Dear Amnesty: Stop Crying Wolf

Posted on by Mark Aldrich

Is the human rights organization’s fundraising placing lives in danger? An article by Mark Aldrich and Raymond Johansen

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“They aren’t your money train. They are human beings.” Raymond Johansen, an activist and Anon who has been fighting for freedom for human rights prisoners around the world for years, has spent the last two weeks trying to protect three young prisoners in Saudi Arabia from Amnesty International’s clumsy embrace.

Two weeks ago, this headline appeared on Amnesty International’s website and its many Facebook and Twitter accounts: “Families Fear Their Sons Will Be Executed Within 24 Hours.” The three sons in question—Ali Mohammed al-Nimr, Dawood al-Marhoon, and Abdullah al-Zaher—are also featured on Reprieve’s “Urgent” death penalty cases page. Interviews with Ali al-Nimr’s family will be featured in a PBS Frontline documentary, “Saudi Arabia Uncovered,” that will be broadcast on March 29.

Indeed, the three officially remain on death row in Saudi Arabia, so their lives are in the hands of that nation’s judiciary. The world is watching. However, in October 2015, that nation assured Phillip Hammond, the British Foreign Minister, that Ali will not be executed, and Mr. Hammond did the unprecedented and announced this in bold and clear language: “I do not expect Mr al-Nimr to be executed.”

Might Saudi Arabia renege on this promise? It might. Had Amnesty International, Reprieve, or the families of the three youths learned something new two weeks ago? They had not. And yet that phrase, “Families fear their sons will be executed within 24 hours,” has propagated on Twitter and Facebook, usually with a link to an Amnesty action page (signature and donations welcome).
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Today in History: March 25

Posted on by Mark Aldrich

Today is Greek Independence Day, the date that is associated with the start in 1821 of the Greek War of Independence from the Ottoman Empire.

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“Talking in our beds for a week …” Newlyweds John Lennon and Yoko Ono staged their first “Bed-In for Peace” at the Amsterdam Hilton Hotel starting on this date in 1969. The press was invited to visit the two artists from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. each day in the Presidential Suite (room 702) in the hotel, where they found John and Yoko dressed in white pajamas, sitting in bed and discussing peace under hair-drawn signs that read “Hair Peace” and “Bed Peace.” In May, they staged a sequel in Montreal, in which the song “Give Peace a Chance” was recorded by those present. Some history about “The Ballad of John and Yoko” (below the fold):
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It’s Garry Shandling’s Tribute

Posted on by Mark Aldrich

“I had a vivid near-death experience that involved a voice asking, ‘Do you want to continue leading Garry Shandling’s life?’ Without thinking, I said, ‘Yes.’ Since then, I’ve been stuck living in the physical world while knowing, without a doubt, that there’s something much more meaningful within it all. That realization is what drives my life and work.”—Garry Shandling

The news broke about two hours ago that Garry Shandling died this morning. It was first reported by a gossip website and then confirmed by the Los Angeles PD.
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