Posts Tagged ‘Human Rights’
John Oliver Slams America’s Slammers: The Prison System Is ‘Horribly Broken’ (Video)
July 22, 2014
Former member of the late night tongue-in-cheek commentative cabal over at Comedy Central (you know, folks like Jon Stewart and Jessica Williams of The Daily Show and Stephen Colbert of The Colbert Report)… John Oliver has been loosed on the HBO audience; where he’s making even more biting wisecracks. Letting them have it!
Here’s yet another occasion to unleash the cracking Kraken – spotlighting America’s broken penal system.
On the episode of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver embedded above, the host spent about a third of his show’s run-time on how broken America’s prison system is. In essence, tearing some a-holes some new a-holes. Oliver dropped science and atomic bombs… America having more imprisoned than China, the rampant amount of prison rape, the abysmal medical care and maggots in the food (as contractors cut costs beyond the bone), folks copping pleas to avoid prison instead of defending themselves in court as is their legal right… all wrong, wrong, wrong!
Tie the tirade together with a Sesame Street styled clip; and you’ve got a winner. Realize though that in the midst of the joking, how disproportionate the number of people of color vs. Whites end up in the hell we call prison…and you’ll understand that the U.S. has got a loser… its prison system!
Posted in Activism, Comedy, Politics, Series, Television, Videos | 
Tags: America's Prisons, HBO, Human Rights, John Oliver, Last Week Tonight, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Prison System | 
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Thank You Nelson Mandela (Video)
December 6, 2013
Former prisoner. Former President. Forever to be respected, admired, loved…Â now mourned by nations the world over. Pass now from us into eternity, Nelson Mandela. Quite literally, a man who was no myth; but who will remain a legend who lived a life of service to humanity died at his home yesterday. He was 95.
We don’t have the perfect words, Mr. President. But we sincerely offer the two that should certainly be heard forever in association with your name: Thank You! For your struggles, protests, imprisonment, iconification… for your work and triumphs freeing yourself and your people (of every color) from the bonds of man, from the oppression racist institutions, and the entanglements of in-fighting that kept us at war with ourselves… We say THANK YOU, President Mandela.
To be certain, the struggles continue. But it is now our turn to take up the causes we see fit and see them through to the end; to our own ends if necessary. And we cannot say we have not had folks to have shown us the way in our lifetime. Chief among them, Nelson Mandela showed us the way of the warrior suited for his lifelong battle against injustice and for peace on a national/global scale: Not perfect, but not waiting for someone or some perfect time to come along. Not looking for a fight, but willing to risk it all and fight with all he has for as long as he has. And as a result, though not seeking glory as an end, glory followed him to the end and will forevermore.
Rest in peace, Brother Mandela. We got it from here.
Video comments from U.S. President Barack Obama above. After the jump, a favorite clip of mine.
READ: NBC WORLDNEWS’ COVERAGE
– @ojones1
Posted in Cover Story, News, Politics, Videos | Tags: Dead at 95, Human Rights, Nelson Mandela, President, Rainbow Nation, South Africa | No Comments »
