Redaction’s weekly newsletter will bring you original analysis of the week that just went, show you articles you may have missed from our website and preview the seven days to come.
Good evening. America is burning – but who will save it?
In Britain, the Dominic Cummings’ story appears to have subsided following a week of hard-hitting media pressure usually reserved for social democrats.
Across the pond, however, the American people are, once again, united against police brutality and wider state inequality following the death of George Floyd.
Protests which seemingly ‘degrade’ into looting and rioting shouldn’t be seen so superficially, however.
Many know the famous MLK quote about riots being the language of the unheard, but James Baldwin talking about the word ‘looters’ in 1968 is especially poignant.
He said: “How would you define somebody who puts a cat where he is and takes all the money out of the ghetto where he makes it? Who is looting whom?
“Grabbing off the TV set? He doesn’t really want the TV set. He’s saying screw you. It’s just judgment, by the way, on the value of the TV set. He doesn’t want it. He wants to let you know he’s there.
“The question I’m trying to raise is a very serious question. The mass media-television and all the major news agencies-endlessly use that word “looter.” On television you always see black hands reaching in, you know.
“And so the American public concludes that these savages are trying to steal everything from us, And no one has seriously tried to get where the trouble is. After all, you’re accusing a captive population who has been robbed of everything of looting. I think it’s obscene.”
The UK isn’t squeaky clean either – from Mark Duggan to Rashan Charles, police brutality isn’t an American exception.
Look out for more on the Minneapolis protests and the British response on Redaction this week.
If only America had elected Bernie Sanders, some may think, then both the symptoms and causes of inequality would be suppressed some.
Unfortunately for leftists, Mr Sanders gave up in late March, leaving activists disillusioned – but as our contributing editor James Moules explained in his review of ‘Bigger than Bernie’, by Meagan Day & Micah Uetricht, all is not lost.
There’s also turmoil going on just north of the border. Canada, with its good-looking and seemingly benevolent leader, is rallying for a spot on the G7 security council – something that would bolster Mr Trudeau’s legacy.
But his foreign policy record is scratchy, at best. Our new writer Scott Costen looked at the internal opposition to Canada’s bid.
Some of the more conservative countries in Europe are trying to pass laws under the radar while coronavirus grips populations, it seems – another new contributor, Declan Carey, analyses Hungary’s new anti-transgender law.
Looking forward?
Tuesday could have been the primary decider between Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders, with the District of Columbia, Indiana, Maryland, Montana, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and South Dakota all voting.
While that never transpired, there are some exciting down-ballot races to look forward to. Progressive McKayla Wilkes is taking on House Majority leader Steny Hoyer – and insiders are telling me her odds look good. Look out for an exclusive analysis on her campaign.
We’ll also look at the early impact of Spain’s Universal Basic Income programme, the unenviable race for the Conservative Party of Canada leadership and the resurgent Hong Kong protests.
Elsewhere, the European Central Bank will meet just days after Angela Merkel surprisingly spearheaded a £500billion recovery fund.
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Featured Image: Lorie Shaull @Flickr
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