The News

Cops Say No Racism Despite N-word; Summits Call for More Cooperation

CNN to air “Black in America” doc
Citing the emergence of a “new paradigm,” CNN CEO Dick Parsons announces the premiere of the network’s second documentary about black life in the United States. The two-part series airs July 23rd and 24th, focuses on “the raw side of the criminal justice system that bludgeons black men unfairly.” While CNN correspondents uncover little new information about structural racism in the US, Les Payne points out that the network’s vast international audience will catch “a mere hint of this state of terror that the police sustain in black America.” Newsday

Group calling to unify South Asia preps for summit
The South Asian People’s Assembly ended a three-day conference on Sunday, where they adopted the Colombo Declaration, calling for “the region to take collective stand against all structures of oppression, discrimination and violence.” Other highlights include a “visa-free South Asia,” and forming better interregional trade relationships, rejecting the IMF, World Bank, and WTO as “instruments of neo-liberal capitalism.” The New Nation

Shreveport, LA cops claim no racism in actors’ arrest
Representatives for the Shreveport police told TMZ.com that reviews of in-car audio and video display “professionalism” in the arrests of Jeffrey Wright and Josh Brolin. The actors were celebrating the wrap-up of Oliver Stone’s George W. Bush biopic, W. Sources have reported cops’ use of the N-word, as well as tasers and pepper spray on the defendants. The Post Chronicle

Latino summit calls for increased interethnic solidarity
The National Latino Congreso, which ended its third consecutive summit yesterday in Los Angeles, drew over 500 policymakers, legislators, and organizations. Issues addressed included “climate change, public health, and foreign policy,” but the wrap-up discussion focused on more cooperation between the Latino and Black communities. LA Times

Posted at 7:27 AM, Jul 21, 2008 in News | Permalink | View Comments