| Project Censored... To order this book you can go to 100Fires.com and ask Paul to send you a copy. Press Release September 24, 2008 Project Censored Releases Top Censored Stories for 2007-08 Contact: Mickey Huff Project Censored mickeyhuff@mac.com, or huffm@sonoma.edu 510-798-6251, or 707-664-3373 For Radio and TV Interviews Contact: Project Censored Publicist Group Allison Murray: 925-705-2701, murrayal@sonoma.edu or Seven Stories Press Crystal Yakacki, 212-226-8760, crystal@sevenstories.com Embargoed for release Until October 1, 2008 9/24/08 Sonoma State University, California: Project Censored announces the release of the annual yearbook Censored 2009 from Seven Stories Press featuring the top twenty-five most important news stories not covered by the corporate main-stream media in the United States. This is the thirty-second annual release for the most censored news stories for the year by Project Censored at Sonoma State University (SSU). Project Censored was founded by sociologist Carl Jensen in 1976 and has been under the directorship of professor Peter Phillips for the past twelve years. Over two hundred faculty, students and community experts participated in selecting the most important censored news stories each year. In modern society censorship is any interference with the free flow of information, said Peter Phillips. We are faced with a Truth Emergency in the United States that will require a renaissance of independent media to correct, said Phillips. Censored 2009 is a comprehensive review of how corporate media fail to keep the American people informed of the most important issues facing our democracy, said Mickey Huff, Associate Director of Project Censored. A full on-line review of the most censored stories is available at: www.projectcensored.org TOP 25 MOST CENSORED NEWS STORIES #1. Over One Million Iraqi Deaths Caused by US Occupation After Downing Street, July 6, 2007 Title: Is the United States Killing 10,000 Iraqis Every Month? Or Is It More? Author: Michael Schwartz AlterNet, September 17, 2007 Title: Iraq death toll rivals Rwanda genocide, Cambodian killing fields Author: Joshua Holland AlterNet, January 7, 2008 Title: Iraq conflict has killed a million, says survey Author: Luke Baker Inter Press Service, March 3, 2008 Title: Iraq: Not our country to Return to Authors: Maki al-Nazzal and Dahr Jamail Over one million Iraqis have met violent deaths as a result of the 2003 invasion by the United States. According to a study conducted by the polling group, Opinion Research Business (ORB) the human toll exceeded one millions as of August 2007. In addition, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency and the International Organization for Migration, in 2007 almost 5 million Iraqis had been displaced by violence in their country, the vast majority of which had fled since 2003. # 2 Security and Prosperity Partnership: Militarized NAFTA Center for International Policy, May 30, 2007 Title: Deep Integrationthe Anti-Democratic Expansion of NAFTA Author: Laura Carlsen Global Research, July 19, 2007 Title: The Militarization and Annexation of North America Author: Stephen Lendman Global Research, August 2, 2007 Title: North American Union: The SPP is a hostile takeover of democratic government and an end to the Rule of Law Author: Constance Fogal Leaders of Canada, the US, and Mexico have been meeting to secretly expand the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to form militarized tri-national Homeland Security force. # 3 InfraGard: The FBI Deputizes Business The Progressive, February 7, 2008 Title: Exclusive! The FBI Deputizes Business More than 23,000 representatives of US private industry are working with the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to collect information on fellow Americans. # 4 US International Law Enforcement Academy is Restarting Dirty Wars in Latin America Upside Down World, June 14, 2007 Title: Exporting US Criminal Justice to Latin America Author: Community in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador NACLA Report on the Americas, March/April 2008 Title: Another SOA?: A Police Academy in El Salvador Worries Critics Author: Wes Enzinna CISPES, March 15, 2007 Title: ILEA Funding Approved by Salvadoran Right Wing Legislators Author: Community in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador AlterNet, August 31, 2007 Title: Is George Bush Restarting Latin Americas Dirty Wars? Author: Benjamin Dangl A resurgence of US-backed militarism threatens peace and democracy in Latin America. In 2005, US military aid to Latin America had increased by thirty-four times the amount spent in 2000. # 5 War Protesters Assets can be Seized by the Treasury Department Sources: Global Research, July 2007 Title: Bush Executive Order: Criminalizing the Antiwar Movement Author: Michel Chossudovsky The Progressive, August 2007 Title: Bushs Executive Order Even Worse Than the One on Iraq Author: Matthew Rothschild President Bush has signed two executive orders that would allow the US Treasury Department to seize the property of any person perceived to, directly or indirectly, pose a threat to US operations in the Middle East. # 6 The Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act Indypendent, November 16, 2007 Title: Bringing the War on Terrorism Home Author: Jessica Lee In These Times, November 2007 Title: Examining the Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act Author: Lindsay Beyerstein Truthout, November 29, 2007 Title: The Violent Radicalization Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007 Author: Matt Renner The Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act (H.R. 1955) passed the House on October 23, 2007, by a vote of 404 6. Author of the bill Jane Harman (D-CA) explains, Were studying the phenomenon of people with radical beliefs who turn into people who would use violence. Civil liberty and religious freedom groups and grassroots activists with helped to stall passage of the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act in the Senate bit some members of Congress continue to push for Internet censorship and racial profiling as necessary to prevent homegrown terrorism. # 7 Guest Workers Inc.: Fraud and Human Trafficking Southern Poverty Law Center, March 2007 Title: Close to Slavery: Guestworker Programs in the United States Authors: Mary Bauer and Sarah Reynolds The Nation, June 25, 2007 Title: Coming to America Author: Felicia Mello Times of India, March 10, 2008 Title: Trafficking racket: Indian workers file case against US employer Author: Chidanand Rajghatta Human rights advocates warn that the guest worker program in the United States victimizes immigrant workers. Labor organizers, lawyers, and policy makers say that the H-2 visa program has locked thousands into a modern-day form of indentured servitude. # 8 Executive Orders Can Be Changed Secretly Senator Sheldon Whitehouse website, December 7, 2007 Title: In FISA Speech, Whitehouse Sharply Criticizes Bush Administrations Assertion of Executive Power Author: Senator Sheldon Whitehouse The Guardian, December 26, 2007 Title: The Rabbit Hole Author: Marcy Wheeler On December 7, 2007, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, as a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, disclosed on the floor of the US Senate that he had declassified documents that state, An executive order cannot limit a president. There is no constitutional requirement for a president to issue a new executive order whenever he wishes to depart from the terms of a previous executive order. Rather than violate an executive order, the president can instead modified or waived itS And the Department of Justice is bound by the Presidents legal determinations. #9 Iraq and Afghanistan Vets Testify Iraq Vets Against the War, March 13 16, 2008 Title: Winter Soldier: Iraq & Afghanistan Eyewitness Accounts of the Occupations War Comes Home, Pacifica Radio, March 14 16, 2008 Title: Winter Soldier 2008 Eyewitness Accounts of the Occupations Co-hosts: Aaron Glantz, Aimee Allison, and Esther Manilla One World, March 19, 2008 Title: US Soldiers Testify About War Crimes Author: Aaron Glantz The Nation, July 30, 2007 Title: The Other War: Iraq Vets Bear Witness Authors: Chris Hedges and Laila Al-Arian Over 300 Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans have come forward recount the brutal impact of the ongoing occupations. The Winter Soldier hearings in Silver Spring, Maryland, in March 2008, organized by Iraq Veterans Against the War, Soldiers presented multiple testimony of atrocities they witnessed or participated in directly. #10 American Psychology Association Complicit in CIA Torture Salon, June 21, 2007 Title: The CIAs torture teachers Author: Mark Benjamin Vanity Fair, July 17, 2007 Title: Rorschach and Awe Author: Katherine Eban Democracy Now!, August 20, 2007 Titles: American Psychological Association Rejects Blanket Ban on Participation in Interrogation of US Detainees, APA Interrogation Task Force Member Dr. Jean Maria Arrigo Exposes Groups Ties to Military, Dissident Voices: Ex-Task Force Member Dr. Michael Wessells Speaks Out on Psychologists and Torture, and APA Members Hold Fiery Town Hall Meeting on Interrogation, Torture In 2005 news reports exposed the fact that psychologists were working with the US military and the CIA to develop brutal interrogation methods. #11 El Salvadors Water Privatization and the Global War on Terror NACLA Upside Down World, August 24, 2007 Title: El Salvador: Water Inc. and the Criminalization of Protest Author: Jason Wallach The Nation, December 31, 2007 Title: GWOT: El Salvador Author: Wes Enzinna Peacework, September 2007 Title: Salvadoran Activists Targeted with US-Style Repression Author: Chris Damon In These Times, November 13, 2007 Title: El Salvadors Patriot Act Author: Jacob Wheeler Inter Press Service, August 19, 2007 Title: El Salvador: Spectre of War Looms After 15 Years of Peace Author: Raul Gutierrez El Salvadors new Anti-terrorism Law based on the USA PATRIOT Act criminalizes political expression and social protest. # 12 Bush Profiteers Collect Billions From No Child Left Behind Diatribune and Daily Kos, March, 30, 2007 Title: Bush Profiteers Collect Billions From NCLB Author: Mandevilla No Child Left Behind (NCLB) is huge success in the realm of corporate profiteering, bit has had little positive impact on public education. # 13 Billions of Dollars Lost in Iraq Vanity Fair, October 2007 Title: Billions over Baghdad Authors: Donald Barlett and James Steele Rolling Stone, August 23, 2007 Title: The Great American Swindle Author: Matt Taibbi The United States Federal Reserve shipped $12 billion in US currency to Iraq at the beginning of the war. At least $9 billion is unaccounted for due to a complete lack of oversight. # 14 Mainstreaming Nuclear Waste Nuclear Information and Resource Service, May 14, 2007 Title: Nuclear Waste in Landfills Author: Diane DArrigo Environment News Service, May 14, 2007 Title: US Allows Radioactive Materials in Ordinary Landfills Author: Sunny Lewis Environment News Service, February 4, 2008 Title: US Company Seeks Permit to Import Nuclear Waste Author: Sunny Lewis Radioactive materials from nuclear weapons production sites are being dumped into regular public landfills, and being used as recycled metals. # 15 Worldwide Slavery Spreads Sojourners, March 15, 2007 Title: From Sex Workers to Restaurant Workers, the Global Slave Trade Is Growing Author: David Batstone Foreign Policy, March/April 2008 Title: A World Enslaved Author: E. Benjamin Skinner Twenty-seven million slaves exist in the world today, more than at any time in human history. # 16 Annual Survey on Trade Union Rights International Trade Union Confederation website, September 2007 Title: 2007 Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union Rights The first Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union Rights documents enormous challenges to workers rights around the world. # 17 UNs Empty Declaration of Indigenous Rights One World, September 14, 2007 Title: UN Adopts Historic Statement on Native Rights Author: Haider Rizvi BSNorrell.blogspot.com, December 11, 2007 Title: Indigenous Peoples Protest World Bank Carbon Scam in Bali Author: Brenda Norrell Common Dreams, December 12, 2007 Title: Indigenous Peoples Shut Out of Climate Talks, Plans Author: Haider Rizvi Forest Peoples Programme, November 30, 2007 Title: NGO Statement on the World Banks Proposed Forest Carbon Partnership Facility Author: Tom Griffiths In September 2007, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The resolution called for recognition of the worlds 370 million indigenous peoples right to self-determination and control over their lands and resources. # 18 Cruelty and Death in Juvenile Detention Centers Associated Press, March 2, 2008 Title: 13,000 Abuse Claims in Juvie Centers Author: Holbrook Mohr In states across the country, child advocates have harshly condemned the conditions under which young offenders are housedconditions that involve sexual abuse, physical abuse, and even death. # 19 Indigenous Herders and Small Farmers Fight Livestock Extinction Trade BioRes, September 21, 2007 Title: Conference Agrees Steps to Safeguard Farm Animal Diversity Author: The International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development La Via Campesina, September 11, 2007 Title: Wilderswil Declaration on Livestock Diversity Authors: Representatives of pastoralists, indigenous peoples, and smallholder farmers Industrialized livestock production is causing the worldwide destruction of animal diversity. # 20 Marijuana Arrests Set New Record Marijuana Policy Project, September 27, 2007 Title: Marijuana Arrests Set New Record for Fourth Year in a Row Author: Bruce Mirken National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws, September 24, 2007 Title: Marijuana Arrests for Year 2006829,625 Tops Record High Author: Paul Armentano Marijuana arrests in 2006 totaled 829,627, an increase from 786,545 in 2005. # 21 NATO Considers First Strike Nuclear Option The Guardian, January 22, 2008 Title: Pre-emptive nuclear strike a key option, NATO told Author: Ian Traynor North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) officials are considering a first strike nuclear option to be used anywhere in the world. # 22 CARE Rejects US Food Aid Inter Press Service, July 23, 2007 Title: Mutiny Shakes US Food Aid Industry Author: Ellen Massey Revolution Magazine, October 1, 2007 Title: Starvation, Aid Agencies and the Benevolence of the Imperialists Author: Revolution Cooperative In August 2007, CARE, announced that it was turning down $45 million a year in food aid from the United States government. # 23 FDA Complicit in Pushing Pharmaceutical Drugs NewStandard, April 20, 2007 Title: FDA Complicit in Pushing Prescription Drugs, Ad Critics Say Author: Shreema Mehta Drug companies are making false, unsubstantiated, and misleading claims in their advertising, often withholding mandated disclosure of dangerous side effects. # 24 Japans Parliament Questions 9/11 and the Global War on Terror Rense.com and Rock Creek Free Press, January 14, 2008 Title: Transcript Of Japanese Parliaments 911 Testimony Author: Benjamin Fulford Testimony in the Japanese parliament, broadcast live on Japanese television in January 2008, challenged the premise and validity of the Global War on Terror. Parliament member Yukihisa Fujita insisted that an investigation be conducted into the wars origin: the events of 9/11. # 25 Bushs Real Problem with Eliot Spitzer Truthout, February 2008 Title: Predatory Lenders Partner in Crime Global Research, March 17, 2008 Title: Why the Bush Administration Watergated Eliot Spitzer Author: F. William Engdahl The exposure of New York State Governor Eliot Spitzers tryst with a luxury call girl was the result of his being a target of a White House and Wall Street operation to silence him. |