Carter Has Had Enough

Staff / Truthdig Oct 11, 2007 Jimmy Carter was en fuego during a chat with Wolf Blitzer on Wednesday, blasting the Bush administration for torturing people, the GOP candidates for racing to the fringe and Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama for refusing to commit to a full withdrawal of troops from Iraq. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Justice Is Blinded by Rage

Marie Cocco / Truthdig Oct 4, 2007 If American politics is "an arena for angry minds," then Clarence Thomas is in the right business. His new autobiography is filled with the predictable narcissism, but also a rage that raises questions about the merit of the lifetime appointment. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Free Speech Ain’t Free. Oh, Wait a Minute. Yeah, It Is.

Will Durst / Truthdig Sep 29, 2007 After all the brouhaha in New York this week, this seems like a good time to have us a little chat about free speech. Not restricted free speech. Not partial free speech. Not pseudo-, semi-, counterfeit, limited free speech. Not free speech on Wednesdays between 2 and 3 p.m. EDT. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Truthdiggers of the Week: The Monks of Burma

Staff / Truthdig Sep 29, 2007 For decades Burma's ruling military junta has governed through terror, determined to meet dissent with intimidation, detention and murder. It is because of the military's particular cruelty that the story of the Buddhist monks of Burma is so compelling. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Bush to Tighten Sanctions on Burma

Staff / Truthdig Sep 26, 2007 President Bush has weighed in on the massive protests in Burma (Myanmar), saying he will boost sanctions against the country's abusive military government. Meanwhile, thousands of Buddhist monks have defied government warnings and continue to demonstrate. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

U.N. Throws Native People a Bone

Staff / Truthdig Sep 14, 2007 After 22 years of debate and opposition (not to mention centuries of exploitation and genocide), the United Nations has finally approved the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, a nonbinding treaty meant to promote the human, territory and resource rights of native people around the world. Only four nations voted against the measure: the U.S., Australia, Canada and New Zealand. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Gay Marriage Approved in California, Again

Staff / Truthdig Sep 8, 2007 Arnold Schwarzenegger has until mid-October to put his pen where his mouth is on gay issues. For the second time, the California Legislature has passed a law that would make marriage in the state gender-neutral. The governor vetoed the first effort back during his more conservative phase. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

The Year for Women

Ellen Goodman / Truthdig Aug 23, 2007 The columnist honors the anniversary of women's suffrage by recognizing those who have done their worst to turn back the clock on women's rights. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

Padilla Convicted

Staff / Truthdig Aug 17, 2007 After suffering three years of isolation, alleged torture and constitutionally suspect detainment, Jose Padilla has been convicted of terrorism conspiracy charges. The government's key piece of evidence was an al-Qaida application, which Padilla was accused of filling out in Arabic, using an alias. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Egypt Bans Female Genital Mutilation

Staff / Truthdig Jun 29, 2007 Female genital mutilation, known euphemistically as "female circumcision," has been banned completely in Egypt following the death of a girl. Although a soft ban has been in place for 10 years, some studies estimate that 90 percent of Egyptian women have had the procedure. Government and religious leaders have joined in condemning the practice. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Intelligence Chief to Revise Spy Rules

Staff / Truthdig Jun 13, 2007 National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell, with the blessing of the White House, will rewrite the Reagan-era executive order that defines the function of the United States' many spy agencies and prohibits espionage against Americans. While critics concede that the order is out of date, they worry that an administration with a fondness for spying on its own might seize the opportunity to trample on a few civil liberties. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Maher on Falwell: ‘Death Isn’t Always Sad’

Staff / Truthdig May 21, 2007 Bill Maher celebrates the passing of an intolerant icon: "Now I know you're not supposed to speak ill of the dead, but I think we can make an exception, because speaking ill of the dead was kind of Jerry Falwell's hobby." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )