Let freedom ring: 'I have a dream' 54 years later

Let freedom ring: 'I have a dream' 54 years later

Tatiana Prophet
Human Rights

On August 28, 1963, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. marched in Washington and delivered his landmark speech: "I Have a Dream." The speech is a history lesson in itself, a time capsule that reveals the longings of the American people for justice and brotherhood, and the recognition that the nation was not yet there -- that injustice remained, that police brutality existed, that many African Americans were isolated in poverty in a nation of plenty. Not only was it a history lesson, but a reminder to us now how true reform works -- not by "gradualism," not by "physical force" but by "soul force."

Read and listen to the speech here. The full text is transcribed below.

What does Russia really want?

What does Russia really want?

Tatiana Prophet
Russia

By TATIANA PROPHET

Well, one good thing has already come out of the Russia story. Americans are finally turning away from binge watching fictional TV long enough to find about the death of Sergei Magnitsky in a Russian prison in 2009 -- and what it means for global politics.

Magnitsky was investigating alleged tax fraud by Russian company Prevezon Holdings and several Russian officials, leading all the way to Vladimir Putin.

Last Thursday, Magnitsky's former boss, William Browder, testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee about the whole tragic affair and its intense aftermath as it is still playing out in our nation's capital.

CNN wrestling video creator apologizes for racist posts

CNN wrestling video creator apologizes for racist posts

Tatiana Prophet
Politics

By TATIANA PROPHET

Social media platforms Twitter and reddit were buzzing with news Wednesday morning. Not anything substantive, just news about the latest outrage that has hijacked our political stage.

Apparently, a CNN reporter contacted Han_Asshole_Solo, the reddit user who made the original video of Donald Trump taking down the CNN logo (which at the very least gave Trump the idea for the video... since there was no audio on the original video).

And it's been reported that the original video's creator has a history of racist posts. What I'm seeing is that out of fear of his identity being revealed, he is apologizing for his racist posts in the past.

Read the apology on reddit here.

Clumsy rollout, PC redux: all about the SCOTUS travel ban shocker

Clumsy rollout, PC redux: all about the SCOTUS travel ban shocker

Tatiana Prophet
Security, Supreme Court

Joint decision had 3 dissenters, and it’s not who you’d think

By TATIANA PROPHET

After a clumsy rollout, a restraining order, widespread airport protests, a “politically correct” redux, the firing of the acting attorney general and two preliminary injunctions upheld by courts of appeals – the highest court in the land ruled Monday that the President has the right to bar entry to the United States for purposes of national security – with one big exception: if the entrant has a “bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States.”

While Trump declared victory on Twitter and claimed the decision was 9-0, the decision was actually a “per curiam” one, traditionally used when SCOTUS agrees to hear a case later or makes routine decisions – and no voting is declared. It's important to note, however, that Justice Clarence Thomas in his dissent, noted the decision was unanimous.

D.C. awash in anonymous sources, deputy AG cautions against believing them

D.C. awash in anonymous sources, deputy AG cautions against believing them

Tatiana Prophet
Anonymous Sources

By TATIANA PROPHET

Washington -- Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who on May 17 appointed the special counsel to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 election, on Thursday issued a statement via his office in the Department of Justice, cautioning Americans to be wary of accepting reports from anonymous officials.

"The Department of Justice has a long-established policy to neither confirm nor deny such allegations."

The majority of media reports on the release referred to the statement as "super strange" (CNN), "veiled" (Business Insider), and "cryptic" (Washington Post).

Whatever could he have been contemplating? 

Most likely, it was an article from the day before, on Wednesday in the Washington Post, which announced that the special counsel appointed by Rosenstein, Robert Mueller, was investigating possible obstruction of justice on the part of President Donald Trump.

Analysis: Comey's 'honest loyalty' Trumps 'that thing'

Analysis: Comey's 'honest loyalty' Trumps 'that thing'

Tatiana Prophet
Counterintelligence, No Filter

By TATIANA PROPHET

In written remarks submitted to the U.S. Senate intelligence committee, James Comey described a dinner between him and the President in which Trump asked him for loyalty; and also separately confirmed that he had informed Trump that he was not under criminal investigation. This was a claim Trump made in a tweet shortly after firing Comey.

 

The former FBI director wrote in his testimony: "It is important to understand that FBI counter-intelligence investigations are different than the more-commonly known criminal investigative work. The Bureau’s goal in a counter-intelligence investigation is to understand the technical and human methods that hostile foreign powers are using to influence the United States or to steal our secrets."

 

This information was confirmed at the time in articles describing the investigation into Trump campaign involvement in Russian meddling in the U.S. election as a counterintelligence investigation, not a criminal one. Yet many media articles in May, after Comey's firing, expressed incredulity that Trump would assert Comey had told him that he was not under investigation.

FULL TEXT: Trump exits Paris Accord

FULL TEXT: Trump exits Paris Accord

Tatiana Prophet
Energy, Climate, No Filter

'THIS MUCH': "Even if the Paris Agreement were implemented in full, with total compliance from all nations, it is estimated it would only produce a two-tenths of one degree -- think of that; this much -- Celsius reduction in global temperature by the year 2100."

- Donald Trump, June 1, 2017. This is from an MIT study but the lead author told the Washington Post that the amount is indeed worth pursuing and is viewed as a start, with the goal ideally being reset in 2030.

'Terrorists do not worship God; they worship death'

'Terrorists do not worship God; they worship death'

Tatiana Prophet
Security, Foreign Affairs, No Filter

"This is not a battle between different faiths, different sects or different civilizations. This is a battle between barbaric criminals who seek to obliterate human life, and decent people, all in the name of religion. People that want to protect life and want to protect their religion.

This is a battle between good and evil. When we see the scenes of destruction in the wake of terror, we see no signs that those murdered were Jewish or Christian, Shia or Sunni. When we look upon the strains of innocent blood soaked into the ancient ground, we cannot see the faith or sect or tribe of the victims. We see only that they were children of God whose deaths are an insult to all that is holy.

"But we can only overcome this evil if the forces of good are united and strong, and if everyone in this room does their fair share and fulfills their part of the good. Terrorism has spread all across the world. But the path to peace begins right here on this ancient soil, in this sacred land. America is prepared to stand with you in pursuit of shared interests and common security.

"But the nations of the Middle East cannot wait for American power to crush this enemy for them. The nations of the Middle East will have to decide what kind of future they want for themselves, for their country, and frankly, for their families and for their children. It’s a choice between two futures, and it is a choice America cannot make for you."

Rod Rosenstein appoints special prosecutor

Rod Rosenstein appoints special prosecutor

Tatiana Prophet
Counterintelligence

By TATIANA PROPHET

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein has appointed a special prosecutor to investigate Russian meddling in the 2016 election, choosing former FBI Director Robert Mueller. See Buzzfeed's story on the move.

The news came as a surprise to most in the media and government, even the President and attorney general, according to an anonymous source quoted in the Los Angeles Times.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions had recused himself in March from any investigations pertaining to the 2016 election.

In fact, CNN just reported last week based on an anonymous source that Rosenstein would not be appointing a special prosecutor.
 

Clapper says he ordered Trump unmasking, Yates says she reviewed info

Clapper says he ordered Trump unmasking, Yates says she reviewed info

Tatiana Prophet
Intelligence

By TATIANA PROPHET

The only story of the day was that Sally Yates said she had warned the White House that Gen. Michael Flynn was vulnerable to being blackmailed by Russia. This sounded oddly familiar to me, so I checked and sure enough, this exact information and wording had already come out in the Washington Post in February.

Yet it was literally the headline of every single major news outlet on Monday as the takeaway from the long-awaited testimony by the former acting attorney general before the Senate Intelligence Committee. What's more, it's No. 1 in trending on Facebook. The idea that Sally Yates was concerned about the Russian potential for blackmailing Michael Flynn, revealed on February 13, is the No. 1 trending story on Facebook.

Syria update: Watchdog group confirms recent use of sarin

Syria update: Watchdog group confirms recent use of sarin

Tatiana Prophet
Syria

Test results come from autopsies performed by Hague-based OPCW

By TATIANA PROPHET
Editor-in-chief

The Organization for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons, an independent body based in The Hague, Netherlands, has released what it calls incontrovertible evidence that sarin, or a sarin-like substance, was used on April 4 in a neighborhood in the Idlib province, a rebel-held area.

China abstains from UN council Syria vote

China abstains from UN council Syria vote

Tatiana Prophet
Syria

Breaking news: China abstained from voting to condemn Syria in a security council vote Wednesday.

A majority of the United Nations' 15-member Security Council voted to condemn Syria for chemical attacks, but Russia's veto as a permanent council member nullifies the vote, FOX News' Shephard Smith reported.

Trump signs new executive order restricting travel

Trump signs new executive order restricting travel

Tatiana Prophet
Refugees

By Tatiana Prophet
Editor-in-chief
President Donald Trump signed a new executive order temporarily suspending the admission of refugees for 120 days, as well as unauthorized travel from six countries deemed unable to guarantee the identity of travelers who originated in their nations.

“The Executive Order signed today is prospective in nature—applying only to foreign nationals outside of the United States who do not have a valid visa," stated Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly in a press release. "It is important to note that nothing in this executive order affects current lawful permanent residents or persons with current authorization to enter our country. If you have a current valid visa to travel, we welcome you. But unregulated, unvetted travel is not a universal privilege, especially when national security is at stake."

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