Transcripts For LINKTV Democracy Now 20141126 : comparemela.

Protest. G to we going to shut down the system. We want to make a content just decision to opt out of the system. We also hear from the rev. Al sharpton and benjamin crump, attorney for the brown family. Then we speak to Ricky Jackson who has just been freed from prison after spending 39 years behind bars for a crime he didnt commit. How does it feel . I am very happy. No words can describe how i feel right now. Just glad to be out. He is a longest holding prisoner ever to be exonerated. All that and more, coming up. Welcome to democracy now, democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. Protests are set to begin for a third day a row in ferguson, missouri over grangers decision not to indict officer Darren Wilson for killing unarmed black teenager Michael Brown. Dessert governor jay nixon to play more than 2000 National Guard troops to patrol the st. Louis area. Police said more than 40 people were arrested. Some Property Damage was reported, before less than monday night when buildings were burned and broken into. Protests against Police Brutality erupted in more than 170 cities across the United States. In los angeles, more than 100 people were arrested. From oakland, california to providence, rhode island, protesters walked on to major highways and shut them down. Blockedork, protesters traffic across the city including at the lincoln tunnel, the manhattan bridge, williamsburg bridge, and the queens midtown tunnel. More than 1000 protesters marched on the fdr drive, one point shutting down traffic in both directions. Protester henoc montes was among those who rallied in times square. Voicing our opinions little harder today and making sure we are a little louder. Which is why we decided to push us and get out their shields and throw pepper spray and all this nonsense and arrest people. Im happy to see everybody at least attempting to be part of this. It is good. Something new is happening in the city. I just hope we can all keep it up. I hope this is a lifetime thing and not just this week. Next i protested new york came on the heels of mondays protest when demonstrator shut down Three Bridges and through fake blood onto the new York City Police commissioner. President obama responded to the unrest in ferguson tuesday by calling for calm and remarks that restrict contrast to his more impassioned remarks last year on the killing of trayvon martin. Obama condemned the destruction of property by some protesters in ferguson. For have no sympathy at all destroying euro and communities. But for the overwhelming majority of people who just feel becauseed and pained they get a sense that maybe some communities arent treated fairly or some individuals arent seen as worthy as others. I understand that. I want to work with you and i want to move forward with you. Your president will be right there with you. Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson has spoken publicly for the First Time Since he fatally shot Michael Brown. In an interview broadcast on abc news, wilson recounted how he shot brown repeatedly because he feared for his life. He was interviewed by george stephanopoulous. Is there anything you couldve done differently that would have prevented that killing from taking place . No. Nothing . No. And youre convinced when you look through your heart and mind that if Michael Brown were white, this would have gone down exactly the same way . Yes. No question . No question. Stephanopoulos also asked wilson whether the killing of Michael Brown would always haunt him. I dont think it is haunting. It will always be something that happened. You have a very clean conscience. I know i did my job right. In his testimony, released after the grand jury decision, wilson compares Michael Brown to a demon, and says he when i grabbed him, the only way i can describe it is i felt like a fiveyearold holding onto hulk hogan. Protests are by the grantors decision not to indict wilson are set to continue as a national day of action planned for black friday, the biggest Consumer Holiday of the year. Active is our organizing a National Boycott of retail venues and protests against Police Brutality. The actions will coincide with a wave of actions by walmart workers who are demanding a 15anhour wage and the right to form a union. This year marks the third time in a row walmart workers have gone on strike on black friday, and organizers say it will be their biggest action to date. In syria, the regime of the shyla side has bombarded the raqqa, killingf at least any five people. According to the syrian observatory for human rights, more than half of those killed were civilians. Its one of the deadliest attacks to hit raqqa in years. In southwestern pakistan, gunmen have killed three female pakistani polio workers and their driver. Militants have targeted Health Workers in such attacks after it was revealed the cia used a Fake Vaccination Program to help locate osama bin laden. Meanwhile, a u. S. Drone strike killed seven people in the region of north waziristan. Officials said the dead were suspected militants. In yemen, u. S. Commandoes have conducted a raid alongside yemeni troops to rescue eight hostages held in a cave by an al qaeda affiliate. The United States reportedly intervened at the behest of yemens president to rescue the hostages, who included yemeni citizens, a saudi and an ethiopian. At least seven militants were reportedly killed in the raid. In nigeria, a double suicide bombing has killed more than 40 people in the northeastern city of maiduguri. The bombers were two teenage girls who entered a bustling marketplace before blowing themselves up. Suspicion has centered on the militant group boko haram. In sierra leone, striking burial workers in the eastern town of kenema have dumped the bodies of ebola victims at the entrance to a hospital in an act of protest over pay. The workers say they have not received their weekly hazard payments in nearly two months despite the dangers of their work. Officials said the workers would be fired for mistreating the bodies. The protest comes as dr. Aiah solomon konoyeima has become the eighth Sierra Leonean doctor to contracted ebola. All seven others have died. In the United States, michelle flournoy, who was considered the top contender to replace outgoing defense secretary chuck hagel, has taken herself out of the running for the post. Citing family concerns, flournoy said she would keep her position as head of the center for a new american security, a think tank with close pentagon ties which receives key financial backing from military contractors. The move comes after another possible contender, rhode island democratic senator jack reed, also removed his name from consideration. Obama announced hagels departure monday after pressuring him to resign, but he will stay on until a replacement is confirmed. The United States is reportedly poised to increase the number of u. S. Troops its keeping in afghanistan next year. In may, obama vowed to reduce u. S. Troop levels to 9,800 by the end of this year, with further reductions to come. But according to reuters, the administration will instead add up to 1,000 extra troops in order to bridge a gap left by other members of the nato coalition. Countries that have left. The move came after obama signed a secret order to broaden and extend the u. S. Role in afghanistan, contradicting his earlier promise the u. S. Military would have no combat role in afghanistan next year. A United Nations panel has adopted a resolution expressing concern about mass surveillance. The proposal was drafted by germany and brazil, which, according to revelations by edward snowden, have both been subjected to extensive u. S. Spying. But the measure was toned down following pressure from the United States, britain, and other allies. A reference to the intrusive nature of collecting metadata details like which phone numbers were involved in a call and how long the call lasted was spiked. Brazils deputy ambassador to the u. N. Said the measure could have been stronger. The consensus was reached, but it is important to recall the compromises that were made to achieve such an outcome. References to the principles of necessity and proportionality or not as strong as they should have been. Surveillance programs, as in the activity that poses a threat to human rights, should be necessary and proportionate to the pursuance of legitimate names. As some members were not in a position to acknowledge these basic principles of international law, we could not affirm them in the strongest of terms. The Obama Administration is releasing new limits on ozone, the most widespread form of air pollution, and the main ingredient in smog. Ozone, which is formed through a reaction of pollutants from power plants, factories and cars, has been linked to asthma, Heart Disease and premature death. U. S. Restrictions imposed under president george w. Bush remain far looser than those in the European Union and canada. Environmental groups have sued the Obama Administration for tighter standards, prompting a court to order new draft regulations by december 1. According to the New York Times, the rules would reduce the current threshold for ozone pollution from 75 parts per billion to between 65 and 70 parts per million. The news comes as environmental groups have sued the Obama Administration over its program of leasing federal land to coal companies. The lawsuit demands the bureau of land mangement conduct an analysis of the Environmental Impact of the program, which it says accounts for 14 of u. S. Carbon dioxide emissions. The blm has never studied the programs impact on climate change. President obama has vowed to veto a proposed 440 billion tax deal which the white house says favors corporations and neglects working families. The bulk of the deal between House Republicans and Senate Majority leader harry reid would serve to enrich businesses, while the deal excludes measures to enshrine two key breaks for workingclass families an earned income tax credit and a child tax credit. The center on budget and policy priorities estimates more than 16 Million People would fall into poverty, or deeper into poverty, if the provisions are not made permanent. And about half of all people with hiv in the United States are not receiving treatment. According to data from the centers for Disease Control and prevention, less than a third of people in the United States currently living with hiv have been able to get their infections under control. Most patients have already been diagnosed, but factors including poverty, homelessness and other barriers are preventing people from accessing drugs. And those are some of the headlines, this is democracy now, democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. Welcome to all our listeners and viewers from around the country and around the world. Begin for a set to third consecutive day in ferguson, missouri over a grand jurys decision not to indict officer Darren Wilson for killing unarmed black teenager Michael Brown. Missouri Governor Nixon deployed more than 2000 National Guardsmen to patrol the st. Louis area. Police repeatedly fired smoke arms and tear gas to scatter protesters gathered near Ferguson City hall. Some Property Damage was reported, but far less than monday night. Authorities said 44 people were arrested. Demonstrations over the Michael Brown case spread across the country to over 100 cities. People took over interstates and held sitins, marches and protests across the country. In los angeles, nearly 100 people were arrested. In oakland, they blocked interstates and both directions. Around 40 people were arrested. In new york, thousands block traffic across the city including at the lincoln tunnel, queens midtown tunnel and williamsburg bridge. At least 1000 demonstrators also marched in the Nations Capital tuesday. A protester threw fake blood on new York Police Commissioner william bratton. At least 1000 demonstrators also marched in the Nations Capital having marched the night before tuesday, from the white house to the steps of the supreme court. [chanting] nobody is asking that we be treated specially, but be treated the same. Young white men are not killed by police at the same rates. ,ust to be treated as americans then this would not be a problem. Hands up dont shoot i would like to see black people and communities that are marginalized, committed these dish communities the face aggression by Police Officers in the state, i would like to see us take control of our communities. I would like to see as envision a society where we dont have to do this every year. At the dz protest, the Lawyers Committee for civil rights under law criticized st. suis prosecutor bob muculloch hemming of the case. I would say that was for family disappointing. I think even when you heard the prosecutor layout what he called the presentation of the facts of the case, you realize there was enough contested facts regarding this whole incident that this should have gone to a court and should of gone to regular curie to make a decision whether or not there had been a crime committed here. We are going to absolutely be persistent and making sure that the Justice Department does a thorough investigation and takes into consideration Everything Possible in its investigation of officer wilson. Also, in its pattern of practice , lawsuit it has against the Ferguson City Police Department for a pattern and practice of violating the civil rights of africanamericans in that city. On tuesday, the New York Times published an editorial about theesk prosecutor saying he handled it in the worst possible way. The editorial would on to say on tuesday, ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson spoke publicly for the First Time Since he fatally killed Michael Brown. Georgeinterviewed by stephanopoulos. Is there anything you could have done differently that wouldve prevented that killing from taking place . No. Nothing . No. Whats and youre convinced when you look to your heart and mind that if Michael Brown were white , this would of gone down exactly the same way . Yes. No question . No question. We go to ferguson, missouri where were joined by tory russell, activist fighting for justice in killing of Michael Brown, and an organizer with hands up united. I was with you yesterday at the church where reverend sharpton and others held a News Conference. You then worked out in the streets through the night. Start off by telling us about your response to the no indictment decision of the grand jury and how the protesters were dealing with this last night. Night. Nd straight what we saw was grieving and hurt people. I think the people are more politicized than ever in these last 100 something days, with opportunities to do political education, to express our opinion of what is going on. What is going on is out in the streets chanting in front of the police. They sent and more National Guards. Ive seen people snatched up, is what we call it. The police are describing people that are standing there. They push us back into the parking lot. People want to walk on the street and they just pick someone. Most of the time, those people are not even chanting or yelling at the time. They are not breaking the law. I think that is what is keeping this thing going. People are hurting. People are being abused every day. People are not even being allowed to peacefully assemble or protest that is backed by the constitution. Tory, thisll decision of the governor to bring in the National Guard on the second night. What impact does that have . It makes it more of a police state. It is more intimidating. I think it is a ploy or sometime tacticome type of scare to deters from what we want. We have been basically asking for the same needs as we got off the plantation. We want education, proper housing, Economic Industries and we want to be able to control ourselves and be a part of this american dream, but they sold us a lie.