Civil Liberties / Human Rights

original article: http://jayceland.com/blog/archive/2013/12/08/let-the-fire-burn/

I got to see Let the Fire Burn at the Little on November 12. It's been a while, but I did want to give it a bit of a review.

It's an impressive document of the misguided actions of the Philadelphia government and police against the MOVE organization that led to them bombing and burning a house in 1985 containing 13 members, eleven of whom perished. In a way, it's a microcosm of war: both are avoidable, expensive, and deadly acts.

Rochester had the honor of screening the film "The Throwaways", which documents the life of Ira McKinley, an ex-felon and homeless man as he attempts to show the viewer "the throwaways" in our society.

original article: http://queerfamilymatters.wordpress.com/2013/11/03/what-is-a-queer-family/

The first blog post is always the…awkwardest. So let’s start with this really basic question: What makes a family queer? What is a queer family?

When we think of LGBT families, we usually think of two moms or two dads. More specifically, we think of two cisgender lesbian moms or two cisgender gay dads. When the acronym “LGBT” is used, the “B” and “T” are often silent. The “Q” isn’t even there. LGBT is often used as a catchall acronym for our communities–it’s pretty common. But LGBT organizations, service agencies, and media outlets often focus primarily on cisgender gay men and lesbian women. That’s also pretty common. There’s nothing wrong with two cis moms or dads and those families could certainly be queer, but these representations are not inclusive of all queer families.

original article: http://philebersole.wordpress.com/2013/11/01/unmanned-americas-drone-war-the-full-film/

The documentary, Unmanned: America’s drone war, was released this week.  You can download a copy from the Internet or view it here.  It was powerful and disturbing on an emotional level, and at the same time made a case that the drone strikes benefit nobody except avowed enemies of the United States, and certain corporations who get billion-dollar drone contracts.

original article: http://rocredandblack.org/amended-resistance-rejecting-the-politics-of-constitutional-defense/\

original link: http://www.freejalil.com/blog23.html

Blog #22:
The 13th Amendment—Prison Slavery and Mass Incarceration

The Thirteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution reads as follows:

Section 1. Slavery prohibited.
“Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.”

A panel discussion on the Town of Greece v. Galloway, a local legislative prayer case that will be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court on November 6, 2013.

FEATURING:

HEATHER WEAVER, Esq.
Senior Staff Attorney
American Civil Liberties Union
***The ACLU filed an amicus in
support of the plaintiffs.

BRETT HARVEY, Esq.
Senior Counsel
Alliance Defending Freedom
***The Alliance Defending Freedom is
representing the Town of Greece.