LUMPENPROLETARIAT Journalist Barrett Brown was not the most graceful or endearing of activists, but he stuck to his guns rather admirably when speaking out against corporate corruption and government abuses of power. It just seems Barrett Brown lacked the legal expertise of a Constitutional Attorney/Journalist Glenn Greenwald to avoid the pitfalls of exposing government-corporate corruption and collusion. Our government tried to give him 105 years in prison for sharing a link to a publicly available website. Exposing spy corporations clandestinely working with government agencies to spy on Americans and undermine activism and dissent is bound to ruffle some feathers among the ruling class. Wasn’t it Chomsky who said the definition of fascism is corporate rule? Presently, corporate profits are leading federal, state, and local authorities to attack Standing Rock Native American land and water protectors with dogs in North Dakota. At any rate, Barrett Brown should be commended for engaging in the kind of journalism, which truly sheds light on the halls of power and exposes injustice, so that the world may stand a chance at redressing them.
Messina
***
DEMOCRACY NOW!—[30 NOV 2016] [introduction omitted by scribe]
News Headlines (Read by Amy Goodman)
[Civil liberties: On flag-burning and dissent]
[Fight for $15 struggle continues…] [UMKC’s Professor Judy Ancel and others arrested…] (c. 5:35)
Journalist & Activist Barrett Brown Released From Prison
In Texas, journalist and activist Barrett Brown has been released from federal prison after spending four years behind bars on charges related to the hacking of the private intelligence firm Stratfor, which exposed how the firm spied on activists on behalf of corporations. In 2014, he pleaded guilty to charges of transmitting threats, accessory to a cyber-attack and obstruction of justice. Supporters say Brown has been unfairly targeted for investigating the highly secretive world of private intelligence and military contractors. At one point, Brown faced 100 years in prison before pleading guilty to lesser charges. Earlier this year, Brown won the National Magazine Award for prison columns, for a series of columns he wrote for The Intercept.
[Kashmir…]
[Brazil protests against economic austerity, i.e. neoclassical economics…]
[Caravan draws attention to Central American migrants missing en route to the USA…]
[Oil pipelines are planned to carry tar sands oil, but face resistance…]
[Washington, D.C. conference: Al Gore speaks against Standing Rock oil pipeline project, which is “an embarrassment to our country”, “using water cannons against protestors in subfreezing temperatures]
[Climate change, the Great Barrier Reef, and wildfires…Tornado kills three and injures four in Alabama…]
[White supremacist decides to defend himself in court…]
[Guatemalan immigrant woman, Hidalgo, dies in police custody…CCA, Core Civic]
[Sindiata Cooley(sp?), 79, former Black Panther has been denied parole…Assata Shakur was shot by police, as she had both hands in the air… 15 Black Panthers are still in prison…] (c. 13:54)
[Dr. Jill Stein leads presidential vote recount, or first true count… (c. 16:00) Interview with Dr. Jill Stein.]
[snip]
[snip] (c. 59:59)
Learn more at DEMOCRACY NOW!.
***
The Hacker Wars (2014)
***
[Image of Barrett Brown by Karen Lancaster – Given to uploader by the photographer (Public Domain)]
[7 DEC 2016]
[Last modified at 10:31 PST on 7 DEC 2016]