AlterNet Blogs: Rights and Liberties

California Councilman: "I'm a Proud Racist"

Andrea Nill — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:30:01 PST

Santa Clarita councilman Bob Kellar made the remark at an anti-immigration rally, but insists he did not mean to "express animosity towards non-whites."

California School District Bans Dictionary Over Phrase "Oral Sex"

Deeky — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 12:15:01 PST

Hopefully they'll check for the inclusion of these words before deciding on a replacement: Pooh, coccyx, vagina, titular, penalize, asinine, hump, and Lake Titicaca.

Hey Corporate Media, "Looting" Is a Racist Code Word

Chloe Cockburn — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 07:45:01 PST

When the news camera captures footage of a Haitian man taking rice, what does it show? Theft? Survival? What if that man is white?

Will the Citizens United Ruling Give Unions As Much Political Power As Corporations? Don't Bet On It.

John Nichols — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 06:45:01 PST

"A union leader who supports the <i>Citizens United</i> ruling is like a steer who talks up a steak restaurant because they're both in the same business."

New All-White Basketball League: Not Racist at All!

Amanda Terkel — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 07:43:01 PST

They just want to play the game the way it was intended: slow and boring.

Why Scott Roeder's Defense in Tiller Murder Case Won't Hold Water

Lindsay Beyerstein — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 06:24:01 PST

Roeder has to prove 4 sketchy arguments.

Laura Flanders GritTV: Can We Scan Ourselves to Safety & Massachusetts Election?

Laura Flanders — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 11:00:01 PST

Liliana Segura and Spencer Ackerman ask if this is just more security theater designed to get us to give up our civil liberties, and Mark Green and Malia Lazu on the Mass Election.

Surprise, Surprise! More Privacy Abuses Under Bush Revealed

Steve Benen — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 11:27:01 PST

Bush administration officials used the cloak of counter-terrorism to abuse civil liberties, ignore the law, and violate Americans' privacy? Imagine that.

On MLK Day, Washington Post Holds Obama Personally Responsible For Not Ushering In Post-Racial Society

Melissa McEwan — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 11:15:01 PST

Why won't Obama give us the post-racial society that the media mendaciously suggested he promised us during the campaign?!

Condemning Luxury Cruises For Docking in Haiti Is Pointless If We Don't Apply the Same Standards Elsewhere

Gwyn Topham — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 10:11:01 PST

The Haitian private beach, in this case reliant on more armed guards than most, is otherwise reminiscent of gated resorts around the world.

Poll: Majority Of Voters Support Total Repeal Of Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Amanda Terkel — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 10:33:01 PST

Only 11 percent believe that DADT makes the military stronger.

Xe Services (Blackwater) Killers' Story Doesn't Add Up

Joshua Holland — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 11:00:01 PST

On it's face, it's kind of ridiculous.

Nudists Endorse TSA Body Scanners: "If Travelers Just Think Of [It] As a Virtual Skinny-Dip ... Everyone Wins!"

Liliana Segura — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 08:30:01 PST

This is enormously silly.

SCOTUS: Prop 8 Trial Will Not Be Broadcast (For Now)

Adam B — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 03:01:01 PST

It is the conservative majority authoring the opinion with the four remaining justices dissenting.

Prop 8 Trial Gets Heated: Are We Winning Yet?

Dante Atkins — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 11:00:01 PST

Yesterday was all about drawing the battle lines. Here's what happened.