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Democratic Congressman and veteran of the Iraq War Patrick Murphy is expected to sponsor a House bill seeking to repeal the military’s longstanding “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy. The Armed Services Committee member would assume the role, according to an unnamed Democratic aide, if current sponsor Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher is confirmed to a new position in …

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The American Civil Liberties Union, along with the ACLU of Mississippi, have filed a federal civil rights lawsuit accusing police and school officials in Mississippi’s Desoto County of physically assaulting, verbally abusing, and racially discriminating against black students on a school bus last August. Thirty students from DeSoto county Alternative Center School were on the bus …

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Empire Notes are weekly commentaries filed by Rahul Mahajan, author of Full Spectrum Dominance and The New Crusade. Today’s commentary is on the Roots of the Somali Piracy.

GUEST: Rahul Mahajan, author of Full Spectrum Dominance and The New Crusade.

Visit www.empirenotes.org for more information. …

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The Colfax Massacre

Back in the day on April 13th, 1873, the Colfax Massacre occurred in Louisiana. Having taken place during Reconstruction, the White League, a paramilitary organization, assaulted blacks, many of whom were members of the state militia. Anywhere from 62 to 150 blacks were killed as a result of this act of terror that …

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The closure of the US prison facility in Guantanamo, Cuba, was an election campaign promise made by both presidential candidates last year. The orange jump-suit-clad detainees at Guantanamo became a stark visual symbol of the most egregious of President Bush’s shame-inducing policies. In a high-profile move, the Obama administration ceremoniously announced the immediate closure of Guantanamo as he took office, …

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Upon returning to the United States from Cuba, Representative Barbara Lee of Oakland will be exploring medical, biotech and student exchanges between the two countries. Earlier this week, Lee headed a delegation of Congressional Black Caucus members to meet with Cuban President Raul Castro. Afterwards, Lee and two other House members visited the private home of Fidel Castro in …

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While President Obama’s scheduled commencement address at Notre Dame continues to draw controversy, award-winning writer and performer Monica Palacios is set to make history at another Catholic University. On Monday, the Los Angeles based creator of several one-woman shows, including “Greetings from a Queer Señorita” will become the first gay performer to take to the stage …

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Bruce Dixon, sitting in for Glen Ford, is the managing editor of The Black Agenda Report. This week’s commentary is about the case of Mumia Abu Jamal.

Visit www.blackagendareport.com for more information. …

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The Assassination of Emiliano Zapata

Back in the day on April 10th, 1919 Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata was assassinated. The plot to kill the influential leader was hatched by then-President Venustiano Carranza of Mexico who had come to see Zapata as a threat to the consolidation of his rule. Upholding the freedom of the peasantry as …

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Switzerland’s largest bank, UBS, has been at the center of a growing scandal this year, for helping wealthy Americans hide their money from the IRS. Yesterday a Florida accountant was the first person arrested after UBS turned over the names of over 250 of its American clients to the IRS to avoid prosecution. The bank, which …

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