Tag Archives: human rights

Provocateur and invader as envoy

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Bill Clinton is to be named a special U.N. envoy to Haiti, says NPR.

This news struck me as I recall when investigative journalist Allan Nairn shared some recent history with the audience of Democracy Now! about how the Clinton administration continued George H. W. Bush’s policies and backed a CIA effort that supported the military junta there (see some of his reporting from then). These were thugs and rapists (those were Clinton’s own accurate labels for them) which Clinton ironically now takes some credit for opposing — but only after years of paying them, and perhaps with much more effort than was necessary, if he hadn’t supported them to begin with.

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Doctors jailed for outbursts as Democrats steer to the right

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The New York Times reports “Schumer offers middle ground on health care.”

How could this be?

The article describes Schumer offering a limit to the proposed public national health insurance plan so that it can’t compete with private health insurance companies to the best of its ability. The effort for national health insurance is ostensibly beneficial because it could compete with private insurance plans, but would still be an insurance effort that wouldn’t promise complete coverage. Senator Schumer’s idea is not a “middle ground,” it is a move to defend an industry most are discontent with. It is a further push right of an already compromised position from the point of view of public interest.

Today doctors with PNHP and other activists were arrested in a coordinated protest that disrupted the start of a Senate Finance Committee hearing that further demonstrated the degree to which serious consideration of single-payer health care has been and is being avoided by politicians. Democratic Senator and Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus both declared “we need more police” and that he respected the views of all Americans — but apparently not enough to include the options quite possibly preferred by a majority of them in his committee hearing. Senator Schumer also sits on this committee.

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Obama’s 101st day marked by protest

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Sometimes the best camera is the camera you have.

So it was today when we stumbled upon the 100 Days Campaign’s civil disobedience in front of the White House with only our iPhone.

Reportedly 60 people were arrested (this reporter witnessed what he can most precisely say was many or several tens of people, so that jives). As Obama gave remarks in the main foyer of the White House about the Chrysler bankruptcy, just yards away dozens were being arrested in the midst of a peaceful protest of conscience on a matter of human rights.

Members of this group have been holding vigil outside the White House every day for the past many days, presumably all of the previous 100 days of Obama’s term. They’ve highlighted the plight of Uighers and others who have been held without charge or cleared for release, or both — and those who have died in custody.

While Obama has promised to close the detention facility, the group takes issue with all such facilities (including Bagram, Afghanistan) and joined literally behind the banner “justice delayed is justice denied”; they do not believe action is being taken fast enough.

Hundreds of tourists and local office workers, many likely administration employees, gathered around or witnessed the proceeding as they passed by.

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