Ruth's Public Radio Report
My intent was not to write at length, the way I had last week. Already I feel that goal is a lost cause. Braeden asked that I mention that each Wednesday on KPFA's The Morning Show David Bacon delivers an indepth look at labor. Zach asked me to note that Philip Maldari is on vacation, and "missed," Zach writes, which has left hosting duties Monday through Friday to Andrea Lewis who has done "an incredible job." I would have noted Zach's comments even if I had not agreed, but I will back him up on this because Ms. Lewis has done an incredible job. This past week, she focused on, among other topics, the recent elections in Israel, the legislative attacks on immigrants, and on Friday some modern composers. Best of all may have been her interview with Dan Perkins, aka Tom Tomorrow, which aired Thursday. This interview alternated between humor and serious moments and really demonstrated Ms. Lewis' gifts as an interviewer. Among the topics were the current state of the country/world, censorship and how This Modern World's characters came about. On another guest, Kristen e-mailed to ask when Jane Fonda directed a film? A guest this week mentioned that. I checked with C.I. and the guest apparently meant to say that Ms. Fonda produced a film on Native Americans. C.I. states that Lakota Woman was directed by Dan Petrie ("who directed The Dollmaker, among other films") and that Jane Fonda and Lois Bonfiglio produced it for Fonda Films.
Monday on WBAI, Law and Disorder offered a look at the case of Muhammad Salah, American citizen, who was picked up by the Israeli military in the early nineties and tortured. Mr. Salah was imprisoned for five years. In 1993, he was forced to sign a confession. The confession was written in Hebrew, a language he did not speak or read, as Dalia Hashad pointed out. He was interrogated for eighty-five days and the techniques used including hoods and sleep deprivation in a process Michael Ratner noted was "a version of rendention, isn't it?"
The question was directed to the guest from The People's Law Office Michael Deutsch who is representing Mr. Salah. Mr. Deutsch detailed the case, which begins again this month, and how it was a closed proceeding that has kept both the press and the public out. At some point, a heavily redacted court transcript will be presented to the public but in the meantime, a heavily readacted hearing is taking place because there are moments of the hearings that even the defendant and Mr. Deutsch are shut out of as the prosecution and Israeli intelligence offer statements and testimony that the defense is not allowed to hear with the excuse offered that it must be kept from them because it has to do with Israeli national security. Which in no way indicates that a fair trial is taking place, especially when the Israeli Supreme Court ruled against these type of interrogations in 1999.
Another issue was also raisedd.
Michael Smith: This person has already been tried and convicted --
Dalia Hashad: In Israel.
Michael Smith: and now they want to do it to him again. It's like doublejeopardyy.
Ms. Hashad pointed out that it was very "common for Palestinian men to be arrested and interrogated in the occupied territories" and the question was asked of what people could do? Mr. Deutsch suggested writing the U.S. attorney Patrick Fitzgerald to "demand that he drop the charges" as well as showing up for the hearings if they are in Chicago.
The next segment, as Heidi Boghosian explained, focused on the case of Haitians held by the U.S. government at Guantanamo Bay. Brant Goldstein, author of Storming The Court and a Yale law student participating in the case when it began in the eighties, was the guest. The background for those not familiar with this topic is that Aristide was overthrown, the first time, and that a number of Haitians attempted to seek refuge outside of Haiti. The United States allowed some into the country for safe haven and denied entry to others. However, the US Coast Guard had taken them to Guantanamo Bay and a couple of hundred were kept there in what was the first U.S. detention camp for H.I.V. positive people. They were kept there and refused entry as well as, for some time, access to theirattorneyss. It may sound very similar to what is going on today.
When Arkansas governor Bill Clinton was running for president in 1992, he made comments indicating he would release the Haitians held there. Then he was elected and, as Mr. Goldstein pointed out, "went back on his word and left the people to languish there."
The attorneys added President Clinton to the law suit "and the case ended up before a Bush appointee" who "issued an order the due process clause applies to Guantanamo because it is under our control." A number of you may wonder why that case then does not apply to Guantanamo today?
The current administration claims that it does not apply. They rest that claim on the fact that the decision was vacated. The Clinton Justice Department was not happy with the judge's finding and, as part of the deal they offered the defense to prevent the case from going to the Supreme Court, they agreed to release the Haitians provided the defense would agree to vacate the decision. The attorneyss were attempting to provide relief to their clients so they agreed to the condition. Had circumstances been different the legal judgement could be utilized today.
As Ms. Boghosian noted, "This is a remarkable story of what law students can accomplish." The book follows the case and it has been optioned by Warner Brothers for a film. Which led Michael Smith to wonder who would play Michael Ratner in the film? Mr. Ratner was a participant in the case. I would suggest Gene Hackman because he is one of the few actors that strikes me as able to convey the intensity and passion Mr. Ratner speaks with. If Mr. Hackman is not available, I would suggest Robert Redford who speaks nothing like Mr. Ratner, Mr. Ratner's voice has a growl to it, but has a long history of political awareness.
Sherwin Siy, with EPIC, an internet privacy organization and not the recording label, was the next guest. He discussed the issue of Google's refusal to turn over their search engine data to the National Security Agency as the Bully Boy has requested and as Yahoo has already done.
Efforts are still being made by the government to force Google to turn over the records.
It was noted that if the administration is successful, searches for protest events and other items could be next on the list of the government's spying on American. Ms. Boghosian noted that the government could even request all information on who was searching the term "impeachment."
The fourth guest was the author of Men Who Stare At Goats which explores how the government developed torture techniques that are currently in use. Jon Ronson was the author and this was the second in the program's four-part series on "Music to be Tortured By."
Monday on WBAI, Law and Disorder offered a look at the case of Muhammad Salah, American citizen, who was picked up by the Israeli military in the early nineties and tortured. Mr. Salah was imprisoned for five years. In 1993, he was forced to sign a confession. The confession was written in Hebrew, a language he did not speak or read, as Dalia Hashad pointed out. He was interrogated for eighty-five days and the techniques used including hoods and sleep deprivation in a process Michael Ratner noted was "a version of rendention, isn't it?"
The question was directed to the guest from The People's Law Office Michael Deutsch who is representing Mr. Salah. Mr. Deutsch detailed the case, which begins again this month, and how it was a closed proceeding that has kept both the press and the public out. At some point, a heavily redacted court transcript will be presented to the public but in the meantime, a heavily readacted hearing is taking place because there are moments of the hearings that even the defendant and Mr. Deutsch are shut out of as the prosecution and Israeli intelligence offer statements and testimony that the defense is not allowed to hear with the excuse offered that it must be kept from them because it has to do with Israeli national security. Which in no way indicates that a fair trial is taking place, especially when the Israeli Supreme Court ruled against these type of interrogations in 1999.
Another issue was also raisedd.
Michael Smith: This person has already been tried and convicted --
Dalia Hashad: In Israel.
Michael Smith: and now they want to do it to him again. It's like doublejeopardyy.
Ms. Hashad pointed out that it was very "common for Palestinian men to be arrested and interrogated in the occupied territories" and the question was asked of what people could do? Mr. Deutsch suggested writing the U.S. attorney Patrick Fitzgerald to "demand that he drop the charges" as well as showing up for the hearings if they are in Chicago.
The next segment, as Heidi Boghosian explained, focused on the case of Haitians held by the U.S. government at Guantanamo Bay. Brant Goldstein, author of Storming The Court and a Yale law student participating in the case when it began in the eighties, was the guest. The background for those not familiar with this topic is that Aristide was overthrown, the first time, and that a number of Haitians attempted to seek refuge outside of Haiti. The United States allowed some into the country for safe haven and denied entry to others. However, the US Coast Guard had taken them to Guantanamo Bay and a couple of hundred were kept there in what was the first U.S. detention camp for H.I.V. positive people. They were kept there and refused entry as well as, for some time, access to theirattorneyss. It may sound very similar to what is going on today.
When Arkansas governor Bill Clinton was running for president in 1992, he made comments indicating he would release the Haitians held there. Then he was elected and, as Mr. Goldstein pointed out, "went back on his word and left the people to languish there."
The attorneys added President Clinton to the law suit "and the case ended up before a Bush appointee" who "issued an order the due process clause applies to Guantanamo because it is under our control." A number of you may wonder why that case then does not apply to Guantanamo today?
The current administration claims that it does not apply. They rest that claim on the fact that the decision was vacated. The Clinton Justice Department was not happy with the judge's finding and, as part of the deal they offered the defense to prevent the case from going to the Supreme Court, they agreed to release the Haitians provided the defense would agree to vacate the decision. The attorneyss were attempting to provide relief to their clients so they agreed to the condition. Had circumstances been different the legal judgement could be utilized today.
As Ms. Boghosian noted, "This is a remarkable story of what law students can accomplish." The book follows the case and it has been optioned by Warner Brothers for a film. Which led Michael Smith to wonder who would play Michael Ratner in the film? Mr. Ratner was a participant in the case. I would suggest Gene Hackman because he is one of the few actors that strikes me as able to convey the intensity and passion Mr. Ratner speaks with. If Mr. Hackman is not available, I would suggest Robert Redford who speaks nothing like Mr. Ratner, Mr. Ratner's voice has a growl to it, but has a long history of political awareness.
Sherwin Siy, with EPIC, an internet privacy organization and not the recording label, was the next guest. He discussed the issue of Google's refusal to turn over their search engine data to the National Security Agency as the Bully Boy has requested and as Yahoo has already done.
Efforts are still being made by the government to force Google to turn over the records.
It was noted that if the administration is successful, searches for protest events and other items could be next on the list of the government's spying on American. Ms. Boghosian noted that the government could even request all information on who was searching the term "impeachment."
The fourth guest was the author of Men Who Stare At Goats which explores how the government developed torture techniques that are currently in use. Jon Ronson was the author and this was the second in the program's four-part series on "Music to be Tortured By."
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