Stories Americas from July, 2008
Flap continues over ‘Obama is my slave’ t-shirt
Lost in the hubbub of last week’s New Yorker cartoon flap was another image controversy regarding Democratic nominee for President Barack Obama. The second deals with a self-proclaimed provocateur going by the name Apollo Braun, a designer of a line of t-shirts stating “Obama Is My Slaveâ€, “Who Killed Obama?â€,“Jews Against Obama†and “Obama=Hitler.†John Liebhardt brings us the latest buzz from the blogosphere.
Sudan: Who's Next After Al Bashir on the US Hit List?
The International Criminal Court Prosecutor has requested an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir for his â€criminal responsibility in relation to 10 counts of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.†A Sudanese blogger writing in Arabic wonders who will be next on the United States' hit list which targets Arab leaders.
Iranian Jewish Immigrant Community Likes McCain
Immigrant communities in the US, whether able to vote or not, have so far played a public role in this year's elections. Many, fed up with US foreign policy, are looking to the incoming president, whomever it may be, for change. One such community is the large Iranian-American Jewish community, the majority of whom live in California. A recent article and podcast, in the The Jewish Journal, focuses on the opinions of that community and their concerns with foreign policy.
Did New Yorker Obama cartoon cross the line?
A cartoon on the cover of the U.S.-based publication the New Yorker stirred passions throughout the blogosphere. The cartoon, displayed on the front of the July 21, 2008 edition of the weekly news and culture magazine, depicted Obama in traditional African muslim dress and head wrap giving a “knuckle tapâ€...
An Interview with Blogger Darryl Wolk
Many bloggers around the world have been talking about the upcoming U.S. elections. One such blogger is the Darryl Wolk, who resides in Canada and blogs about politics in general. Jillian York recently had the opportunity to ask the prolific blogger a few questions about his life, interest in politics, and thoughts on the 2008 U.S. elections.
Campaigning Abroad: A welcome change or an exercise in futility?
With both candidates spending some time abroad to explain their foreign affairs strategies (Obama currently in Afghanistan and soon in Europe, McCain in Mexico and Colombia) the rest of the world wonders whether they should celebrate this new emphasis on international relations or expect a potential backlash for either candidates.
Rosa Clemente as Green Party running mate
Former Representative (D-Georgia) Cynthia McKinney is running for president on the Green Party ticket. On July 9, she announced Rosa Clemente, hip-hop activist and journalist, as her running mate. The blogosphere is abuzz with reactions to the announcement.
Obama: Flip-flopping over abortion?
Throughout his candidacy, Barack Obama has consistently been seen as an advocate for abortion rights, earning him support from such organizations as NARAL. But after Obama clarified his position on late-term abortions this past Saturday, saying that he opposed "mental distress" as a reason for late-term (22 weeks or later) abortions, the blogosphere was quick to question Obama's true beliefs.
USA: Al Jazeera Blackout?
When Al Jazeera announced its plans to release English-language channel in 2005, the announcement was met with both support and protest in the United States. And so, although the US government doesn't prevent access to the channel, many cable companies are reluctant to carry it; after all, Donald Rumsfeld had...
McCain Visits Colombia and Meets with Uribe
Republican presidential candidate John McCain began his Latin American tour in Colombia where he met with his counterpart Ãlvaro Uribe. Discussing issues such as a free-trade agreement, drug policy and the fight against the FARC guerrillas. His visit also happened to coincide with the rescue of 15 FARC hostages.
