Day of Decision – Anchorage, Alaska
Celebrations of the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act sprang up across the country yesterday, and Anchorage joined in. A happy and boisterous group gathered in front of the Federal Courthouse downtown to hug, and wave flags, and be present with each other. Despite Alaska’s dubious honor of being the first state to discriminate against marriage for all people in its Constitution, the LGBT community and its allies are strong and committed to equality for all. Christians for Equality had a large banner, and there were rainbow flags everywhere. I was struck by how many honks and waves the…
Scenes from A Revolution
Day of Decision, Castro Edition. (Pics at City Hall by friend of the Mudflats, Joanie Juster. Pics from the Castro by Mudflats webmaster, Thomas Dewar.) San Francisco’s City Hall opened its doors at 6:30 a.m. for people to wait for the Supreme Court’s decisions on the two cases determining the legality of same-sex marriage: Proposition 8 and DOMA. When both of these unjust laws were struck down, City Hall erupted in joy. The celebration in the capitol of LGBT America — San Francisco’s Castro District — was the kind of bedlam one would expect yesterday. The streets were packed shoulder…
The Drone Ranger: Obamas Dirty Wars
About the time Barack Obama ordered the drone strike that killed Abdul-Rahman al-Awlaki, the 16-year-old American kid Facebooked his second-rate choice of hip-hop favorites. I say “second-rate,” because Abdul was my son’s age almost exactly, so I know the kind of crap they listen to. From Greg Palast Originally for Vice Magazine Every Tuesday, President Obama personally checks off the names of people he wants killed. George Bush, a bit more squeamish than Obama, never did that; but Mr. Obama felt those decisions were the president’s responsibility: he want[s] to keep his own finger on the trigger,” according to one…
Oh, For Fox Sake… She’s Back.
Fox News has a brand new commentator, worthy of their rich and storied journalistic tradition. It’s Sarah Palin! And it’s dejà vu, all over again. Today, Alaska’s former half-term governor once again debuted on America’s “Fair and Balanced” network. Bespangled in a ruffly pink sequined shirt and five-inch spiky heels, she shared what she’s been up to, since her ash-canning from the network in January. In case you were worrying that her literary voice had fallen silent on the issues of the day, fear not. “I am doing great, very busy, of course, with my two beautiful grandkids,” she said….
Amendments: The Forgotten Fourth
I’m really wondering what became of the “land of the free, home of the brave” thingy Americans used to claim. Bravery has turned to hiding under the bed, and freedom, well, that’s just another word that does not mean what I think you think it means. We all remember the 2001 attacks on this country and how 40 days after Sept. 11 the 363-page USA PATRIOT Act was introduced and voted on by the House on the same day. The next day the Senate voted, and within 72 hours of introduction then-President George W. Bush signed it into law. That…
Voting Rights Act Decision Nears on Anniversary of Evers Death
Sometime in the next couple of days the US Supreme Court will decide if crucial components of the Voting Rights Act will stand. Which is why when I saw this court room sketch posted on the excellent SCOTUSblog I felt the need to post it. From right to left you see Jess Jackson, Al Sharpton and then on the left John Lewis. All of these men, to varying degrees fought hard for this act – and lost many friends along the way. Greg Palast, who has been at the forefront of fighting the Right’s (and sometimes the Left’s) push to limit…
Palast: Dummy’s Guide to Voting Rights Act
Will the Supreme Court pull the teeth out of the law? by Greg Palast exclusively for TheMudflats.net This month –as early as tomorrow— the US Supreme Court will tell us whether Black and Brown citizens have the right to vote. Now, if you saw the film Lincoln, you probably thought that issue was settled about 147 years ago. But Honest Abe never imagined a High Court occupied by Dishonest Thomas and Scalia the Scurrilous. There’s been a lot of nonsense talk fogging the issue before the Court. To cut through the BS, the Palast Investigative Fund has made a little…
Alaskans March Against Monsanto (PHOTOS)
More than 300 demonstrators turned out on a beautiful Memorial Day weekend to join groups across the world marching in protest against Monsanto, and genetically modified foods. For an issue that crosses political boundaries, the enthusiasm was clear and loud. Local activists organized the event to bring attention to threats to our food supply,to support local Alaska farmers, and to raise general awareness about the effects of genetically modified foods on farmers, and our health. Marchers also carried signs warning against genetically modified “frankenfish,” a salmon-eel hybrid that could damage wild stocks. “We want safer food, we want to know…
He’s In! Joe Miller Files for Senate Run
Buckle up boys and girls, it jut got interesting. Joe Miller has tossed his hat in the ring, and will be running for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate from Alaska. This will be Miller’s second attempt at a senate seat. He did his best in 2010, winning the Republican nomination, and running in the general against Democrat Scott McAdams, and write-in candidate incumbent Senator Lisa Murkowski, whom he’d trounced in the primary. Murkowski won that race in a history making election. But this time, the incumbent is not a member of the same party so no write-in will…
March Against Monsanto
Monsanto shouldn’t be immune from the U.S. justice system. That’s why I’m co-sponsoring legislation to eliminate the Monsanto rider. The Monsanto rider stripped the courts of their power to halt the planting of genetically modified crops that could be dangerous to people or the environment. I will keep working on this issue because genetically modified crops can be just as dangerous as genetically modified fish. I’ve always opposed Frankenfish—and I oppose special legal exemptions for Frankenfruit companies too. ~Senator Mark Begich, D-AK Anchorage will be making history when we participate in the first ever global March Against Monsanto! Join over…