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Between The Lines

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Between The Lines Archive
For The Week Ending Oct. 12, 2001

THIS WEEK'S PROGRAM

LISTEN to this week's half-hour program of Between The Lines by clicking on one of the links below. Individual interview segments and news summary will be posted soon. MP3 files available until Oct. 17, 2001.

This week we present Between The Lines' summary
of under-reported news stories and:

U.S. Civil Liberties Endangered After Sept. 11 Terrorist Strike
Interview by Scott Harris.

In the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terror attacks in New York City and Washington, the Bush administration proposed a package of anti-terrorism laws now being considered by Congress. Attorney General John Ashcroft, stating that the legislation was essential to detecting and preventing future acts of terrorism, asked that the House and Senate quickly pass the measures.

But a coalition of progressive and conservative legislators have balked at some key provisions that civil libertarians warn could erode our constitutional rights. The measures receiving Congressional scrutiny include proposals that would expand government authority to: detain immigrants suspected of terrorist activity indefinitely without charges, initiate roving telephone wiretaps and monitor suspects electronic communications without a search warrant. Many observers have also criticized the administration's definition of "who is a terrorist" as being overly broad -- possibly permitting those engaged in lawful dissent to be targets of federal prosecution. Congress is expected to scale back the legislation, but public opinion will play a critical role.

Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Michael Ratner, an attorney with the Center for Constitutional Rights, who takes a critical look at the Bush administration's proposed anti-terrorism legislation in the context of previous crises that led to the erosion of civil liberties.

Call the Center for Constitutional Rights at (212) 614-6464 or visit their Web site at: www.humanrightsnow.org

Related links:

With flags waving on television screens and from millions of car antennae, there is a public demonstration of unity and determination across the country to confront and defeat the terrorism that took an estimated 6,000 lives on September 11th. But while this new patriotism sweeps through the nation, voices of dissent during this crisis have in some instances met with harsh condemnation and even suppression.

Rage against those who don't follow the prevailing line on the terror attacks was seen in the recent firing of Dan Guthrie of the Grants Pass Oregon Daily Courier who criticized President Bush for hiding in a shelter during the assaults in New York and Washington. When Tom Gutting wrote a column titled "Bush Has Failed to Lead the U.S." in the Texas City Sun, the newspaper terminated him and ran a front page apology. In covering a Sept. 29 peace demonstration in Washington D.C., the New York Times chose this deliberately inflammatory and misleading headline: "Protesters Urge Peace With Terrorists." Comedian Bill Maher, host of television's "Politically Incorrect" lost many advertisers after he commented that the U.S. was cowardly in "lobbing cruise missiles from 2,000 miles away." White House spokesman Ari Fleischer later denounced Maher and warned that "Americans ... need to watch what they say, (and) watch what they do." This comment was deleted from a White House transcript of the press conference, according to the New York Times.

Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with journalist and author Danny Schechter, executive editor at Mediachannel.org, who, over the last four decades, has worked for both corporate and independent media outlets. He examines the role of the press since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Danny Schechter's latest book, published by Akashic Books, is titled "News Dissector: Passions, Pieces and Polemics 1960-2000," covering his four decades as a journalist and activist. Visit Schechter's media watch Web site at: www.mediachannel.org

Related links:

In the wake of the terror attacks in Washington and New York, which resulted in more than 6,000 civilian deaths, the opponents of military exercies on Vieques announced a moratorium on civil disobedience actions directed at ending the U.S. Navy's presence on the Puerto Rican island. Instead, they planned peaceful vigils in solidarity with the victims, avoiding confrontations, due to stepped up military security at the training facility.

The people of Vieques also requested the Navy to put a hold on scheduled maneuvers in the immediate aftermath of the tragic events on Sept. 11. However, on Monday, Sept. 24, the Navy resumed what may be three weeks of military exercises with non-explosive 5-inch shells and inert bobms aimed at the firing range on the island's eastern tip. Despite the moratorium, some hardline protesters cut through about 60 feet of fence around the Navy's training ground.

Robert Rabin is with the Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques. He spoke with Between The Lines' Denise Manzari about the changing political climate in the wake of the terror assaults, that could allow the Navy base to remain on Vieques indefinitely.

Contact the Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques at (787) 741-0716 or visit their Web site at www.viequeslibre.org

  • British chemical company ICI has pulled out of the Plan Colombia anti-coca fumigation campaign. (In These Times, August 20, 2001)
  • Despite questions of safety, the U.S. Department of Energy is set to formally name Yucca Mountain in Nevada as a high-level nuclear waste storage site. (Mother Jones, September/October 2001)
  • Teamster President James Hoffa, a new Bush administration ally, hopes to win a second term. (The Nation, Oct. 8, 2001)

Credits:
Senior news editor/writer: Bob Nixon
Program narration: Denise Manzari
News reader: Elaine Osowski
Distribution: Anna Manzo, Harry Minot, Jeff Yates
Web editor/producer: Anna Manzo
Executive producer: Scott Harris

... MORE ...

Commentary on America's Crisis, from the Producer

"Respond to Terror With a Revolution of the Heart"

"Respond to Terror With a Revolution of the Heart," audio file in MP3.

Between The Lines Special Interviews

Special Report, Week Ending Sept. 21, 2001

Special Report, Week Ending Sept. 28, 2001

Special Report, Week Ending Oct. 5, 2001

Special Report, Week Ending Oct. 12, 2001

Ali Abunimah, vice president of Chicago's Arab American Action Network, interview in RealAudio, Sept. 12, 2001

In-Depth News Analysis

Third World Traveler, Foreign Policy section, collection of resources on www.thirdworldtraveler.com

"They can't see why they are hated: Americans cannot ignore what their government does abroad" by Seumas Milne, Guardian Unlimited, UK's Special Report on Terrorism in the U.S., Sept. 13, 2001

Economic Globalization Resources

ZNet's Global Economic Crisis resource site Excellent source for understanding global economics and trade issues and particularly in preparation for ongoing demonstrations about economic justice

"The Fight for Everything" A series of interviews with activists and leaders of grassroots, progressive groups analyzing the goals, strategy and tactics of the global social justice movement

Multi-Ethnic Public Issues Advocacy

Dr. Earl Ofari Hutchinson's Commentaries, The Hutchinson Report

Between The Lines' 10th Anniversary CD

 


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