Black Agenda Radio - 04.10.17

Welcome, to the radio magazine that brings you news, commentary and analysis from a Black Left perspective. I’m Glen Ford, along with my co-host, Nellie Bailey. Coming up: Haitians in the United States protest a speech by the former U.S. ambassador, a key player in the rigging of Haitian elections: Brazil turns back the clock on its Black and poor population; and, a Free School, in Philadelphia, celebrates five years of radical politics.

The United States bombed a Syrian airbase last week on the unproven allegation that the Syrian government was behind a chemical attack on civilians. Black Agenda Report editor and senior columnist Margaret Kimberley went on Sputnik Radio, to talk about the consequences of the U.S. attack.

Haitian community activists held a demonstration outside Brooklyn College, in New York, recently, to protest a speech by Kenneth Merten, the former U.S. ambassador to Haiti. Merten has been accused of being instrumental in rigging elections that put the U.S. backed candidate, Michel “Sweet Mickey” Martelly, in the presidency, in 2010. Daoud Andre was an organizer of the protest. We asked him why Haitian Americans would honor a man who committed crimes against their homeland?  

The United State welcomed the impeachment proceedings that deposed the left-wing Workers Party from the presidency of Brazil, last year. In Washington, we spoke with Alexander Main, of the Center for Economic and Policy Research. He says the right-wing government that threw out the Workers Party has the approval of less than ten percent of the public, but has cut social programs to the bone, as if it had a mandate from the people.

Senior associate for international policy, Center for Economic and Policy Research, DC. Wrote a piece for The Hill, Congress Must Take Attacks on Brazilians Democracy Seriously.” Brazil’s right-wing government has the approval of barely 10 percent of the population, but has cut social programs to the bone, as if it had a mandate from the people.

In Philadelphia, the Saturday Free School will celebrate its fifth anniversary on April 15, at its home in the historic Church of the advocate. The Free School began operations at Temple University, but soon found out that elite educational institutions were part of the problem, not the solution. Nandita Chaturvedi is a student, teacher and organizer at the Saturday Free school.

The nation’s best known political prisoner, Mumia Abu Jamal, finally forced prison officials in Pennsylvania to treat his life-threatening Hepatitis C infection. He produced this commentary for Prison Radio, titled, “The Illusion of Correctional Medicine.”

And that it’s for this edition of Black Agenda Radio. Be sure to visit us at BlackAgendaReport.com, where you’ll find a new and provocative issue, each Wednesday. That’s www.BlackAgendaReport.com. It’s the place for news, commentary and analysis, from the Black Left. I’m Nellie Bailey. Our thanks to the good people at the Progressive Radio Network.