The Day Santa Really Went Black
Dr. Wilmer J. Leon III, Truthout: Images are powerful, and that’s why it was such an issue at our house on Land Park Drive when Santa Went Black, recalls Dr. Wilmer Leon III.
Canadian Supreme Court Ruling Affirms Human Rights of Sex Workers
Kate Zen, Truthout: A landmark decision,Bedford v. Canada, issued by the Canadian Supreme Court on Friday, struck down all three anti-prostitution laws in the Canadian federal criminal code and recognized sex workers’ rights to occupational safety.
Campaign Cash Rules Drown in the Bathtub
Michael Winship, Moyers & Company: What little power the government still has to regulate campaign finance donations is being steadily eroded by funding cutbacks, intimidation, bureaucracy and an inability or refusal to enforce the few rules we have left.
Yes Virginia, Obama and the Democrats Are Mussolini-Style Corporatists, Just Like the Republicans
Yves Smith, Naked Capitalism: Given that both political parties benefit from using the power and the resources of the state to enrich their patrons, it’s going to take a lot more pressure than we see now from ordinary citizens to shake up this cozy duopoly.
Advice for Young Women: Get a Union Job
Michelle Chen, In These Times: All other things being equal, unions are good for working women, yielding higher wages and better job benefits, according to a recent report by the Center for Economic and Policy Research.
1913 Massacre Film Takes a Trip Back to Calumet a Century After a Christmas Eve Tragedy
Gabriel San Roman, Truthout: Louis Galdieri and Ken Ross, producers of the new documentary 1913 Massacre, talk about their movie and the tragic deaths of 74 at a union Christmas Eve party sponsored by the Western Federation of Miners.
Mystery Oil Spill Turns Miles of Trinidad’s Beaches Black
Peter Richards, Inter Press Service: Whether it is a case of sabotage or simply poor management practices by the state-owned PETROTRIN, a mysterious oil spill in south Trinidad is wreaking havoc on homes and wildlife in the area.
Walmart and Disney Refuse to Compensate Injured Bangladeshi Workers
Kristina Chew, Care2: US and global companies need to face up to the reality that some of their products are produced by men, women and children working in sweatshop conditions.
“Safe, Humane, Legal, Transparent”? Inside Guantanamo
John LaForge, Counterpunch: When asked if his administration would investigate allegations of detainee torture at Guantanamo Bay, Obama said it would be unproductive to “look backwards.”
Six Crimes Against Nature Perpetrated by the Food Industry
Martha Rosenberg, AlterNet: While many procedures on factory farms are cruel, breeding animals into mutants and violating mother/offspring bonds are truly crimes against nature.
BuzzFlash
Megyn Kelly Lights the Powder Keg for a FOX Gun Guy to Shoot a Black Santa
Mark Karlin, BuzzFlash at Truthout: The relationship between racism and gun ownership has been as old as the Republic in America. FOX News keeps providing ammunition to those arming themselves against “the other.”
After Months of NSA Revelations, Edward Snowden Says His Mission Is Accomplished
Read the Article at The Washington Post
IRS Helps “Churches” Steal Billions From Worker Pensions
Read the Article at Tax Analysts
A Solar Boom So Successful, It’s Been Halted
Read the Article at Scientific American
Edward Snowden to Broadcast Christmas Day Message
Read the Article at The Guardian
The Seven Most Important Things Congress Did in 2013 (and the Top 25 Things It Didn’t Do)
In Alberta, Canada, Environmental Regulators Now Funded by Fossil Fuel Industry
Read the Article at Al Jazeera America
McDonald’s Advises Its Employees to Not Eat at McDonald’s