Relentless resistance, a notion now embodied in the very fabric of Palestinian society, has denied the oppressor the opportunity to emasculate Palestinians, or to reduce them to helpless victims and hapless refugees. Palestinian culture is rooted, like the olive trees and mountains of Galilee.
Most Moroccan journalists admit they do not cross certain “red lines” in Morocco. These lines include critical coverage of Morocco’s king and his advisers, Morocco’s sovereignty over the Western Sahara territory, Islam, and big businesses tied to the monarchy. In order to survive, self-censorship is mandatory among journalists. “I cannot write everything I want,” explained journalist Soulaiman Raissouni. “Everybody does self-censorship to different degrees.”
Source: The Nation
The Middle East is still suffering from the consequences of the US invasion 15 years ago.
Fifteen years ago, on February 15, 2003, the world said “No to War”: Some 10 million to 15 million people, in hundreds of cities and dozens of countries all over the world, embraced the same slogan, made the same demand, in scores of different languages. A war against Iraq was looming, with Washington and London standing virtually alone in their false claims that Baghdad had amassed stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction.
For four days in mid-January, women filled a Michigan courtroom to testify in the hearing of Larry Nassar. An abuser first and doctor second, Nassar ruined the lives of 256 women gymnasts under his medical care, many of whom came forward in court to give testimonies. The testimonies were empowering and tragic. They also highlighted how the outcomes of sexual assault cases often depend on how the judges handle them. In this courtroom, survivors found a rare ally in Judge Rosemarie Aquilina.
The idea of a gray area existing in consent directly contributes to rape culture. There are no nuances in consent.
Source: The Intercept
IT WAS THE middle of the night when they broke down the door. The children, aged 3 and 6, and their parents were all fast asleep in their home in Pimienta, a town 18 miles south of San Pedro Sula, in northwestern Honduras.
“They arrived at three in the morning,” said the mother of two whose home was raided. U.S.-trained and supported special forces agents, known as TIGRES, as well as criminal investigation officers searched the family home, flipping over the beds and ripping pillows apart while she and her children watched. Her partner had already been handcuffed and taken outside.
Copyright Toward Freedom 2019