Nov. 28, 2013
Moyers and Company – Bill Moyers and Henry Giroux
Henry Giroux on Zombie Politics
Giroux is a professor at McGill University. This interview (45 minutes and well worth the time and trouble), and perhaps some of Giroux’s books, have to be understood as ‘a must’ to make sense of the current malaise with all politics and the loss of empowerment in democracy. It is a powerful commentary on what we need to fix to regain a sense of agency and democratic vision in our lives. http://billmoyers.com/segment/henry-giroux-on-zombie-politics
Nunatsiaq News – David Murphy
Too many Aboriginal offenders languish in federal prisons: report
Howard Sapers’ Nov. 26 report to the Parliament of Canada reveals a disturbing trend for Aboriginals. While the ratio of Aboriginal males is alarming at 22% of the federal prison population with only 4% of the general population, the picture for Aboriginal women is far worse at 35% of the women. Even more disturbing is the fact that 45% of all self-injury in the system involved Aboriginals. http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/stories/article/65674too_many_aboriginal_offenders_languish_in_federal_prisons_report (Ed note: The next communiqué will feature the presentation deck from Howard Sapers report to the Parliament of Canada for 2012-2013 )
CBC News – Evan Dyer
Pot-smoking Mountie can’t smoke in uniform, RCMP says
Cpl. Ron Francis of New Brunswick legally smokes marijuana daily while on duty to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He has five stars on his red serge uniform and the issue of smoking while in serge or the working uniform has become a focus. Higher-ups say he can’t; Francis says his service has caused his problem and earned the right to effective treatment. This one is likely to become more murky as we go with due deference to medical accommodation. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/pot-smoking-mountie-can-t-smoke-in-uniform-rcmp-says-1.2442576
Huffington Post (US) – Christina Fialho
How ICE’s Privacy Standards Hurt Immigration Reform
ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) have a set of privacy standards that go a long way toward making sure that little information about the 34,000 mandated immigration cells gets to the public. The standards are not legal but they help explain why solitary is invoked and why visitor programs are sometimes arbitrarily cancelled. The practices are disturbing, given the confirmed sexual abuse of detainees currently reported. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christina-fialho/how-ices-privacy-standard_b_4312520.html
London Evening Standard (UK) – Lindsay Watling
Sex is a weapon just like guns and knives, says child safety expert
Professor Jenny Pearce is director of the International Centre: Researching Child Sexual Exploitation, Violence and Trafficking, at the University of Bedfordshire. Her comments are in response to revelations of child-on-child sexual abuse reports as part of gang violence in the UK. The two year study involving 850 children was recently published by the Children’s Commissioner for England. http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/sex-is-a-weapon-just-like-guns-and-knives-says-child-safety-expert-8964224.html Related article: The Information Daily (UK) Sexual violence & exploitation against children ‘normal’ in gangs http://www.theinformationdaily.com/2013/11/26/sexual-violence-exploitation-against-children-normal-in-gangs Related article: BBC News Child-on-child abuse shocking, children’s commissioner report says http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25090896
Australian Government Mental Health Commission
Stories and perspectives – The justice system and mental health
This is an appealing article that starts with a mental health patient involved with the criminal justice system, moves to the special police unit for dealing with mental health issues, and then moves to a family member confronting the entanglement with the justice system. There are commentaries and videos for each component. http://www.mentalhealthcommission.gov.au/our-report-card/feeling-safe,-stable-and-secure/stories-and-perspectives.aspx
All Africa – South Sudan News Agency
South Sudan: Amid a Shroud of Secrecy, the Government of South Sudan Quietly Executes Four People
The South Sudan government gained independence as the Republic of South Sudan and now has over 200 people on death row. Suspicions are that a number have been executed in the month of November but the government does not publicly report the trials, sentences or the carrying out of executions. The South Sudan Law Society, which believes that more than fourteen people have been executed since independence in July of 2011, has been unable to obtain any information about the executions. http://allafrica.com/stories/201311270280.html