President Barack Obama Talks to BET News Monday, December 8th, 2014

Exclusive: President Barack Obama Sits Down with BET Networks for an Interview at the White House to Discuss Recent Unrest in America

President Barack Obama’s Interview with BET Networks to Air on "106 & PARK"; Interview Covers Modern Civil Rights, Police Relations and Justice For All in America

BET News Special Interview To Air Immediately Following "106 & PARK"

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In an exclusive interview with BET Networks, President Barack Obama addressed community concerns and calls for justice and equality after recent grand jury decisions. BET’s “106 & PARK” will air a portion of the interview on Monday, December 8, 2014 at 5 p.m. ET/PT. The full in-depth interview will air immediately following at 6 p.m. ET/PT in “BET News Presents: A Conversation with President Barack Obama.”

This marks President Obama's first network interview during which he shares his thoughts on events that have sparked major protests nationwide. The special segment on “106 & PARK” is dedicated to bringing an empowering message to finding meaningful solutions and learning from the incidents that occurred in Ferguson, MO and across the nation.

President Obama discussed his strategy not only to investigate the various incidents, but ways in which he believes that country can come together during this time. BET News’ Jeff Johnson conducted the interview. The full interview will be available on BET.com following “BET News Presents: A Conversation with President Barack Obama,” which airs on December 8, 2014 at 6 p.m. ET/PT.

A preview of the “106 & PARK” interview is available here: https://qlnk.io/ql/5483709be4b057ea2df0d14a .

All reporting must credit “BET Networks.”

About “106 & PARK”

A powerful presence in the music and entertainment industry, “106 & PARK” has been the #1 music variety show on cable for the past 25 consecutive quarters among adults 18-49, according to the Nielsen Company, and has been integral in launching the careers of numerous artists. “106 & PARK” has become THE destination for today's brightest stars including Denzel Washington, Madonna, Beyoncé, Jay Z, Diddy, Rihanna, Chris Brown, Queen Latifah, Will Ferrell, Lady Gaga, Halle Berry, Jennifer Lopez, Kanye West, Justin Timberlake, Lebron James, 50 Cent, Will Smith, Drake and many, many others. “106 & PARK” will host its final daily on-air show December 19, 2014 concluding its impressive 14-year run. The “106 & PARK” brand remains strong and will continue to produce various specials throughout the year including its annual New Year’s Eve show, “106 & PARTY,” along with live event experiences at the “BET Awards” and BET Experience.

About BET Networks
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

Negromancer's Fave Poli-Reads - November 2014 Edition - Update #17

From YahooNews:  Republican bitch gets out of hand with President Obama's daughters about something that is really not important at all.

From RollingStone:  The 15 worst owners in sports.

From RollingStone:  Rape... at a college founded by a slave owner that raped his female slaves... No way...

From the GuardianUK:  Angela Davis on Mike Brown.

From the GuardianUK:  You've got to be kidding me.  Masai homeland to be turned into hunting ground for Dubai royalty... Off with their heads.

From FirstLook:  Glenn Greenwald's sarcastic piece about the people most excited about a Hilary Clinton presidency.

From Politico:  Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC) on why the Republicans want to impeach President Obama.

From TIME:  Kareem Abdul-Jabbar says that American politicians are a bigger threat to democracy than ISIS.  Yes.

From Vocativ:  Be a cop in Oakley Michigan for $1200.

From RSN:  How to scrap the two-party system...

From BBCNews:  J. Edgar Hoover used Nazis as Cold War spies.  Why am I not surprised.

From TheDailyBeast:  Jonathan Alter, one of my favorite writers about politics and society, talks about what the day after the Republican takeover of Congress will be like.

From Newsweek:  When Google met Wikileaks.

From WashingtonPost:  Senator Mark Warner's middle of the road fantasy almost cost him his seat on Tuesday, November 4, 2014

From YahooNews:  President Obama not mopey about 2014 midterms.

From TheWashingtonPost:  Rachel Maddow on the GOP banking on fear.

From RawStory:  North Carolina voting machines acting kinda shady.  I have been hearing similar stories for years.

From ThinkProgress:  A secretive voter purge in 27 states, largely unknown and aimed at suspected members of minorities.

From Truthout:  The origins, history, and more about GamerGate.

The Killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson - November 2014 Edition - Update #26

From AddictingInfo:  Bob McCulloch connected to organization that did fundraising for Darren Wilson.  Special prosecutor, bee-yuch.

From RSN:  Benjamin Watson is angry.  Join the crowd.

From YahooNews:  No severance package for Darren Wilson... or so Ferguson's mayor says.

From YahooNews:  Darren Wilson resigns.

From ThinkProgress:  Compare Justice Scalia's writings on what a grand jury is supposed to do.

From HuffingtonPost:  McCulloch manipulated grand jury process to shield a killer police officer.

From Variety:  Oscar-nominee Amy Berg, actor Nate Parker, and writer/director Matthew Cooke launch an Indiegogo campaign for their film, "Black Male Crisis," in wake of Ferguson non-indictment.

From Esquire:  Charles Pierce mocks Darren Wilson's ridiculous story as given to the ridiculous George Clinton-connection-oulos interview on FOX News lite... err ABC.
 
From YahooTV:  Garth Brooks cancels promotional appearances for his new album as distasteful while Mike Brown protests are occuring.

From ABCNews:  Celebs react to injustice of no indictment.

From TheVox:  Why Killer Darren's story is unbelievable.

From TheVox:  Why President Obama can't give the Ferguson speech his supporters want.

From YahooNews:  George Stephanopoulos interviews Darren Wilson.

From InTheseTimes:  A short history of killer cops.

From RSN:  No indictment.

From YouTube:  Reporter Larry Everest confronts Missouri Governor Jay Nixon at Ferguson press conference.

From StLouisDisptach:  Darren Wilson married his girlfriend.  His wedding gift to her was the carcass of a "buck" he killed just a few months ago.

From FirstLook:  A complete guide to the shooting of Mike Brown.

From YahooNews:  Mike Brown's killer does not expect to be charged with killing Mike Brown, according to the St. Louis Police Officer's Association.

From RSN:  Pre-emptive state of emergency means that the grand jury decision is rigged, indeed.

From RSN:  Read Missouri Governor Jay Nixon's declaration of a state of emergency.

From the DailyBeast:  Dread in America, following Ferguson.

From Esquire:  They're right:  What is going on in Ferguson is not going to end well.

From YahooNews:  The Associated Press answers questions about the Ferguson grand jury on the Michael Brown killing.

From YahooNews:  Reportedly, Officer Shooter... err... I mean Wilson could return to the Ferguson police department if he is not indicted.  Sounds like a winner!

From YahooNews:  Where're the injuries, Officer Wilson?  Video footage of Darren Wilson in the hours after his killed Michael Brown are released under state open records laws.

From the AP via RSN:  Ferguson no-fly zone was aimed at media.

From YahooNews:  Missouri governor, Jay Nixon, prepared for war, but not to prosecute a murdering cop.

From the GuardianUK:  Ferguson police ready for war.  Gonna kill us some more Niggers!

From RSN:  18-year-old Black male (what else) shot from behind by St. Louis (where else) cop.

From the WashingtonPost:  There will likely be no federal charges against Darren Wilson, the man who killed Mike Brown.  They're too busy bringing charges against anti-war and environmental activists.

From YahooNews:  Attorney General Holder: Ferguson police need "wholesale" change.  D'uh, General Holder, d'uh

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THE BASICS:

From TheIntercept via RSN:  Klan jury... I mean grand jury in Mike Brown's shooting began Wednesday, August 20th, 2014.

Michael Brown, 18, was shot to death, reportedly by police officer Darren Wilson, on Saturday, August 9th, 2014 at approximately 2:15 pm on Canfield Drive in Ferguson, Missouri.  Ferguson is a small city in St. Louis County.  The shooting of the unarmed Brown sparked a furious backlash and days of protests, some violent and involving looting.  What follows is a list of links to news articles about the shooting and related matters:

From the StLouisPostDispatch:  An early article about the Michael Brown shooting

From the LosAngelesTimes:  This is the earliest (or oldest) article that I could find about the Michael Brown shooting.

From HuffingtonPost:  Another early article about the local African-American community's reaction to the shooting of Brown

From PrisonCulture:  A searing image of Michael Brown's father

From the WashingtonPost via RSN:  More of Darren Wilson's history and background emerges; it seems that he was previously associated with another police department that had a bad relationship with the local black folks.

From  Al Jazeera via RSN:  Darren Wilson: Judge, jury, and executioner.

From YahooNews via CSM and the AP:  Shooter a.k.a. Darren Wilson tells his "side" of the story about how he shot an unarmed black man to death.

Updated Shooting Timeline:  The AP via YahooNews.

BET News to Air Ferguson Special on Wednesday, November 26, 2014

BET News to Air an All-New Special “Justice for Ferguson: A Community Reacts” about the Socially-Charged Community of Ferguson, Missouri Premiering Wednesday, November 26 at 10:30 PM ET/PT On BET

Hosted By BET News Correspondent Marc Lamont Hill, The Commercial-Free Half Hour Special Features All-new Exclusive Interviews And On The Ground Reporting

For more info go to www.bet.com/justiceforferguson and join the conversation by using hashtag: #BETJustice

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BET News reports from the ground on events unfolding in Ferguson, Missouri where the tension has been mounting with anticipation of the grand jury's decision on whether or not to indict Officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown. BET News captures new footage and exclusive interviews with Michael Brown Sr., Syreeta Meyers – mother of Von Derrick who was shot and killed by St. Louis Police 10 days after Mike Brown, Lost Voices – youth activists and new leaders of the protests in Ferguson, Damon Davis – an artist who created hands up poster and posted them all over Ferguson, James Knowles - Mayor of Ferguson, business owners in the heart of the protests and first-hand accounts from local residents. Hosted by BET News correspondent Marc Lamont Hill, “Justice For Ferguson: A Community Reacts” Premieres Wednesday, November 26 at 10:30pm ET/PT on BET.

BET News has traced this story from when it first made headlines to the rallies that mobilized people of all backgrounds to the streets demanding justice. In the half hour commercial-free news special, viewers will see how Ferguson is transforming in the months following the tragic shooting of Michael Brown. The Ferguson community is struggling to heal, but it’s also finding strength and mobilizing to make a difference.

Log on to BET.com/justiceforferguson for exclusive video content, up-to-the-minute updates on the case and compelling interviews. Join the conversation on social media by logging on to BET’s multiple social media platforms by using hashtag: #BETJustice; and following us @BETNews.

*All times are ET/PT.

About BET Networks
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

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Political Documentary Film, "Pay 2 Play," Arrives November 1st, 2014

Political Documentary “PAY 2 PLAY” Spotlights Dark Money in U.S. Politics

Director John Wellington Ennis Reveals Six Keys for Campaign Finance Reform

Doc in Limited Theatrical Release; Nationwide House Party Screenings; Digital Release November 1st and DVD Available December 2nd

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Public Interest Pictures and filmmaker John Wellington Ennis’ Shoot First Inc. are proud to present the humorous feature-length political documentary “PAY 2 PLAY: Democracy’s High Stakes” (89 minutes, Not Rated). The film about getting Big Money out of politics was held over theatrically in New York, Los Angeles and Washington D.C. and will be available digitally on Saturday, November 1st, 2014 on iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, Vimeo, Cinemanow, Google Play, Sony Playstation, Vudu and Xbox.

    “In order to face any of our mounting problems, we need leaders who will listen to ‘We The People,’ not just ‘We The Wealthiest People.’ This documentary highlights obstacles to elected office in hopes of encouraging reform and inspiring future candidates.”
The DVD will be available Tuesday, December 2nd, 2014 and can be purchased via TDC Entertainment (http://disinfo.com/product/pay-2-play-democracys-high-stakes/). Links to purchase the DVD and learn more about community screening packages can also be found at the “PAY 2 PLAY” website (http://www.pay2play.tv/buy_a_screening_package).

Ennis explains, “In order to face any of our mounting problems, we need leaders who will listen to ‘We The People,’ not just ‘We The Wealthiest People.’ This documentary highlights obstacles to elected office in hopes of encouraging reform and inspiring future candidates.”

In the film, Ennis’ six keys for campaign finance reform are: Public Financing for Campaigns; Disclosure; Free Airtime for Candidates, Required Voting (Like Jury Duty); End Gerrymandering; and a Constitutional Amendment affirming that Money is not Speech and that Corporations are not People.

Appearing in “PAY 2 PLAY” are Robert Reich, John Nichols, Lawrence Lessig, Noam Chomsky, Van Jones, Marianne Williamson, Jack Abramoff, Marge Baker, Jerry Springer, Mark Crispin Miller, Brad Friedman, Lee Fang, Jason Leopold, Thom Hartmann, Jessica Levinson, Rashad Robinson, Bob Edgar, Kathay Feng and Rob Weissman, amongst others.

As a citizen journalist, Ennis embarked on a journey to find ways outsiders can create meaningful campaign reform. Spanning eight years, “PAY 2 PLAY” dissects Big Money’s effects in politics, connecting the dots between the hurdles to fair and open elections. The doc also illustrates how people power has had a provable impact, citing the Occupy Movement and high profile Street Art.

Ennis presents an imperative argument for the American people to overturn the Supreme Court’s Ruling on Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission and why there should be a 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

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Negromancer's Fave Poli-Reads - October 2014 Edition - Update #26

From YahooNews:  Finally, Senator Landrieu tells the truth about something.

From YahooNews:  Surprising Israeli political cartoon about Israeli=U.S. relations.

From RollingStone: Paul Krugman - "In Defense of Obama"

From TheDailyBeast:  The suicide of Israeli soldiers after recent Gaza incursion.

From TheNewYorker:  Andy Borowitz says billionaires to retain control of congress after the midterms.

From NewYorkMagazine:  Can Elizabeth Warren (via Jeanne Shaheen) beat Scott Brown again.

From the GuardianUK:  A controversial book about the Matthew Shepard murder.

From ThinkProgess:  Yes, let's soak the 1 percent with a 90 percent tax rate.

From Prospect:  The making of Ferguson.

From TheGuardian:  Four Blackwater mercenaries/employees found guilty in Nisour Square massacre.

From TheGuardian:  Gamergate.

From ThinkProgress:  This judge is a prick for not granting maternity leave.

From RSN:  Mumia and the commencement speech that cause police to go nuts.

From the GuardianUK:  Matt Taibbi on the justice divide between Wall Street and Ferguson.

From SPLC via RSN:  How Cliven Bundy won and is still winning.

From Consortium News via RSN:  The Washington Post strikes back at Gary Webb revival.

From Consortium News via RSN:  Robert Parry talks about Ronald Reagan's CIA and the contra-cocaine saga.

From TheIntercept:  The neocon-UAE-Iraeli plot to declar Qatar a supporter of terror.
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From TheNewYorkTimes:  Why is President Obama continuing the embargo of Cuba.
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From Consortium News via RSN:  Robert Parry on the mainstream media's tepid response to the ghost of Gary Webb rising again with the release of the film, Kill the Messanger.
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From Think Progress via RSN:  The one time the U.S. had "universal childcare."
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From Reuters:  Sweden to recognize the state of Palestine.
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From the GuardianUK: Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi win the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize.

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From YahooNews:  10 States with the worst quality of life... Yes, Louisiana makes the cut.  And her current governor, Bobby Jindal (once called "the little majaraja") thinks his performance makes him a great U.S. presidential candidate for 2016.

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From Truthout:  John Cleese weighs in on FOX News and stupidity.

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From Salon:  The South (Southern states) has a victim complex.

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From MotherJones:  An Alabama law provides lawyers for fetuses.

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From Reuters:  The Supreme Court dodges gay marriage.

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From Truthout:  Funny Obamacare cartoon.

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From Slate via RSN:  (in)Justice Scalia's favorite murderer is innocent.  You just have to laugh.

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From Consortium News via RSN:  The New York Times admits that the Contra-Cocaine story was true... belatedly and relatively hidden.

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From Politico:  "Something is Rotten in the Secret Service" - includes the author's now infamous line about it being Obama's own fault if he is assassinated.

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From the NewYorkTimes:  Our Invisible Rich by Paul Krugman

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From RollingStone and RSN: Koch Bros. toxic empire.

From Rolling Stone via RSN:  Koch's respond to Rolling Stone.

News Round-up: The Death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri Update #72

GoFundMe page for Mike Brown's family

From TheIntercept via RSN:  Klan jury... I mean grand jury in Mike Brown's shooting began Wednesday, August 20th, 2014.

Michael Brown, 18, was shot to death, reportedly by police officer Darren Wilson, on Saturday, August 9th, 2014 at approximately 2:15 pm on Canfield Drive in Ferguson, Missouri.  Ferguson is a small city in St. Louis County.  The shooting of the unarmed Brown sparked a furious backlash and days of protests, some violent and involving looting.  What follows is a list of links to news articles about the shooting and related matters:

From the StLouisPostDispatch:  An early article about the Michael Brown shooting

From the LosAngelesTimes:  This is the earliest (or oldest) article that I could find about the Michael Brown shooting.

From HuffingtonPost:  Another early article about the local African-American community's reaction to the shooting of Brown

From PrisonCulture:  A searing image of Michael Brown's father

From the WashingtonPost via RSN:  More of Darren Wilson's history and background emerges; it seems that he was previously associated with another police department that had a bad relationship with the local black folks.

From  Al Jazeera via RSN:  Darren Wilson: Judge, jury, and executioner.

From YahooNews via CSM and the AP:  Shooter a.k.a. Darren Wilson tells his "side" of the story about how he shot an unarmed black man to death.

Updated Shooting Timeline:  The AP via YahooNews.

UPDATED LINKS SECTION:

From YahooNews:  Why is the Justice Department surprised by anything Ferguson and St. Louis investigators do.

From Reuters:  Amnesty International: Police in Ferguson committed human rights abuses.

From YahooNews:  The results of a government autopsy of Mike Brown leaked to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

From Guardian UK via RSN:  Young people resist older generation's call for "peace."

From YahooNews:  A weekend of resistance.

From the Guardian UK via RSN:  Ours sons could be the next Michael Brown.

From RSN:  The much-talked about grand jury tweet.

From Esquire via RSN:  Another black teenager shot by a you-know-what.

From Reuters via RSN:  Missourri planning for riots.

From ABC News via YahooNews:  There is a night of unrest after police kills black teen.

From Truthout:  The fault lines of Obama's "My Brother's Keeper."

From The Feminist Wire via Truthout:  Black women on the front lines of Ferguson.

From the AP via RSN:  Ferguson price-gouging media and other entities seeking files, records and information connected to Darren Wilson's killing of Mike Brown.

From Truthout:  Facism 101 - Police and media control.

From the USA Today via RSN:  Voter registration surges in Ferguson post-Mike Brown killing.

From the AP via RSN:  President Obama says mistrust of police is corroding America.

From Reuters via RSN:  People shooting at Ferguson police officers.  I'm surprised this didn't happen sooner.  Of course, this may not be linked to the Mike Brown shooting...

From YahooNews:  Mike Brown's parents ain't buyin' your bull, Chief/Grand Dragon Tom Jackson!

From Salon via RSN:  Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson attempts to join protest march calling for his resignation.

From YahooNews:  The Justice Department asked the Ferguson Police Department to order its officers to stop wearing "I am Darren Wilson: bracelets.

From YahooNews:  The Department of Justice begins interviews in its investigation of the Ferguson Police Department.

From NPR via RSN:  The 11-year-old who shocked the St. Louis County Council.

From YahooNews:  Slide-show about tensions in Ferguson.  The real treat is the string of anti-Black racists posts in the comments section.

From YahooNews:  More looting after a Mike Brown memorial is burned.

From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch via RSN:  Mike Brown's killer, Ferguson police Officer Darren Wilson testifies before grand jury.  Mike Brown was also scheduled to testify, but he failed to appear because he is dead... because of Darren Wilson, who was able to testify because no one has killed him... yet.

From YahooNews:  Protestors renew calls for D.A. Bob McCullogh's recusal, as judge gives klan jury... I mean grand jury until January to complete is cover-up... I mean complete its inquiry.

From Salon via RSN:  Hands up! Don't shoot!

From Salon via RSN:  There's a cover-up in  Ferguson.

From CSM via RSN:  When respect goes down, shootings go up.

From the WashingtonPost via RSN:  Protests in Ferguson continue; 38 arrested in act of civil disobedience to have Bob McCulloch removed as the prosecutor in the Mike Brown shooting.

From Rolling Stone via RSN:  Grammy-winning rapper and actor, T.I., speaks about the Mike Brown shooting - America has created a monster.

From the AP via RSN:  Ferguson, MO elected leaders are met with protests and anger during a Tuesday, September 9, 2014 meeting with the public.

From StLouisToday: New witnesses that Mike Brown has his hands up.

From Truthout:  St. Louis area cops loved shooting Black males before Mike Brown.

From Truthout:  Black men share their stories of abuse at the hands of the Ferguson (my term) "klops," klan cops.

From The Nation via Truthout:  A former Marine explains the weapons of war used by the Ferguson police.

From The Feminist Wire via Truthout:  The price of blackness

From Public Radio International via RSN:  In 2013, British police fired guns three times.

From the IrishTimes:  African-American men at risk...

From MTV:  Ma$e drops rhymes about Trayvon Martin and Mike Brown.

From RSN:  Why the grand jury will love the killer Darren Wilson.

From the AP via RSN:  The outrageous behavior of a killer cop and his cohorts has united victims of police violence nationwide.

From TIME via RSN:  Hilary finally speaks on Mike Brown shooting.

From TPM:  Protesters sue Missouri police.

From Yes! Magazine via Truthout:  The #FergusonSyllabus

From YahooNews:  2 law enforcement officers who acted up during Mike Brown/Ferguson protests are out of jobs - one resigned and the other was fired.

From Boston.com:  Jordan Lebeau on being "no angel."

From TheDailyBeast:  Shocker!  The Koch Bros. take on the militarization of police.

From RSN:  The New York Times called out for its dishonest of its "Ferguson shooting" story by many including Lawrence O'Donnell of MSNBC and William Boardman of RSN.

From TheWeek:  Jon Stewart returns to "The Daily Show," and talks FOX News, Ferguson, and race; FOX doesn't get the best of that.

From Reuters via RSN:  Coverage of Mike Brown's funeral.

From the HuffingtonPost and TheVox:  The New York Times draws criticism for calling Mike Brown, "no angel."  The killer, Police Officer Darren Wilson, was described as "well-mannered" in the same article.

From the HuffingtonPost: NYT and Uncle Tom back down on "no angel."

From the HuffingtonPost:  The always presumptuous Sean Klannity... I mean Sean Hannity gets schooled by Ferguson democratic politician, Patricia Bynes, in not backing down from a paternalistic white bully.

From TheVillageVoice:  The difference between the outrage over Mike Brown and over Eric Garner.

From the NewYorkTimes:  The secret to raising big money on crowdfunding sites is to kill a black male... apparently.

From YahooNews:  Two rallies, one racial divide over Ferguson shooting

From The Wire via RSN:  I bet he does represent quite a bit of the rank-and-file St. Louis County Police Department

From RSN:  The Ferguson police have a card up their sleeves

From CommonDreams via RSN:  10 Facts about police violence in Ferguson on Sunday night, August 17th, 2014

From RSN:  D.A. Bob McCulloch stalls for time:  A woman who served on McCulloch's grand jury for eighteen Wednesdays said that the vast majority of witnesses McCulloch uses are police officers. "He relies on them to make his cases. They are his allies...He can present the case against Wilson any way he wants to get the outcome he wants."

From Truthdig via RSN:  The ghost of Dred Scott

From MotherJones:  Not surprisingly, racists donate to Darren Wilson

From Esquire via RSN:  A body does not lie in the street for four hours... not in an advance society

From YahooNews:  Autopsy vs. autopsy

From Truthout: How the mainstream media killed Michael Brown - by helping to spread the "official account" when cops kill Black men

From TheGuardianUK:  The ghost of Mike Brown

From The Daily Beast via RSN:  Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson has a history of supervising cops that shoot unarmed men.

From RSN:  Police kill mentally ill woman in Arizona

From RSN:  An account of the night police fired rubber bullets at protesters

From the WashingtonPost: Reporter Wesley Lowery's story of being arrested at a McDonald's in Ferguson

From RSN:  Did you know an unarmed black man was also shot by police in Los Angeles?
From Reuters via RSN:  Protest of that killing continue

From HuffingtonPost:  Veteran Cop:  If you don't want to get shot -- shut up

From Inquisitr:  The "bum rush" theory

From YahooNews:  Police mistrust among minorities still prevalent years later

From The Feminist Wire via Truthout:  Dancing While Lying Dead in the Street: Michael's body lying in street as the spectacle of lynching

From Truthout:  The Militirization of Racism and Neoliberal Violence by Henry A Giroux

From Time via RSN:  Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on what a coming race war will really be about.

From Fox2Now of St. Louis:  The Baden autopsy press conference - Brown could have survived all the shots, except the last one, says Dr. Baden

From the NewYorkTimes:  The autopsy of Michael Brown - the results by Dr. Michael M. Baden, the former chief medical examiner of the City of New York.

From HuffingtonPost:  A Klan-like rally in support of killer-cop, Darren Wilson.

From NBCNews:  First photographic images of police officer Darren Wilson who killed Michael Brown.

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From YahooNews:  At Greater Grace Church in St. Louis:

Missouri State Highway Patrol Capt. Ron Johnson, a natural and adept, soft-spoken but firm performer, also spoke about his own son who, he said, wears his pants saggy, his hat crooked, and has tattoos running up his arm.

“And that’s my baby! That’s my son,” the police captain said, to raucous applause.

Al Sharpton: “Nobody can go to the White House until they stop by our house!”

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From YahooNews: Ferguson Officer Darren Wilson earned police honor before killing Michael Brown

From TheGuardian:  St. Louis Country prosecutor furious over transfer in leadership

From Huffington Post:  Darren Wilson is the police officer who killed Michael Brown.

From HuffingtonPost:  Missouri governor did not know who killed Michael Brown.

Conflicting information about the cop who killed Michael Brown:  RT, Wonkette, and TheWire.

From YahooNews:  Police defend use of tear gas, smoke at protests.

From TheGuardian via RSN: St. Louis County officer shoots "second man" in Ferguson, where police officers shot 18-year-old African-American man, Michael Brown, dead.

From TheGuardian:  ACLU may sue to obtain the name of the police officer who (which has not been revealed as of this post) shot Michael Brown dead.

From The Guardian:  They shot another young black man in America.

Emma Watson's United Nations Speech "We Want to End Gender Inequality..."

(photographic image is courtesy of UN Women.)

From The Huffington Post and Reader Supported News:

The following is an unedited version of the speech delivered by Emma Watson, the British actor and UN Women Global Goodwill Ambassador, at the launch of the UN Women's "HeForShe" Campaign on Saturday, September 20, 2014, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.

'We Want to End Gender Inequality - And to Do That We Need Everyone to Be Involved'
By Emma Watson, Reader Supported News

Today we are launching a campaign called HeForShe.

I am reaching out to you because I need your help. We want to end gender inequality - and to do that we need everyone to be involved.

This is the first campaign of its kind at the UN: we want to try and galvanise as many men and boys as possible to be advocates for gender equality. And we don't just want to talk about it, but make sure it is tangible.

I was appointed six months ago and the more I have spoken about feminism the more I have realised that fighting for women's rights has too often become synonymous with man-hating. If there is one thing I know for certain, it is that this has to stop.

For the record, feminism by definition is: "The belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. It is the theory of the political, economic and social equality of the sexes."

I started questioning gender-based assumptions when at eight I was confused at being called "bossy," because I wanted to direct the plays we would put on for our parents - but the boys were not.

When at 14 I started being sexualised by certain elements of the press.

When at 15 my girlfriends started dropping out of their sports teams because they didn't want to appear "muscly."

When at 18 my male friends were unable to express their feelings.

I decided I was a feminist and this seemed uncomplicated to me. But my recent research has shown me that feminism has become an unpopular word.

Apparently I am among the ranks of women whose expressions are seen as too strong, too aggressive, isolating, anti-men and, unattractive.

Why is the word such an uncomfortable one?

I am from Britain and think it is right that as a woman I am paid the same as my male counterparts. I think it is right that I should be able to make decisions about my own body. I think it is right that women be involved on my behalf in the policies and decision-making of my country. I think it is right that socially I am afforded the same respect as men. But sadly I can say that there is no one country in the world where all women can expect to receive these rights.

No country in the world can yet say they have achieved gender equality.

These rights I consider to be human rights but I am one of the lucky ones. My life is a sheer privilege because my parents didn't love me less because I was born a daughter. My school did not limit me because I was a girl. My mentors didn't assume I would go less far because I might give birth to a child one day. These influencers were the gender equality ambassadors that made who I am today. They may not know it, but they are the inadvertent feminists who are. And we need more of those. And if you still hate the word - it is not the word that is important but the idea and the ambition behind it. Because not all women have been afforded the same rights that I have. In fact, statistically, very few have been.

In 1997, Hilary Clinton made a famous speech in Beijing about women's rights. Sadly many of the things she wanted to change are still a reality today.

But what stood out for me the most was that only 30 per cent of her audience were male. How can we affect change in the world when only half of it is invited or feel welcome to participate in the conversation?

Men - I would like to take this opportunity to extend your formal invitation. Gender equality is your issue too.

Because to date, I've seen my father's role as a parent being valued less by society despite my needing his presence as a child as much as my mother's.

I've seen young men suffering from mental illness unable to ask for help for fear it would make them look less "macho" - in fact in the UK suicide is the biggest killer of men between 20-49; eclipsing road accidents, cancer and coronary heart disease. I've seen men made fragile and insecure by a distorted sense of what constitutes male success. Men don't have the benefits of equality either.

We don't often talk about men being imprisoned by gender stereotypes but I can see that that they are and that when they are free, things will change for women as a natural consequence.

If men don't have to be aggressive in order to be accepted women won't feel compelled to be submissive. If men don't have to control, women won't have to be controlled.

Both men and women should feel free to be sensitive. Both men and women should feel free to be strong... It is time that we all perceive gender on a spectrum not as two opposing sets of ideals.

If we stop defining each other by what we are not and start defining ourselves by what we are - can all be freer and this is what HeForShe is about. It's about freedom.

I want men to take up this mantle. So their daughters, sisters and mothers can be free from prejudice but also so that their sons have permission to be vulnerable and human too - reclaim those parts of themselves they abandoned and in doing so be a more true and complete version of themselves.

You might be thinking who is this Harry Potter girl? And what is she doing up on stage at the UN. It's a good question and trust me I have been asking myself the same thing. I don't know if I am qualified to be here. All I know is that I care about this problem. And I want to make it better.

And having seen what I've seen - and given the chance - I feel it is my duty to say something. English statesman Edmund Burke said: "All that is needed for the forces of evil to triumph is for enough good men and women to do nothing."

In my nervousness for this speech and in my moments of doubt I've told myself firmly - if not me, who, if not now, when. If you have similar doubts when opportunities are presented to you I hope those words might be helpful.

Because the reality is that if we do nothing it will take 75 years, or for me to be nearly a hundred before women can expect to be paid the same as men for the same work. 15.5million girls will be married in the next 16 years as children. And at current rates it won't be until 2086 before all rural African girls will be able to receive a secondary education.

If you believe in equality, you might be one of those inadvertent feminists I spoke of earlier. And for this I applaud you.

We are struggling for a uniting word but the good news is we have a uniting movement. It is called HeForShe. I am inviting you to step forward, to be seen to speak up, To be the he for she. And to ask yourself if not me, who, if not now when.

Thank you.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites for the Week of September 7th to September 13th, 2014 - Update #14

NEWS:

From the Telegraph:  Sarah Palin is still hilarious. Yes, we do know who you are; you're that Tina Fey impersonator.

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From YahooNews:  Celebrities weigh in on Scottish referendum for independence from Great Britain.

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From HuffingtonPost:  The Bundy's have a family reunion.  The lead cast of "Married... with Children," Katey Sagal, Christina Applegate, Ed O'Neill, and David Faustino, reunite as Sagal is honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Tuesday, September 9, 2014.

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From InsideTV:  Chris Pratt, the breakout star of Guardians of the Galaxy, will host the first "Saturday Night Live," of the new season.

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From TheHollywoodReporter:  Didn't know that Marlon Wayans was being sued.  And, of course, being that it's Marlon, it is a hilarious lawsuit.

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From Variety:  According to early estimates, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy wins the September 5th to 7th, 2014 weekend box office.

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From YahooMovies:  I did not know that The Identical was a "faith-based" film.  It is a box office flop, at least in its first week.  The is a year that saw several successful faith-based films, including Heaven is for Real ($94.4 million), God's Not Dead ($60.7 million), and Son of God ($59.7 million).


COMIC BOOKS - Movies and Books

From TheHollywoodReporter:  "Hulk vs. Thanos" by Jim Starlin, coming before the end of the year.

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From TheVerge:  Spy photos for the new Batmobile from "Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice."

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From TheWrap:  FOX's "Gotham," a film set in Batman's hometown before Batman debuts, has been named the "most promising new show" of the Fall by the Television Critics Association.


STAR WARS:

From TheWrap:  Actor Mark Ruffalo reaches out to Star Wars Episode 8 writer-director, Rian Johnson, in hopes of landing a role in the film.  Ruffalo previously worked with Johnson on The Brothers Bloom.

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From TheVerge:  First, a British pilot and engineer accidentally caught sight of the Millennium Falcon.  Now, savvy photographers have taken photos of what may be an X-Wing fighter.

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From YahooMovies:  A message from J.J.Abrams leads to speculation about the appearance of a third Death Stars.

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From InsideTV and ScreenRant:  Two articles about how the upcoming Disney XD animated series, "Star Wars Rebels" will connect to the existing films and the upcoming Episode 7.

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From HuffingtonPost:  A pilot inadvertently captures the Millennium Falcon while unknowingly flying over an Episode 7 set.


REVIEWS:

From TheHollywoodReporter:  A review of Mike Binder's Black and White with Kevin Costner and Octavia Spencer.  Oscar buzz for Spenser - hope it goes better than the results of her Oscar buzz for Fruitvale Station.


OBITS:

From YahooTV:  Chicago-based actress, Molly Glynn, died in an accident when a tree fell on her while she was bike riding with her husband.  Glynn had a recurring role on the television series, " Chicago Fire."


MISC:

From ESPN via RSN:  NFL star Adrian Peterson charged after "whooping" his son.

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From YahooSports:  No, he doesn't know where Alabama is...

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From YahooSports:  The Baltimore Ravens cut running back, Ray Rice, after the full disturbing video of him knocking out his wife (then fiance) emerges.  Shortly afterwards, the NFL suspended him indefinitely.

Negromancer News Bits and Bies for the Week of August 3rd to July 9th 2014 Update #20

NEWS:

From EntertainmentWeekly:  Marvel won the May 6, 2014 showdown, when Warner Bros. moved "Batman Vs. Superman" to March 25, 2016, giving Captain America 3 the May release date.  EW says everyone is a winner.

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From THR:  Universal Pictures and Image Entertainment have acquired the rights to Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicle books, which includes Interview with a Vampire.  The deal will reportedly encompass future books in the series.

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From YahooSingapore: Julia Roberts once felt prettier than Halle Berry.

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From ChristianScienceMonitor:  A nice piece on Nichelle Nichols (Star Trek's Uhura) and "micro-mentoring."

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From YahooMovies:  Guardians of the Galaxy helps to take Disney over $1 billion in domestice box office.

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From YahooMovies:  A nice article about the surprise hit franchise, Step Up.

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From YahooMovies:  80s rock star, Rick Springfield, to join Meryl Streep in new Jonathan Demme film.

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From DenofGeek:  "Avengers: Age of Ultron" has wrapped up production.  So have two other Summer 2015 potential blockbusters.

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From TheWeek:  Yeah, that is a bad title for "Terminator 5.

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From Inquisitr:  Vince Vaughn may replace Woody Harrelson in "True Detective" Season 2.

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From THR:  Entire cast of "The Big Bang Theory" gets raises.  Everybody got PAID!

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From DeadlineHollywood:  2015 (72nd) Golden Globe nominations will be announced Thursday, December 11, 2014.  Winners will be announced, Sunday, January 11, 2015.

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From TheHollywoodReporter:  Before there was the American version of "The Office," with Steve Carrell, there was the original U.K. version starring the excellent Ricky Gervais.  Now, Gervais is apparently making a film featuring his character from "The Office," David Brent.  The title is announced as "Life on the Road."

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From EOnline:  Tim Burton provides a look at Amy Adams in Big Eyes, his upcoming biopic about American artists, Margaret Keane.


COMIC BOOKS: Movies and Books:

From YahooTV:  Kyle MacLachlan joins "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. for this upcoming season. [Article contains spoiler.]

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From HitFix via YahooTV:  A list a dates for which superhero movies are scheduled to be released.

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From Variety:  Superhero movie overload in 2017?

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From Variety:  Warner Bros. has announced release dates for nine superhero movies from DC Entertainment (DC Comics).  They have blinked on the May 6th 2016 showdown with Marvel Comics (the planned release date for a third Captain America movie.  "Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice" now moves to March 25, 2016.

From Forbes:  What price did Sony pay to reboot Spider-Man?  Scott Mendelson tells us.

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From Forbes:  More on Spider-Man spinoffs.

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From Deadline:  Sony's Spider-Man franchise to include a movie headlined by a female superhero, due in 2017.  Sinister Six movie due November 2016.

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From IGN:  Marvel's Kevin Feige talks about the questions that "Guardians of the Galaxy 2" will answer, including who is Peter Quill/Star-Lord's father.

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From CBR's Robot6:  How Captain America: The Winter Soldier should have ended.

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From ScreenRant:  "Batman Vs. Superman" may indeed be an adaptation of some sort of Frank Miller's seminal Batman comic book, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns.  A photo from the set of the film, shows Ben Affleck with gray temples (included in this article) is adding new fuel to the rumors.  Elements from Kingdom Come make also be used in the film, including Batman's use of an army of fighting "Bat" drones.  I'll let the article and its links tell you more.

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From ScreenRant:  Test footage for a "Deadpool" movie, produced a few years ago.

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From Variety:  Why Guardians of the Galaxy might be the most important Marvel movie ever. The author of that article once dismissed Walt Disney's purchase of Marvel.

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From HitFix:  Guardians of the Galaxy wins the August 1st to 3rd 2014 weekend box office.  With an estimated take of $94 million, the is the largest opening weekend in the month of August, beating out previous champ, The Bourne Ultimatum ($74).  Guardians grossed $160.4 million worldwide.

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From TheWrap:  Guardians of the Galaxy has a big and surprising opening day on Friday, August 1st, 2014.

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From Stack:  GotG director James Gunn says that there will be a sequel to Guardians of the Galaxy.

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From Inquisitr:  How 'bout an Avengers/Guardians of the Galaxy team-up?  It could happen.


STAR WARS:

From ScreenRant:  A 7-minutes preview of the Fall-debuting, "Star Wars Rebels."

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From Yahoo:  A photo of an IMAX camera at work on the set of Episode VII.  Plus, a funny story about the Georgia Bulldogs' Star War-themed video.


TRAILERS:

From 20thCenturyFox:  Official Trailer #2 for DreamWorks' Penguins of Madagascar.  Film is due November 2014.


OBITS:

From TheWrap:  A friend of mine once said that when he saw a movie, certain names told him that the movie was going to be awful.  Two of them were Golan-Globus and Cannon Pictures.  Menahem Golan, the man behind those names, died Friday, August 8, 2014 at the age of 85.

From DeadlineHollywood:  Marilyn Burns, the star of the original The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, has died at the age of 65.  Burns played "Sally Hardesty," the only one of five friends to survive an unfortunate meeting with a family of cannibals, that includes "Leatherface."  Negromancer sends condolences to Burns' family and friends.


MISC.:

From RSN and AlterNet:  Right-wing militias are thriving...

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From Yahoo:  "Impossible" space engine could make space flight cheaper and speedier.

Matt Damon on "The Future of Water Sustainability"

The Future of Water Sustainability

By Matt Damon, Gary White, Reader Supported News

24 November 13

Multinational companies have historically taken water availability for granted. But this is changing. A 2013 World Economic Forum report named water scarcity as one of the top global risks facing companies in the 21st century. So far, 93 multinational corporations have committed to the UN Global Compact's CEO Water Mandate, a public-private partnership to advance water sustainability -- an exponential increase from the original six signatories in 2007. As more business leaders recognise pressures related to water availability on their supply chains and profits, they are growing more aware of the impact of irresponsible water use on "intangible" business value such as reputation, brand and customer relations.

In 2014 the world will see even more companies increase water-related investments. This is not only for immediate business purposes, but because water sustains life and is intimately connected to all aspects of economic development. Business leaders understand this and will increase their focus on their own use of water as well as on water and sanitation access in the communities where they operate. In the year ahead cross-sector collaboration will also grow as the economic value of water climbs steeply.

Traditional charity models are becoming outmoded. What began as investments in digging wells have evolved into far more dynamic, market-oriented approaches like targeted grants intended to optimise social returns per philanthropic dollar.

The PepsiCo Foundation has pledged $35m to water programs in developing countries (including $12.1m to Water.org). Most of this has gone to Water.org's WaterCredit model, a microfinance initiative which links access to finance with access to water and sanitation. The Caterpillar Foundation is investing $11.3m in this market-based approach over the next five years. The IKEA Foundation has stepped in with a $5m grant and companies such as Levi Strauss & Co, and organizations like the Swiss Re Foundation, the Mastercard Foundation and Bank of America Foundation have also joined the effort. Their thinking and action have evolved because they recognize that straight charity is extremely limited as a means to long-term impact.

In 2014 we will see more companies follow this lead, gaining greater influence by focusing on market-based solutions and metrics. They will deploy their philanthropic and corporate-social-responsibility resources in a way that leverages market forces. Firms will focus not just on the number of people reached with services but also on the philanthropic cost per person reached -- and strive to push that lower, as commercial capital does more of the heavy lifting through approaches like microfinance.

Expanding options for corporate and individual investors to provide debt financing at concessionary rates is a potentially high-impact model that should be further explored. Committed social-impact investors could catalyse lower-end borrower interest rates so more people could afford small loans to secure water and sanitation services. This type of "double-bottom-line" investing (ie, producing social as well as financial returns) will expand beyond venture philanthropists and find its way into portfolios supported by companies in water services and beyond.

Where there's a well, there's a way

These are just a few illustrations of innovative financial solutions to meeting the need for safe water and sanitation. In 2014 businesses will partner with global non-governmental organizations, assessing water risk, scarcity and opportunity. And high-profile declarations such as the CEO Water Mandate will report on their commitments in six areas: direct operations, supply chain and watershed management, collective action, public policy, community engagement and transparency.

Leading examples of this approach include the investment by Merck and the PepsiCo Foundation in the Safe Water Network, an effort to bring technology and consumer-marketing campaigns to the rural poor in India; Bayer's work to improve wastewater treatment; SAB Miller's collaboration with the Water Futures Partnership, to ensure sustainable water resources in multiple countries; and Unilever's alliance with Oxfam, Population Services International, Save the Children and the World Food Programme, which ranges from providing technology for safe drinking water to efforts to change behavior.

Water plays a central role in all aspects of life, from energy to food security, health and education. That is what makes it so complex to tackle. As water scarcity becomes all too real, collaboration will become essential. Although governments need to lead and commit themselves to infrastructure expansion and affordable service, in 2014 it will be corporate financial innovation and smart philanthropy that help to bring safe water and sanitation to some of the billions in need.

Reader Supported News is the Publication of Origin for this work. Permission to republish is freely granted with credit and a link back to Reader Supported News.

Review: "Free Angela and All Political Prisoners" Reveals Angela Davis

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 74 (of 2013) by Leroy Douresseaux

Free Angela and All Political Prisoners (2012)
Running time:  102 minutes (1 hour, 42 minutes)
WRITER/DIRECTOR:  Shola Lynch
PRODUCERS:  Carole Lambert, Shola Lynch, Carine Ruszniewski, and Sidra Smith
CINEMATOGRAPHERS:  Sandi Sissel and Bradford Young
EDITORS:  Lewis Erskine and Marion Monnier with Sheila Shirazi
COMPOSER:  Vernon Reid

DOCUMENTARY – History, Politics, Crime

Starring:  Angela Davis, Leo Branton, Deacon Alexander, Bettina Apthecker, Judge Richard E. Arnason, Lowell Berman, Margaret Burnham, Earl Caldwell, Elisabeth Coleman, Fania Davis, Robert McCartin, Stephen Shames, and Doris Walker

Free Angela and All Political Prisoners is a 2012 documentary film from writer-director Shola Lynch.  The film focuses on a young college professor named Angela Davis and how her social activism led to her being implicated in a botched kidnapping and being placed on the FBI’s 10 most wanted list.

The film opened at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival, and made its theatrical debut in the United States in April 2013.  Free Angela and All Political Prisoners gained some notice because director Shola Lynch received financial backing to make the movie from actress Jada Pinkett Smith, who later brought in her husband, actor Will Smith, and recording artist and businessman, Jay-Z, as additional backers.  Oscar-winning filmmaker, Paul Haggis, was also a supporter of the film.

Born January 26, 1944, Angela Yvonne Davis, best known as simply “Angela Davis,” is an American political activist, scholar, and author.  During the 1960s, Davis returned to the United States after spending time in Germany.  She became a nationally known activist and radical; she was also a leader in the Communist Party USA.  It was her close relations with the Black Panther Party (although she was never an official member of the party) and her work for prisoner rights that brought her to prominence and earned her notoriety in establishment circles.

On August 7, 1970, at the Marin County court house, a botched kidnapping attempt ended with a shootout that left four people, including a judge, dead.  Davis was a close associate of one of the dead kidnappers, so the state of California brought conspiracy, kidnapping, and murder charges against her – all of which were punishable by the death penalty.  Davis became a fugitive and, at the time, the third woman to have her name appear on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitive List.

Free Angela and All Political Prisoners gives an account of the kidnapping, Davis’ flight from arrest, the FBI manhunt for her, her arrest and imprisonment, and the subsequent trial.  The film also chronicles Angela Davis’ life as a youth, a young scholar, and as a controversial young college professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

The pivotal events of Free Angela and All Political Prisoners begin with events that took place in 1969, when Davis was hired by UCLA.  Her time as a professor is not the film’s central narrative, although this is not to say that the film is dry and boring for a time.  However, this documentary does not really come to life, in a way that reflects the fiery young radical that Angela Davis was, until it starts to recount the various events related to Davis that occurred in 1972.

In early 1972, Caruthers, California dairy farmer, Rodger McAfee (or Roger McAfee), with the help of a wealthy businessman, paid just over $100,000 in bail money to get Davis released from the county jail, while she awaited trial for the Marin County courthouse incident.  For me, this is when Free Angela and All Political Prisoners becomes energized as a narrative.

The elements of which director Shola Lynch makes best use in her film are the interviews, both new and archival.  As by chance or by destiny, the subjects of the new interviews are either good storytellers or are exceptionally good at conveying information.  I could listen to many of these interviewees for hours.

Archival interviews and news footage are also illuminating.  Then California governor (and future President), Ronald Reagan, does not come out looking like a good guy in this film.  He comes across as a pro-segregation-pro apartheid type who believes that Black people are second class citizens who don’t have full citizenship, and that outspoken people of color deserve imprisonment or even death.  As for President Richard Nixon, the side of him that is an authoritarian, paranoid psycho is fully in evidence.

Simply because of the story it tells and the incidents it recounts, Free Angela and All Political Prisoners should be treated like an important book – available in every public library in the United States.  All African-American parents should make sure that their children see this film.  Even conservative Black people whose Uncle Tom tendencies might make them act as if what happened to Angela Davis never happens to black people should show this film to their children.

7 of 10
A-

Tuesday, November 05, 2013


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