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Global social justice movement resources
Collection of interviews and Web sites with contacts for breaking news about the global social justice movement. (Audio files in MP3 and RealAudio formats.)

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Hungry for more news from "Between The Lines?"

Many BTL interviews are excerpted from Scott Harris' WPKN program, "Counterpoint." To hear more in-depth analysis you'll rarely hear in corporate media, listen to "Counterpoint" LIVE Monday nights from 8 to 10 p.m. ET.

Listen during the above time slot by clicking here!

Check out our
new archive
of selected in-depth interviews and other audio collectibles on our distribution production company's site at www.squeakywheel.net


WPKN Radio mentioned in Danny Schechter's "The News Dissector" column on independent media values. Click here to view the column on Mediachannel.org.

New Haven Advocate's
"Best of New Haven 2001"
-- Staff Picks --
Scott Harris, Best Radio News Reporter
WPKN Radio, 89.5 FM

"Giving Voice to Dissent: Bridgeport's WPKN Radio Covers The News With Left-Of-Center Takes Not Found In The Mainstream Media" Hartford Courant, Feb. 26, 2003

"The Rest of the News," New Haven Advocate, July 3, 2003


ISSUES IN-DEPTH

War And Profiteering

Those Who Dared to Come Forward
Compilation of Washington insiders speaking out on Bush administration policies and actions

"Iraq On The Record," U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman report, March 16, 2004

"Greenspan Testimony Highlights Bush Plan for Deliberate Federal Bankruptcy," by Michael Meurer, truthout.org, March 2, 2004

"Noam Chomsky on Middle East Conflict and U.S. War Plan Against Iraq," Between The Lines interview with Noam Chomsky, conducted by Scott Harris, for the Week Ending May 3, 2002

"The Iraq War & The Bush Administration's Pursuit of Global Domination," Counterpoint, Sept. 15, 2003

The Iraq Crisis, a Global Policy Forum, UN Security Council section on the 13 years of sanctions and other background of the war, the humanitarian situation, the importance of Iraq's huge oil resources, and disputes over a post-war government and reconstruction plan

"Occupation, Inc." Southern Exposure, Winter, 2003/2004

"Pipeline Politics: Oil, The Taliban, and the Political Balance of Central Asia," World Press Review Special Report, Nov.-Dec. 2001

"War Profiteering," by The Nation editors, April 24, 2003

"An Annotated Saddam Chronology," ZNet, Dec. 15, 2003

Civil Liberties

"The Global Gulag: Into The Shadows," by Tom Engelhardt, TomDispatch.com, April 5, 2004

"Keeping Secrets: The Bush administration is doing the public's business out of the public eye. Here's how--and why," by Christopher H. Schmitt and Edward T. Pound, U.S. News & World Report, Dec. 12, 2003

"FBI Memo: Tactics Used During Protests And Demonstrations" Federal Bureau of Investigation, Oct. 15, 2003

"F.B.I. Scrutinizes Antiwar Rallies" by Eric Lichtblau, New York Times, Nov. 23, 2003

"Fascism Anyone?" 14 Signs of Fascism, Free Inquiry Magazine, Volume 23, No. 2

"Germany In 1933: The Easy Slide Into Fascism," The Crisis Papers, June 9, 2003

Multi-Ethnic Issues Advocacy

Dr. Earl Ofari Hutchinson's Commentaries, The Hutchinson Report
and in Audio (needs RealPlayer)

Between
The Lines

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Between The Lines
For The Week Ending Aug. 20, 2004

THIS WEEK'S PROGRAM

  • Terrorist Alerts:
    Genuine Threats or Political Ploy?

    For story text and audio, Click here!

  • Instant Run-off Voting
    a Tool to Strengthen Democracy

    For story text and audio, Click here!

  • Poor People's Campaign To Hold
    Protest March on NYC GOP Convention

    For story text and audio, Click here!

  • Underreported News Summary
    from Around the World

    For full summary, Click here!
LISTEN to this week's half-hour program of Between The Lines by clicking on one of the links below. MP3 files available until Aug. 24, 2004.

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

Terrorist Alerts:
Genuine Threats or Political Ploy?

Interview with Craig Eisendrath,
senior fellow with the
Center for International Policy,
conducted by Scott Harris

On Aug. 1, the Bush administration's Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge raised the terror level alert to "orange" and warned the public that the government had evidence of a possible plan by al Qaeda to attack financial centers in New York, New Jersey and Washington, D.C. Security was enhanced at the sites specified in the warnings, reducing many employees and residents in these areas to helpless and fearful observers.

But news reports later revealed that much of the information the White House based their warnings on was three or four years old. As the public reacted with confusion and skepticism, former Vermont governor and presidential candidate Howard Dean raised questions about the possible relationship between the terrorist warnings and the presidential election campaign, expressing concern that the alerts were being used to gain political advantage. The administration, anxious to justify the alert, responded by revealing the name of the source of their information, rendering him ineffective in any future counter-terrorism operation.

Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Craig Eisendrath, a senior fellow with the Center for International Policy, and co-author along with Mel Goodman of "Bush League Diplomacy: How the Neoconservatives Are Putting the World at Risk." Eisendrath assesses the usefulness of issuing terror alerts and examines the charge that these warnings are being exploited for political purposes in this election year.

Contact the Center for International Policy by calling (202) 232-3317 or visit their website at www.ciponline.org

Related links:

Instant Run-off Voting
a Tool to Strengthen Democracy

Interview with Dennis Burke,
electoral reform activist,
conducted by Scott Harris

Many aspects of the U.S. electoral system have come under scrutiny since the calamitous presidential election of 2000 was decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. Issues getting renewed attention include the often burdensome process of registering voters, ensuring that once-cast votes are counted fairly and criticism of the Electoral College and the winner take-all two-party system for being less than democratic.

Any overhaul of the Electoral College would require a constitutional amendment, and a substantive shift away from the monopoly power of Democrats and Republicans is likely years away. But there is one electoral reform that could be ushered in simply by a majority vote in state legislatures and/or the Congress. It's called instant run-off voting, a widely used method of ranking a voter's preference for candidates, allowing citizens to support third parties without running the risk of the "spoiler effect."

Between The Lines' Melinda Tuhus spoke with activist Dennis Burke who worked in Arizona to help pass that state's clean money campaign finance law. He co-authored 94-year-old Doris "Granny D" Haddock's book recounting her cross-country trek advocating campaign finance reform, and is currently supporting Haddock's bid for the U.S. Senate. Burke explains the difference between instant run-off voting and proportional representation, and why he believes instant run-off voting would expand Americans' democratic possibilities.

For more information on instant run-off voting, call the Center for Voting and Democracy at (301) 270-4616, or visit their website at: www.fairvote.org

Related links:

Poor People's Campaign To Hold
Protest March on NYC GOP Convention


Interview with Cheri Honkala,
national coordinator of the
Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign,
conducted by Scott Harris

The disparity between America's rich and poor is among the highest in the industrialized world. This gap has grown in recent years as a result of the weak economy and President Bush's policy of providing generous tax cuts to the nation's wealthiest citizens. But as the presidential election campaign heats up, the plight of America's poor remains virtually invisible.

While Republicans, Democrats and the news media focus on the campaign "horse race" between President Bush and Sen. Kerry, the issues of concern to the poor such as basic employment, access to quality medical care, housing and education are often overshadowed by debates over style and image.

The Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign will be among the dozens of groups coming to the Republican National Convention in New York City at the end of August to demonstrate their opposition to Bush administration policies. The Campaign, a coalition of organizations from across the U.S., will soon erect a tent city they call "Bushville" to illustrate the impact of Republican policies on the nation's poor. The group is also planning a "March for our Lives" on Aug. 30 from the U.N. to the doors of the GOP convention at Madison Square Garden, with or without a police permit. Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Cheri Honkala, national coordinator of the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign, has faced poverty and homelessness herself. She talks about the issues her group will raise and the actions they are planning at the Republican convention.

Contact the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign by calling 1-888 233-1948 or visit their website at www.marchforourlives.org

Related links:

This week's summary
of under-reported news

Compiled by Bob Nixon

  • Over 20,000 private contract employees now work in Iraq at the expense of U.S. taxpayers, due to the growing privatization of the Pentagon. One hundred contractors have died in the occupation of Iraq thus far. Critics decry the government's poor oversight and lack of cost savings. ("Business Booming for Soldiers of Fortune," Inter Press Service, July 30, 2004)
  • Scientists are in an uproar over a medical journal publisher's rejection of a study that reported on IBM chip workers' brain and kidney cancer and non-Hodgkins' lymphoma rates, which were double the norm. ("IBM fights to suppress cancer probe," The Observer, June 20, 2004)
  • Over the last decade, community and labor activists have won 112 living wage laws in cities and counties across the nation. ("Minimum Security," The Nation, July 12, 2004)

DOWNLOAD this week's half-hour program of Between The Lines by clicking on one of the links below. Needs Quicktime Player or your favorite MP3 player. Note: Make sure your browser is set for streaming or download depending on your connection speed. MP3 files available until Aug. 24, 2004

Note to our broadcast affiliates: We are now offering FTP access for faster, more reliable download of our broadcast quality files. Please call Anna Manzo at (203) 268-8446 ext. 2, to register for FTP logon access or send feedback to us at betweenthelines@snet.net.

Credits:
Senior news editor: Bob Nixon
Program narration: Denise Manzari
News reader: Zelphia Hunter
Segment producer: Melinda Tuhus
Distribution: Anna Manzo, Harry Minot, Jeff Yates
Senior Web editor/producer: Anna Manzo
Web producer: Jeff Yates
Newswire editor: Hank Hoffman
Executive producer: Scott Harris
Theme music: Mikata

... MORE ...

Last Week's Program

Between The Lines Week Ending 8/13/04

Bush Regime/Election 2004

"Florida Again: The Vile Smell Of Voter Suppression," by Bob Herbert, The New York Times, Aug. 16, 2004

"Bush Regulatory Shift Helps Business, Spreads TB," Washington Post, Aug. 15, 2004

"Bush Overhauls U.S. Regulations," The New York Times, Aug. 14, 2004

"Terrorism Fears No Longer Helping Bush, Study Finds," Chicago Sun-Times, Aug. 14, 2004

"Hecklers Banned At Bush Rallies," CBS News Aug. 13, 2004

"Protecting Every Vote," by Katrina vanden Heuvel, The Nation, Aug. 13, 2004

"Harnessing The Youth Vote," by Deirdre Fulton, Boston Phoenix, Aug. 12, 2004

More newswire ...

American Empire/War Profiteering

"Fables Of The Reconstruction," by Christian Parenti, The Nation, Aug. 30, 2004

"Consultants Profit From Their Pentagon Ties," Los Angeles Times, Aug. 15, 2004

"Chavez Camp Accuses U.S. Of Pushing For His Recall," Los Angeles Times, Aug. 13, 2004

"The War On Democracy: Will The Florida Vote-Fixers Do In Chavez?," by Greg Palast, Alternet, Aug. 12, 2004

More newswire ...

"Postwar" Occupation of Iraq

"Allawi Moves To Impose Media Clampdown," Independent/UK, Aug. 16, 2004

"Police Fire At Reporters As U.S. Tanks Roll Up To Shrine," Telegraph/UK, Aug. 16, 2004

"Protest At Iraq Forum Reshapes Najaf Crisis," Washington Post, Aug. 16, 2004

"Rumsfeld Escapes Blame In 'Whitewash' Abu Ghraib Report," Telegraph/UK Aug. 15, 2004

"Massacre Fears As Najaf Peace Talks Collapse," Sunday Herald/Scotland, Aug. 15, 2004

"Chief Of Police Orders Journalists To Leave Najaf," Agence France Presse, Aug. 15, 2004

"Offensive Resumes In Najaf, Prompting Desertions Of Iraqi Troops," Knight Ridder, Aug. 15, 2004

"Shia Backlash Wrecks U.S. Strategy," The Scotsman/Scotland, Aug. 15, 2004

"U.S. Keeps Winning Battles, Losing Wars," by Jim Lobe, Inter Press Service, Aug. 12, 2004

More newswire ...

Civil Liberties

"FBI Goes Knocking For Political Troublemakers," The New York Times, Aug. 16, 2004

"Privacy Vs. Safety In Screening Travelers," by James Bovard, Boston Globe, Aug. 16, 2004

"Bush Zones Go National," by Jim Hightower, The Nation, Aug. 16, 2004

"Police Raid NYC Indymedia Video Team Benefit," by John Tarleton, NYC Indymedia, Aug. 15, 2004

"'Surveillance-Industrial Complex' Expands Government Power," by Jessica Azulay, The New Standard, Aug. 14, 2004

"Watchdog Groups Oppose Federal Watch Lists," by Jim Lobe, Antiwar.com, Aug. 14, 2004

"Pack A Toothbrush: A29 Could Be A Very Slow Day," by David Lindorff, Counterpunch, Aug. 13, 2004

"U.S.: 'No Legal Rights' For Detainees," USA Today, Aug. 13, 2004

"Will Goss Turn The CIA Loose On Americans?," by Michael Isikoff & Mark Hosenball, Newsweek, Aug. 11, 2004

"How New Police Strategies Are Cracking Down On The Right To Dissent," by Ben Dangl & Heidi Boghosian, ZNet, July 27, 2004

More newswire ...

Media Issues

"U.S. Army, 'Fahrenheit 9/11' Distributors At War," Reuters, Aug. 14, 2004

"The Al Qaeda Express: U.S. Newspapers Help Increase Fear," by William E. Jackson, Jr. Editor & Publisher, Aug. 14, 2004

"The Washington Post On WMDs: An Inside Story," by Howard Kurtz, Washington Post, Aug. 12, 2004

More newswire ...

Activism

"Text Messages For Critical Masses," by Daniel Terdiman, Wired, Aug. 13, 2004

"McProtests R Us," by Mickey Z, Counterpunch, Aug. 13, 2004

More newswire ...


Between The Lines
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