community-based, non-corporate, participatory media
community-based, non-corporate, participatory media
Rustbelt Radio for Apr. 9, 2012
by Pittsburgh Indymedia: Rustbelt Radio Collecti
Monday, Apr. 09, 2012 at 11:57 PM
radio@indypgh.org
On today's show: A report from Black Agenda reporter, Glen Ford, on the Supreme Courts decision to allow strip searches without reasonable suspicion. A hacker space in Pittsburgh provides tools and teach-ins to encourage folks to build robots and much more; Updates of prisoner abuse and resistance from inside the prison industrial complex. A follow up to the last show's feature on Juvenile Life Without Parole at the recent Supreme Court hearings and more in our local and global headlines.
audio link: 
MP3 at 27.5 mebibytes
Rustbelt Radio for April 9, 2012
Welcome to this week's edition of Rustbelt Radio, the Pittsburgh Independent Media Center's bi-weekly review of the news from the grassroots, news overlooked by the corporate media.
On today's show...
Rustbelt Radio is broadcast live from WRCT studios every other Monday at 6 PM on 88.3 FM in Pittsburgh, and the program airs again on WRCT every Tuesday morning at 9AM.
We can also be heard weekly on the following stations:
We're also available on the internet, both on WRCT's live webstream at W-R-C-T dot ORG and for download, stream or podcast from our website at radio dot I-N-D-Y-P-G-H dot org.
We turn now to local stories.
[ HMB BREAK RUSTBELT - 0:20 (fades down 0:10 in to start global intro) ]
You are listening to Rustbelt Radio, the Pittsburgh Independent Media Center's bi-weekly review of news overlooked by the corporate media.
Do you want to see issues in your community get the attention they deserve and be heard by a broader audience? You can volunteer with Rustbelt Radio! Learn how to cover events, make stories and get them on the air and onto the internet. To contact us, email RADIO at I-N-D-Y-P-G-H dot ORG or call 412 444 3569.
We turn now to other independent news from around the country and across the globe.
There has been a growing outlash against the April 2nd Supreme Court decision on strip searches. The court ruled that prison officials may strip-search anyone arrested even for the most minor offenses before admitting them to the general population of a jail or prison, even in the absence of a shred of suspicion that they are carrying weapons or contraband.
The plaintiff in this case had been arrested for outstanding bench warrants for an unpaid fine that he had actually paid, and was twice subjected to forced strip searches; he sued, claiming a violation of his Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights.
Journalist and commentator, Glen Ford, says that “Crushing political dissent, not safety in jails, is what motivates the Obama administration to ally itself with the most reactionary wing of the Republican-dominated U.S. Supreme Court.”
We now hear from a report by Black Agenda Radio journalist, Glen Ford, about this recent supreme court decision.
You are listening to Black Agenda Radio journalist, Glen Ford, about the recent supreme court decision on strip searches. For more info go to black agenda report dot com.
We now bring you the weekly Media Minutes report produced by Free Press dot net.
You are listening to the weekly Media Minutes report produced by Free Press dot Net.
You're listening to Rustbelt Radio, the Pittsburgh Independent Media Center's bi-weekly review of news from the grassroots.
This show’s feature is on the current legal proceedings dealing with Juvenile Life Without Parole, or JLWOP (pronounce: j-l-wop) as a follow up to a feature which aired on the March 26th’s episode of Rustbelt Radio.
This week we spoke with Anita Colon [ pronounce Cologne] of Philadelphia on the supreme court cases of Miller v. Alabama and Jackson v. Hobbs , which had hearings last week and stand to affect JLWOP, a practice of sentencing people to life in prison without the possibility of parole for crimes they were found guilty of committing before the age of 18. The US is the only country that practices this sentencing and according to the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth there are currently over 2,500 people serving it. This is an issue that hits close to home in Pennsylvania, as we have the highest population of people serving life without parole for crimes they were found guilty of committing as juveniles, a number that reaches around 450. A major reason for this is that unlike like other states, PA applies mandatory sentencing for juveniles convicted of both first and second-degree homicides.
Anita Colon [pronounce: cologne], who advocates for the end to JLWOP and is sister to Robert Saleem Holbrook, an activist who is serving this sentence and whose writings we feature semi-regularly on Rustbelt, explains the supreme court cases :
A decision from the Supreme Court cases around JLWOP’s constitutionality is expected to come out in June of this year. Like the 2010 Graham case, which said it was unconstitutional for someone to serve JLWOP without a homicide conviction, the case is quickly reaching its decision point. Colon explained that it seems less about the topic of the case and more about the justices who are currently serving and the continuity of their terms. The fast approaching decision time leaves advocates and those serving JLWOP with feelings growing ever strong. Colon explains her feelings on the possible rulings and the background of progress that has led to this point:
Beyond the struggle to end JLWOP is the desire to see decisions become retroactive, that is to have them applied to those who are currently serving this sentence. Colon explained that a supreme court ruling holds more promise for retroactivity than legislation does.
Colon ends with some thoughts on actions in the meantime and on what may happen when the decisions are released:
That was an interview with Anita Colon about the recent supreme court hearings challenging Juvenile Life Without Parole as produced by Rustbelt volunteer Lizzie Anderson
You were listening to I Need A Dollar by Aloe Blacc.
And now we present the Indymedia Calendar of Events:
* On Friday, April 13, the Center for Africanamerican Urban Studies and the Economy is hosting a lecture and discussion featuring Dr. Michael Honey. The lecture is from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Steinberg Auditorium of Baker Hall at Carnegie Mellon University.
* ...
[ Outro Music ]
Thanks for tuning in to Rustbelt Radio here on WRCT Pittsburgh, WIUP Indiana, WNJR Washington, WLRI LanChester, and FRSC Santa Cruz.
Our hosts this week are Alicia Ott and Seth Bearden with contributions from [ ]. This week's show was produced by Shawn Watson. Special thanks to all of our hosts, producers, and contributors.
You can get involved with Rustbelt Radio in a number of ways! Do you want to volunteer to record local events that interest you, write stories, edit audio, or learn show production? To contact us, email RADIO at I-N-D-Y-P-G-H dot ORG or call 412 444 3569.
You can also become our fan on Facebook to receive updates on our latest episode, and follow us on Twitter @pghimc. All of our shows are available on our website at RADIO dot INDY-P-G-H dot ORG and this show can be heard again Tuesday morning on WRCT at 9 AM after Democracy Now!
Tune in next week at this time for another edition of Rustbelt Radio, the Pittsburgh Independent Media Center's bi-weekly review of news from the grassroots.
Rustbelt Radio for Apr. 9, 2012
by Pittsburgh Indymedia: Rustbelt Radio Collecti
Monday, Apr. 09, 2012 at 11:57 PM
radio@indypgh.org
audio: ogg vorbis at 20.1 mebibytesaudio: ogg vorbis at 20.1 mebibytes
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