[Update: Five letters published today, 12/16/12.] The Post-Standard has not published any of the letters sent in response to S.Douglas Sanders letter about John Pilger’s article on Dr. Dhafir’s case. Â I hope that Mr. Sanders finds his own way to the full article as the Post-Standard published an edited version which left significant information out: (more…)
December 2012
Sat 15 Dec 2012
The Post-Standard hasn’t published any of the letters sent in response to S. Douglas Sanders letter
Posted by k under Civil LibertiesNo Comments
Fri 14 Dec 2012
Moyers: ‘Washington’s revolving door’ is the core of America’s corruption
Posted by k under Civil Liberties , DemocracyNo Comments
Stephen C. Webster  Rawstory
In a special comment on Friday’s episode of “Moyers and Company,” the former press secretary to President Lyndon Johnson pointed out what he believes to be at the very core of corruption in Washington, D.C.: “the revolving door” between working in government and lobbying it.(more…)
Fri 14 Dec 2012
U.S. Terrorism Agency to Tap a Vast Database of Citizens
Posted by k under Civil Liberties , DemocracyNo Comments
Top U.S. intelligence officials gathered in the White House Situation Room in March to debate a controversial proposal. Counterterrorism officials wanted to create a government dragnet, sweeping up millions of records about U.S. citizens–even people suspected of no crime.(more…)
Fri 14 Dec 2012
CIA ‘tortured and sodomised’ terror suspect, human rights court rules
Posted by k under Civil Liberties , Globalization/EmpireNo Comments
Richard Norton-Taylor Guardian U.K.
The European court of human rights has ruled German citizen Khaled el-Masri was tortured by CIA agents, the first time the court has described treatment meted out by the CIA as torture. (more…)
Wed 12 Dec 2012
They can hear you: US buses fitted with eavesdropping equipment
Posted by k under Civil Liberties , DemocracyNo Comments
Cities across America are equipping their public transport systems with audio recording devices, potentially storing every word spoken by passengers onboard. Rights activists say the surveillance plan by far exceeds what is necessary for security. (more…)
Wed 12 Dec 2012
EU Eyes Massive Collection of Air Passenger Data
Posted by k under Civil Liberties , DemocracyNo Comments
Privacy vs. Security Der Spiegel
A proposal to require European Union members to store huge amounts of data on flight passengers entering or leaving the EU will soon be up for debate, and the discussion is likely be fierce. Critics say the measure violates travelers’ right to privacy. (more…)
Wed 12 Dec 2012
Court Watchers Say Dr. Dhafir Was Not Given a Fair Trial
Posted by k under Civil Liberties , Court Observers , Democracy , Dhafir by othersNo Comments
This interview aired on WCNY-TV Access Program at 11 p.m. the night before Dr. Dhafir was sentenced to 22 years in prison. Â George Kilpatrick interviews Barrie Gewanter of the ACLU-CNY, and court watchers, Katherine Hughes and Julienne Oldfield.
Wed 12 Dec 2012
Responses to Douglas Saunders’ letter to the Post-Standard about John Pilger’s article on the Dr. Dhafir Case
Posted by k under Civil Liberties , Katherine's Writing1 Comment
Responses to S. Douglas Saunders 12/11/12 letter to the Post-Standard about John Pilger’s article on Dr. Dhafir’s case:
John Pilger is a veteran investigative journalist and documentary filmmaker of some 40 years.  He has twice won Britain’s Journalist of the Year Award, and his documentaries have gained awards in Britain and worldwide. (more…)