Daily Archives: January 17, 2019

On Dec. 19, the United States Senate voted 87-12 in favor of watered-down legislation that will roll back a few of the most draconian provisions of the federal criminal justice system. The “First Step Act,” short for the “Formerly Incarcerated Reenter Society Transformed Safely Transitioning Every Person Act,” goes back to the House of Representatives, which passed a slightly stronger version last May by a vote of 360 to 59. When it comes to locking people up, the United States stands on top of the heap.

 

Jan. 1, 2019, marks 10 years since the murder of Oscar Grant by BART police officer Johannes Mehserle. In the lead up to this grim anniversary, a number of articles, multimedia pieces, radio programs and television news segments have been produced to commemorate the occasion. Especially moving are those that give voice to Oscar’s family and friends. But it’s rare to see significant tribute paid to the fact that were it not for the vigor and relentlessness of protesters and activists, Oscar Grant would have received little to no justice.

Haiti Action Committee is honored to circulate this statement from Fanmi Lavalas, the people’s party in Haiti. Fanmi Lavalas issued the statement in solidarity with the massive upsurge of protest against the corrupt regime of Haiti’s current president, Jovenel Moise. The statement comes in the wake of violent state repression, including the horrific massacre of over 60 people in Lasalin, a center of popular grassroots activism. This Dec. 16 was the 28th anniversary of the election of Jean-Bertrand Aristide as Haiti’s first democratically elected president. The date was marked in Haiti with continued mobilizations for democracy and an end to the brutal attacks on the population.