Today in Labor History March 13, 1848: The German revolutions of 1848-1849 began in Vienna. While the middle classes were fighting for a unified German state and increased civil liberties, the working class had more revolutionary aspirations. Participants in the revolution included communist and anarchist revolutionaries like Marx, Engels and Bakunin, as well as the composer Wagner. The aristocracy exploited the split between the classes, facilitating their eventual violent defeat, with great loss of life and mass imprisonment. Many fled to the U.S. and became known as “forty-eighters.” They moved to places like Cincinnati’s Ober der Rhine neighborhood, or Saint Louis. After risking their lives fighting against serfdom in Europe, many were so horrified by the persistence of slavery in their new country that they dedicated themselves to the cause of abolition and free thinking, joining organizations like the Freimӓnverein (Society of Freemen) and the Wide Awakes (a radical militia that defended free blacks and fought Confederates in the streets). Some of them also became publishers, like Henry Boernstein, who had previously published “Vorwärts!” in Paris with Karl Marx, Engels, Heinrich Heine and others.

You can read more on The Wide Awakes and the Antebellum Roots of Wokeness here: michaeldunnauthor.com/2024/04/…

#workingclass #LaborHistory #revolution #germany #abolition #CivilWar #slavery #marx #bakunin #communism #anarchism #saintlouis #cincinnati #vienna #civilliberties #prison

Hey, Did You Hear About This ICE Bust?

So, picture this: it’s Saturday night, March 8, 2025, and Mahmoud Khalil—a Palestinian green card holder and Columbia University grad—is chilling in his apartment near campus. Suddenly, ICE agents roll up, cuff him, and haul him off. Why? Well, he was a big name in last year’s pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia, negotiating between students and admins over those Gaza solidarity encampments. Now, the Trump administration wants him deported. No criminal charges, just a vague claim from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that his activism “aligned” with Hamas—a designated terrorist group. Wild, right?

This story’s been blowing up lately—AP News broke it on March 9, and it’s got everyone from civil liberties folks to random X users buzzing. The twist? Khalil’s a lawful permanent resident, not some visa overstayer. And yet, here he is, sitting in a detention center in Louisiana while his pregnant American wife scrambles to figure out what’s next. It’s the kind of drama that makes you go, “Wait, can they do that?”

The Free Speech Alarm Bells Are Ringing

Here’s where it gets dicey. Civil liberties groups—like the ACLU and the Council on American-Islamic Relations—are losing it. They’re calling this a straight-up attack on free speech. Khalil wasn’t caught funneling cash to Hamas or plotting anything illegal; he was just a loud voice in a protest movement. The First Amendment’s supposed to protect that, right? But ICE swooped in anyway, and now people are asking: Is this a new playbook for silencing dissent?

Think about it like this: imagine you’re a college kid from, say, Brazil, studying here on a visa. You join a climate march, wave a sign, maybe even chant something spicy about oil companies. Next thing you know, ICE knocks on your door, claiming your “activities align” with some eco-group the government doesn’t like. No charges, no trial—just a one-way ticket home. Sounds dystopian, but Khalil’s case makes it feel less hypothetical. The BBC reported on March 10 that a federal judge has temporarily blocked his deportation, but the fact it even got this far is chilling.

America’s Big Free Speech Hypocrisy Moment

Now, let’s zoom out. The U.S. loves to flex as the global champ of free expression—think of all those State Department lectures to places like China or Iran about letting people speak. But then you’ve got this: a guy with no criminal record, legally living here, getting nabbed for what he said. It’s a head-scratcher. Why’s America preaching freedom abroad while ICE plays speech cop at home?

Here’s a second hypothetical to chew on: picture a pro-Ukraine activist from Russia, also a green card holder, rallying in D.C. against Putin. If ICE grabbed them, claiming their protest “aligned” with some anti-Russian faction the U.S. isn’t wild about, the outrage would be instant—especially if it looked like a favor to Moscow. So why’s it different when it’s a Palestinian voice? My take—and this is just me spitballing, backed by the lack of charges here—is that this reeks of selective enforcement. The Trump admin’s been vocal about cracking down on pro-Palestinian campus activism (check Reuters), and Khalil feels like a poster child for that agenda.

The Slippery Slope No One Wants to Talk About

Okay, let’s get real: this could spiral. If the government can detain and deport legal residents over protests, what’s stopping them from targeting anyone with a megaphone they don’t like? X posts—like one from @RC_Epi on March 10—call it a “dangerous precedent,” and I’m inclined to agree. The DHS hasn’t spelled out what “aligned with Hamas” even means—no evidence of Khalil funding rockets or anything concrete. Without that clarity, it’s a blank check to go after anyone waving a flag the feds don’t vibe with.

And here’s the kicker: it’s not just about immigrants. If this sticks, it could spook citizens too. Imagine you’re a U.S.-born activist—maybe you hesitate to join a rally knowing the government’s got this tool in its back pocket. That’s the “chilling effect” free speech nerds warn about, and it’s not hard to see it playing out. The Guardian quoted advocates saying this “reeks of McCarthyism”—and yeah, the vibe of blacklisting people for their ideas feels way too retro.

So, What’s My Take?

Look, I’m no fan of Hamas—its track record’s brutal. But rounding up a guy like Khalil with zero proof he’s anything more than a loud protester? That’s a stretch. My gut says this is less about national security and more about Trump flexing on universities and the pro-Palestinian crowd—especially after he yanked $400 million in funding from Columbia over “antisemitism” claims (per AP News). It’s a signal: toe the line, or else. Problem is, it risks torching America’s free speech cred in the process.

What’s Next—and What Do You Think?

Khalil’s got a court hearing coming up, and the judge’s call could set the tone for how far this can go. Globally, though, this is already a look. Pro-Palestinian supporters—from London to Jakarta—have been vocal lately, and seeing the U.S. pull this might spark more than just X threads. How will they react, knowing America’s cracking down on their cause? Could it strain ties with Muslim-majority allies already side-eyeing U.S. Israel policy? Tell me—what’s your take? Is this a one-off, or are we watching the start of something bigger?

ICE, free speech, pro-Palestinian activist, Mahmoud Khalil, Columbia University, deportation, civil liberties, Trump administration, First Amendment, political dissent, immigration policy, Hamas, activism, hypocrisy, slippery slope, protest rights, national security, McCarthyism, global reaction, Muslim countries

Facebook Tags

#ICE #FreeSpeech #ProPalestinianActivist #MahmoudKhalil #ColumbiaUniversity #Deportation #CivilLiberties #TrumpAdministration #FirstAmendment #PoliticalDissent #ImmigrationPolicy #Hamas #Activism #Hypocrisy #SlipperySlope #ProtestRights #NationalSecurity #McCarthyism #GlobalReaction #MuslimCountries

HT @rmblaber1956

Pioneering research reveals growing dangers and repression of climate activism globally

Press release issued: 11 December 2024

"A new report has uncovered the many risks of participating in climate and environmental protests across the world – and how more countries are criminalising and repressing this activity in a bid to keep it in check.

"The report, led by the University of Bristol, is the first to examine global statistics on this form of protest and identify alarming trends. It reveals that more than 2,000 climate and environmental protesters have been killed over the past 12 years and that a raft of new anti-protest legislation has been enacted.

"It calls for governments, police forces and the legal system to help protect people’s right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression."

"Lead author Dr Oscar Berglund, Senior Lecturer in International Public and Social Policy at the University’s School for Policy Studies, said: “This research sheds important light on how the growing pursuit of climate and environmental protest is being handled globally. Our evidence clearly shows a global crackdown in liberal democracies as well as autocracies.

"'This is worrying because it focuses state policy on punishing dissent against inaction on climate and environmental change instead of taking adequate action on these issues. It also represents authoritarian moves that are inconsistent with the ideals of vibrant civil societies in liberal democracies.'

"The findings showed murders and disappearances of climate and environmental activists are common in many countries, with international non-governmental organisation (NGO) Global Witness reporting at least 2,106 killings between 2012 and 2023. Brazil had the highest number with 401 fatalities, followed by 298 in the Philippines, 86 in India, and 58 in Peru.

"A significant proportion of climate and environmental protests involved arrests, according to the research. The highest proportion, one in five, was found in Australia, followed by 17% in the UK – much higher than the international average of 6.3%.

"Non-violent protesters were also found to be given lengthy prison sentences to act as a deterrent. For example, this year in the UK many climate activists have been sent to prison, with the longest sentence being five years.

"The report defines environmental protests as being aimed at stopping specific environmentally destructive projects, such as fossil fuel exploration and #extraction, #deforestation, dam building or #mining. #ClimateProtests are described as more urban-based events, which tend to have broader policy demands, such as ending oil exploration, or more overarching political demands, for instance enacting a #GreenNewDeal.

"The researchers analysed data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) and Global Witness to gather global data and explore trends as well as new anti-protest legislation introduced in countries in different parts of the world.

"Four main ways were identified to criminalise and repress climate and environmental protests. Anti-protest laws are being introduced, criminalising groups, introducing new crimes, making punishment more severe for existing crimes, increasing police powers, and giving officers impunity when harming activists. Protest is also being criminalised through prosecution and courts.

"Dr Berglund explained: 'This involves using existing legislation, including anti-terror or anti-organised crime laws, to curb protest. Climate protest is being de-politicised in the courts, prohibiting mentions of climate change or environmental damage in proceedings, or otherwise changing court processes in order to increase the likelihood of activists being found guilty.'

"The third category is through policing, which is carried out not only by state actors like police or military, but also private security and military or organised crime groups. This sees a range of attempts to prevent protests through using stop and search, arrests, physical violence, and threats and intimidation of protesters.

"Dr Berglund said: “Perhaps most shockingly, we found killings and disappearances to be common in some countries. In many ways, these are an extension of policing as they are either carried out or permitted by the same authorities, often following death threats and other forms of intimidation.”

"The report makes numerous recommendations, including for public authorities to conduct regular evaluations and publish data demonstrating how their actions help safeguard the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression. It also calls for anti-terror and anti-organised crime legislation against climate and environmental activists to stop.

"Dr Berglund said: 'Human rights frameworks should be at the forefront of policing considerations and operations to ensure that the public can exercise their right to protest without impediment or fear.'

"'Climate and environmental protests are increasingly prevalent, for good reason as the climate crisis worsens, and responses to this activity are evolving at pace. Further research is needed to better understand the situation so suitable measures can be identified and implemented to protect human rights and keep protesters safe.'"

bristol.ac.uk/news/2024/decemb…

#CriminalizingDissent #ACAB #Autocracy #Corporatocracy #Fascism #CriminalizingDissentIsAutocracy #ClimateCrisis #GlobalBurning #CorporateFascism #HumanRights #CivilLiberties #ClimateActivists #Blackwater #NoDAPL #StandWithStandingRock #ClimateAction #PipelineProtests #WaterProtectors #BigOilAndGas #AntiProtestLaws #SLAPPs #ErikPrinceColonialism #Article20 #2023PublicOrderAct
#Project2025 #HR9495 #GlobalWitness #AntiTerrorLaws

Welcome to #Utah, where #pipeline #protests could now get you at least five years in prison

Since the #StandingRock protests in 2017, 19 states have passed so-called critical infrastructure laws.

by Naveena Sadasivam, Mar 21, 2023

"Similar bills are pending in at least five other states, including #Georgia, #Illinois, #Minnesota, #Idaho, and #NorthCarolina. These bills include various misdemeanor and felony charges for trespassing, disrupting, or otherwise interfering with operations at critical infrastructure facilities.

"In Utah, protests that hinder the functioning of fossil fuel infrastructure could now lead to at least five years in prison. The new rules make Utah the 19th state in the country to pass legislation with stiffer penalties for protesting at so-called critical infrastructure sites, which include oil and gas facilities, power plants, and railroads. The new laws proliferated in the aftermath of the Standing Rock protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline in 2017.

"Utah’s legislature passed two separate bills containing stricter penalties for tampering with or damaging critical infrastructure earlier this month. House Bill 370 makes intentionally 'inhibiting or impeding the operation of a critical infrastructure facility' a first degree felony, which is punishable by five years to life in prison. A separate bill allows law enforcement to charge a person who “interferes with or interrupts critical infrastructure” with a third degree felony, punishable by up to five years in prison. Both bills were signed into law by the governor last week.

Of the two bills, First Amendment and criminal justice advocates are particularly concerned about HB 370 due to its breadth, the severity of penalties, and its potential to curb environmental protests. The bill contains a long list of facilities that are considered critical infrastructure including grain mills, trucking terminals, and transmission facilities used by federally licensed radio or television stations. It applies both to facilities that are operational and those under construction.

"Since the bill doesn’t define activities that may be considered 'inhibiting or impeding' operations at a facility, environmental protesters may inadvertently find themselves in the crosshairs of the legislation, according to environmental and civil liberties advocates. Protesters engaging in direct action often chain themselves to equipment, block roadways, or otherwise disrupt operations at fossil fuel construction sites. Under the new legislation, such activities could result in a first degree felony charge."

#protestors #protestors_in_prison #NoDAPL #NoKXL #Utah #StopCopCity #CivilLiberties #Fascism #USA

Read more: grist.org/protest/utah-critica…

🚨 **Privacy Alert: The New French Surveillance Law** 🚨

The proposed law not only targets drug trafficking but also poses a significant threat to the very foundation of our digital privacy. By mandating "backdoors" in encrypted messaging apps like Signal and WhatsApp, this legislation compromises the security of all users. This sets a dangerous precedent that could lead to widespread surveillance and abuse.

🔍 **Why It Matters**: Encryption is essential for safeguarding our personal communications from prying eyes, including those of malicious actors. If the government can access our messages, so can hackers.

📢 **Take Action**: Join the fight against this invasive law! If you are a French national or resident, contact your representatives and demand they prioritize our digital rights. 📚 For more information, including how to find and contact your local representative, visit the French article: [La Quadrature du Net](laquadrature.net/narcotraficot…).

#PrivacyMatters #Encryption #DigitalRights #SurveillanceState #France #MassSurveillance #DataPrivacy #Censorship #HumanRights #CivilLiberties #FreedomOfSpeech #Activism

"The result of these historically unprecedented firings at our agency is that a board intentionally designed by Congress to be staffed on a bipartisan basis across administrations is now exclusively staffed by a single Republican. That Republican has previously aligned herself with Merrick Garland and the Biden administration in defending warrantless surveillance by the FBI on average Americans – a practice that a federal court in New York ruled unconstitutional last week. And worse, the board (which requires a quorum of three members to do anything) will no longer engage in any oversight of presidential surveillance of American citizens. In other words, by firing us, the president has extinguished independent oversight of surveillance activities of the exact kind that plagued Trump and Carter Page in past years.

The same story is being repeated throughout the executive branch. Trump has fired many of the inspectors general whose job is to prevent government waste, fraud and abuse. He’s fired the heads of other independent agencies such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the National Labor Relations Board, with many others likely to follow. And he’s undertaking a swift purge of the civil service to get rid of anyone not perceived as sufficiently loyal.

These partisan witch-hunts and firings need to stop. Congress creates independent agencies and insulates civil servants from partisan firings for a reason."

theguardian.com/commentisfree/…

#USA #Surveillance #Privacy #CivilLiberties #PoliceState #FBI #NSA

The War on #Masks Has Taken on a New Meaning

This time, the masks have nothing to do with #COVID19.

By Henry Grabar
Feb 05, 20254:57 PM

"Last month, state legislators in New York introduced a bill that would create a new crime: 'masked harassment.'

"That, the law explains, is when you wear a mask 'for the primary purpose of menacing or threatening violence against another person' or 'placing another person or group of persons in reasonable fear for their physical safety.'

"If that seems like a bit of a niche offense—threatening violence is already a crime, after all—it’s because the language has been watered down to attract political support. It’s a sign of New York Democrats’ cautious new approach over masks in public life, and a retreat from last spring, when anti-Israel protests, on top of a widespread urban crime panic, pushed leaders from New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to consider mask bans.

"In its original form, the New York bill would have banned masks at public assemblies entirely. But the outcry from #DisabilityRights advocates, #CriminalJustice reformers, #HealthCareWorkers, and #CivilLiberties groups was swift, and so New York wound up with this bill on 'masked harassment' instead.

"Elsewhere, the pandemic-era leniency on masking in public is over. #NorthCarolina Republicans overrode a gubernatorial veto last summer to once again #BanPublicFaceCoverings, except to stop the spread of contagious diseases. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost dusted off an old law to threaten #StudentProtesters with #felonies. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has asked the state’s Senate to consider a bill to #unmask #protesters this year.

"For Republicans, it’s a chance to kill two birds with one stone. They can strike back against the perceived overreach of pandemic-era #HealthDirectives and make it easier to arrest #demonstrators at the same time.

"In #Ohio and North Carolina, the original statutes were written in the 1950s to stop demonstrations by the #KuKluxKlan, but had been ignored or suspended during the #pandemic and the #GeorgeFloydProtests. Many lawmakers have cited the recent demonstrations in defense of #Gaza as a reason to crack down again. Defending the proposed mask ban in New York, Anti-Defamation League [#ADL] president Jonathan Greenblatt said the demonstrators were using '#KKK tactics' to intimidate Jewish New Yorkers.

"That instinct was bolstered by the sense among many city residents and elected leaders that widespread masking was a factor behind the pandemic-era crime spike. That led to #Philadelphia banning #SkiMasks in parks, on trains, and in public buildings. A more recent, high-profile example came in December with the Midtown Manhattan killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO #BrianThompson by a #MaskedAssassin, which prompted New York Mayor Eric Adams to call for cab drivers and business owners to ask customers to remove their masks. The new New York bill has won over the liberal Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who endorsed the 'tailored' approach. As the police say: #NoFaceNoCase.

"For what it’s worth, there are too many confounding variables and too little data to be sure if mask-wearing is associated with crime, said Ernesto Lopez at the Council for Criminal Justice, which collects crime reporting statistics from various cities. 'From a theoretical statement it makes sense that could occur, but it has not been demonstrated that’s the case,' he told me.

"But if all that weighed in favor of more mask bans, there was also widespread resistance. Disability advocates mobilized to defend the right to mask; North Carolina had to write a medical exemption into their bill at the insistence of a GOP House member. #PoliceReformers observed that #MaskBans have often been used for pretextual #policing and racial profiling against #BlackAmericans. (#AtlantaGeorgia tabled a mask ban for that reason.)

"What looms largest, as the second Trump administration begins, is the role of protest. As Semafor’s Dave Weigel has noted, masks have become a badge of left-wing protest culture. That’s in part an extension of politicized COVID-era concerns about health and civility, but at this point it is mostly a tactic to preserve anonymity in an era of #FacialRecognition, streaming video, and #doxing. Last year, the anonymous #ProIsrael website the #CanaryMission posted photographs of hundreds of students and faculty at campus protests and posted their names and photos online, labeling some as supporters of terrorism.

"'The concern takes on new urgency as Donald Trump pledges to revoke the visas of pro-Palestine protesters, and the Trump-Musk GOP embraces the naming and shaming of otherwise private citizens. A conservative group called the American Accountability Foundation has begun circulating lists of federal workers, many of them Black, who should be
'targets' for their alleged involvement in #DEI initiatives at work.

"Clearly, the masked protest does not always sit well with an older generation, many of whom cut their teeth in the protests of the pre-internet age. As Georgetown professor Michael Kazin told the New York Times last year: 'I do think if you are going to demonstrate, and it’s something you feel deeply about, you should be willing to stand up and be counted.'"

Source:
slate.com/business/2025/02/mas…
#Fascism #AuthoritarianRule #BigBrother #BigBrotherIsWatchingYou #SurveillanceState #SilencingDissent

"As with other forensic innovations, like forensic genetic genealogy or facial recognition, FDP is sold as an “investigative tool” — that is, a product not intended for use as evidence in a criminal proceeding, but as a behind-the-scenes aide to police searching for perpetrators. But selling a scientifically questionable product as a mere investigative tool can have real-world consequences.

For FDP in particular, experts warn that the composite images can reinforce racial stereotypes, encourage the over-surveillance of marginalized communities, and deny criminal defendants important information about how they became a target of an investigation, which raises serious implications for Fourth Amendment privacy rights. Composites like those Parabon sells could also inadvertently taint the memories of eyewitnesses to a crime, risking potentially valuable evidence.

Paula Armentrout, Parabon’s co-founder, provided written responses to questions from The Intercept about the company’s Snapshot program. In part, the company said that The Intercept “should not quote any of the presenters” at the NAS workshop, who it claims “made many false, uninformed, and misleading statements that were not based on evidence or facts, but on misinformation propagated by inaccurate media articles, hearsay, and their own personal and political agendas.”

Walsh insists her criticisms are motivated solely by her fidelity to the science and to ensuring the transparency and accuracy of forensic tools used in the criminal legal system. To that end, she was emphatic during the workshop: Law enforcement should not be allowed to purchase phenotyping composites. “The science isn’t there. We shouldn’t be doing it,” she said. At this juncture, she said, those sketches are about as scientific as “my son drawing them.”"

theintercept.com/2025/02/02/fo…

#PseudoScience #Surveillance #Forensics #CivilLiberties #DNA #Phrenology

Lawrence W. Britt: 14 Characteristics of #Fascism

"#Historian #LawrenceBritt studied the fascist regimes of #Hitler (Germany), #Mussolini (Italy), #Franco (Spain), #Suharto (Indonesia), and #Pinochet (Chile) and found they had 14 elements in common. He calls these the identifying characteristics of fascism.

1. Powerful and Continuing #Nationalism
Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of #patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia. #Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays.

2. Disdain for the Recognition of #HumanRights
Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of “need.” The people tend to look the other way or even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, and long incarcerations of prisoners.

3. Identification of #Enemies / #Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause
The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe: #racial, #ethnic or #religious #minorities; #liberals; #communists; #socialists, #terrorists…

4. Supremacy of the #Military
Even when there are widespread #domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military service are glamorized.

5. Rampant #Sexism
The governments of fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes, traditional #gender roles are made more rigid. Opposition to #abortion is high, as is #homophobia and anti-#gay legislation.

6. Controlled #MassMedia
Sometimes the media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation or by sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Government #censorship and #secrecy especially in war time, are very common.

7. Obsession with #NationalSecurity
Fear of hostile foreign powers is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.

8. #Religion and Government are Intertwined
Governments in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed to the government’s policies or actions.

9. Protection of #Corporate Power
The #industrial and business #aristocracy of a fascist nation often are the ones who put the government leaders into power, creating a mutually beneficial business/government relationship and power elite.

10. Suppression of #Labor Power
Because the organizing power of labor is the only real threat to a fascist government, labor #unions are either eliminated entirely, or are severely suppressed.

11. Disdain for #Intellectuals and the #Arts
Fascist nations tend to promote and tolerate open hostility to #HigherEducation and academia. It is not uncommon for professors and other #academics to be censored or even arrested. Free expression in the arts is openly attacked, and governments often refuse to fund the arts.

12. Obsession with #Crime and #Punishment
Under fascist regimes, the #police are given almost limitless power to enforce laws. The people are often willing to overlook police abuses and even forego #CivilLiberties in the name of patriotism. There is often a national police force with virtually unlimited power in fascist nations.

13. Rampant #Cronyism and #Corruption
Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of friends and associates who appoint each other to government positions and use governmental power and authority to protect their friends from accountability. It is not uncommon in fascist regimes for national resources and even treasures to be appropriated or even outright stolen by government leaders.

14. #FraudulentElections
Sometimes elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times elections are manipulated by #SmearCampaigns against or even assassination of opposition candidates, use of legislation to control #voting numbers or political district boundaries, and manipulation of the media. Fascist nations also typically use their judiciaries to manipulate or control elections.

This post is a summary of Fascism, Anyone? by Lawrence W. Britt published in 2003 by Free Inquiry magazine."

voxpopulisphere.com/2017/08/23…

#History #Histodon #RabidRight #Antifa #Antifascism #FarRight #Trump #Putin #Russia #MAGA #Project2025 #CharacteristicsOfFascism

Honestly, anyone who studies a bit about the history and law-based enforcement of copyright will immediately conclude that copyright is just another form of rent extortion from the public domain and the commons...

You can commit the greatest atrocity against the democratization of access to culture and knowledge and justify it by claiming that you are only defending the interests of authors.

"Copyright owners have intimidated researchers away from disclosing that their software spies on users or is full of bugs that make it unsafe. When a blockbuster entertainment product inspires people to tell their own stories by depicting themselves in the same world or costumes, a letter from the studio’s lawyers will usually convince them to stay silent. And whose who sell software write their own law into End User License Agreements and can threaten any user who disobeys them with copyright damages.

These are only a few of the ways that copyright is a civil liberties nightmare in the modern age, and only a few of the abuses of copyright that we fight against in court. Copyright started out as a way for European rulers to ensure that publishers remained friendly to the government, and we still see this dynamic in the cozy relationship between Hollywood and the US military and police forces. But more and more it’s been a way for private entities that are already powerful to prevent both market competition and contrary ideas from challenging their dominance.

The imbalance of power between authors and the owners of mass media is the main reason that authors only get a small share of the value they create. Copyright is at its best when it protects a creator from being beaten to market by those who own mass media channels, giving them some leverage to negotiate."

eff.org/deeplinks/2025/01/copy…

#Copyright #DMCA #IP #RentExtortion #Monopolies #Censorship #CivilLiberties

Today in Labor History August 21, 1831: Nat Turner launched a 2-day slave revolt in Virginia. They killed over 50 whites. In response, scores of African-Americans were lynched, including many who did not participate in the revolt. Turner survived in hiding for more than two months. Mobs & militias killed around 120 enslaved and free African Americans. In the aftermath, state legislatures passed new laws prohibiting education of free and enslaved black people and restricted the civil liberties for free blacks.

The rebellion is referenced in “Narrative of the Life of Henry Box Brown.” Thomas R. Gray wrote an 1831 pamphlet, “The Confessions of Nat Turner,” based on his jailhouse interview with Turner. Harriet Beecher Stowe referenced Turner's Confessions in her 1855 novel “Dred: A Tale of the Great Dismal Swamp.” Harriet Jacobs, an escaped slave, refers to the pogrom against blacks following Turner's rebellion in her 1861 classic, “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl.” In the 1990s, Tupac Shakur honored Turner with a cross tattoo on his back "EXODUS 1831."

#workingclass #LaborHistory #slavery #revolt #rebellion #uprising #natturner #civilliberties #books #novel #fiction #author #writer #tupac #BlackMastadon @bookstadon