Home > Programs
> Peacewatch
> Wed., June. 18, 2003
Pacifica's PeaceWatch
Today's Stories:
Rumsfeld/Jay Garner
Michael Ratner Explores Civil Liberties in the US and Abroad
Iran Under Pressure From the International Atomic Energy Agency
pt 2
MLK III 40th Anniversary of March on Washington
Former Commander Recounts Culture of Violence, Racism, and
Sexism in Military
Note: if the audio link is incorrect, please check the Peacewatch
page at Radio4All.net
here
Rumsfeld/Jay Garner
At a Pentagon briefing earlier today, Secretary of War Donald
Rumsfeld was asked if he had examined the evidence of Iraq’s
weapons program, amid concerns that the administration may
have over-played Saddam Hussein’s alleged weapons of
mass destruction.
Tape: Secretary of War Donald Rumsfeld
[top]
Michael Ratner Explores Civil Liberties in the US
and Abroad
In a major legal victory for the Department of Justice,
a federal appeals court ruled yesterday that the government
could continue to withhold the names of hundreds of people
detained in the war on terror since September 11, 2001, in
order to protect national security.
Reversing a lower court decision, the judges said that disclosing
the names and other information about the detainees could
provide terrorists with "a roadmap" of the government's
investigation. Peacewatch spoke with Michael Ratner, President
of the Center for Constitutional Rights to get his opinion
of the ruling.
Tape: Michael Ratner, President of the Center
for Constitutional Rights
[top]
Iran Under Pressure From the International Atomic
Energy Agency pt 2
Hundreds of Iranian students demonstrated for the 8th consecutive
night tonight in 7 cities across their country, in opposition
to government proposals to privatize public education. Scores
were arrested and injured, as they faced beatings from hard
line Islamic vigilantes, as well as a government crackdown
on protests.
Back in Washington, President Bush praised the protests
as a cry for freedom from an oppressed people whose government
the U.S. accuses of allegedly developing nuclear weapons.
But according to Ross Pourzal, Washington-based political
analyst and member of the Alliance of Progressive Iranians,
many of the protestors don’t realize that the main reformers
of the Iranian government, with whom they are suddenly allied,
actually back future privatization efforts, which the demonstrators
themselves oppose.
Tape: Ross Pourzal is a Washington-based political analyst
and member of the Alliance of Progressive Iranians.
[top]
MLK III 40th Anniversary of March on Washington
(tease segment)
Martin Luther King, III Commemorates the 40th Anniversary
of the March on Washington. (MLK related sites: The
King Center; The
MLK Papers Project;)
It's been 40 years since Martin Luther King, Jr. stood on
the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC and delivered
the now famous "I Have A Dream" speech. A year before
his assassination, Dr. King spoke out against he war in Viet
Nam. Today, Martin Luther King, III spoke to Peacewatch to
announce the kick off of the 40th anniversary commemoration
of the March on Washington and to call for mobilization against
the build up of the military spending, the loss of civil liberties
and the decrease of funding for social programs.
Tape: Last year the world spent $784 billion on arms up
from $714 billion the previous year. We will continue our
conversation with Martin Luther King, III, tomorrow.
[top]
Former Commander Recounts Culture of Violence, Racism,
and Sexism in Military
Every few months, the armed forces are rocked by accounts
of sexual violence. Peacewatch correspondent Ingrid Drake
spoke recently with Dorothy Mackey, who founded “Survivors
Take Action against abuse by Military Personnel” or
STAMP, after nine years of service in the Air Force. Mackey
entered the Air Force from a JROTC program, advanced through
the ranks to become a Commander, and was often recognized
for her military and community service. But during her tenure
she was sexually assaulted three times, as well as emotionally
terrorized by her supervising Colonel. None of her assailants
were ever prosecuted. Mackey began by discussing the events
leading up to her decision to leave her career.
Tape: Dorothy Mackey is a 9-year Air Force veteran and the
founder of the group “Survivors Take Action Against
Abuse by Military Personnel.” She’ll be leading
a workshop in Philadelphia on the weekend of June 27th at
the national organizing conference, “Stopping War Where
it Begins: Organizing Against Militarism in Our Schools.”
Mackey spoke with Ingrid Drake of Pacifica station WPFW in
Washington, DC.
[top]
For a copy of today's show, please contact Pacifica
Radio Archives at 800 735 0230.
|
Listen
to the show
Help
stream
whole show
download
part 1
