Western media outlets sell a very particular narrative to the American people about Iran, and I’m sure that there are many people in the United States who truly believe that Iran is the rogue nation that it is painted to be.
AN OPEN LETTER TO GUN RIGHTS SUPPORTERS
The Virginia Defender circulated this Open Letter laying out our view of the issues. Someone posted it on the internal blog of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, the group that had called for the mobilization. We reprint it again here in hopes that it will reach more of the people for whom it was intended.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: CONCERNING GUN CONTROL
Throughout the history of America, gun control laws have always been used against people of color to deny them their rights, as well as their ability to defend themselves and their communities from racist terror attacks. Both political parties have been equally guilty of this.
IN OUR OPINION: CATHY’S CAMP
On the one hand, we have RVA: young, hip, vibrant, artsy and doing pretty well for itself. On the other, we have Richmond, where one out of every five people is poor, where misery swirls around people’s ankles like a flooded campground and which, for the most part, is invisible.
NEW YORKER SPOTLIGHTS SHOCKOE BOTTOM
The Feb. 3 edition of The New Yorker (circulation 1.3 million) carried a major article titled “The Fight to Preserve African-American History” that includes the long struggle to reclaim Shockoe Bottom.
TAKE ‘EM DOWN!
More than 175 people rally Jan. 8 on the steps of the State Capitol to support legislation that would allow local governments to take down “war memorials,” including those honoring slavery-defending Confederate figures. The rally was sponsored by Monumental Justice Virginia, a statewide coalition that includes the Defenders.
STATUE DAMAGE IGNORED BY BOTH CITY AND STATE
A few days after the massive Jan. 20 gun rights rally at Capitol Square, I heard there had been some vandalism around the Reconciliation Statue, the anti-slavery memorial at the northwest corner of 15th and East Main streets in downtown Richmond.
The Virginia Defender 