ePluribus: America is an on-line contemporary American culture magazine that incorporates the original concept of our nation's motto to provide cultural news coverage of America. Our motto is Humanity Starts With Culture.
Today marks a significant anniversary in American history. On this day in 1792, construction began on the White House, the iconic symbol of the United States presidency. However, the story of its construction is a complex one, intertwined with the harsh reality of slavery in America.
Enslaved Black Americans played a pivotal role in building the White House. They quarried and cut the stone, performed carpentry, and contributed to nearly every aspect of the construction process. Their labor was essential, yet their contributions have been overlooked or minimized.
In 2016, First Lady Michelle Obama brought this history to the forefront during her speech at the Democratic National Convention. She spoke movingly about the generations of enslaved people who helped build the White House, and the powerful symbolism of her own family living there.
The White House stands as a reminder of both the nation’s achievements and its painful past. It is a testament to the resilience and contributions of Black Americans, whose labor helped shape the nation, even in the face of oppression. As we reflect on this history, it is crucial to acknowledge the full story of the White House and the enduring legacy of those who built it.
It is important to acknowledge the full story of the White House and the legacy of those who built it because:
Historical Accuracy: It corrects a historical narrative that often overlooked the contributions of enslaved people.
Recognition of Black Contributions: It honors the labor and skills of Black Americans who played a crucial role in building the nation.
Understanding the Legacy of Slavery: It provides a deeper understanding of how slavery shaped American history and its enduring impact.
Promoting Reconciliation: It fosters a more inclusive and honest dialogue about the nation’s past, which is essential for healing and progress.
Reparations: The issue of reparations for Black Americans is not a complex one, considering the long history of American slavery and the contributions of enslaved Black people.
The White House represents a dual legacy:
Symbol of Achievement: It is the iconic home of the U.S. presidency, representing the nation’s power and democracy.
Reminder of Slavery’s History: Its construction by enslaved people embodies the painful history of slavery and its role in building the nation.
This duality highlights the complexity of American history, showcasing both its triumphs and its deep-rooted injustices.
Some of the most common reasons cited by proponents of reparations include:
To compensate Black Americans for the unpaid labor of their ancestors. During the era of slavery, Black people were forced to work without compensation, enriching white slave owners and their descendants. This unpaid labor built the wealth of the United States, and reparations are seen as a way to redress this historical injustice.
To address the ongoing legacy of slavery and racism. The effects of slavery continue to be felt today, with Black Americans facing systemic disadvantages in areas such as education, housing, employment, and healthcare. Reparations are seen as a way to address these inequalities and create a more just society.
To promote racial healing and reconciliation. The history of slavery is a painful one for Black and some white Americans. Reparations are seen as a way to acknowledge this history and begin the process of healing and reconciliation.
It is important to note that there is no consensus on the specific form that reparations should take. Some people believe that reparations should be financial, while others believe that they should take the form of policy changes or social programs. There is also debate about who should be eligible for reparations, and how much they should receive. The issue of reparations is an important one to discuss. The history of slavery is a dark stain on American history, and its effects continue to be felt today. Reparations are one way to begin to address this history and create a more just and equitable society.
According to a 2020 poll by the Pew Research Center, 60% of Black Americans believe that the U.S. government should pay reparations to Black Americans for slavery and its legacy. However, only 20% of white Americans agree. The issue of reparations is likely to continue to be debated for many years to come. However, it is an important conversation to have, as it forces us to confront the dark side of American history and to think about how we can create a more just and equitable future, especially as we commemorate the building of powerful institutions like the White House built by enslaved Black people in America.
A recent UN probe has delivered a scathing indictment of Israel’s actions in Gaza, accusing the country of deliberately targeting healthcare facilities and personnel as part of a broader assault on the region. The report, released by the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry, alleges that Israel is committing war crimes and crimes against humanity, including extermination, through its relentless attacks on medical infrastructure and personnel.
The commission, established in 2021 to investigate alleged international law violations in the region, found that Israeli security forces have killed, detained, and tortured medical workers, while also restricting access to healthcare for Gazan civilians. These actions, the report argues, have caused “incalculable suffering” and are contributing to the “destruction of generations of Palestinian children.”
The report also highlights the abuse of Palestinian detainees in Israeli military camps and detention facilities, where thousands, including children, have been subjected to torture, sexual violence, and other forms of mistreatment. The commission found that these abuses were often carried out under direct orders from Israeli officials, and fueled by government statements inciting violence and retribution.
In addition to its findings on Israel’s actions, the report also accuses Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity, including the torture and abuse of Israeli and other hostages held in Gaza. The commission called for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.
The Israeli government has rejected the findings of the report, accusing the commission of bias and “systematic anti-Israeli discrimination.” However, the report’s findings are likely to add to the growing international pressure on Israel to end its offensive in Gaza and address the humanitarian crisis in the region.
The main findings of the UN probe into Israel’s actions in Gaza are:
Deliberate targeting of healthcare: Israel is accused of intentionally attacking healthcare facilities and personnel, leading to the destruction of Gaza’s healthcare system.
War crimes and crimes against humanity: The report alleges that Israel’s actions constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity, including extermination, due to the severe impact on the civilian population.
Abuse of Palestinian detainees: The probe found widespread abuse, torture, and sexual violence against Palestinian detainees, including children, in Israeli military camps and detention facilities.
Responsibility of Israeli officials: The report states that the abuse of detainees often occurred under direct orders from Israeli officials and was fueled by government statements inciting violence.
Hamas and Palestinian armed groups also accused: The report also accuses Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity, including the torture and abuse of Israeli and other hostages held in Gaza.
The legal basis for the UN probe into Israel’s actions in Gaza stems from its establishment by the UN Human Rights Council in May 2021. The commission’s mandate is to investigate alleged international law violations in Israel and the Palestinian territories. This implies that the probe is grounded in international humanitarian law and human rights law, which are applicable to the situation in the region.
The UN probe’s findings have several potential implications for the international community:
Increased pressure on Israel: The report’s accusations of war crimes and crimes against humanity could lead to greater international pressure on Israel to cease its offensive in Gaza and address the humanitarian crisis. This pressure could manifest through diplomatic channels, economic sanctions, or calls for investigations by international criminal courts.
Calls for accountability and reparations: The report’s documentation of abuses against Palestinian detainees and the destruction of healthcare infrastructure could lead to demands for accountability and reparations for the victims.
Impact on Israeli-Palestinian relations: The report is likely to further strain relations between Israel and Palestine, making the prospect of a peaceful resolution to the conflict even more challenging.
Increased scrutiny of Hamas and Palestinian armed groups: The report’s findings also implicate Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in war crimes, which could lead to increased scrutiny and pressure on these groups to cease their attacks on civilians and release hostages.
Broader implications for international humanitarian law: The report’s findings could have broader implications for the enforcement of international humanitarian law and the protection of civilians in conflict zones.
The Gullah Geechee people, descendants of enslaved West Africans who settled along the southeastern coast of the United States, have a rich cultural heritage and a deep connection to the land. Their unique language, traditions, and way of life have survived for centuries, despite numerous challenges. However, today, Gullah Geechee communities like the one on Sapelo Island, Georgia, face a grave threat: encroaching development and the erosion of their cultural identity.
Sapelo Island is home to Hogg Hummock, the last intact Gullah Geechee community in the Sea Islands of Georgia. This historic community is now fighting a battle against a new development code that could lead to the displacement of its residents. The code, passed without meaningful input from the islanders, allows for larger and more intensive development, which could drive up property values and taxes, forcing longtime residents out.
This struggle is emblematic of the broader challenges facing Gullah Geechee communities. As developers eye the pristine coastal lands, the pressure to sell ancestral property mounts. The Gullah Geechee people have already been displaced from much of their historical territory, and the remaining communities are fiercely fighting to hold onto what they have.
The fight on Sapelo Island is not just about zoning regulations; it’s about preserving a unique culture and way of life. The Gullah Geechee people have a deep connection to the land and the sea, and their traditions are intertwined with the natural environment. Development threatens not only their homes but also their cultural heritage.
The Southern Poverty Law Center and other advocates – Christopher Bailey, Barbara Bailey and Stanley Walker, intervenors in the Sapelo zoning case – are working to support the Gullah Geechee people in their fight for self-determination and cultural preservation. This includes legal challenges to discriminatory zoning laws and efforts to raise awareness of the Gullah Geechee culture and its significance.
The future of Sapelo Island and other Gullah Geechee communities hangs in the balance. It is imperative that we recognize the historical and cultural importance of these communities and support their efforts to preserve their way of life. The Gullah Geechee people have a rich heritage that is worth protecting, and their struggle is a reminder of the importance of cultural diversity and the right to self-determination.
“For the order and decorum which may prevail here, gentlemen, I look to you. With your assistance and support we shall have harmony, which is essential to our deliberations. The cause which we come here to promote is sacred. Nowhere, in the ‘wide, wide world,’ can men be found coupled with a cause of greater dignity and importance than that which brings us here. We are here to promote the freedom, progress, elevation, and perfect enfranchisement, of the entire colored people of the United States; to show that, though slaves, we are not contented slaves, but that, like all other progressive races of me, we are resolved to advance in the scale of knowledge, worth, and civilization, and claim our rights as men among men. – Frederick Douglas
Syracuse, New York, a city perhaps best known for its eponymous university, holds a significant place in American history that often goes overlooked. 160 years ago, it was the site of a pivotal event in the fight for civil rights: the National Convention of Colored Men. This gathering, held at the former Wesleyan Methodist Church (now the Noble Cellar restaurant), brought together 144 Black delegates from across the nation to discuss and strategize on the most pressing issues of the day, including the abolition of slavery and the recognition of Black Americans as full citizens.
Led by luminaries like Frederick Douglass, the convention produced a powerful “Declaration of Wrongs and Rights,” outlining the injustices faced by Black Americans and demanding their rightful place in society. This document served as a rallying cry for the abolitionist movement and helped lay the groundwork for future civil rights organizations like the NAACP.
The church itself has a rich history, having served as a safe haven for fugitive enslaved people on the Underground Railroad. In the late 1990s, three clay face carvings, believed to have been sculpted by those seeking freedom, were discovered in the church’s basement, further solidifying its connection to this important chapter in American history.
Recently, Syracuse city officials, business owners, and residents gathered to commemorate the 160th anniversary of this historic convention. Mayor Ben Walsh officially proclaimed October 4th as National Convention of Colored Men’s Day, paying tribute to the delegates’ courage and their lasting impact on the fight for equality.
As the nation grapples with ongoing issues of racial injustice and inequality, it’s crucial to remember and honor the legacy of those who fought for a more just and equitable society. The National Convention of Colored Men in Syracuse serves as a powerful reminder of the long and ongoing struggle for civil rights in America, and the importance of continuing to work towards a future where all are truly equal and free.
Today marks the somber anniversary of the assassination attempt on Malala Yousafzai, a young Pakistani activist who was targeted for her outspoken advocacy for girls’ education. On October 9, 2012, Malala was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman, an act of violence that shocked the world and ignited a global movement to support her cause.
Malala’s courage and resilience in the face of such adversity has been an inspiration to millions. She miraculously survived the attack and was flown to Birmingham, England for life-saving surgery. Her story has shed light on the importance of education for all children, especially girls, and has led to significant progress in Pakistan and around the world.
The anniversary of this tragic event serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for girls’ education in many parts of the world. It is also a testament to the power of one young woman’s voice to inspire change. Malala’s bravery continues to motivate us to fight for a world where every child has the right to learn and reach their full potential.
Some of the challenges that girls around the world still face in accessing education include:
Cultural norms and practices that prioritize boys’ education over girls’
Poverty and economic factors that force families to choose which children to send to school
Early marriage and pregnancy, which often end a girl’s education
Lack of safe and accessible schools, especially in rural areas
Conflict and displacement, which disrupt education systems
Discrimination and harassment in schools
Organizations promoting girls’ education face a number of challenges, including:
Cultural and social barriers: In many societies, there are deeply ingrained cultural and social norms that prioritize boys’ education over girls’. These norms can be difficult to overcome, and organizations may face resistance from families, communities, and even governments.
Economic barriers: Poverty is a major barrier to girls’ education. In many families, girls are kept out of school to help with household chores or to work to earn money. Organizations may need to provide financial assistance or other support to help families overcome these economic barriers.
Lack of infrastructure: In many parts of the world, schools are not safe or accessible for girls. This may be due to a lack of physical infrastructure, such as roads or buildings, or to a lack of security. Organizations may need to work to improve infrastructure or to provide transportation or other support to help girls get to school safely.
Conflict and displacement: Conflict and displacement can disrupt education systems and make it difficult for girls to attend school. Organizations may need to provide emergency education services or to work to rebuild education systems in conflict-affected areas.
Political and legal barriers: In some countries, there are laws or policies that discriminate against girls’ education. Organizations may need to advocate for changes to these laws or policies.
Lack of trained teachers: There is a global shortage of trained teachers, especially in developing countries. This can make it difficult to provide quality education for girls. Organizations may need to train teachers or to provide other support to improve the quality of education.
Overall, these challenges are complex and interconnected. Organizations promoting girls’ education need to adopt a multi-faceted approach that addresses the root causes of these barriers. By working together, we can create a world where all girls have the opportunity to learn and reach their full potential.
FEMA Faces Funding Shortfall After Hurricane Helene Batters East Coast, Mayorkas Under Pressure
As Hurricane Helene continues to wreak havoc along the East Coast, concerns are escalating over the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) ability to adequately respond due to funding constraints. These concerns, unfortunately, are proving to be well-founded in the wake of the storm’s devastation. This crisis unfolds amidst heightened scrutiny of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, following an impeachment attempt by House Republicans earlier this year.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, FEMA’s funding shortfall is starkly apparent, highlighting the urgent need for robust disaster preparedness and sufficient resources for the agency. With the domestic funding shortage limiting assistance to affected residents to a mere $750, DHS leadership faces mounting pressure, potentially hindering FEMA’s capacity to effectively address the crisis.
Meanwhile…
A report from Brown University’s Cost of War Project found US spending on Israel totals at least $22.76 billion and counting. This is a conservative estimate that includes approved security assistance funding since October 7, 2023, supplemental funding for regional operations, and an estimated additional cost of operations. It does not include any other economic costs. The report also notes that the $17.9 billion the US government has approved in security assistance for Israeli military operations in Gaza and elsewhere since October 7 is substantially more than in any other year since the US began granting military aid to Israel in 1959. However, this is only a partial amount of the U.S. financial support provided during this war.
United States Offers Humanitarian Aid to Lebanon Amidst Escalating Crisis
The United States has announced a substantial humanitarian aid package to address the escalating crisis in Lebanon. The aid, which includes funding and essential supplies, aims to alleviate the suffering of the Lebanese people who are facing immense challenges. This assistance underscores the United States’ commitment to supporting Lebanon during this difficult time.
Supplemental Bill Signed into Law, Delivering Billions in Aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan
In a recent move to bolster international security and support key allies, a supplemental bill has been signed into law, allocating billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. This legislation underscores the United States’ commitment to global stability and its strategic partnerships in critical regions.
The aid package, according to the Biden-Harris Administration, will provide much-needed resources to Ukraine as it continues its war with Russia, as well as to Israel in its ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people, including in the wake of recent conflicts with Lebanon, Yemen, and Iran. Additionally, the bill includes provisions for Taiwan, aimed at enhancing its defense capabilities and deterring potential threats from China.
Official say this substantial financial commitment demonstrates a strong resolve to stand by allies and promote peace and security on the international stage.
“My commitment to Israel, I want to make clear again, is ironclad,” Biden said “The security of Israel is critical, and we’ll always make sure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself against Iran and the terrorists it supports.”
“The only success the Biden administration could claim over the last year was that it had prevented an escalation of the war in Gaza from engulfing the region. However, Israel has interpreted unconditional U.S. support for its war – and unlimited weapons supply – as a green light to attack Lebanon and expand the war. This endangers not only civilians in another country but American citizens in Lebanon and across the region. The U.S. is being drawn ever closer to war with Iran. This is a complete and utter failure by the administration. We and others have warned about this for months. We are tired of “I told you so.” – Feds United for Peace
Domestic and international aid are both forms of assistance provided to those in need, but they differ in their scope and focus. Domestic aid refers to assistance provided within a country’s own borders, often in response to natural disasters, economic hardship, or social issues. On the other hand, international aid is directed towards other countries, typically to address humanitarian crises, promote development, or support strategic allies.
While both types of aid aim to alleviate suffering and improve lives, domestic aid is often seen as a government’s responsibility to its own citizens, whereas international aid is more discretionary and can be influenced by foreign policy objectives. Additionally, domestic aid is usually funded through taxpayer dollars, while international aid can come from a variety of sources, including American tax payers, government budgets, private donations, and international organizations.
In the current news cycle, we see examples of both domestic and international aid. Concerns over FEMA funding for Hurricane Helene highlight the importance of domestic disaster preparedness, while the US providing aid to Lebanon and a supplemental bill allocating funds to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan demonstrate the country’s commitment to international assistance.
Ultimately, both domestic and international aid play crucial roles in addressing global challenges and promoting human well-being, officials in Washington, DC say. The balance between these two forms of assistance often reflects a country’s values, priorities, and its role on the global stage.
The main causes of concern surrounding Hurricane Helene are:
FEMA’s preparedness and funding levels: There are worries about whether FEMA has adequate resources and is sufficiently prepared to handle Hurricane Helene’s disaster.
DHS Secretary Mayorkas: The ongoing political scrutiny of the DHS Secretary adds another layer of complexity and potential instability to the situation, which could impact the agency’s ability to respond effectively.
Hurricane Helene’s devastating impact: These factors combined create a heightened sense of anxiety and uncertainty about the government’s ability to manage the hurricane’s aftermath.
The main types of US government aid:
Humanitarian aid: This type of aid is exemplified by the assistance package provided to Lebanon to alleviate the suffering of people facing a crisis.
Military and defense aid: This is illustrated by the supplemental bill that allocates funds to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan to strengthen their defense capabilities and deter potential threats.
Disaster relief aid: Although not explicitly mentioned as international aid, the reference to FEMA funding for Hurricane Helene implies the importance of this type of aid within the US.
The key challenges facing FEMA in its response to Hurricane Helene are concerns over its preparedness and funding levels, compounded by the political scrutiny of DHS Secretary Mayorkas and the Biden-Harris Administration for centering international aid and support rather than domestic needs. These factors could potentially impact FEMA’s ability to respond effectively to the crisis.
How the US prioritizes its domestic and international aid efforts
Insights into the factors that influence these decisions:
Domestically, the focus is on disaster preparedness and response, as highlighted by the concerns surrounding FEMA’s readiness for Hurricane Helene.
Internationally, the US prioritizes humanitarian aid in response to crises, as seen in Lebanon, and support for strategic allies and global stability, as evidenced by the aid package to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.
These priorities suggest a balance between immediate humanitarian needs, long-term strategic interests, and fulfilling the government’s responsibility to its citizens. However, the exact process and criteria for allocating resources between domestic and international aid are not specified.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a formal apology for the state’s historical involvement in slavery. This apology acknowledges the deep-rooted injustices and systemic racism that have persisted since the state’s early history, all while denying the historic injustice and brutality inflicted upon formerly enslaved people.
The apology may seem like a significant step towards recognizing the historical trauma experienced by enslaved people and their descendants, but it is not. It only serves as a reminder of the arduous and ongoing fight for racial justice and equality in America, and the nation’s staunch resistance to delivering justice the descendants of enslaved Black people deserve.
Here are some specific examples of the injustices and systemic racism experienced by enslaved people and their descendants in California:
Enslavement and its immediate aftermath:
Forced labor and separation of families: Enslaved people were forced to work long hours in dangerous conditions, often separated from their families. They were not paid for their labor and had no control over their lives.
Physical and psychological abuse: Enslaved people were often subjected to physical and psychological abuse, including whippings, beatings, and sexual assault.
Denial of basic rights: Enslaved people were denied basic rights, such as the right to education, healthcare, and property ownership.
Post-emancipation discrimination:
Jim Crow laws: After the Civil War, California passed a series of Jim Crow laws that discriminated against Black people in housing, education, employment, and public accommodations. These laws remained in effect until the 1960s.
Redlining: Redlining was a discriminatory practice in which banks refused to lend money to Black people in certain neighborhoods. This made it difficult for Black people to buy homes and build wealth.
Mass incarceration: Black people are disproportionately incarcerated in California. This is due to a number of factors, including racial profiling, harsher sentencing laws, and the war on drugs.
Disparities in education and healthcare: Black students are more likely to be suspended or expelled from school than white students. They are also less likely to graduate from high school or college. Black people have a higher rate of infant mortality and are more likely to die from preventable diseases than white people.
These are just a few examples of the many injustices and systemic racism experienced by enslaved people and their descendants in California. The legacy of slavery continues to have a profound impact on Black communities today.
Here are some additional resources that you may find helpful:
October is upon us, and with it comes a celebration of creativity and culture! It’s National Arts & Humanities Month (NAHM), a time to recognize the importance of the arts in our lives and communities. This year’s theme, “The Arts Within You,” highlights the power of art to help us cope, connect, and thrive.
Why Arts & Humanities Matter
The arts and humanities play a vital role in our society. They inspire us, challenge us, and help us understand ourselves and the world around us. Whether it’s through painting, music, dance, literature, or any other form of creative expression, the arts enrich our lives in countless ways.
How to Celebrate
There are many ways to celebrate NAHM. You can visit a local museum or gallery, attend a concert or play, take a dance class, or simply pick up a paintbrush and let your creativity flow. You can also support the arts by donating to arts organizations or volunteering your time.
Get Involved with Americans for the Arts
National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) and Americans for the Arts are leading nonprofit organizations dedicated to advancing the arts and arts education. They offer a variety of resources and programs to help you celebrate NAHM and get involved in your community.
Join their “Building the Bigger We” webinar to learn how to engage with your community and promote the arts.
Sign up for the Americans for the Arts Action Fund and become a citizen activist for the arts.
Download their social media assets and spread the word about NAHM.
Remember: The arts are for everyone. No matter your age, background, or skill level, there’s a place for you in the world of arts and humanities. So let’s celebrate the arts together this month and discover the power of creativity within us all.
Julian Assange’s full testimony to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg today:
“Mr. Chairman, esteemed members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, ladies and gentlemen. The transition from years of confinement in a maximum-security prison to standing here before the representatives of 46 nations and 700 million people is a profound and surreal shift. The experience of isolation for years in a small cell is difficult to convey; it strips away one’s sense of self, leaving only the raw essence of existence.
I am not yet fully equipped to speak about what I have endured – the relentless struggle to stay alive, both physically and mentally, nor can i speak yet about the deaths by hanging, murder, and medical neglect of my fellow prisoners. I apologise in advance if my words falter or if my presentation lacks the polish you might expect in such a distinguished forum. Isolation has taken its toll, which I am trying to unwind, and expressing myself in this setting is a challenge. However, the gravity of this occasion and the weight of the issues at hand compel me to set aside my reservations and speak to you directly. I have traveled a long way, literally and figuratively, to be before you today.
Before our discussion or answering any questions you might have, I wish to thank PACE for its 2020 resolution (2317), [https://pace.coe.int/en/files/28508/html…], which stated that my imprisonment set a dangerous precedent for journalists and noted that the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture called for my release. I’m also grateful for PACE’s 2021 statement [https://pace.coe.int/en/news/8446/pace-general-rapporteur-expresses-se…] expressing concern over credible reports that US officials discussed my assassination, again calling for my prompt release. And I commend the Legal Affairs and Human Rights Committee for commissioning a renowned rapporteur, Sunna Ævarsdóttir, to investigate the circumstances surrounding my detention and conviction and the consequent implications for human rights. However, like so many of the efforts made in my case – whether they were from parliamentarians, presidents, prime ministers, the Pope, UN officials and diplomats, unions, legal and medical professionals, academics, activists, or citizens – none of them should have been necessary.
None of the statements, resolutions, reports, films, articles, events, fundraisers, protests, and letters over the last 14 years should have been necessary. But all of them were necessary because without them I never would have seen the light of day. This unprecedented global effort was needed because of the legal protections that did exist, many existed only on paper or were not effective in any remotely reasonable time frame. I eventually chose freedom over unrealisable justice, after being detained for years and facing a 175 year sentence with no effective remedy. Justice for me is now precluded, as the US government insisted in writing into its plea agreement that I cannot file a case at the European Court of Human Rights or even a freedom of information act request over what it did to me as a result of its extradition request. I want to be totally clear. I am not free today because the system worked. I am free today because after years of incarceration because I plead guilty to journalism. I plead guilty to seeking information from a source. I plead guilty to obtaining information from a source.
And I plead guilty to informing the public what that information was. I did not plead guilty to anything else. I hope my testimony today can serve to highlight the weaknesses of the existing safeguards and to help those whose cases are less visible but who are equally vulnerable. As I emerge from the dungeon of Belmarsh, the truth now seems less discernible, and I regret how much ground has been lost during that time period when expressing the truth has been undermined, attacked, weakened, and diminished. I see more impunity, more secrecy, more retaliation for telling the truth and more self censorship. It is hard not to draw a line from the US government’s prosecution of me – its crossing the rubicon by internationally criminalising journalism – to the chilled climate for freedom of expression now. When I founded WikiLeaks, it was driven by a simple dream: to educate people about how the world works so that, through understanding, we might bring about something better. Having a map of where we are lets us understand where we might go. Knowledge empowers us to hold power to account and to demand justice where there is none. We obtained and published truths about tens of thousands of hidden casualties of war and other unseen horrors, about programs of assassination, rendition, torture, and mass surveillance.
We revealed not just when and where these things happened but frequently the policies, the agreements, and structures behind them. When we published Collateral Murder, the infamous gun camera footage of a US Apache helicopter crew eagerly blowing to pieces Iraqi journalists and their rescuers, the visual reality of modern warfare shocked the world. But we also used interest in this video to direct people to the classified policies for when the US military could deploy lethal force in Iraq and how many civilians could be killed before gaining higher approval. In fact, 40 years of my potential 175-year sentence was for obtaining and releasing these policies. The practical political vision I was left with after being immersed in the world’s dirty wars and secret operations is simple: Let us stop gagging, torturing, and killing each other for a change. Get these fundamentals right and other political, economic, and scientific processes will have space to take care of the rest. WikiLeaks’ work was deeply rooted in the principles that this Assembly stands for. Journalism that elevated freedom of information and the public’s right to know found its natural operational home in Europe. I lived in Paris and we had formal corporate registrations in France and in Iceland. Our journalistic and technical staff were spread throughout Europe. We published to the world from servers in based in France, Germany, and Norway. But 14 years ago the United States military arrested one of our alleged whistleblowers, PFC Manning, a US intelligence analyst based in Iraq.
The US government concurrently launched an investigation against me and my colleagues. The US government illicitly sent planes of agents to Iceland, paid bribes to an informer to steal our legal and journalistic work product, and without formal process pressured banks and financial services to block our subscriptions and freeze our accounts. The UK government took part in some of this retribution. It admitted at the European Court of Human Rights that it had unlawfully spied on my UK lawyers during this time. Ultimately this harassment was legally groundless. President Obama’s Justice Department chose not to indict me, recognizing that no crime had been committed. The United States had never before prosecuted a publisher for publishing or obtaining government information. To do so would require a radical and ominous reinterpretation of the US Constitution. In January 2017, Obama also commuted the sentence of Manning, who had been convicted of being one of my sources. However, in February 2017, the landscape changed dramatically. President Trump had been elected.
He appointed two wolves in MAGA hats: Mike Pompeo, a Kansas congressman and former arms industry executive, as CIA Director, and William Barr, a former CIA officer, as US Attorney General. By March 2017, WikiLeaks had exposed the CIA’s infiltration of French political parties, its spying on French and German leaders, its spying on the European Central Bank, European economics ministries, and its standing orders to spy on French industry as a whole. We revealed the CIA’s vast production of malware and viruses, its subversion of supply chains, its subversion of antivirus software, cars, smart TVs and iPhones. CIA Director Pompeo launched a campaign of retribution. It is now a matter of public record that under Pompeo’s explicit direction, the CIA drew up plans to kidnap and to assassinate me within the Ecuadorian Embassy in London and authorized going after my European colleagues, subjecting us to theft, hacking attacks, and the planting of false information.
My wife and my infant son were also targeted. A CIA asset was permanently assigned to track my wife and instructions were given to obtain DNA from my six month old son’s nappy. This is the testimony of more than 30 current and former US intelligence officials speaking to the US press, which has been additionally corroborated by records seized in a prosecution brought against some of the CIA agents involved. The CIA’s targeting of myself, my family and my associates through aggressive extrajudicial and extraterritorial means provides a rare insight into how powerful intelligence organisations engage in transnational repression. Such repressions are not unique. What is unique is that we know so much about this one due to numerous whistleblowers and to judicial investigations in Spain. This Assembly is no stranger to extraterritorial abuses by the CIA. PACE’s groundbreaking report on CIA renditions in Europe exposed how the CIA operated secret detention centres and conducted unlawful renditions on European soil, violating human rights and international law.
In February this year, the alleged source of some of our CIA revelations, former CIA officer Joshua Schulte, was sentenced to forty years in prison under conditions of extreme isolation. His windows are blacked out, and a white noise machine plays 24 hours a day over his door so that he cannot even shout through it. These conditions are more severe than those found in Guantanamo Bay. Transnational repression is also conducted by abusing legal processes. The lack of effective safeguards against this means that Europe is vulnerable to having its mutual legal assistance and extradition treaties hijacked by foreign powers to go after dissenting voices in Europe. In Mike Pompeo’s memoirs, which I read in my prison cell, the former CIA Director bragged about how he pressured the US Attorney General to bring an extradition case against me in response to our publications about the CIA. Indeed, acceding to Pompeo’s efforts, the US Attorney General reopened the investigation against me that Obama had closed and re-arrested Manning, this time as a witness. Manning was held in prison for over a year and fined a thousand dollars a day in a formal attempt to coerce her into providing secret testimony against me. She ended up attempting to take her own life. We usually think of attempts to force journalists to testify against their sources.
But Manning was now a source being forced to testify against their journalist. By December 2017, CIA Director Pompeo had got his way, and the US government issued a warrant to the UK for my extradition. The UK government kept the warrant secret from the public for two more years, while it, the US government, and the new president of Ecuador moved to shape the political, legal, and diplomatic ground for my arrest. When powerful nations feel entitled to target individuals beyond their borders, those individuals do not stand a chance unless there are strong safeguards in place and a state willing to enforce them. Without them no individual has a hope of defending themselves against the vast resources that a state aggressor can deploy. If the situation were not already bad enough in my case, the US government asserted a dangerous new global legal position. Only US citizens have free speech rights. Europeans and other nationalities do not have free speech rights. But the US claims its Espionage Act still applies to them regardless of where they are. So Europeans in Europe must obey US secrecy law with no defences at all as far as the US government is concerned. An American in Paris can talk about what the US government is up to – perhaps. But for a Frenchman in Paris, to do so is a crime without any defence and he may be extradited just like me.
Now that one foreign government has formally asserted that Europeans have no free speech rights, a dangerous precedent has been set. Other powerful states will inevitably follow suit. The war in Ukraine has already seen the criminalisation of journalists in Russia, but based on the precedent set in my extradition, there is nothing to stop Russia, or indeed any other state, from targeting European journalists, publishers, or even social media users, by claiming that their secrecy laws have been violated. The rights of journalists and publishers within the European space are seriously threatened. Transnational repression cannot become the norm here. As one of the world’s two great norm-setting institutions, PACE must act. The criminalisation of newsgathering activities is a threat to investigative journalism everywhere. I was formally convicted, by a foreign power, for asking for, receiving, and publishing truthful information about that power while I was in Europe.
The fundamental issue is simple: Journalists should not be prosecuted for doing their jobs. Journalism is not a crime; it is a pillar of a free and informed society. Mr Chairman, distinguished delegates, if Europe is to have a future where the freedom to speak and the freedom to publish the truth are not privileges enjoyed by a few but rights guaranteed to all then it must act so that what has happened in my case never happens to anyone else. I wish to express my deepest gratitude to this assembly, to the conservatives, social democrats, liberals, leftists, greens, and independents – who have supported me throughout this ordeal and to the countless individuals who have advocated tirelessly for my release. It is heartening to know that in a world often divided by ideology and interests, there remains a shared commitment to the protection of essential human liberties. Freedom of expression and all that flows from it is at a dark crossroad. I fear that unless norm setting institutions like PACE wake up to the gravity of the situation it will be too late.
Let us all commit to doing our part to ensure that the light of freedom never dims, that the pursuit of truth will live on, and that the voices of the many are not silenced by the interests of the few.”
Haile Gerima called me a “nigger” in front of a crowd of Black elders, Howard University students and professors. They clapped for him after the disinformation he spewed in anger about the history and story of Maroons. This happened at his establishment, Sankofa Café on Georgia Ave in DC during a talk on the book, I Am Maroon.
After sharing my views on the use of the term Maroon and that my tribal community does not use the term because of what it means, (run away slave) Haile Gerima made his way to the front of the room to speak on the issue and after a brief back and forth with me spewed angrily, “Don’t say you’re a special nigger in the middle of Negros. That’s brag language. You’re not special, you’re not special, you’re not special. What I’m trying to tell you is all Black people made history out of their circumstances.”
In spite of what I know, including the books I’ve read, as well as my lived experience, I was told to crawl back into my cave, slandered, dismissed and insulted when I spoke about the history, meaning and impact of the word Maroon on my Pamaka culture. I was speaking as a so-called Maroon from Suriname. During the Q&A session I applauded the two speakers, children of the late author, Russell Shoatz, a gang member who turned political activist after hearing Malcolm X speak. He was sentenced to life in prison “following a coordinated attack in Fairmont Park that left one park guard dead.” He was affectionately called Maroon for his attempts to break out of the prison walls that kept him away from his community, activism and the life he deserved to live if justice knew its way to him and all those marred in the ongoing freedom struggle for a just America.
Simply expressing my disgust, shock and dismay at being called “nigger” by the owner of Sankofa will not suffice this storytelling. Because something deeper, more meaningful, even eye-opening took place that Saturday evening at Sankofa, a place I had come to enjoy for its unique African celebrations and elevation of Black voices.
Haile Gerima, a stranger to me, was angry and hostile when he addressed me while speaking to the crowd that had gathered to listen to the book talk. He took issue with my earlier comment by covertly insulting me, followed by dismissing all I had shared, even disregarding my lived experience and cultural knowledge and understanding of history and basic facts of Maroons. At one point he even unfurled a long list of supposed names used to describe Maroons. One of the words was Ifu Gadu Wani. I was shocked to see my tribal language on the list that seem to have been put together rather flimsily. I said “Ifu Gadu Wani” is my tribal language, Pamaka. I speak it, write it and know that it does not mean Maroon, nor has it ever been used as another word for Maroon. The phrase actually means God willing and literally, “If God wants.” I grew up in Suriname with my mother and elders saying this phrase all the time. Haile Gerima pumped with ego and adrenaline refused to listen. I even held up the book I brought along to offer as reference for this knowledge, The Maroons of Jamaica 1655-1796, A History of Resistance, Collaboration & Betrayal, by Mavis C. Cambell but it fell on deaf ears with a dismissive retort, “why do you think I don’t have that book!” Haile Gerima got so riled up he crouched like a wild beast readying to pounce its prey, leaned forward with hate-filled eyes and fire in his breath and said, “Don’t say you’re a special nigger in the middle of negros. That’s brag language. You’re not special, you’re not special, you’re not special!”
I never said I was a special “nigger” in the room. I simply said many of those who are called Maroons, a name the British first called escaped enslaved Africans in Jamaica, do not refer to themselves as Maroons. Many of us come from different tribes and even speak different dialects and practice different tribal customs. We are Tribal African people, not Maroons.
I was shocked hearing “nigger” thrown at me so maliciously and flippantly. The word traveled in slow motion across this so-called sacred Black space called Sankofa.
Haile Gerima’s anger and toxic ego was on full display. I don’t know Haile Gerima. Had never met or even heard of him before Saturday night at Sankofa. When I go to the Café it is usually for a topic I find interesting and meaningful to my own life and pursuit of storytelling and documenting.
During previous visits I spoke to several of the staff there who handled speaking events about having a talk on the word Maroon. I also wrote to them requesting the opportunity to speak about my I Am Not Your Maroon campaign to educate about the word that, similar to the word “nigger” also carries its own trauma and inhumanity for Tribal African people. They never took me up on the offer. However, when I saw that I Am Maroon was going to be a book talk, I didn’t hesitate to attend. I wanted to know more about the book and why the author called himself Maroon. I also wanted to engage them as an actual so-called Maroon.
I left Sankofa with a heavy heart and disappointed spirit. This so-called safe space for Black people and Black stories was not safe at all. That evening I experienced a café and book store that defended sharing misinformation and disinformation. And one led by a man who labelled me a bragger who sees herself as a “special nigger among negros” for not wanting to be called a Maroon… a run away slave.
After the event was over, I stayed seated for a few minutes gathering myself, my thoughts and my exit plan. As people made their way to the stage for signatures, an older gentleman came over to me and apologized for Haile Gerima’s behavior. He said it was uncalled for and told me briefly about his character and hot temper. It was the old excuse line, “this is who he is, he’s always like this and I’m sorry that happened to you.” As I made my way to the exit one of the HU professors came over to shake my hand and greet me because she had never met someone from Suriname before. In the small talks, I saw an opening. There, the moderator and a few other elders had circled around Haile Gerima. They were gleefully speaking and engaging, as if this man didn’t just call me a nigger in front of them. It was like the standing ovation Will Smith received at the Oscars after slapping Chris Rock for no good reason. During his tirade the old man threw an insincere and hallow apology my way, called me “sister” a few times and said we could speak further after the event because after all, he was happy to see a “sister” from Suriname at the event.
I quietly took my exit.
Sankofa on Georgia Ave in Washington, DC claims to hold sacred the stories and history of Black folks and their experience. Enter at your own risk though and never forget, “Don’t say you’re a special nigger in the middle of Negros. You’re not special.”
Campaigns to eliminate to use of the word Maroon to describe a People are not new. And neither is the hostility and push back against this long standing movement. And the pushback is not from white people, but from Black folks who are not called Maroons and burdened with the stigma it carries. This fight is no different than the one Malcolm X poignantly spoke of when he described the difference between the house Negro and the field Negro. And like Malcolm, I too am a field Negro. Just don’t call me Maroon. And if the great orator and writer James Baldwin can say to his American oppressors, I Am Not Your Negro, so too can Tribal Africans in the Americas say, I Am Not Your Maroon.
