Some new black history. First black woman named to lead any states National Gaurd

On Feb. 1, 2010 Brigadier General Mary J. Kight was named as the first female adjutant African-American female National Guard adjutant general in the nation. She will be in charge of the California National Gaurd. Read more here:

http://www.letstalkhonestly.com/blacknewsblackviews.html

Slavery in US Prisons--Interview with Robert King & Terry Kupers

"Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction." --13th Amendment, 1865.

An 18,000-acre former slave plantation in rural Louisiana, the infamous Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola is the largest prison in the U.S. Today, with African Americans composing over 75% of Angola's 5,108 prisoners, prison guards known as "free men," a forced 40-hour workweek, and four cents an hour as minimum wage, the resemblance to antebellum U.S. slavery is striking. In the early 1970s, it was even worse, as prisoners were forced to work 96-hour weeks (16 hours a day/six days a week) with two cents an hour as minimum wage. Officially considered (according to its own website) the "Bloodiest Prison in the South" at this time, violence from guards and between prisoners was endemic. Prison authorities sanctioned prisoner rape, and according to former Prison Warden Murray Henderson, the prison guards actually helped facilitate a brutal system of sexual slavery where the younger and physically weaker prisoners were bought and sold into submission. As part of the notorious "inmate trusty guard" system, responsible for killing 40 prisoners and seriously maiming 350 between 1972-75, some prisoners were given state-issued weapons and ordered to enforce this sexual slavery, as well as the prison's many other injustices. Life at Angola was living hell -- a 20th century slave plantation.

Israel admits Gaza war violations

Israel has admitted that it violated its own rules of engagement during the war on Gaza last year. Two senior army officers have been reprimanded for firing artillery towards a heavily populated area.In the attack, a United Nations compound, where hundreds of civilians were sheltering, was set ablaze by white phosphorus shells. Al Jazeera's Jacky Rowland reports.

The War On Terrorism And The Countdown To The 2010 Olympics

By Dana Gabriel for countercurrents.org/: The Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics will be the largest security operation in Canadian history. It will include more than 15,000 Canadian Forces, private security personnel, along with the RCMP and other police agencies. The U.S. will also provide security and support for the Games. With the Olympics fast approaching, the fear of terrorism is back in the public’s psyche. Although there has been no specific threats to the Games, more than anything, it is the danger of terrorism which is used to justify the huge security operation. This is further advancing the militarization of North America and U.S.-Canada military and security integration. The Olympics will take bi-national security cooperation to a whole new level. Unmanned drones are patrolling the U.S.-Canada border as part of the war on terrorism and to curb smuggling, along with drug trafficking. It is unclear if they will be used for surveillance during the Games, but U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman, Juan Munoz-Torres has stated that, “If the RCMP or Canadian government believes they can make use of the aircraft for support during the Olympics, we will be more than willing to provide it.” In Afghanistan, Pakistan and other parts of the world, armed American drones continue to carry out strikes against suspected terrorists and insurgents. It is interesting that many of the weapons used in the war on terrorism overseas are later deployed for domestic purposes. The use of unmanned drones on the northern border will only add to the further militarization of North America.

The People of Walmart: An Exercise in Classism, Misogyny, and Fat Bashing- From Womanist Musings

Monoplists, Public Policy and Indigenous Rights

Submitted by Sina Brown-Davis via:Fourth World Eye » The World Trade Organization is essentially the world’s “chamber of commerce” sanctioned by states’ governments to regulate public policy. It is now quite commonly accepted in the assemblies of government that when public policies (health, education, economic, human rights, indigenous rights, etc) prevent profit or reduce profits for a corporation (read trans-state corporation) the policy is twisted to favor profit and reject benefits to the public. Big corporations often supported by BINGOs (big international non-governmental organizations) seek to maintain monopolies–rejecting and defeating free enterprise competition. Protecting monopolies has become the norm instead of the exception. Free enterprise competition is given lip service but little else.States’ governments fail to regulate corporations. (Since the US President Jimmy Carter Administration states’ governments led by the US have stripped themselves of all regulatory powers with the help of corporations.) Since the 2008 collapse of international financial institutions and the consequent breakdown of domestic economies few political leaders have strained to push for reregulation. For those trying their efforts have largely been obstructed by overwhelming corporate, political party brethren, ngos and public information media [owned by major corporations] opposition and propaganda.

Womanist Musings: Blogger Paul Shirley To Haitians: Please Use A Condom Once In A While

Womanist Musings: "Thursday, January 28, 2010
Blogger Paul Shirley To Haitians: Please Use A Condom Once In A While

I wish that I could say that the tragedy in Haiti has caused people to recognize Western culpability in the state of that country. I wish I could say that now that eyes have been opened, that the worldview of Haiti will change but such thoughts are utopian at best. Even in the worst of circumstances there are always going to be those that hold onto their privilege with a death grip because to do otherwise would mean recognizing that they are not entitled to the life of ease to which they have become accustomed." Read more at Womanist Musings regarding this pathetic POS views on Haitians.