Tuesday, January 7, 2024
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A View From the Ground
News and information about politics, government, civic participation and engagement from URL Media's network of Black and Brown publishers.
Good evening. Today we are covering the anniversary of the January 6 Capitol attack and potential pardons, as well as pro-Palestinian voices in Baltimore, affordable housing in New Jersey, and the portrayal of Toshi Seeger in the new Bob Dylan movie. We also hope you will join URL Media on Jan. 15 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., for "Covering a Divided Nation: Lessons from Black and Brown Media," an invite-only summit with journalists, media executives and community media owners focused on finding practical approaches to drastically improving news coverage for all communities. RSVP by Jan. 10. Plus, we’re bringing you the latest updates at url-media.com as events unfold. Have a question? Write to us at [email protected].
Credit: Jon Cherry/Getty Images News
Forgiveness or favoritism? Trump and the January 6 pardons debate: Monday marked four years since the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. Since then, hundreds of individuals who were involved have been found guilty of various charges and sentenced. President-elect Donald Trump has maintained that he would pardon people’s sentences if reelected. That day is nearly here and those pardons could be just around the corner. Meanwhile, the debate surrounding them is becoming as divisive as the day was itself, Labode Obanor writes in TANTV.Some are ready to applaud any pardon as an act of justice, while others decry the prospect as a green light for future political violence. Either way, the presidential pardon is lawful and protected — but it’s not the first time it has been controversial or reflected a divided public.More from TANTV → Plus: Trudeau to step down after nearly a decade at Canada’s helm (The Haitian Times)
After Trump’s win, Jewish peace activists in Baltimore continue fighting for a free Palestine: Members of the Baltimore Jewish community responded to the 2024 election results with a strong message of support for Palestine. A day-long vigil with 100 attendees took place on November 10, the Sunday after Election Day. The peace activists in attendance called for Maryland’s U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D) to support a resolution, introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.), that would block the transfer of weapons to Israel. Though the measure failed, Van Hollen did become a vocal supporter, and it received a record number of votes in Congress, according to Baltimore Beat.The outlet spoke with people at the vigil about how nearly $18 billion in arms support from the U.S. has enabled the Israeli assault on Gaza and ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people. The activists asserted that it is not antisemitic to advocate for Palestine or call out Israel’s war crimes. They also expressed their intent to continue their advocacy in 2025 despite threats from the incoming Trump administration and Congress to crack down on pro-Palestine protests. More from Baltimore Beat →
Judge rejects attempt to delay NJ’s affordable housing law: Last year, residents of New Jersey secured a big win for affordable housing. The law, known as the Mount Laurel doctrine, obligates municipalities to support a certain amount of affordable housing based on their local housing market and economy, Trenton Journal explains.Recently, a band of small, wealthy towns tried to stop the implementation of this new rule with a lawsuit — but the judge struck them down. Full story in Trenton Journal →
A Complete Unknown and Toshi Seeger: The new Bob Dylan biopic, “A Complete Unknown,” portrays the roles that Toshi Seeger and her husband Pete Seeger played in young Dylan’s life. Toshi’s inclusion was a welcomed surprise, since many Asian American roles are wrongly omitted from historical films, Roy Nakano writes in AsAmNews.Still, her character was subdued and had very little dialogue, leading those who knew her to say the film did not fully portray her. In real life, she was a very active and influential organizer who helped start the Newport Folk Festival, produced the television series “Rainbow Quest,” co-founded the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, made award-winning documentaries, and participated in the 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. She also helped artists Tracy Chapman and Mississippi John Hurt get their starts. More in AsAmNews →Plus: 'Wicked' becomes highest-grossing musical adaptation (AsAmNews)
Which US elections are happening in 2025? (India Currents)
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