Afternoon Show

Gitmo solidarity hunger striker takes force-feeding in DC

October 19, 2013 Carmen Russell Podcast, Politics 00:27:10 0 Comments

By Carmen Russell-Sluchansky

The DC District Court heard arguments today over an appeal by Guantanamo inmates charging that the force-feeding of hunger striking detainees is cruel and inhumane.

To emphasize this, protestors gathered outside the court after the proceedings and held a vigil that included a volunteer undergoing a real force-feeding himself to demonstrate just how painful it is. More than 160 detainees remain in detention at the base in Cuba, with 15 still on hunger-strike and being force-fed.

Voice of Russia talked to Todd Pierce, a retired U.S. Army Reserve officer with 20 years of active duty during which he served as defense counsel in the office of military commissions. He currently represents a Guantanamo detainee.

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Voice of Russia also talked to Tighe Barry, CodePink activist trained as an EMT who participated in a rally against the force-feeding of Guantanamo detainees.

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Video of Andres Thomas Conteris (of http://www.closegitmo.net/) being force-fed in front of the Federal Court of Appeals in Washington DC on Friday. He is on his 103rd day of a hunger strike in solidarity of Guantanamo Bay detainees. Filmed by Liudmila Chernova & edited by Sean Nevins.

Slide show of the Rally held outside the Federal Court of Appeals, Washington DC. Photos by Liudmila Chernova. 

National Science and Technology News Service

October 15, 2013 Carmen Russell Culture, Podcast 00:17:57 0 Comments

By Jamila Bey

Making sense of the entire world around us requires that people hold some understanding of science.

Unfortunately, from the water we drink to the medicines and foods we ingest, Americans’ understanding of science concepts and practices show the need for further education. For minority populations, the picture is even more bleak. A new organization, founded by scientists and journalists has been created to help to fix this. The National Science and Technology News Service, or on twitter @TheDarkSci, was founded with the mission to tell better science stories, and to do so with an eye toward ethnic media and audiences. Jamila is a founding member of the NSTNS, as are the panelists for tonight’s show. Dr. Danielle Lee, The Urban Scientist, is a biologist and expert in animal behavior, mammalogy, and ecology Dr. Caleph Wilson, is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pennsylvania and co-chair of the Biomedical Postdoctoral Council, and Dr. Marshall Shepard, professor of geography in the University and president of the American Meteorological Society. The discussion surrounds how to support science in the US, and how to encourage more students to consider science as their career.

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Part 3

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Follow Dr. Danielle Lee on Twitter @DNLEE5

Follow Dr. Caleph Wilson on Twitter @HeyDrWilson

Follow The National Science and Technology News Service on Twitter @TheDarkSci