestinians missing, many of them in graves that are the rubble of their former home." February 5th, the United Nations' Phillipe Lazzarini Tweeted:

April 11th, Sharon Zhang (TRUTHOUT) reported, "In addition to the over 34,000 Palestinians who have been counted as killed in Israel’s genocidal assault so far, there are 13,000 Palestinians in Gaza who are missing, a humanitarian aid group has estimated, either buried in rubble or mass graves or disappeared into Israeli prisons. In a report released Thursday, Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor said that the estimate is based on initial reports and that the actual number of people missing is likely even higher."

As for the area itself? Isabele Debre (AP) reveals, "Israel’s military offensive has turned much of northern Gaza into an uninhabitable moonscape. Whole neighborhoods have been erased. Homes, schools and hospitals have been blasted by airstrikes and scorched by tank fire. Some buildings are still standing, but most are battered shells." Kieron Monks (I NEWS) reports, "More than 40 per cent of the buildings in northern Gaza have been damaged or destroyed, according to a new study of satellite imagery by US researchers Jamon Van Den Hoek from Oregon State University and Corey Scher at the City University of New York. The UN gave a figure of 45 per cent of housing destroyed or damaged across the strip in less than six weeks. The rate of destruction is among the highest of any conflict since the Second World War."

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Congresswoman Bush Introduces Stop Comstock Act to Repeal Antiquated Statute

June 21, 2024

Congresswoman Bush Introduces Stop Comstock Act to Repeal Antiquated Statute

The bill’s introduction comes as anti-abortion lawmakers and Supreme Court Justices have indicated their intentions to misuse the Comstock Act to implement a nationwide abortion ban

Washington, D.C – Yesterday, Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01), the first lawmaker post-Dobbs to publicly call for the repeal of the Comstock Act, joined Representatives Becca Balint (VT-AL), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Mary Scanlon (PA-05) and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) to announce the introduction of the Stop Comstock Act in response to clear Republican intent to misuse the antiquated and unconstitutional statute, the Comstock Act, to prohibit the mailing of medication abortion and other materials used in abortion procedures. The bill would repeal the portions of the Comstock Act that anti-abortion extremists intend to misuse to enact a nationwide abortion ban. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn) introduced the Senate companion bill.

“As a Black woman from the first state to ban abortion post-Dobbs and someone who has had abortions, I deeply and personally understand the critical need to protect and expand access to abortion care,” said Congresswoman Bush. “Anti-abortion extremists and the Republican party have shown they will stop at nothing when it comes to stripping away our reproductive freedoms. They aren't hiding their playbook: reviving the outdated and obsolete zombie statute, the Comstock Act, is the GOP’s latest hack to bypass Congress and impose a nationwide abortion ban. When people tell you who they are, believe them. I am proud to be working alongside my colleagues in introducing legislation to repeal the Comstock Act and protect access to abortion care."

“Congressional Republicans and their allies in statehouses across the country are out of step with the American people – they will stop at nothing to enact extreme policies that put women’s lives at risk. We know Americans want the freedom to make decisions about their own bodies,” said Rep. Balint. “It’s time we take immediate action to stop Republicans from abusing the Comstock Act to further erode our reproductive rights. I’m proud to stand alongside Senator Smith to introduce the Stop Comstock Act, which would take this outdated and unconstitutional law off the books.”

“The Comstock Act is a 150-year-old zombie law banning abortion that’s long been relegated to the dustbin of history. But extremist Republicans and Trump judges have seized upon the idea of misusing Comstock to bypass Congress and strip women nationwide of their reproductive freedoms. When MAGA Republicans say they intend to use the Comstock Act to control women’s decisions and enact a backdoor national abortion ban, we should believe them. Now that Trump has overturned Roe, a future Republican administration could try to misapply this 150-year-old Comstock law to deny American women their rights, even in states where abortion rights are protected by state law. This is why I’m introducing legislation to repeal Comstock. It is too dangerous to leave this law on the books; we cannot allow MAGA judges and politicians to control the lives of American women,” said Senator Smith.

“While access to contraception, IVF, and abortion are under attack across the country, U.S. Courts have found that the Comstock Act of 1873 does not ban the mailing of medicines used for lawful abortion — but that won't stop a Trump-controlled Department of Justice and other extremists from using it to effectively enact a nationwide abortion ban,” said Congresswoman Escobar. “I'm proud to co-lead the Stop Comstock Act to amend the Comstock Act to make clear that medical providers cannot be prosecuted for doing their jobs and providing basic healthcare.”

"Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade two years ago, we have seen an explosion in court cases and legislation designed to ban abortion nationwide," said Rep. Scanlon, “including growing threats to willfully misapply and weaponize the Comstock Act, a relic of the Victorian era. I'm proud to join my colleagues in the House and Senate in introducing the Stop Comstock Act as part of our ongoing work to protect Americans’ right and freedom to choose medically safe reproductive health care, including medical abortion care.”

“The Supreme Court’s recent decision left the door open to future bans on medication abortion, even in states where reproductive healthcare is protected. It’s on Congress to shut that door,” said Rep. Watson Coleman. “Medication abortion is safe and effective. Repealing portions of the Comstock Act of 1873 will help keep these safe and widely used medications available across the country. I’m so proud to co-lead this bill with Rep. Balint, the culmination of decades of work dating back to the efforts of the late Senator Lautenberg of New Jersey. It’s high time the GOP majority abandoned their obsession with stripping away people’s freedom to make their own medical decisions. I strongly encourage Congress to take up and pass this bill.”

The Comstock laws are a set of 1800s laws to ban the mailing or shipping of every obscene, lewd, lascivious, indecent, article, matter, thing or device, with the goal of restricting abortion, contraceptives, sex toys, and even love letters. Federal appellate courts have uniformly held that the law does not apply to lawful abortion care. Nonetheless, Republican strategists have been clear that they intend to misuse these antiquated and unconstitutional statutes to criminalize providers and impose a nationwide abortion ban.

The bill is endorsed by the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, ACLU, Center for Reproductive Rights, Physicians for Reproductive Health, National Women’s Law Center, and Reproductive Freedom for All.

“Abortion opponents have made it clear: they’ll stop at nothing to ban abortion nationwide. As they’ve shown us, they want to control people’s bodies, lives, and futures, and they’re willing to misuse the Comstock laws to try to ban abortion entirely and restrict other health care — even though for decades, the courts, Congress, and the Department of Justice have made clear that position is wrong. Planned Parenthood Action Fund will continue to raise the alarm about efforts to ban abortion and restrict sexual and reproductive health care,” said Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO, Planned Parenthood Action Fund.

“Trumps’ advisors are quietly plotting to bypass Congress and misuse a 150-year-old law to attempt to ban abortion nationwide. They are arguing that the Comstock Act is a de facto national abortion ban already on the books, and they are wrong. The Department of Justice has made clear and federal appeals courts have uniformly held for almost a century that the Comstock Act does not apply to legal abortion care. But anti-abortion extremists have manipulated the law to ban abortion before, and there’s no reason to think they won’t try it again,”said Madison Roberts, senior policy counsel, ACLU. “We applaud Representative Balint for introducing the Stop Comstock Act to fight back against extremists’ threats to misapply Comstock as a nationwide abortion ban. We will continue to work with elected leaders to raise the alarm and neutralize this potential anti-abortion attack before Trump allies get the chance to launch it.”

“The Comstock Act has long been considered obsolete, but anti-abortion extremists are now threatening to use it to push for a national abortion ban. While we would expect their efforts to be rejected by the courts, they could still sow chaos for abortion access nationwide,” said Katie O’Connor, Director of Federal Abortion Policy at the National Women’s Law Center. “This law, a relic from the 19th century, was originally passed to enforce a specific view of morality rooted in racist, sexist, homophobic, and other discriminatory beliefs. It has no place in our modern laws, and we commend Senator Smith and Reps. Balint, Bush, Escobar, Watson Coleman and Scanlon for introducing legislation to prevent its misuse by anti-abortion extremists to ban abortion across the country.”

“MAGA Republicans have detailed their plans to block all abortion access—with or without the support of Congress and the courts—if they win power this November by enforcing a radical and baseless interpretation of the Comstock laws. Their Project 2025 provides a lengthy and destructive playbook that Trump could begin implementing on Day One of his administration. We’re grateful to Sen. Smith and Rep. Balint for their crucial work to ensure anti-abortion extremists’ dystopian vision never becomes a reality,” said Reproductive Freedom for All President and CEO Mini Timmaraju.

"The end goal of the anti-abortion movement has always been clear: they want to ban all abortion in the United States. Now, with Roe v. Wade overturned, they are promising to weaponize the Comstock Act – an outdated anti-sex statute from the 1800's -- to essentially ban abortion nationwide if they get a President who is willing. This backdoor ban on abortion could be forced through without the approval of Congress or the American public, who would never support a national ban. That may sound unthinkable to most people, but so did the overturning of Roe v. Wade. This potential misuse of the Comstock Act is a very real threat that we must take seriously,” said Rachana Desai Martin, CRR’s Chief Government and External Relations Officer.

“As we continue to feel and experience the devastating impact of abortion bans and restrictions across the country, this legislation is one important step to neutralizing increasingly dangerous and troubling attacks on care, including the potential threats of the Comstock Act. Comstock was an extreme law when it was written. It is not applicable to the current landscape and health care needs of our communities. Health care providers should not be at risk for criminalization for doing their jobs - providing essential medical care to those who need it. Our community deserves laws that reflects the lived experiences of people and families today, and that will always include access to full spectrum reproductive health care, like abortion care,” said Dr. Jamila Perritt, President & CEO of Physicians for Reproductive Health.

Original cosponsors of the bill include Representatives Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Steve Cohen (TN-09),Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Gottheimer (NJ-05), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Delia Ramirez (IL-04), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), Pat Ryan (NY-18),Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Rashida Tlaib (MI0-12), Nydia Velázquez (NY-7).

Summary of the bill can be found here.

Congresswoman Bush continues to be a fierce advocate for reproductive rights, and introduced several bills in Congress, including the Protect Sexual and Reproductive Health Act, Protecting Access to Medication Abortion Act, Reproductive Health Care Accessibility Act, Reproductive Health Travel Fund Act, and Abortion Justice Act. Congresswoman Bush also launched the first ever Caucus for the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in 2023 alongside Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07). Congresswoman Bush introduced a resolution urging the Archivist of the United States to certify the state ratifications and publish the Equal Rights Amendment in the federal register, cementing it as a formal part of the U.S. Constitution.

In April 2023, Congresswoman Bush joined congressional democrats in filing an amicus brief to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in the case of Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA, in support of the Biden administration’s appeal of federal district court judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk’s ruling that suspends the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) more than 20-year-old approval of mifepristone—threatening access to mifepristone for patients nationwide, as well as FDA’s Congressionally-mandated authority and drug approval process. Last July, Congresswoman Bush, alongside Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), and Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Accountability, hosted a roundtable with advocates, experts and providers on medication abortion access and Republican efforts to impose an abortion ban nationwide.

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NEWS: Congressman Greg Casar and Assistant Secretary of Labor Parker Meet with Texas Workers Amid Record Heat

Congressman Casar and Assistant Secretary of Labor Doug Parker with Texas workers

June 21, 2024

Press Release

AUSTIN, Texas – On Thursday, Congressman Greg Casar (D-Texas) and Doug Parker, Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), met for a Labor Town Hall to talk with workers impacted by the extreme heat in Texas and what protections are needed.

“Working shouldn’t be a death sentence — but with extreme heat that’s only getting worse, the federal government must step in to protect workers,” said Congressman Casar (D-Texas). “Greg Abbott can try to take rest breaks away from Texas workers, but together with the Biden Administration, we’re fighting back and will deliver protections for all Americans on the job.”

“Knowingly putting workers at risk from the well-known hazards of extreme heat is irresponsible and wrong. Intense heat can be harmful to workers both indoors and outdoors, and OSHA wants to ensure that all workers and employers have the tools to prevent heat-related illnesses and injuries. Employers and supervisors must meet their legal and moral obligations to protect workers' fundamental rights, ensuring they do not risk their lives for a paycheck. Workers deserve the same confidence of returning home safely at the end of their shift as those who employ them,” said Assistant Secretary for OSHA Doug Parker.

Despite Texas Governor Greg Abbott's law banning local protections for rest breaks, every employee has the right to a safe workplace under federal law. As extreme heat becomes more prevalent under the climate crisis, Casar and the Biden Administration are working with businesses, labor leaders, and working Americans to secure additional workplace protections.

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Congressman Greg Casar represents Texas’s 35th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, which runs down I-35 from East Austin to Hays County to the West Side of San Antonio. A labor organizer and son of Mexican immigrants, Casar serves as the Whip of the Congressional Progressive Caucus for the 118th Congress. He also serves on the Committee on Oversight and Accountability and the Committee on Agriculture.

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Baldwin Introduces Legislation to Help Wisconsin Workers Hurt By Offshoring

06.18.2024

Baldwin Introduces Legislation to Help Wisconsin Workers Hurt By Offshoring

For two years, workers who lost their jobs because of unfair trade have been without critical support

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) introduced legislation to reauthorize the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program, which provides crucial assistance to workers who have lost their jobs, or had their hours or wages reduced, as a result of unfair foreign trade. TAA expired in 2022, and workers who have lost their jobs since then have been unable to receive support, such as job search, training, and relocation assistance.

“We’ve seen too many big companies lay off American workers and send their jobs overseas – hurting Wisconsin families and communities,” said Senator Baldwin. “I will always fight to keep our manufacturing jobs here in America, but if a company does do wrong to our workers, I am fighting to ensure they have the resources and tools to land on their feet.”

The TAA program is meant to help workers negatively affected by unfair foreign trade find new jobs as soon as possible at the same level or higher than their previous positions. The program has offered stability to workers as they navigate the unexpected transition to a new job, which may include earning new credentials, learning new skills, relocating, or simply managing the interview process.

Since its expiration in 2022, over 118,000 workers – including more than 900 in Wisconsin – who may qualify for assistance have been unable to receive TAA. Workers who may have been eligible include the 400 Master Lock workers in Milwaukee and the 200 CNH workers in Racine.

A summary of the legislation can be found HERE and the bill text can be found HERE.

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Op-Ed in The Nation: Black Liberation and Palestinian Liberation Are Interconnected

Jun 18, 2024

In the News

Press

by Nina Turner and Rashida Tlaib

From Detroit to Cleveland to Gaza, and everywhere in between, we must fight for a world built on equal rights, freedom from oppression, and human dignity for all people. In the words of civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer, “Nobody’s free until everybody’s free.” The collective liberation of oppressed people everywhere is intertwined, and we must come together to fight for justice at home and around the world.

In this spirit, it has been deeply inspiring to see organizations focused on Black liberation, from the NAACP to the Council of Bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal Church to The King Center, embrace the cause of Palestinian human rights. All of these groups have called for a cease-fire in Gaza—and recently, the NAACP, the nation’s leading civil rights organization, went a step further, urging the Biden administration to stop weapons shipments to Israel. This courageous declaration by the NAACP is the latest example of the shared struggle for Black and Palestinian liberation.

When we come together in solidarity to build a multi-racial, cross-faith, multi-generational movement, we realize our power to bend the arc of the moral universe. Just as our civil rights leaders who came before us did, we all have a moral responsibility to speak out against injustice everywhere and dismantle systemic racism, white supremacy, and all systems of oppression.

We also have to unite because our struggles are so interconnected; for instance, according to US Census Bureau estimates, the poverty rate is 33.8 percent in Detroit and 31.8 percent in Cleveland—two of the highest rates among America’s largest cities. In a country that wastes trillions of dollars on war while continuing to defund our social safety net, we know that poverty is a policy choice. Our communities often wonder why elected officials are not addressing this crisis with the urgency it deserves. When we look at our politicians’ indifference to the suffering here in America, we can understand their indifference to the atrocities we are witnessing unfold every day in Gaza.

If our elected leaders can see what is happening in the communities they claim to represent, where people sleep on the streets and children drink contaminated water; if they can see babies in America going to bed hungry, and not act, it’s no surprise that they can also ignore the starving babies in Gaza. If our elected leaders will stand by and allow American police to brutalize Black and brown people in our communities, it makes sense that they also excuse the Israeli forces that train many of them.

So how can we change this?

Despite being built to uphold white supremacy and maintain the status quo, our government has always been an institution that responds to external pressure. During the height of the civil rights movement in the 1950s and ’60s, there was clarity among activists about the need to realize Black liberation and force public policy to protect Black lives. The powerful in Washington didn’t just wake up one day and decide to end Jim Crow. The people forced the passage of civil rights legislation by marching, boycotting, and leading civil disobedience, relentlessly fighting for clear policy demands until they were passed by Congress and signed into law by the president.

We must have the courage to raise our collective voice again on the frontlines of justice. Just as we march in defense of Black lives and against police brutality in our own country, we now march for Palestinian lives, demanding that our own government stop funding genocide.

Unfortunately, the three major evils the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. warned of—racism, poverty, and war—are still raging and are all linked. Since October, Israeli forces have killed more than 37,000 Palestinians in Gaza, including over 15,000 children, and more than 85,000 people have been injured. They have killed at least 548 Palestinians, including more than 135 children, in the West Bank. The consensus of the international community is clear: The Israeli government is committing crimes against humanity that not only constitute the crime of apartheid, or racist oppression and segregation, but also violate the Genocide Convention and international law. South Africa, after defeating US-backed apartheid, has now become a voice for Palestinians at the International Court of Justice to stop this genocide, highlighting the need for communities seeking justice to come together in solidarity.

King said that “a nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death.” Since 1948, the US has approved more than $141 billion in weapons to the Israeli government as it continues to carry out ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people. Just imagine what $141 billion invested in our communities could do instead. By one estimate, it would take about $177 billion to lift every American out of poverty.

Why is it that our country always has enough money to bomb people, but never enough to provide people with health care, housing, and enough food to feed their families? Year after year elected officials tell us that there is no money to invest in our communities, universal healthcare, or reparations, only to turn around and pass yet another record-breaking military budget—this year it topped $886 billion—and send tens of billions more of our tax dollars to Israel to fund this death and destruction.

It is past time to end the billions of dollars of funding we send to the Israeli government and to demand human dignity for all people. We must join together as a multiracial, multifaith, multigenerational coalition for change. King reminds us, “True peace is not merely the absence of tension, it is the presence of justice.” The path forward to a just and lasting peace for Palestinians and Israelis must include ending the genocide in Gaza, lifting the blockade, facilitating the release of hostages and arbitrarily detained Palestinians, ending the occupation, and dismantling the racist apartheid system. It is only then that Palestinians and Israelis can peacefully coexist in their homeland with equal rights, safety, and freedom.

The movement that forces our government to stop funding endless war is the same movement demanding universal healthcare, housing for all, reparations, and clean air and water. The same students, teachers, labor leaders, and community activists who are organizing for a permanent cease-fire are also organizing for the liberation of all people, including Black liberation. This moment calls for uncompromising moral clarity. History will remember those who took a stand to demand that our government invests in life, not death.

This is that movement, and we are those people.

Sugarfree

On World Refugee Day, Senator Murray Joins over 70 Members of Congress in Letter Urging Administration to Consider Certain Palestinians Fleeing Gaza for Refugee Status

June 20, 2024

On World Refugee Day, Senator Murray Joins over 70 Members of Congress in Letter Urging Administration to Consider Certain Palestinians Fleeing Gaza for Refugee Status

Washington, D.C. – Today, on World Refugee Day, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) joined 73 members of Congress on a bicameral letter urging the Biden Administration to consider refugee status for certain Palestinians fleeing Gaza—namely those with U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident family members. In the letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, the lawmakers expressed strong support for a Priority-2 (P-2) designation under the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) for Palestinians who are affected by the ongoing violence in Gaza and are relatives of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. The Administration is reportedly considering this designation.

“Since the outbreak of the conflict in Gaza, many congressional offices have received distressing requests for assistance from constituents desperately seeking to reunite with their loved ones. We appreciate the steps that the Biden Administration has taken to evacuate American citizens from Gaza. However, without pathways for Americans to petition for their relatives in Gaza, countless families with strong ties to our nation remain stranded in life-threatening conditions,” the lawmakers wrote. “We urge you to consider opening pathways to Palestinian refugees, particularly those with family members in the United States, to seek relief in the United States.”

The letter notes that, historically, the U.S. has resettled very few Palestinian refugees, including only 56 refugees, or 0.09 percent of the total number of resettled refugees, in fiscal year 2023 and only 16 so far in fiscal year 2024.

The lawmakers continued, “Given the dire conditions currently on the ground in Gaza, it is time for this to change. Specifically, we urge you to designate certain categories of Palestinians and their eligible family members, particularly close relatives of American citizens and U.S. lawful permanent residents, for access to the USRAP.”

The USRAP has long provided a secure pathway to resettle refugees in the United States, with the most rigorous vetting of any traveler coming to the U.S. All individuals who are considered for refugee status in the U.S. must not only demonstrate their eligibility, but also complete a USCIS interview, provide biometric data, and pass both medical exams and strict security screening prior to approval to come to the United States. Moreover, national security and foreign policy experts have long viewed the refugee program as a valuable tool for the United States to decompress conflicts abroad, strengthen regional stability, and set an example for other countries.

The lawmakers concluded, “We believe the time has come for the United States to lead in this manner and grant a P-2 designation for refugee processing for certain Palestinians who are relatives of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents and are affected by the ongoing violence.”

Along with Senator Murray, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Peter Welch (D-VT).

The letter is also signed by U.S. Representatives Greg Casar (D-TX-35), Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Don Beyer (VA-08), Jamaal Bowman (NY-16), Cori Bush (MO-01), Tony Cárdenas (CA-29), André Carson (IN-07), Sean Casten (IL-06), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Judy Chu (CA-28), Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Valerie Foushee (NC-04), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Al Green (TX-09), Raúl Grijalva (AZ-07), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson (GA-04), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Dan Kildee (MI-08), Barbara Lee (CA-12), Summer Lee (PA-12), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Jim McGovern (MA-02), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Scott Peters (CA-50), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Katie Porter (CA-47), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Linda Sánchez (CA-38), Mary Scanlon (PA-05), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Adam Smith (WA-09), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), and Nydia Velàzquez (NY-07).

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Secretary Blinken and Secretary Mayorkas:

We write to strongly support a Priority-2 (P-2) designation under the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) for certain Palestinians.

In the eight months since the horrific October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas and the commencement of Israel’s military response, conditions in the Palestinian territories have greatly deteriorated. According to reports from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), as of June 14, 2024, at least 37,266 Palestinians have been killed and 85,102 Palestinians have been injured. The United Nations estimates that 1.7 million people have been displaced in Gaza out of a total population of 2.2 million. And recently the Director of the United Nations World Food Program stated that northern Gaza is experiencing a “full-blown famine” and that the famine is spreading south.

Since the outbreak of the conflict in Gaza, many congressional offices have received distressing requests for assistance from constituents desperately seeking to reunite with their loved ones. We appreciate the steps that the Biden Administration has taken to evacuate American citizens from Gaza. However, without pathways for Americans to petition for their relatives in Gaza, countless families with strong ties to our nation remain stranded in life-threatening conditions.

We urge you to consider opening pathways to Palestinian refugees, particularly those with family members in the United States, to seek relief in the United States. Historically, the U.S. has resettled very few Palestinian refugees, including only 56 refugees, or 0.09 percent of the total number of resettled refugees, in fiscal year 2023 and only 16 so far in fiscal year 2024. Given the dire conditions currently on the ground in Gaza, it is time for this to change. Specifically, we urge you to designate certain categories of Palestinians and their eligible family members, particularly close relatives of American citizens and U.S. lawful permanent residents, for access to the USRAP.

We believe the time has come for the United States to lead in this manner and grant a P-2 designation for refugee processing for certain Palestinians who are relatives of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents and are affected by the ongoing violence.

Sincerely,

###

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Friday, June 21, 2024

Drum Corps World July 2024

July 2024 Issue

Dear readers:

The summer competition season is finally here. The American and European drum and bugle corps schedule is about to get underway and all indications are that corps have had a successful off-season so it’s time to get to the starting formation.

We have a full staff of writers and photographers set to capture all the excitement of performances with photos and written reviews of a majority of competitions set to take place....Read the rest on page 3 in this issue!

Drum Corps World
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