|
American society is rife with conspiracies, ranging from the mundane and harmless, to the outlandish and hurtful. They are more popular today for the fervor they inspire in many to hate minority groups like Jews and Muslims. This is where Anna Merlan’s book, Republic of Lies, comes into play, and the many facets of American society it explores, as told by the Nation.
The United States relationship to Israel is always a close one, and the Trump administration has done much to make the relationship closer through its appeasements to Israel in the Middle East. A recently leaked report, as described by the Middle East Eye, shows the steps being taken by the US and Israel to secure more land for the country, and create bigger settlements for the Palestinians. |
|
|
The situation at the US border with Mexico continues to be a rough one, with migrants and asylum seekers getting detained in ever increasing numbers due to the Trump administrations harsher stance on Latin American Immigrants. But what is less common, though is becoming more frequent, is the detention of US activists trying to help immigrants get to legal ports of entry. As the Intercept explains, such a case occurred near the Arizona border, and the activist told “The fourth Amendment doesn’t apply here.”
 |
|
The field for Democrats in the 2020 primary is an ever-crowded one, with the 20 plus candidates doing what they can to distinguish themselves from the rest. One of those candidates, Tulsi Gabbard, has taken a stance on anti-interventionism, and several media outlets have taken this as a line of attack. As FAIR reports, many outlets have characterized Gabbard negatively because of her stance on war, despite the progressive nature of her position.
With the recent rumblings of Uber looking to go public, and trying to hype their valuation as much as possible, it’s good to pause and think about the people that are actually working for the company, driving every day to make ends meet. At truthdig, they dive into the strikes Uber and Lyft drivers have tried to get better pay and working conditions, while contextualizing the situation as it relates to labor rights.
Keeping the Uber train rolling, the actual drivers that have to deal with the unfair working conditions are trying their hardest to let the world about how the ride-sharing app treats its ’employees,’ and why their striking in the first place. Sharing the story of one driver, Democracy Now! paints the picture of a poor Uber driving trying their best to make ends meet, but the drop in minimum wage they face is making things even harder for an already struggling profession.
As workers in the ride-sharing business are striking for better working conditions, another underrepresented profession continues to be left in the dust. Those working in the service industry, waiting tables and taking tips, must contend with something most of pay no mind to, Yelp reviews. As CounterPunch describes it, Yelp reviews are something managers at restaurants pay close attention to, and shape how they do business, and who to fire. |
|
Off and on, we here about the situation in Venezuela from the national media, being one in which a plucky underdog is trying to overthrow a tyrannical dictator. The truth, unfortunately, is not that simple. The constant pushing of Juan Guaido as a heroic figure in Venezuela has done much to shape American’s understanding of the country, and the Real News Network tries to demonstrate this dichotomy with their interview of an activist and journalist trying to stop the installation of a Guaido ambassador in the Venezuelan embassy in D.C. |
|
While activists are trying to keep the Venezuelan embassy from Guaido in the US, the State Department is boasting of their success in getting the current interim president of Venezuela put into power, based on a now deleted fact sheet on the country. As reported by the Grayzone, the US State Department posted online a list of US success in Venezuela, including the support they’ve provided to get Guaido in power.
|
In media circles, there are many well known journalists, from Walter Cronkite to Carl Bernstein, but among independent media, that list gets made up of the less well known. One of those people is Stan Goff, a peace activist and independent reporter who worked to report the death and cover-up surrounding the death of Pat Tillman, and the Ghion Journal sits down with Goff to discuss the current political climate, along with any words of wisdom he can share.
|
|
The HEADLINES:
1. Don Jr ordered to testify to Senate over Russia contacts, as president laughs about shooting migrants at Florida rally (The Independent)2. New York Just Gave Congress a New Reason for Impeachment (The Atlantic)
3. House Intelligence Committee Subpoenas William Barr Over Mueller Documents (HuffPost)
4. US seizes North Korean coal ship for violating sanctions (BBC)
5. Revealed: five men killed in past year after being deported from UK to Jamaica (The Guardian) |
|
|
