By Saswat Pattanayak
“To be neutral is to collaborate with whatever is going on, and I as a teacher do not want to be a collaborator with whatever is happening in the world today.” (Howard Zinn)
In the grossly unequal world that we inhabit, it is always tempting to remain apolitical, especially if one is an academician [...]
Archive for January, 2010
Remembering Howard Zinn (August 24, 1922 – January 27, 2010)
First Year Costs of Obama’s Illusions
By Saswat Pattanayak
Despite his constant denial of race dynamics necessary to dissect American political roadmap, Barack Obama is going to be the first American President to be judged, also by his color. During his first year, several cartoons, news articles, political mentions – both innocent and deliberate – have brought up the issue of race, [...]
Manhattan Courts Getting Used to Transgender Name Changes
From today’s New York Times article by William Glaberson
Changing a name might seem like a minor matter for those who are changing their gender identities and, for some, facing challenges like finding knowledgeable doctors, trying hormones and experimenting with painful hair-removal procedures. But many who have gone through the switch say a name change sends [...]
Have We Been Silencing Dr King?
By Saswat Pattanayak
Whenever a progressive leader of the masses, a politically fundamental agent of change, a spirited revolutionary demands replacement of existing social order, the oppressive ruling class never dares confront the person; instead it iconizes him/her after stripping off the necessary radical components. Through an utopian mythification of the leader, the courage to challenge [...]
NYC Purposely Discriminated Against Blacks
In what turns out to be one of the most discriminatory patterns, a process that has subjected African-Americans to series of disturbing disadvantages, a federal judge has ruled against one of New York City’s legacies.
New York Times reports, that according to judge, Nicholas G. Garaufis, New York City “intentionally discriminated against black applicants to the [...]
Blog Talk Radio: Jack Tuckner on Gender Discrimination
From Blog Talk Radio:
Faten Abdallah interviews Jack Tuckner, leading civil rights trial attorney, and the co-founding partner of Tuckner, Sipser, Weinstock & Sipser, LLP, a NYC-based law firm dedicated to the empowerment of women in the workplace.
The Year That Was :: 2009 Human Rights
Compiled and Edited by Saswat Pattanayak for Womensrightsny.com
January 1-20: War Capitalism Intensifies: After a week of intense airstrikes, Israel declares more conventional warfare against Palestinians. In clearly what can constitute mammoth war crimes, Israel attacks end the lives of several children. It conducts 50 air strikes per night and kills 1200 Palestinians [...]
Working Without Laws: Exploitation of the Oppressed in New York City
By Michelle Kornblit
The National Employment Law Project recently released Working Without Laws, a survey of employment and labor law violations in New York City. This report exposes the reality that America’s labor and employment laws are failing to protect significant numbers of individuals in New York City. Many workers are paid less than the minimum [...]