September Roundup
Newsletter 001 -- Haitian immigration. Space advancement. 20th anniversary of 9/11.
Woah, our first newsletter!
Sarah and I had a lot of interesting discussions this month regarding Haitian migrants at the border, tech, outer space, and how I’m just now learning why Hispanic Heritage month starts in mid-September.
» Honoring Hispanic Heritage Month
Why is learning about the origin of the term “Hispanic” as a racial identity important? Mostly because race is a social construct created partly by the American government to accomplish a larger agenda. Listen to this episode of Code Switch to learn more about the U.S. agenda, as they played a role in creating this new racial identity.
» The Legacy of 9/11
I Reported on the War in Afghanistan. Was I Complicit in the Harm America Caused?
Journalists, war photographers, and the like, launch their careers covering painful events around the world. As journalists seek out opportunities to serve their careers, the American project, and their readers, by doing the work we need them to do, there is a philosophical question to be considered: “What was our role? How did we feed the war by serving as its narrators, its chaos, its riveted audience?” - Vanessa Gezari (quote from the article)
This episode walks through the journalist-prompted investigation of a retaliatory U.S. drone strike that killed a number of innocent Afghans. This retelling of events gives us access to the U.S. decision-making process that led to the strike and explains how the findings of this investigation will have a ripple effect in the already ongoing dispute over the use of drones.
Biden Administration has Made Little Progress Towards Goal of Closing Notorious Guantanamo Bay Prison
This month marked the 20th anniversary of 9/11. It is also the 19th anniversary of the opening of the Guantanamo Bay detention center. The Obama administration made promises to close the camp and end human rights violations and still nothing has been done. The Biden administration is now making the same promise. The fact that Guantanamo Bay has continued to exist for the past 19 years is horrific considering those held are detained illegally, receive unfair trials, and sustain abuse and torture.
On the 20-year anniversary of 9/11, the media unleashed an onslaught of stories about the long shadow still cast on the country. This episode helps us turn our attention to the post-9/11 American ethos guiding us today. How, in the name of American defense, we have carried out gross instances of torture and established into law things that have made more American’s vulnerable and unsafe.
» Technology
We Need a Socialist Vision for Space Exploration
The two-decade-long Space Race resulted in extraordinary advancements, but its lasting impact is really seen in the rooting of American exceptionalism and the sensationalization of space advancement, as told by American public schools. This article is a sobering and encouraging reminder that space exploration is meant for more than a zero-gravity pissing contest between Western billionaires — the purpose of space advancement is to serve the public good. When properly conceived, space advancements have the potential to offers us opportunities for international collaboration, and technological advancement that could change things for the better on this planet, to the galaxy, and beyond.
WhatsApp Fixes its Biggest Encryption Loophole
We all remember when the Informations Commissioner’s Office (ICO) in the U.K. levied a fine against Facebook for its role in selling user data information for political purposes, right? Well Facebook, the parent company of WhatsApp, made a recent fix in an attempt to make good on its promise to keep user data safer. And it got me thinking about other tech companies, how important these platforms are to users, and how enticing access to that global user base is to others (i’m talking governments or companies here). This will be a long battle for tech companies, walking the thin lines between their responsibility to their global customer base, capitalism, and instances of foreign and domestic political interests. Let’s be sure to keep an eye on this.
» Borders are Violence
U.S. Border Agents are Removing Haitian Migrants Using Horses and Whips
Immigration policies in the United States are heavily grounded in racism and violence. The offering of conditional or timed protected status is unhelpful to the effort of providing substantive support to migrants, especially as long as imperialism and neo-colonialism continue to persist. In 2010, Haitians were granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in the U.S. after the earthquake, but most Haitians fled to South America because of the limitations of TPS. Trump ended TPS and the Biden administration promised more humanitarian policies would be put in its place. Haitians at our border are fleeing a more recent earthquake, political turmoil, and Haitians who previously fled to South America are among these more recent migrants. We see the effects of “band-aid policies” at the border as Haitian migrants seeking asylum are being treated in ways remnant of enslavement when a pathway for permanent status could have been created.
» Updates on Unfolding Stories
Editor-at-Large of The Art Newspaper, discusses the collaboration of museums in Europe and the U.S. with state-owned firms in China that created technology being used by the Chinese government to carry out the surveillance and detention of Uyghurs.
Shock and Pride: Palestinians React to Rearrest of ‘Heroes’
When news of the six Palestinian detainees, who escaped an Israeli prison, broke in early September, there was a dramatic uptick in media attention. But, just like any coverage of peoples fighting for their liberation under oppression, news faded fast. Although a mere two weeks later all six prisoners were rearrested. Palestinian people are still fighting for their freedom every single day. Here is a reminder we can all use: be weary of performative allyship. We should be following and reposting news about this even when it has fallen out of the news cycle. Palestinian people continue to ask those of us outside of Palestine to spread awareness about the occupation.
A little after the 54 minute mark of this episode we hear from reporter Nima Elbagir about the ongoing war in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. This war has been waging since November of last year and is a topic that I will be trying to offer consistent updates on since it hasnt made it into the news cycle in the ways I think it should.
» Recommendations
This Land podcast Season 2 is now out. This season, Rebecca Nagle, deep dives into the federal court cases challenging the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). The outcome of these cases pose a threat to the sovereignty of Indian nations and the arguments being brought to the bench attempt to chip away at established Indian law and government policy.
Well, that’s the roundup, folks! If there’s something specific you’d like updates on, let us know. We will do our best to find sources covering it for future newsletters. If you found this newsletter interesting, please share us with your friends!
In solidarity,
Sarah & Alexis