Black Judges, Black Politicians, Black Prisoners
Political elites built the carceral state — and not just white ones.
499 Search Results for: crime
Rein in Sports-Betting Profiteers
Legalization has wrested control of sports betting from organized crime. But with few federal regulations in place and almost no public education on the newly sanctioned activity, many working-class people are now falling prey to another group of predators.
An Empire of Patrolmen
During the Cold War, the US trained cops in more than fifty countries to suppress dissent. This “police professionalization” helped produce death squads in countries like El Salvador and mass incarceration in the United States.
Never Trust the FBI
In the aftermath of the El Paso shooting, some are pushing to expand the FBI's powers. That's a huge mistake: a domestic terrorism law would almost certainly be used to silence left-wing dissent.
South Africa’s Worst State-Sponsored Massacre Since Apartheid
In a staggering display of cruelty, South African police laid siege to an illegal gold mine near Johannesburg, leaving at least 78 workers dead by mid-January. Informal miners are the shadow of an exploitative mining industry — one inextricable from apartheid.
Brandon Johnson Is Heading to Chicago’s Mayoral Runoff as a Champion of the Working Class
The results of last night’s Chicago mayor election were stunning: former Chicago Teachers Union organizer Brandon Johnson advanced to an April runoff against neoliberal architect Paul Vallas — pitting working-class power against austerity.
Britain’s Government Has Decided No One Should Police the Police
A bill pushed by Britain's Tory government will pave the way for security and law enforcement agents to commit crimes with no risk of being prosecuted. The move follows revelations of appalling police abuses against environmental, anti-racist, and trade union activists — yet Keir Starmer's Labour Party has abstained rather than opposed the bill.
50 Years Ago Today, Daniel Ellsberg’s Pentagon Papers Helped End the Vietnam War
The first installment of reporting based on the Pentagon Papers was published half a century ago today in the New York Times. Pentagon whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg risked life imprisonment to expose the lies and brutality that the US war on Vietnam was based on.
Girlboss Politics Won’t Beat the Right
Facing a close race in New York’s gubernatorial contest, Democrats are doubling down on elite feminism. But at a time when many voters feel beleaguered by crime and inflation, you-go-girl pep rallies won’t stem the rightward trend.
The New York “Progressive” Establishment Is Complicit in the NYPD’s Brutality
Mayor Bill de Blasio has been rightly criticized for letting the New York Police Department run wild with brutality in the recent racial justice protests. But he's not the only “progressive” in New York bowing to the boys in blue — the city council, supposedly to de Blasio’s left, has long been under the NYPD’s thumb, too.
The Working-Class Cinematic Legacy of Film Noir
In the stiflingly reactionary cultural atmosphere of postwar America, most filmmakers didn’t talk much about class. But there was one significant exception: film noir was the most class-conscious genre of motion picture America has ever produced.
A Watchdog, Not a Lapdog
Human Rights Watch has not answered for its compromised independence from the US government.
The Media Is Cheering Dems’ Rightward Turn on Immigration
On immigration policy, the Democrats are moving toward Trump and the Republicans. The mainstream media seems to think this is a good idea.
Profiting Off Misery
Private prisons today are nothing more than a return to the monstrous rackets of the past.
Annette Bening’s Helicopter Mom Dominates Apples Never Fall
In the new mystery miniseries Apples Never Fall, Annette Bening’s fantastic performance can’t save an otherwise bland “whodunit” thriller.
Lamar Johnson Spent 28 Years in Jail Because of a Racist Justice System
Lamar Johnson’s 1995 murder conviction was overturned on Tuesday — but only after he spent most of his life in jail. The circumstances of his wrongful conviction reflect an American justice system quick to condemn working-class men of color.
Newspapers Won’t Save Us
Newspapers are a key part of a healthy press that is vital to any democratic society. But we shouldn’t valorize the corporate media as our last line of defense against Trump or anything else.
With Donald Trump’s Indictments, It’s the Rule of Law Versus Millions of Voters
Donald Trump is rightly facing legal consequences for his attempts to overturn the 2020 election. But with his supporters unwilling to accept the facts and a Supreme Court likely to side with Trump, the situation may be a powder keg under US democracy.
Daniel Hale Went to Prison for Telling the Truth About US Drone Warfare
Daniel Hale’s revelations about the brutalities of US drone warfare didn’t harm any Americans or make them less safe. But his prosecution for whistleblowing and recent sentencing to nearly four years in prison was a blow against democracy.
Bill de Blasio Knows That Cops Protect Capital
New York City mayor Bill de Blasio has repeatedly defended the police even as they've brutalized protesters. It's a reminder that his progressive reputation was always overblown — and that when push comes to shove, he's always going to side with the real estate interests that cops protect.