The power of nightmares. The rise of the politics of fear

The power of nightmares. The rise of the politics of fear is a three-part documentary by Adam Curtis which BBC aired in 2004. Following the influence of two opposite characters, Political Philosopher Leo Strauss, a major referent for the US neo-conservatist movement and Mr. Sayyid Qutb, one of the founders of modern political Islamism the film traces on one side the rise of an agenda-driven set of public officials in the US and the inception of an armed Islamist movement known as Al-Quaeda, with the two parties intertwining during the CIA-supported war in Afghanistan against the Soviet Union invasion and occupation.

 

4-minute trailer uploaded by tracrunner13

The film deconstructs the  so called war on terror rethoric, showing how it has been used by governments and other actors as an excuse to curtail liberties and freedoms while using fear as a control tool.

Troy Davis. A life in the brink. Urgent Action by Amnesty International.

An urgent action by Amnesty International has been distributed regarding the fate of Troy Davies, currently in death row in a Georgia State Penitentiary despite a   large ammount of exculpatory evidence in his favour.

Mr. Davies' case offers a glimpse about a criminal justice system which disproportionately   prosecutes, jails and punishes minorities and people living in poverty. We have added hyperlinks and background material, including what you (yes, you) can do to help Mr. Davies

Troy Davis, in death row since 1991

Troy Davis was convicted of murdering a Georgia police officer in 1991. Nearly two decades later,Davis remains on death row — even though the case against him has fallen apart.

The case against him consisted entirely of witness testimony which contained inconsistencies even at the time of the trial. Since then, all but two of the state's non-police witnesses from the trial have recanted or contradicted their testimony.

Education refom in the US. Cheating to survive

A good NYT piece on Monday August 22nd on Michelle Rhee, former DC Public Schools Chancellor, and one of the most vocal proponents of the need for reform of the education system in the US with a strong anti-union approach.

Education reform ( notably through school vouchers and charter schools) in the US is not only the ultimate philantrophist playing field with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Warren Buffet and Facebook´s founder pouring considerable ammounts of money into alterantives to the traditional public education system but also part of a wider narrative around the role of governments and unions in times of deficits. Worthy noting the presence of such actors as Private Security companies (Caveon) and PR executives (Anita Dunn White House Communication Director April-November 2009) close to the Obama administration in the effort to counter the backlash from cheating scandals in several US education districts. Added cartoon, hyperlinks and context material.

Reliance on test data, key element  of the No Child Left Behind initiative,  to asses students and teachers performance has  contributed to the reported increased of cheating cases in several US school districts. Source crooks and liars

Eager for Spotlight, but Not if It Is on a Testing Scandal

Ms. Rhee, the chancellor of the Washington public schools from 2007 to 2010, is the national symbol of the data-driven, take-no-prisoners education reform movement. 

Zizek on 2005 riots in France's banlieues. A politically incorrect (and timely necessary) reflexion.

A short piece from November 2005  by Slovenian professor Slavoj Zizek on urban violences and social decomposition in France (extendible to western societies and to certain degree US). Included in the special issue Les émeutes urbaines de Novembre 2005 put together by Multitudes (revue politique, artistique et philosophique) with contributions from Angela Davis and Tariq Ramadan  (with a piece on UK perceptions). No editing. Added some pictures, hyperlinks and related materials. 

Looking for a political voice, somewhere near Paris at dawn in November 2005 Picture from La Banlieue en replay

Some politically incorrect reflexions on violence in France

  Slavoj Zizek

Two parallels are often evoked apropos the recent violent outbursts in France : the New Orleans looting after Katrina hurricane and May 68. In spite of significant differences, lessons can be drawn from both parallels. With regard to New Orleans, the Paris fires had a sobering effect on those European intellectuals who used New Orleans to emphasize the advantage of the European welfare state model over the US wild capitalism - now we know it can happen here also.

Luxury, hunger and fury.David Brooks in La Jornada

With UK's aftermath ( and PR work for State authorities) still in progress, a good piece on taxes and wealth in terms of increasing inequalities in the US Added picture, hyperlinks and more content from the same author/ issue.  

Lujo, hambre y furia Articulo en Castellano en La Jornada (Via Telesur)

 

Soon available in any location.

Luxury, hunger and fury

By David Brooks

From the Mexican newspaper La Jornada

The demand for luxury goods – from $800 shoes and cosmetic creams retailing for $1,300 to Mercedes-Benz cars prized at $200,000 – is enjoying a boom, while nearly 46 million Americans rely more than ever on federal assistance to buy basic foods and avoid hunger. That sums up the United States today.

BBC: US under fire for running 'little Gitmos'

An interesting BBC piece on Communication Management Units (CMU) jails in the United States. We have added some hyperlinks and other context materials at the end of the story.

US under fire for running 'little Gitmos'

By Paul Adams BBC News, Washington

 

At the CMU in Terre Haute, all telephone calls and mail are monitored

The story - and the controversy - about the detention of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay is familiar and well-rehearsed.But less-known is the story of what some have dubbed "Gitmo the Heartland" o "Guantanamo North" - two prison units on the US mainland where other inmates in the wider "war on terror" are being held in conditions that civil liberties groups regard as another post-9/11 challenge to normal judicial standards.