13 November 2024

The Sad Case of Momin Khawaja in Canada

[Photo: Mohammad Momin Khawaja]

By Habib Siddiqui


Editor's Note
Mohammad Momin Khwaja is the son of Maboob Khawaja, and he has been a political prisoner in Canada and has now spent 21 years in prison. One has to wonder if Momin, like prisoners held without trial in GITMO, are considered by Canada and the U.S. to be potential terrorists simply because they have been held so long on trumped-up charges. In the case of Momin, who has been a model prisoner, his sentence was increased after 10-plus years in prison. The “war on terrorism” has transformed numerous times since Momin was first incarcerated. Most people have consigned it to a historical footnote, But for Momin and other prisoners, they are victims of a war that it seems will never end. It is fair to ask “Where is the Justice in this?”

Continue reading

Category: Guest, Justice, Rights | Comments Off on The Sad Case of Momin Khawaja in Canada
23 March 2024

The extradition of Assange is really about a free press

[Photo: Protest poster via Sa Defenza.]

By Sukey Wolf
Source:  Freedom Socialist Party (FSP)

Editor's Note
Julian Assange’s original sin was making public 750,000 military and diplomatic documents rated as classified, or sensitive that he received from Bradley Manning. Manning was an intelligence analyst with the US Army in Iraq who had access to highly sensitive databases. Manning argued he was acting as a whistleblower in getting the materials to Assange. Bradly Manning faced court martial and was imprisoned in 2010. During his confinement went through a sex change and became Chelsea Manning. In 2017, Barack Obama commuted her sentence (Wikipedia). 

Continue reading

Category: Activists, Guest, Media, Rights | Comments Off on The extradition of Assange is really about a free press
13 October 2023

Another War Against Terrorists

Israel and disputed territories

[Map: UN Map]

By Rowan Wolf

Let me start with the caveat that I am not an authority on Israel, or Palestine, or the Middle East. I am a researcher and a concerned citizen. I make an effort to make sense of the world with as little rhetoric as possible, but I do have my biases. One major bias is that I stand strongly for radical equality. To me, that means I believe all of us, including the Earth herself, demand equal consideration and voice. Given the embedded inequalities of my society and many others, this is a significant bias on my part. With that in mind, this essay represents my effort to find some clarity in the current conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Continue reading

Category: Iran, Israel, Palestine, Rights, Rowan Wolf - UTJ Editor, Silencing & Repression, U.S. | Comments Off on Another War Against Terrorists
16 December 2022

The World Should Be Supporting the Women’s Rights Efforts in Iran

[Photo: Demonstrations in Iran. Clipped from video of Deadline White House 12/12/2022.]

By Rowan Wolf

The people – especially young people – in Iran are rising up to end the violent repression of women. The protests started after a young woman, Masha Amini (22)was murdered after being arrested by the morality police for not “properly” wearing a hijab. Protests have spread across the country and it is estimated that over 18,000 people have been arrested, and police response has gotten increasingly violent. A second protester has been executed. Majidreza Rahnavard (a 23-year-old man),  was hanged from a construction crane as an apparent object lesson for other protesters.

Continue reading

Category: Activists, Autocracy, Divine Mission?, Religion, Rights, Rowan Wolf - UTJ Editor, State Repression | Comments Off on The World Should Be Supporting the Women’s Rights Efforts in Iran
12 September 2022

We Need a New Language of Resistance Amid Far Right’s Calls for Civil War

[Photo:’A Ban Sign,” Dave Whamond PoliticalCartoons.com]

By: Henry A. Giroux
Source: TruthOut

Editor's Note
Banning books, banning language, banning curriculum, using violence and the threat of violence to silence people, dumbing down people with rewritten texts and whole topical areas. We could argue that the far right’s control of the GOP, or of the courts, or of political office, are the biggest threats to democracy. But, the largest long-term threat is the removal and/or appropriation of language. Language controls not just our communication. but our ability to conceive of thoughts. If we dream something new, or there is a critical change, then we inject new words to contain the concept.

Continue reading

Category: Activists, Henry A. Giroux, Language, Pull Right - Fascism, Rights, Silencing & Repression, Violence | Comments Off on We Need a New Language of Resistance Amid Far Right’s Calls for Civil War