Thursday, November 28, 2013

Democracy Now! Daily Digest: A Daily Independent Global News Hour with Amy Goodman & Juan González – Wednesday, 27 November 2013

Democracy Now! Daily Digest: A Daily Independent Global News Hour with Amy Goodman & Juan González – Wednesday, 27 November 2013
Stories:
The Pope Slams "Tyranny" of Capitalism and "Idolatry of Money," But Opposes Shift on Women, Abortion
Pope Francis has used his first major written work to attack capitalism as a "new tyranny," while urging global leaders to fight poverty and inequality. In a document published Tuesday, Pope Francis denounced the 'idolatory of money' and "trickle-down" economic policies, as well as consumerism and a financial system which he says rules rather than serves. The Pope urged politicians to guarantee all citizens “dignified work, education and healthcare." However, the Pope rejected change in two other areas: the ordination of women to the priesthood and the church’s view on abortion. We speak to two dissident priests. Matthew Fox is former Catholic priest who was first stopped from teaching Liberation Theology and Creation Spirituality, then expelled from the Dominican Order. Father Ray Bourgeois is a Catholic priest and the founder of the School of Americas Watch.
TRANSCRIPT
This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Pope Francis has used his first major written work to attack capitalism as "new tyranny," while urging global leaders to fight poverty and inequality in a document published Tuesday. Pope Francis denounced the "idolatry of money" and "trickle-down" economics policies as well as consumerism and a financial system which he says rules rather than serves. The pope urged politicians to guarantee all citizens "dignified work, education, and health care." The pope also criticized the media for how they cover economic issues. He wrote, "How can it be that it is not a news item when an elderly homeless person dies of exposure but it is news when the stock market loses two points?" — In his 84 page document, called "The Joy of the Gospel" the pope called for a more decentralized, less Vatican-focused church that puts the concerns of the poor and the marginalized at its center. However, the pope rejected change in two other areas; the ordination of women to the priesthood and the church’s view on abortion. At a news conference, Bishop Rino Fisichella read part of the document.
BISHOP RINO FISICHELLA: It is essential we recover interpersonal relationships to which we must accord a priority over the technology which seeks to governor relationships as with the remote control deciding where, when, and for how long to meet others on the basis of one’s own preferences. As well as the more usual and more diffused challenges, however, we must be alive to those which impinge more directly on our lives. The sense of daily uncertainty with evil consequences, the various forms of social disparity, the fetishism of money and the dictatorship of a faceless economy. The exasperation of consumption and unbridled consumerism. In short, we find ourselves in the presence of a globalization of indifference and the sneering contempt towards ethics, accompanied by a constant attempt to marginalize every critical warning over the supremacy of the market which with its trickle-down, creates the illusion of helping the poor. If the church, today, appears still highly credible in many countries of the world, even where it is a minority, it is because of her works of charity and solidarity.
AMY GOODMAN: That was Bishop Rino Fisichella reading out part of Pope Francis’ first papal pronouncement. Well, for more we’re joined by two guests, both longtime dissidents within the Catholic Church. In San Francisco, we’re joined by Matthew Fox, author of over two dozen books, most recently, "Letters to Pope Francis: Rebuilding a Church with Justice and Compassion," and "Occupy Spirituality: A Radical Vision for a New Generation." He is a former Catholic priest who was first stopped from teaching liberation theology and creation spirituality by Cardinal Ratzinger, then expelled from the Dominican order to which he had belonged for 34 years. He is currently serves as an Episcopal priest. Via Democracy Now! video stream we’re joined by Father Roy Bourgeois. 2012 the Vatican dismissed Bourgeois from the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers which he served for 45 years over his support of women’s ordination. Father Bourgeois is the founder of the School of the Americas Watch, which just held its annual protest against what is now known as the Western Hemisphere Institute for Southern Cooperation of Fort Benning, Georgia. It used to be called the School of the Americas. The organization was also in Honduras monitoring the recent elections. Father Roy Bourgeois wrote the book "My Journey from Silence to Solidarity." Matthew Fox, Roy Bourgeois, thank you so much for joining us. I want to start with Matthew Fox. You have written this open letter to the Pope calling for rebuilding a church-based on compassion, a radical message. Do you think he delivered that message?
MATTHEW FOX: I think that he delivered a tremendous message yesterday with this document about justice in the world. I think it goes far beyond church reform. I like that, that his perspective is not just about caring for the church, but going beyond and taking on the powerful forces of the economies that we are currently dealing with that he is willing to really critique the economy with strong language and connecting it to the biblical tradition of justice and the prophetic work on behalf of the poor. As he says, priority for the poor is the gospel itself. So, I commend him for that. Obviously, within the church itself, he is still very weak when it comes to women issues. He said, for example a few months ago, we need women theology. Well, my goodness, for 45 years, there has been women in theology. Women have been first ignored and then condemned. In fact, the first objection by Ratzinger to my work, the number one is that I’m a feminist theologian, number two that I call God mother and so forth. So, there has been women in theology for 34 years that the Vatican has turned its back on. So, there’s a lot of work to do in the church itself, but I’m glad that he is thinking beyond the church and he’s seeing the church more as the people of God and not as hierarchy. He is quite strong on that. That was one of the key element of the reform of the Vatican Council that in fact, that previous two popes turned their back on, and as I wrote in my book, "The Pope’s War," really they created a schism because they did turn their back on the preferential option for the poor that the Vatican Council and the Gospels are pretty explicit about that.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Father Roy Bourgeois, you spent many years as a priest in Latin America and this pope is from Latin America. Your sense of his pronouncements now in terms of what the message will reverberate throughout Latin America, especially his call for greater decentralization of the church?
FATHER ROY BOURGEOIS: Yes, first, it is very admirable that Pope Francis is addressing the who issue of laissez faire capitalism and the suffering of the majority of the people of the countries of the world. But, at the same time, I think it is important for Pope Francis to also address, as he refers to, the outcasts that comes about through capitalism, the outcasts in the Roman Catholic Church. I am referring to women who were not treated as equals, who are denied ordination. Also, of course, the cruel and most offensive devout teachings, that of homosexuality, the suffering that it’s caused to gays and lesbians, LGBT. That must be addressed. Also, very important, the pope spent many years in Argentina before becoming pope. He knows about the dirty war. He lived through that, 1976-1983, where School of the Americas graduates did tremendous harm, untold suffering and death there.
We had our annual vigil just this past weekend, some 4000 people gathered from all over the country, students, veterans, lots of nuns and others and others, unionists, peacemakers. We came together to try to close the School of the Americas, now called WHINSEC, that really has enforced a U.S. foreign-policy in Latin America, an issues that he is addressing, capitalism. This school has been all about protecting U.S. economic interests, exploiting cheap labor of these countries, and their natural resources — exploitation is what it is all about. It would be very important also for Pope Francis to get more specific and really join us in our efforts and call for the closing of what he knows in Argentina and throughout Latin America as the School of Assassins.
AMY GOODMAN: I wanted to ask Matthew Fox about Pope Francis’ position on women, on this issue of the ordination of women, not to mention the issues of abortion. Though he had recently issued another statement, though he rejected church’s teachings against abortion, writing, "this defense of unborn life is closely linked to the defense of each and every other human right. It involves the conviction that a human being is always sacred and inviolable in any situation and at every stage of development. Human beings are ends in themselves and never a means of resolving other problems. Precisely because this involves the internal consistency of our message about the value of the human person, the Church cannot be expected to change her position on this question." But, he did warn the Catholics not to make these issues — how would you say he put it, the primary ones?
MATTHEW FOX: That’s right, he said that there’s a certain addiction to the sexual moral issues in the Catholic Church. Certainly, he is spot on with that observation. He said you cannot wrap theology in a condom, which is a pretty vivid way for a pope to speak about the exaggeration around sexual morality, which has become such a litmus test for some Catholics over the last 30 years. So, again, I think he is trying to create some space there. Certainly, this is one reason I think, that this particular pronouncement recently, is essentially about the economic system of the world that are not working except for a few. He is so strong about it that he says that we’ve introduced a new idolatry, a new golden calf, and that we have to say no to it. He is speaking with that prophetic voice of saying no. He also links things nicely. For example, he says that all — whatever is fragile like the environment is defenseless against the deified market. Notice how he is linking the environment and its suffering and pain with the suffering and pain of the poor people around the world. Of course, it is linked. When you don’t have decent soil and forests and air, this obviously affects one’s health and survival just as poverty itself does. So, I think it is quite wise the way that he is bringing in issues far beyond sexual morality.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Matthew Fox, to get back to this whole issue of centralization versus decentralization. Obviously, as a former Jesuit, he understands the important role that the different monastic orders have had within the church, raising sometimes alternative or critical views. Your sense of how serious he is about trying to decentralize one of the most extremely centralized hierarchies in the world?
MATTHEW FOX: Yes. There’s no question he wants to do this. For example, in trying to reform the church, I remember one of the first payments he made was that "The church is in ruins." That’s a quote. Now, that’s also a quote from Saint Francis. But that is strong language. I don’t think he is naive. You know, in Argentina where he comes from, 10% of Catholics are practicing. Ten percent. It is like that in a lot of places in Europe and below that. So, his first step was to appoint a crew of cardinals from around the world to investigate big curia, etc., etc., come up with ideas to reform the church. I think that is one example of his effort to decentralize.
I think also he should be commended for his sense of ecumenism. For two years, in Argentina, as a bishop or cardinal, he sat down with a Rabbi who was also a Ph.D. in science and they dialogued together and they created a book out of it. I think that’s significant because, obviously, the Jewish people are small minority in Argentina. He did not have to do this. But, I think it shows certain humility, that he was learning from this man, learning from his Jewish faith and learning from a scientist. I think he is very sincere about what I would call deep ecumenism or interfaith. I think that could pay dividends as well. In fact, one of the points I make in my book is, I think if he and the Dalai Lama were to go around the world together and speak on each continent to these real moral issues of our time such as poverty and an unjust economic system, such as the ecological crisis, such as gender justice, and he has work to do there in his own church for sure and his own mind, but as part of Francis’ charism he chose the name Francis.
Francis had an incredible consciousness of gender justice. If you read his great poem, "Sister, Moon, Brother, Sun," every sentence goes back and forth between the masculine and feminism. It shows an amazing consciousness of gender justice way back in the thirteenth century. This pope has to catch up to Francis in that regard. I think it is possible he will because as a Jesuit, he is willing to learn. I think that he has this awareness that the church as we know it — and he has been very strong on this — has no future. The form in which we find it is not deep, and the young people have abandoned it, for good reason. And yet, I think he is calling on the real meaning of church as the people, like this young man who was just on previously in the program for real people standing up for justice and speaking truth to power. That is going on with the Occupy movement and it could go on with an unleashing of spiritual energy for a revolution of values. I see he and the Dalai Lama together could help put wind in the sail of all these grass roots groups such as Father Roy Bourgeois’ brilliant witness for 40 years and more, to put wind in the sail of grassroots groups where things are really going to change.
AMY GOODMAN: I want to read more from the paper of Pope Francis paper. He wrote "Some people continue to defend trickle down theories which assume that economic growth encouraged by a free market will inevitable succeed in bringing about greater justice and inclusiveness in the world. This opinion, which has never been confirmed by the facts, expresses a crude and naive trust in the goodness of those wielding economic power and in the sacralized workings of the prevailing economic system. Father Roy Bourgeois?
FATHER ROY BOURGEOIS: The word inclusiveness is very important. Let me just say, just to add onto to what Matthew was saying also, I think it is very important to remind ourselves in this conversation and future conversations of something very important which really is at the very core of the crisis in the Roman Catholic Church today. And it is this; the Pope, Pope Francis as we know, is male, a man. He is the leader of an all-male clerical culture that has dominated the Roman Catholic Church for centuries. He and the men in this all-male clerical culture that I have been a member of for 46 years, we have claimed and continue to claim that only we as men can speak for God. Only we, in a sense, can interpret the holy Scriptures and know the will of God. Therein lies a serious problem. Women are viewed — and I say this with great sadness, as a Catholic priest, it saddens me to see this, and this all male clerical culture — women are viewed as lesser than men as expressed in the church’s teaching. Only men can be ordained. Women are not worthy. And also very important, gays and lesbians are seen as lesser than straight.
What’s very important, I think Pope Francis must simply come out to his 1.2 million Catholics — billion Catholics, and say, we are all created of equal worth and dignity. We do not have this inclusiveness in the Roman Catholic Church. Therein lies the problem. And because we are all equal and worth and dignity, we must change the church’s teaching, beginning — I highly recommend that our viewers go to the Catechism of the Catholic Church which talks about the church’s official doctrines and teachings. Some of them, especially dealing with women and homosexuality, I would refuse to read on the air. It is so offensive it’s so cruel. It leads to suffering and in some when it comes to the homosexuality teachings, to suicide, to people becoming so shamed they take their lives. The Pope must get serious and start talking about inclusiveness in the Catholic Church.
AMY GOODMAN: I want to thank you both for being with us. Obviously this is a continuing discussion. Father Roy Bourgeois speaking to us from School of the Americas Watch, just outside Fort Benning, Georgia, which just held its annual protest against U.S. Army School of the Americas. I also want to thank Matthew Fox for joining us, author of over two dozen books, most recently, "Letters to Pope Francis: Rebuilding a Church with Justice and Compassion," and "Occupy Spirituality: A Radical Vision for a New Generation." This is Democracy Now! When we come back, we will look at the Supreme Court taking up the case of whether for-profit corporations must cover birth control in the health insurance they provide for their employees under Obamacare. Stay with us.
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Plea to End Deportations Heard Nationwide as Activist Interrupts Obama Speech on Immigration
Two days after he interrupted a speech by President Obama, Ju Hong, an immigrant rights activist from South Korea, joins us to talk about how Obama’s immigration policies have impacted him. As Obama continued his campaign for comprehensive immigration reform with a speech in San Francisco, Hong interrupted him to call for an end to deportations. Obama then turned around to address him directly, and Hong continued talking. Those who placed Hong behind Obama during the speech may not have realized he is one of the most outspoken young immigrant activists in California. He has been arrested previously during immigration protests — most recently over the summer when he opposed the confirmation of former Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano as president of the University of California system. Hong is a member of ASPIRE — Asian Students Promoting Immigrant Rights Through Education. "I thought about my family, I thought about my personal struggle as undocumented, and I thought about my friends and my communities who have been deported and who are currently in detention centers," Hong says about why he spoke out. "I felt I was compelled to tell the truth to President Obama that he has the ability stop the deportations for all."
TRANSCRIPT
This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: We begin today’s show looking at President Obama’s push for Congress to pass an immigration reform bill before the end of the year. A comprehensive package has passed the Senate but remains stalled in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. On Monday, Obama continued his campaign with a speech in San Francisco, where he was engaged by an audience member who interrupted him to call for an end to deportations. What made this interruption unusual was the young man was one of the people who was chosen to stand behind Obama, so he was almost on mic. Obama then turned around to address him directly, and the young man continued talking, pleading for president Obama to stop separating families. The person was later identified as an undocumented immigrant from South Korea named Ju Hong. In a minute, he will join us to talk about what he did. But first, this is their full exchange.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: If we get immigration reform across the finish line, and it is there just within our grasp, if we can just get folks in Washington to go ahead and do what needs to be done, we are going to grow our economy, make are going to make our country more security, we’ll strengthen our families. And most importantly, we will live a —
JU HONG: Mr. Obama, I need to know —
PRESIDENT OBAMA: —- most importantly, we will live -—
JU HONG: — our families are separating — Thanksgiving.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: —- most importantly, we will live up -—
JU HONG: — I have not seen my family [Indiscernible]
PRESIDENT OBAMA: —- to our character as a nation -—
JU HONG: Our families are separated. I need your help . There are thousand of undocumented immigrants are torn apart —
PRESIDENT OBAMA: That is exactly what we’re talking about here —
JU HONG: —- every single day -—
PRESIDENT OBAMA:That is why we are here —
JU HONG: Mr. President, please use your executive order to halt deportations for all 11.5 [million] undocumented immigrants right now.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: What we’re —
JU HONG: We agree —
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Obama! Obama! Obama!
JU HONG: ... that we need to pass comprehensive immigration reform at the same time. You have a power to stop deportation for all undocumented [Indiscernible] at this time.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Actually, I don’t. That is why we’re here.
JU HONG: So please, I need your help.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Stop deportation!
JU HONG: Stop deportation! Stop deportation! Stop deportation!
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Don’t worry about it, guys. Let me finish.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Stop deportation! Yes we can! Stop deportation!
PRESIDENT OBAMA: These guys don’t need to go. Let me finish. No, no, no. He can stay there. Let me —- [Applause]. Hold on a second. I respect the passion of these young people because they feel deeply about the concerns for their families. Now what you need to know, when I am speaking as president of the United States and I come to this community, is that if in fact I could solve all of these problems without passing laws in Congress, then I would do so. But we’re also a nation of laws. That’s part of our tradition. And so the easy way out is to try to yell and pretend like I can do something by violating our laws. What I’m proposing is the harder path which is to use our Democratic processes to achieve the same goal that you want to achieve, but it won’t be as easy as just shouting. It requires us lobbying and getting it done. So -—
AMY GOODMAN: President Obama responding to the young immigrant activist Ju Hong. Those who placed Ju Hong behind President Obama during the speech may not have realized he is one of the California Bay Area’s most outspoken young immigrant activists. Ju Hong has been arrested previously during immigration protests, most recently, over the summer when he opposed the confirmation of former Homeland security Secretary Janet Napolitano as president of the University of California system. Ju Hong is a member of ASPIRE — Asian students promoting immigrant rights or education. He graduated from UC Berkeley in 2012, currently pursuing a master’s degree in public administration at San Francisco State University. He is joining us now from the University of Berkeley. Welcome to Democracy Now! Ju Hong, talk about that moment, first how you came to be right right behind President Obama, part of his backdrop, and then what your message was.
JU HONG: So, I was informally invited by the White House to attend his remarks on immigration reform in San Francisco and my intention was to hear what he had to say, especially about how he is going to address the lives of 11.5 million undocumented people who are living in this country facing fear of deportation on a daily basis, including my family. However, he did not address wrongdoing against undocumented immigrant family members he have done. He did not have any concrete examples to pass comprehensive immigration reform. When he talked about Thanksgiving and spending time with families and Thanksgiving, I thought of my own family. I was concerned about my mom’s safety. I was concerned about my sister safety, because they could get deported at any given period of time because of anti-immigration deportation programs that was implemented by Obama administration. So, I thought about my family. I thought about my personal struggle as undocumented. I thought about my friends in my communities who have been deported and are currently in detention centers. I felt that I was compelled to tell the truth to the President Obama that he has ability to stop the deportations for all 11.5 million undocumented immigrants, but he did not do so. And I think that his response was very disappointing because he is treating me like a child. He did not adequately address my question. In fact, he lied to the public that he doesn’t have power to stop deportations when he does. So I think that —
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Ju Hong, if I can ask you, again, this issue of how you ended up behind the podium? The people who are chosen usually by the White House to be behind the podium are usually — you would assume — are vetted in some way or another to make sure that these kinds of interruptions don’t happen. So, how was it that you ended up being invited to stand behind the president?
JU HONG: Sure. I was actually selected randomly at the day of, and like I said, I was there to, just to hear what President Obama had to say. I did not have any plan to interrupt his speech, but then again, I was very compelled to speak out the truth about what is happening in our community.
AMY GOODMAN: Ju Hong, after you interrupted President Obama at his speech, he continued with his vow to press ahead on immigration reform. I want to go to another clip. This is from the end of President Obama’s speech where he seems to be addressing you directly again.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: And if you are serious about making that happen, then I’m ready to work with you — [Applause] But, it is going to require work. It is not simply a matter of us just saying, we are going to violate the law. That is not our tradition. The great thing about this country is we have this wonderful process of democracy and sometimes it is messy and sometimes it is hard, but ultimately, justice and truth win out.
AMY GOODMAN: Ju Hong, your response?
JU HONG: First of all, he is not violating the law if — because he has the power to stop deportation. He can use his executive order to stop deportation and that is not violating the law. I think that the law itself is wrong and currently inhumane. I think the current law is affecting me and my family in an unjust way. For example, in 2010, my family’s home was burglarized and my door was broken, my windows were completely shattered, and my important belongings were gone. We were terrified. We wanted to contact the police immediately, but my mom said, do not contact police, what if we get deported? This is something that we go through every single day. We have the fear and we have no protection and uncertainty. This is not just me. I know that 11.5 million undocumented immigrants are facing fear of deportation. I am very disappointed the fact that President Obama is supporting comprehensive immigration reform, but behind the door, he is deporting thousands of other undocumented immigrant family members, tearing apart every single day. He deported one point million undocumented immigrant families across the country which is — he deport more people than any other U.S. president in the history. And every single day, 100,000 immigrants are getting deported because of anti-immigration deportation measure under Obama administration.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Ju Hong, tell us about your story. How did your family come here? How did you become undocumented? When did you learn you were undocumented?
JU HONG: Sure. I was born and raised in South Korea until I was 11 years old. Our family owned a small Japanese restaurant in South Korea. But, unfortunately, it did not really work out — our business. We gave up the business and we filed bankruptcy and one year after my mom and dad decided to divorce and ever since then, I grew up with my mom and my older sister, barely surviving our home country in South Korea. So, my mom decided to move to the United States in 2001 to seek a better life for me and my older sister. Ever since then I grew up just like many other American students. I went to public school, spoke English, and joined many different student activities. Most importantly, I had a dream to go to college. But during my senior year in high school while I was filling out my college applications, there was a section where it requires citizenship status and Social Security number and I did not know what to put. I asked my mom about it. That’s when she told me everything about our immigration status, that we came here with a tourist visa and she extended it for an additional six months, and within 12 months, she tried to adjust our immigration status but it did not work out, and we became undocumented. When I find out my immigration status, it was definitely depressing because of all of the limitations that I have to go through. I thought that I cannot go to college. All those limitations made me became a different person. At the same time, I think that a lot of nonprofit organizations help me out in terms of how to go to college and educate me about AB540 the Dream Act. There are many different legislations that could help me with a pathway to citizenship. The more I learn about immigration issues, I believe that President Obama and his administration is not doing his job and their job to support our community.
AMY GOODMAN: In September, President Obama ruled out halting the deportation of undocumented immigrant parents of children who were granted a reprieve last year like you, Ju Hong. Under the deferred action program, the White House has suspended the deportations of young immigrants who are brought to the U.S. at an early age and have lived without legal status. But, speaking to Telemundo, Obama said it would be too extreme a measure to grant the same relief to their parents.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: What we can do is then carve out the Dream Act folks, saying young people who have basically grown up here are Americans that we should welcome. We are not going to have them operate under a cloud, under a shadow. But if we start broadening that, then essentially, I would be ignoring the law in a way that I think would be very difficult to defend legally. So, that is not an option.
AMY GOODMAN: That is President Obama. Ju Hong, if you could quickly respond to that, and then we want to ask about your protest that you were arrested for the summer.
JU HONG: Just quickly before I directly answer your question, I just want to mention that because of courageous undocumented immigrant youth throughout the country who spoke out and shared their stories and held rallies and events but even conducting civil disobedience actions and hunger strike, that is why President Obama introduced DACA program which allows certain undocumented students to halt deportations for at least two years and get a work permit, work authorization. And to directly answer your question —
AMY GOODMAN: Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.
JU HONG: That’s correct. I think that he is just using political talking points to not supporting undocumented immigrant family members. The fact of the matter is, DACA recipients have family members who are getting deported and they’re getting separated every single day. So, what he needs to do right now is to expand DACA for all 11.5 million undocumented immigrant people. That is the only way to reunite with the families, and that is the right way to solve our broken immigration system as we continue to pressure Congress to pass a fair and just immigration reform.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Ju Hong, I wanted to ask you, this is not your first protest that you have been involved in over immigration. Former Department of Homeland Secretary, Janet Napolitano, was recently confirmed as head of the University of California system. Last month following criticism for policies on immigration, she vowed to authorized 5 million dollars in university funds to help undocumented students who cannot get federal financial aid. You were one of six people who were arrested at the University of California Regents meeting as they confirmed Janet Napolitano in July. You were wearing that same blue T-shirt that says "I am undocumented." Why did you choose to take direct action against Janet Napolitano’s nomination or confirmation?
JU HONG: Well, Janet Napolitano does not fit into the president of the UC system because of terrible record of what she has done to our community. Because under her leadership, she deported 1.8 million undocumented immigrant family members across the country. She is proud of the fact that what she has done. She said in the public she supports the Dream Act, but in closed doors she deport people left and right. I think the UC undocumented students are genuinely scared of Janet Napolitano as the next president of the UC system and she doesn’t have any leading position in the education. I think that — she has tried to, recently provided $5 million aid to undocumented immigrants, but I think that is just political will for her to ease out the protesters and try to make her image as a positive figure. But, the fact of the matter is, the $5 million not substitute of how much pain that she caused for our community. She will never substitute the pain and suffering and fear that every single undocumented immigrant face that she has caused in our community. If she really care about immigrant communities, I think she should first publicly apologized to our community, and second, I think she should bring back undocumented immigrant people that she deported, and third, she should respectfully resign as the next president of UC system.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, Ju Hong, I thank you for being with us and we will continue to, of course, follow the immigration issue. This is Democracy Now! When we come back, though, we are going talk about Pope Francis and his message to the world. Stay with us.
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Religious Rights for Corporations? Supreme Court Takes Up Challenge to Contraception Coverage
The Supreme Court has agreed to take on cases that could decide if corporations can ignore parts of federal law based on the religious beliefs of their owners. The cases center around the controversy over whether for-profit corporations must fully cover birth control in the health insurance they provide for their employees. Two companies — Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood — object to provisions in the Affordable Care Act requiring companies to provide contraceptive coverage in employees’ health plans. The firms say they oppose birth control mandates on religious grounds. The case could force a re-hashing of the landmark Citizens United decision, which ruled companies have freedom of expression rights that allow unlimited spending on political campaigns. The court could now decide whether companies also have religious freedom rights. We are joined by Brigitte Amiri, senior staff attorney with the Reproductive Freedom Project at the American Civil Liberties Union.
TRANSCRIPT
This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: On Thursday the Supreme Court announced it will wade into the controversy over whether for-profit corporations must cover birth control in the health insurance they provide for their employees. The Obama administration argues that under the Affordable Care Act, an employee’s decision to use her health coverage to pay for particular service cannot be attributed to her employer. It’s also said contraceptive coverage is key to ensuring both public health and women’s equality. In one of two cases the court will hear, known as the Conestoga Wood case, a Mennonite furniture business wants the court to determine whether the birth control requirement violates both the Religious Freedom and Restoration Act, and the Company’s rights under the First Amendment.
AMY GOODMAN: The court will also hear case brought by a Hobby Lobby, a chain of arts and crafts stores with more than 13,000 employees. We’re joined right now by Brigitte Amiri. She’s the senior staff attorney with the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project. She has been following these issues closely. It is good to have you with us. Can you just layout the significance of the court taking up this case?
BRIGITTE AMIRI: Sure, I think the case is very significant for several reasons. I think this is the first time that we will have the Supreme Court decide whether religious liberty rights can be used to trump anti-discrimination laws. The ACLU have been filing briefs in this case arguing that those religious liberty rights cannot trump anti-discrimination law as the company’s arguing here.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Now, at the heart of this is whether a corporation is, again, a person in terms of religious freedom, but isn’t the whole idea of creating a corporation that you will create an entity separate from you as an individual?
BRIGITTE AMIRI: Certainly one of the questions in the cases is whether a corporation is a person under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The courts in the appeals courts have been split on this issue. So, it is also important that the high court is going to resolve this issue. Certainly, that is one of the big issues in this case. The ACLU has argued that even if a corporation could have religious liberty rights, those corporations cannot invoke their religious beliefs to take away a benefit from their female employees.
AMY GOODMAN: What does this mean for the Affordable Care Act?
BRIGITTE AMIRI: For the larger Affordable Care Act, I’m not sure exactly how far the repercussions will be felt. Certainly if the government is successful in the Supreme Court, that will be tremendous. Not just the millions of women who stand to benefit from the contraceptive coverage, but also will put an end to any sort of argument that corporations could use their religious beliefs to try to carve out other services too that they might disagree with.
AMY GOODMAN: What if an employer didn’t like the fact that you had AIDS, and so they said, I’m not going to cover AIDS drugs?
BRIGITTE AMIRI: That is one of the real possibilities that if the court doesn’t side with the government here or if a Jehovah witness owns a company and they decide not to cover blood transfusions. There is a long line of very dangerous precedent, all of which would undermine the Affordable Care Act’s goal of ensuring health care for all Americans.
AMY GOODMAN: Let’s go quickly to the Hobby Lobby founder and CEO, David Green, who challenged the law. This is the case that’s going to the Supreme Court. He is talking about his company’s position in a video posted online.
STEVE GREEN: The beliefs we have that we have grown up with all our lives, are convictions that we have that we live by personally, and as we have ran our business, we feel the obligation or the desire that we want to use those same principles within our business. It would not be consistent for us to live one way at home and then accept a different way at work.
DAVID GREEN: We do everything we possibly can to be a help to our employees of how that they can structure their life based on biblical principles. It is not something that is forced on anybody, but it is there for them if they would like.
AMY GOODMAN: Brigitte Amiri, if you could respond?
BRIGITTE AMIRI: Sure, absolutely. Everyone is entitled to their own religious beliefs and are free to worship in whatever way they choose. But, when you decide to open a business and employ 13,000 employees as Hobby Lobby who does, then you don’t have the right to use those religious beliefs to take away a benefit from those employees just as you would not have a right to discriminate against them based on their sex or their sexual orientation.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: You mentioned before the contradictory appeals court decisions. In the two decisions, what did the courts rule each way?
BRIGITTE AMIRI: They are split in their determination. So, the Hobby Lobby court out of the 10th Circuit held that corporations are persons under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and also that Hobby Lobby was likely to fully succeed on the merits of their case by showing that their religion was burdened and there was no compelling government interest to justify that burden. The Conestoga Wood case found the opposite in answering the threshold question that corporations are not people capable of exercising religious liberty rights.
AMY GOODMAN: What is your prediction?
BRIGITTE AMIRI: It is really hard to say. We obviously don’t know what the Supreme Court does any time they take a case. We hope that the Supreme Court will follow a long line of cases over the last several decades that have held that you can’t use religious liberty to trump anti-discrimination laws.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, we want to thank you for being with us, Brigitte Amiri, Senior Staff Attorney with the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project. That does it for our show. First we want to congratulate our camera man, Carlo De Jesus and his new wife Lisa. They were married over the weekend. We wish them a very happy holiday in the Philippines, though that may be a little tough given the weather there. And a very early happy birthday to Steve Martinez and Deena Guzder.
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Three More NYC Contractors Found Guilty in Massive CityTime Scandal to Modernize Payroll System
Three computer consultants were found guilty on Friday of multiple charges for defrauding New York City of millions of dollars in the largest corruption case in city history. Private consultants were found guilty of siphoning tens of millions of dollars in kickbacks from the scandal-ridden $700 million CityTime payroll project. Last year, the project’s main contractor, SAIC, was forced to repay the city $500 million as part of a deferred prosecution agreement. Meanwhile, a top SAIC official is poised to become the next Secretary of the Air Force. The Senate is expected to soon hold a confirmation vote for Deborah Lee James who was in charge of “corporate responsibility” at SAIC at the time of the CityTime scandal. We get an update on the story from Democracy Now! co-host Juan González, who originally broke the story in the New York Daily News.
TRANSCRIPT
This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: Before we go on to our first story, the story you exposed, the CityTime scandal in New York, the largest in New York history, more people have just been convicted.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Yes, on Friday afternoon, a jury took — a federal jury in Manhattan federal court took 10 hours to convict three of the masterminds of the CityTime fraud, a massive fraud. Mark Mazer, Gerard Denault and Dimitri Aronshtein. They are now the sixth, seventh, and eighth people who have been found guilty in this massive conspiracy that went on for almost a decade with contractors for New York City who were creating a payroll system, stealing tens of millions of dollars. In fact, the main contractor, SAIC, the defense contractor, ended up paying the city of New York back $500 million and then federal authorities seized — they say now they have seized about $40 million more in assets from the criminal conspiracy. So, altogether, the taxpayers have recouped $540 million. I started the articles in late 2009 and early 2010. By the end of 2010, the New York City Department of Investigations and then the federal prosecutor, Preet Bharara, then began arresting people. Altogether, 11 people were arrested in the conspiracy. Eight have now been convicted, 2 of them fled to India with about $35 million that they took with them when they fled to India. One subsequently died before the trial. So, it has been a really amazing saga, of one after another.
AMY GOODMAN: And CityTime was providing?
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Interestingly, it was supposed to be a payroll and timekeeping system to make sure that the 300,000 city workers did not cheat on her hours. And it was the people who are developing the system to assure that the city workers weren’t cheating who are robbing the taxpayers of hundreds of millions of dollars.
AMY GOODMAN: You also write about President Obama’s nominee for Secretary of the Air Force, Deborah Lee James.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Yes, Deborah Lee James was — President Obama has named her to be Secretary of the Air Force and she was a chief executive of SAIC, the main company who ended up paying back $500 million, and it was actually in charge of ethics and integrity at SAIC at the time that all of these contractors were arrested by federal authorities. So, the idea that President Obama would nominate her now to be in charge of the Air Force and passing or approving the purchase of missiles and planes when she could not even do well in terms of assuring the integrity of one contract in New York City is really astounding. But, the Senate has still to vote on her nomination.
AMY GOODMAN: And, of course we will continue to follow the story.
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HEADLINES:
Supreme Court Takes Up Challenge to Contraception Mandate
The Supreme Court has agreed to take on cases that could decide if corporations can ignore parts of federal law based on the religious beliefs of their owners. The cases center around the controversy over whether for-profit corporations must fully cover birth control in the health insurance they provide for their employees. Two companies — Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood — object to provisions in the Affordable Care Act requiring companies to provide contraceptive coverage in employees’ health plans. The firms say they oppose birth control mandates on religious grounds. The case could force a re-hashing of the landmark Citizens United decision, which ruled companies have freedom of expression rights that allow unlimited spending on political campaigns. The court could now decide whether companies also have religious freedom rights.
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U.S. Flies B-52s in Zone Claimed by China
The United States has flown two warplanes over the disputed East China Sea, defying a recent edict from China. The Chinese government said over the weekend it must be notified of any flights over part of the small island chain that is also claimed by Japan. The Pentagon says it flew two B-52 bombers as part of a previously scheduled exercise. The United States, Japan and several other governments have rejected China’s claim to an "air defense zone" over the area.
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U.S. Warns Karzai over Delay of Security Pact
The Obama administration continues to warn Afghanistan of an early pullout of U.S. forces if it fails to ratify a security pact by the end of the year. Afghan President Hamid Karzai is seeking to delay his signature, calling for an end to U.S. home raids and the release of prisoners from Guantánamo Bay. National Security Advisor Susan Rice issued a warning to Karzai after meeting with him in Kabul.
Susan Rice: "If the agreement isn’t signed promptly, what I said to the president is we would have no choice; we would be compelled by necessity not by our preference, to have to begin to plan for the prospect that we will not be able to keep our troops here because they will not be invited because the BSA will not have been signed. And then the nature of our partnership and the investments we have made would be more difficult to sustain."
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Egypt Charges 2 Activists for Demonstrating Against Protest Law
A prosecutor in Egypt has ordered the arrest of two leading activists after they took part in demonstrations against a sweeping new anti-protest law. Ahmed Maher is a founder of the April 6 youth movement, which played a key role in the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak during the 2011 uprising. Both he and the prominent Egyptian blogger Alaa Abdel Fattah attended protests outside the Egyptian parliament Tuesday where at least two dozen others were reportedly detained. The new law forces protesters to obtain seven different permits in order to hold public rallies, making protests all but impossible. In Geneva, a spokesperson for the United Nations high commissioner for human rights criticized the measure.
Rupert Colville: "The High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay is today warning that a new law regulating demonstrations in Egypt, which was announced on Sunday, could lead to serious breaches of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly. She states unequivocally for a range of reasons that the law should be amended. Of particular concern are the provisions on the use of force by law enforcement officials and the excessive sanctions, including massive fines as well as prison sentences, that can be imposed on those found to be in breach of this law."
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Honduran Students Protest Election Results
Protests are continuing in Honduras over the contested presidential election. Right-wing ruling party candidate Juan Orlando Hernández has named his transition team after election officials said he had an irreversible lead in the vote. But supporters of his challenger, Xiomara Castro, wife of ousted President Manuel Zelaya, have denounced the results as fraudulent. Hundreds of students took to the streets of the capital Tegucigalpa Tuesday where they faced tear gas from riot police. A student activist rejected the results of Sunday’s election.
Geraldina Carbajal: "We, the students, are here to protest the election fraud that happened on Sunday November 24. They didn’t respect the decisions of the people. We as students have the responsibility to take to the streets to inspire the people to not accept the fraud. We know that Juan Orlando paid the tribunal off so that they would declare him president."
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Report: NSA Collected Data on Muslim Targets’ Online Sexual Activity
New leaks from Edward Snowden show the National Security Agency has gathered records on the online sexual activity of Muslim targets in a bid to discredit them. The Huffington Post reports the NSA has identified at least six Muslim leaders whose speeches have the potential to radicalize their audiences with an "extremist message." None are accused of involvement in terror plots. The NSA has apparently collected evidence of their online activity, including visits to pornography sites in a bid to undermine their credibility or intimidate them into silence. It is unclear if the NSA carried out any of its plans.
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Microsoft Develops New Encryption over NSA Fears
Microsoft is reportedly developing a new project to encrypt its online traffic over fears of National Security Agency surveillance. The Washington Post reports Microsoft is expanding its encryption based on concerns the NSA has broken into its global communications links. It emerged last month the NSA has tapped into the private networks of Microsoft rivals Google and Yahoo.
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U.N. Panel Advances Anti-Surveillance Measure
A United Nations panel has advanced a landmark measure affirming rights against unwarranted government surveillance. Germany and Brazil drafted the resolution after the leaks of Edward Snowden showed widespread U.S. spying abroad. The U.N. General Assembly’s Third Committee approved it by consensus on Tuesday, setting up a full General Assembly vote next month. The German Ambassador to the United Nations, Peter Wittig, spoke after Tuesday’s vote.
Peter Wittig: "For the first time, in the framework of the United Nations, this resolution unequivocally states that the same rights that people have off-line must also be protected online. It also emphasizes that unlawful and arbitrary surveillance and the interception of communications are highly intrusive acts that violate the right to privacy and may also violate the freedom of expression. Furthermore, the resolution expresses deep concern at the negative impact that various forms of extra-territorial surveillance may have on the exercise and enjoyment of human rights."
The spying measure was weakened at the request of the United States and Britain. The original draft said foreign surveillance could amount to "human rights violations and abuses." But after objections from the United States and Britain, the text was changed to express concern over the "negative impact" of surveillance on human rights.
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CIA Used Secret Guantánamo Site to Recruit Double Agents
A new investigation has revealed the CIA kept a secret detention center at Guantánamo Bay to turn prisoners into double agents. According to the Associated Press, CIA agents used the facility "Penny Lane" to recruit prisoners and then send them back home to kill suspected terrorists. The prisoners were given cottages equipped with private kitchens, showers and real beds. At least one prisoner was forced to comply after CIA agents threatened to harm his children. The double agents were paid millions of dollars before the program ended in 2006.
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30 Haitian Migrants Die in Boat Wreck
At least 30 Haitian migrants have been found dead at sea after their boat capsized off the Bahamas. Bahamian forces and the U.S. Coast Guard rescued 110 people, including 60 who were clinging to the ship. The passengers were trying to make it to the United States. They are being held at the Coral Harbor military base and face likely deportation.
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CARICOM Urges Dominican Republic to Repeal Denial of Citizenship to Haitians
Caribbean countries have voted to stall the membership effort of the Dominican Republican in the regional group CARICOM over a court ruling cracking down on Haitian residents. The Dominican Constitutional Court issued a decision in September denying citizenship rights to thousands of Haitian descendants. On Tuesday, CARICOM members called on the Dominican government to override the ruling.
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Cuba Halts Consular Services in the U.S.
Cuba says it is shutting down most consular services in the United States after getting shunned by all major banks. The Cuban government says it was dropped by M&T Bank after the firm closed the last of its accounts serving foreign missions. Cuba says it has been unable to find another bank to replace M&T because of restrictions under the U.S. embargo. The shutdown could effect the travel plans of hundreds of people seeking to visit Cuba over the holidays.
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Study: U.S. Underestimating Methane Emissions
A new study warns methane emissions in the United States are far higher than the government claims. According to Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, the United States released 49 million tons of methane in 2008, compared to an estimate of 32 million by the Environmental Protection Agency. The study’s co-author, Anna Michalak, said: "The total U.S. impact on the world’s energy budget is different than we thought, and it’s worse."
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CBS News Correspondent, Producer Forced to Take Leave over Benghazi Report
CBS News has forced correspondent Lara Logan and producer Max McClellan to take a leave of absence over a discredited report on the deadly attack on the U.S. diplomatic site in Benghazi, Libya. Logan was forced to apologize after the claims of her source, security contractor Dylan Davies, proved to be false. Davies claimed to be an eyewitness to the attack but it turned out he was not there. In an internal review, a CBS executive found that Logan should not have been assigned to cover the Benghazi attack because of her public call for a U.S. military response.
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