October 2008

by Marco Rosaire Rossi

One of the unacknowledged tragedies of terrorist attacks on September 11 was that the attacks passed so quickly into from the realm of occurrence to the realm of legend in the collective psyches of Americans that it has become impossible to truly understand those events. Even years after the attacks, September 11 is drenched in an almost religious and often ritualized sentimentality, often involving reflexive flag-waving or slogan-chanting. The problem with such sentimentality is that it stifles critical thinking. It is quite unusual to have an open discussion on the . . .

July 2008

By Marco Rosaire Rossi

The creation of Israel in the Middle East was not only one of the greatest destabilizing events in the region’s modern history, but was also one of the greatest examples of Western refugee hypocrisy. While the anti-Semitic fervor was growing in the early half of the twentieth century, the majority of Europe countries were unwilling to open up their doors to Jewish refugees looking to escape persecution. In effect, Palestine – under British mandate at the time – became the Jews’ only safe haven. Between 1920 and 1929, 100,000 Jews entered Palestine. The next decade, 1930 . . .

June 2008

by Marco Rosaire Rossi

In the predawn hours of March 1st, Colombian forces invaded and bombed Ecuador and killed at least 20 members of the rebel group Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (FARC), including leader and international spokesperson Raul Reyes. Shortly after the invasion, it was revealed that the United States not only supported the action – but helped organize it. A Colombian defense minister told Agence France Presse that the murder of Raul Reyes was only possible through the intelligence work done by the United States – enabling the location of Raul Reyes to be pinpointed . . .

February 2008

By Marco Rosaire Rossi

Throughout the conflict in the Middle East, the United States and Israel have engaged the Palestinians in a cycle of meaningless negotiations and harsh repression. In late 1988, when it became impossible for the US to ignore the Palestinian Liberation Organization’s peace plan, the US agreed to organize negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. Shortly after the negotiations, Israel increased pressure on the occupied territories. At the time, Israel Defense Minister Yizhak Rabin proudly proclaimed that “the inhabitants of the territories are subject to harsh . . .

January 2008

by Marco Rosaire Rossi

On Dec. 10, 2007, activists around the United States converged in New Orleans to join the Stop the Demolition Coalition. The coalition’s goal is to prevent the Department of Housing and Urban Development from following through with its plan to bulldoze 4,600 low-income apartments. The plan is part of a federal and municipal government effort to “rebuild” New Orleans after the devastating affects of Hurricane Katrina. Since Katrina, housing has become the issue of New Orleans: over 12,000 people are homeless, 50,000 remain in FEMA trailers, and another 900,000 are awaiting . . .

December 2007

by Marco Rosaire Rossi

This December 9 marks the 59th anniversary of the “Convention on the Prevention and the Punishment of Crimes of Genocide Convention,” also known as the Genocide Convention. The Genocide Convention is an example of the small and often spotted steps made toward realizing human rights. In our age, where our conventional conception of warfare has been displaced with the on-going and never ending “war on terror,” it is worth reflecting on the relevance of the Genocide Convention and how it could still serve (or hinder) our efforts to “liberate mankind.”

November 2007

by Marco Rosaire Rossi

Spirits were high at the “NO!” Campaign’s demonstration in San José, Costa Rica, one week before the Oct. 7 vote on whether to approve the controversial trade agreement cafta. There was no reason for them not to be: over 100,000 people had attended the demonstration, several polls had consistently shown that the “NO!” Campaign was going to squeak by (with one poll showing that they were ahead by 12%), and the government of President Óscar Arias had just humiliated itself in a recent leaked memorandum scandal. The contents of the memo indicated that the government was . . .

November 2007

by Marco Rosaire Rossi

At the end of World War II, when the horrors of the Nazi holocaust were revealed to the world, the international community collectively cried out: “Never again!” “Never again!” shall a people be systematically persecuted and savagely brutalized. “Never again!” shall there be massive refugees and organized extermination. “Never again!” shall there be secret police and the “disappearance” of dissidents. The only problem with this vow was that it did happen again, and again, and again, and again, and again. The latest examples of the international community’s failure to . . .

September 2007

by Marco Rosaire Rossi

It is impossible to hide anything on an airplane. The small cramped seats, and their cubicle-like formation gives the illusion of privacy – but in actuality everything that is said is heard. Eavesdropping on airplanes is not intentional, it’s inevitable. And perhaps because I was eavesdropping on the rich – who perhaps feel more at liberty to speak their minds than the rest of us – it was all the easier.

July 2007

by Marco Rosaire Rossi

When the Democrats were swept into power last November, Americans were hoping they would clean up the havoc waged by the Bush Administration. One of the things on that list was the closing down of the gulag at Guantanamo Bay. An online poll from http://www.about.com showed that almost 60% of those polled wanted the detention center shut down. As of June, the Democrats still haven't done their job -- even though reports are coming in that the situation for the prisoners there is getting worse.

May 2007

by Marco Rosaire Rossi

By now, global climate change has become a household concern, but many scientists are saying that for some ecosystems we may be past the point of repair.

We should have listened to famed social ecologist Murray Bookchin, one of the earliest harbingers of the dangers of global warming. As early as 1964, before an environmental movement even existed, Bookchin wrote:

April 2007

by Marco Rosaire Rossi

American tourists walking through Italian cities are always awestruck by the ancient buildings -- preserved relics from medieval times -- that are scattered throughout Italy's budding modern development. The contrast between ancient and modern, between industrial and medieval is something exotic and alien to many Americans. The United States is so young compared to its European counterparts, and it's hard for any American to understand the world outside of that juvenile scope. For Americans, the rest of the world is new, fresh, uncharted lands, waiting to be explored and . . .

March 2007

by Marco Rosaire Rossi

In Erbil, Iraq -- high on top of Mount Korek in the northern part of the Kurdistan Autonomous Region -- sits one of Iraq's dormant treasures. It's not oil, or natural gas, or any other natural resource that Iraq is known for; this dormant treasure of Iraq is science. On top of a 2,127 meter high mountain rests what would have been a first-rate observatory and the only major observatory in the Middle East. Built in 1973 for $160 million by president Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr, this observatory had three telescopes, each one ranging in size from 1.25 to 3.5 meters. Its . . .

February 2007

by Marco Rosaire Rossi

France has undergone a mini-explosion in anti-poverty activism. For the past few weeks, hundreds of people have been camping out on the streets, out of necessity or out of protest, to bring attention to France's homeless problem. The primary goal of the demonstrators, who are from a variety of social classes, was to secure a legally enforceable right to housing -- and, remarkably, they have done it!

January 2007

by Marco Rosaire Rossi

Polls have continually shown that the two issues that Americans have been most concerned with this past year were the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the state of the domestic economy. Not surprisingly, the two issues are remarkably connected.

The New York Times has reported that, despite on-going corporate scandals, the past few years have been "the age of profitability" for American corporations -- surpassing all previous record in the post World War II age. Meanwhile, the American worker is in the worst position she has been in that same stretch of time. Since Bush . . .

November 2006

by Marco Rosaire Rossi

For almost a decade, the crime rate in the United States has been steadily declining. The reasons for this decline are varied, but most criminologists have pointed to the continuous increase in prisons and jail populations as the primary cause. The rationale is that we have less crime because we have fewer criminals on the street. However, something important happened in the last two years that has forced many criminologists to question this theory: in almost all major cities in the country, crime rates -- especially violent crime rates -- have gone up despite the fact . . .

October 2006

by Marco Rosaire Rossi

In the "official" report, the account reported by the major media outlets in the United States and other Western nations, the timeline for the conflicts between Israel and Hizbullah begins with the capture of two Israeli soldiers on June 25. This perspective is widespread; even mainstream human rights organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch perpetuate the idea by referring to Israel actions against Lebanon as retaliatory. However, the idea that the June 25 kidnapping started the conflict between Israel and Hizbullah is false. Israel did not . . .

September 2006

by Marco Rosaire Rossi

There is an old anarchist saying: "if voting ever changed anything they would make it illegal." Well, they have, or rather it has been. Ever since the end of the Civil War, when slavery took on a more judicial rather than economic form, there have been barriers to prevent prisoners from participating in the political process. Many states have tough regulations preventing ex-prisoners from exercising their right to vote, and only two states -- Maine and Vermont -- allow people to vote while incarcerated. With a constantly increasing prison population, this mass . . .

July 2006

by Marco Rosaire Rossi

Since 1982, journalist and political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal has been incarcerated for the murder of police officer Daniel Faulkner. Abu-Jamal has claimed his innocence, and a massive mountain of evidence has accumulated to support this claim - including the testimony of Arnold Beverly. In 2001, Beverly signed a sworn affidavit claiming that he was the true murderer of Daniel Faulkner and was hired as a hit man to get rid of Faulkner for his meddling in affairs between the mob and a particularly crooked clique of the Philadelphia Police Department. Despite this . . .

July 2006

by Marco Rosaire Rossi

Prison rape demonstrates an intense paradox in our society. In one respect, prison rape is extremely open. For the most part, the general public is ignorant about many of the realities of life behind bars, but it is common knowledge that rape does occur and occurs regularly. The topic is featured in movies, books, televisions shows -- even jokes. In another respect, prison rape is completely invisible. Very few institutions take meaningful measures to prevent it, and some flat out deny that it happens at all. Of course, this dynamic works to perpetuate these crimes. The . . .

June 2006

by Marco Rosaire Rossi

The war in Iraq is the most unpopular war in history. The international community has opposed the war, and even those nations that were first supportive are now retracting their support: Spain has already pulled out, and Italy has committed itself to pulling out by the end of the year, if not earlier. In America, support for the war has plummeted. Polls have consistently shown that the majority -- with some polls demonstrating almost 70% -- of Americans believe the occupation is wrong, and US troops should be brought back home immediately. The opposition to the Bush . . .

June 2006

by Marco Rosaire Rossi

Despite the lofty rhetoric, the United States did not fight the Cold War against the tyranny of Communism. The former Soviet Union was a side issue for the United States. The primary targets and victims of the Cold War, both domestically and abroad, were democratic forces that could demonstrate that more inclusive social systems -- particularly economic and political - are possible. It was often the case, as in Central and South America, that United States sought to drive left-leaning political systems into the arms of the Soviets as a pretext for military invasion. For . . .

February 2006

by Marco Rosaire Rossi

It may be a surprise to most Americans, but the individual whose ideas on justice and law shaped the more libertarian aspects of the American constitution was not Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, or Thomas Jefferson. The individual was not even an American or part of the American revolution. Many of the concepts outlined and explored in the Bill of Rights have their home in the mind of the quiet Italian judicial philosopher Cesare Becaria. Becaria's classic work Of Crimes and Punishment was considered the Enlightenment's response to the draconian judicial systems on the . . .

January 2006

by Marco Rosaire Rossi

Sometime in January, the 11th Circuit District Court is expected rule on whether the school board in Dover County, Pennsylvania can force its teachers to read the following statement before a biology lesson: "Darwin's Theory is a theory . . . not a fact. Gaps in the theory exist for which there is no evidence." The courts ruling is significant, and could have a major impact on the separation of church and state, the American education system, and the future of science.

December 2005

by Marco Rosaire Rossi

In his book Against All Enemies, Richard Clarke, the former counter terrorism chief, describes how George W. Bush sought to set a new standard for human rights after September 11. In the evening after the terrorist attacks on the world trade center, George Bush had a special meeting with Donald Rumsfeld and Clarke. The president said to the two: "I want you all to understand that we are at war . . . any barriers in your way, they're gone. Any money you need, you have it . . . I don't care what the international lawyers say, we are going to kick some ass." Apparently, what . . .

September 2003

by Marco Rosaire Rossi

In the United States, people with mental illness are discriminated against and abused in all sections of the criminal justice system. For them, working through the harsh and rigid complexities of America's judicial system is a hopeless and abusive experience. Both police and prison officials, who are ill equipped with knowledge and skills, often behave with neglect or brutality towards mentally ill individuals.