Category Archives: human rights

Nivea’s latest ‘white is right’ advert is the tip of a reprehensible iceberg | Media | The Guardian

Shadism, pigmentocracy – the idea of privilege accruing to lighter-skinned black people – and other hierarchies of beauty are a complex picture in which ads such as Nivea’s are only the obvious tip of an insidious iceberg. Celebrities with darker complexions, such as the Sudanese model Nyakim Gatwech – nicknamed Queen of the Dark – and actors such as Lupita Nyong’o, are so often discussed in the context of having achieved the seemingly impossible by being both dark and beautiful, that they become the exceptions that prove the rule.It is often observed that light-skinned black women are more likely to become global superstars, the Beyoncé-Rihanna effect. They are, however, still black women and therefore not immune from the pressure to lighten – most recently by fans following a new Photoshopping trend of posting pictures of whitened versions of their faces and remarking upon the improvement.In countries such as Ghana, the intended audience for the Nivea ad, and Nigeria – where an estimated 77% of women use skin-lightening products – the debate has so far, understandably, focused on health. The most toxic skin-lightening ingredients, still freely available, include ingredients such as hydroquinone, mercury and corticosteroid. It’s not unusual for these to be mixed with caustic agents ranging from automotive battery acid, washing power, toothpaste and cloth bleaching agents, with serious and irreversible health consequences. There is no suggestion that global brands such as Nivea or Lancôme are using any of these illegal and harmful ingredients, and African countries are moving towards greater regulation of the products themselves. Ghana, for example, has banned hydroquinone.These powerful corporations are, however, still freely operating in a context where millions of low-income women experience the high-end messaging of their glossy billboards, but can only afford to opt for cheaper, black market products. Advertising standards have been enforced against beauty conglomerates for adverts that are overly retouched, but only India, another of the biggest markets for skin lightening products, has banned adverts depicting people with darker skin as inferior. Maybe it is time that changed. This is an industry expected to reach $31bn by 2024, as growing awareness of dangerous, toxic products drives extra demand for a “fairness solution with natural, herbal and organic ingredients”, according to market analysts.

Source: Nivea’s latest ‘white is right’ advert is the tip of a reprehensible iceberg | Media | The Guardian

Trump feud continues as Florida congresswoman calls John Kelly a liar | US news | The Guardian – Kelly lied to score points for his boss and dis a Black-African-American woman Congressperson!

Wilson said Trump’s comments were “not a good message to say to anyone who has lost a child at war”.Advertisement“You don’t sign up because you think you’re going to die,” Wilson said. “You sign up to serve your country. There’s nothing to misinterpret. He said what he said. I just don’t agree with it. I just don’t agree with that’s what you should say to grieving families.”Johnson’s mother was also offended by Trump’s tone, telling reporters this week: “President Trump did disrespect my son and my daughter and also me and my husband.”Kelly also attacked Wilson for allegedly taking credit for securing funding from Barack Obama for an FBI field office, at a 2015 ceremony which he also attended.Wilson said she was not a member of Congress in 2009 when the funding mentioned by Kelly was secured. Her role, she said, was in having the building dedicated to two FBI agents who were killed in a 1986 shootout in Miami.“That’s a lie,” Wilson said of Kelly’s characterization. “How dare he?”She added: “I feel sorry for General Kelly. He has my sympathy for the loss of his son. But he can’t just go on TV and lie on me.”A video of Wilson’s remarks at the ceremony, published by the SunSentinel on Friday, support the congresswoman’s account. She briefly discusses her efforts to dedicate the building for the fallen agents, but at no point takes credit for securing funding.Wilson said she was seeking answers about the attack in Niger, in which Johnson reportedly became separated from the rest of his unit. The Pentagon has offered few details, prompting the Arizona senator John McCain to threaten the White House with a subpoena to elicit more information.“Why did it take 48 hours to find him?” Wilson said. “Was he still alive? Was he kidnapped? I am distraught and so is the family. There are so many questions that should be answered.”

Source: Trump feud continues as Florida congresswoman calls John Kelly a liar | US news | The Guardian

An ironclad law | In English | EL PAÍS

If, in response to the question we as citizens are addressing to our leaders, they are not willing to commit themselves fully to the conscious objective of avoiding a catastrophe while there is time, should they choose instead to win their cause at whatever cost, then what freedom of what nation or what triumph of what state could ever give us back everything that we’ll have lost?

Source: An ironclad law | In English | EL PAÍS

A Marine Attacked an Iraqi Restaurant. But Was It a Hate Crime or PTSD? – The New York Times – “Let the court decide, not the press.”

But Mr. Rodriguez says he is disheartened that the final assessment of years of service could be conviction for a hate crime.“I’m sorry about what happened,” he said. “But no one tries to understand what we went through.”

It seems that the court will probably try to hear the case fairly and he will not be convicted of a hate crime but of assault and will be given a suitable sentence – that might enable the Marine Corp to reinstate him while he receives treatment and might even give solace to the refugee family who suffered from the attack.

University of Cincinnati to allow white nationalist Richard Spencer to speak on campus – Columbus – Columbus Business First _ UC President not smart enough to realize that no one invited him to speak – but it’s ok that a UC Policeman murdered a local Black-American neighbor and got away with it?

University of Cincinnati President Neville Pinto issued a statement Friday evening saying that the university had a First Amendment obligation to allow a white nationalist, Richard Spencer, to speak on campus.

Source: University of Cincinnati to allow white nationalist Richard Spencer to speak on campus – Columbus – Columbus Business First

Challenging racial supremacy — from Charlottesville to Tel Aviv | +972 Magazine

as long as our recognition and understanding of racial supremacy begins and ends with groups of enraged men chanting and beating up people of color, leftists, and anyone else they see as a target, we will never approach the depth of reckoning needed to effect meaningful change.Racist mobs are not the load-bearers of supremacy; they are its outgrowths. Income inequality; disparities in incarceration rates; education gaps; housing discrimination; lack of representation: these are the constant reality of the effects of racial supremacy, and they pose a far greater challenge than the iconography of statues, ruins and flags. It is our tragedy, and our indictment, that it takes physical violence to make us see what has always been there.———————As I was writing these words on October 7, a group of torch-carrying white supremacists—led by Richard Spencer—again gathered at the Lee statue in Charlottesville, not two months after one of their number murdered Heather Heyer. May her memory be a blessing, as well as the memory of all those killed by the racist mentality she died protesting.

Source: Challenging racial supremacy — from Charlottesville to Tel Aviv | +972 Magazine

Israeli, Palestinian women march together for peace | News | DW | 08.10.2017

“We are women from the right, the left, Jews and Arabs, from the cities and the periphery and we have decided that we will stop the next war,” said one of the founders, Marilyn Smadja.The tent on the Jordan River was named after Hagar and Sarah, the two women who, according to religious belief, each bore a son to patriarch Abraham (Ibrahim). Hagar’s son Ishmael is believed to be the ancestor of Arabic tribes, with Sarah’s Isaac being the progenitor of all ancient Jews. ‘To not believe in peace is to not believe in God’ The march comes at a time of deep divide between Palestinian and Israeli leaders. The peace march started on September 24 in several locations across Israel and the West Bank.”We must come together to be able to reach the peace that we all want,” Michal Froman, who was stabbed by a Palestinian in January 2016 while pregnant, told the Agence France-Presse news agency last week.”As a religious woman, I say that to not believe in peace is to not believe in God.”The women are now set to march to Jerusalem and hold a rally in front of the residence of Israel’s hawkish prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.

Source: Israeli, Palestinian women march together for peace | News | DW | 08.10.2017

New Russian Facial-Recognition Tech May Fight Crime But It’s Already Misused Against Opposition

Clearly, FindFace and similar programs will be used not only by cities in CCTVs to fight crime and terrorism, and intelligence agencies everywhere, but will be used by all sides in every conflict, for good and ill. The policy question then will likely becomes how to create remedies for misuse rather than deterrence.Devising remedies means a lot more research is needed on the misuse of the technology. But in the Russian setting, there are so many factors at work against the opposition already — including covert surveillance of their private lives by state TV and broadcasting without their permission —  that isolating the effect of FaceFind could be difficult.

Source: New Russian Facial-Recognition Tech May Fight Crime But It’s Already Misused Against Opposition