⚒️👩🏾‍🌾🌾🇺🇸🗽 AN INSPIRING LABOR DAY MESSAGE FROM REV. CRAIG MOUSIN: Migrants Are The Backbone Of America & Those Who Fight For Migrant Justice Are Not Alone — A Special Podcast With Links To Music By John McCutcheon & Emma’s Revolution!

Rev. Craig Mousin
Rev. Craig Mousin
Ombudsperson
Refugee and Forced Migration Studies, Grace School of Applied Diplomacy
DePaul University
PHOTO: DePaul Website

Dear Paul,

As we begin Labor Day weekend, I give thanks for the many ways your work and mission seek justice for all.

My latest podcast gives thanks to all of you who have worked to end Title 42 and to all those immigrants who have contributed to the common good.

As I end the podcast quoting Emma’s Revolution’s song, Bound for Freedom, I give thanks that we are not alone, but united in the struggle.  Thank you.

https://blogs.depaul.edu/dmm/2022/09/02/lawful-assembly-podcast-episode-29-gratitude-for-those-who-labor-and-those-who-have-labored/

Have a great Labor Day weekend and Thank You.

Peace,

Craig

 

Rev. Craig B. Mousin

DePaul University

(mail) 1 East Jackson Boulevard

Chicago, Illinois 60604

 

(office) Suite 800H

14E. Jackson Blvd.

Chicago, Illinois 60604

 

312-362-8707 (voice)

312-362-5706 (confidential fax)

 

 

You can find some of my publications at either:

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=667812or

https://works.bepress.com/craig_mousin/

You can find my digital story at:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9VTkjhzIcI

You can follow the podcast Lawful Assembly at:https://lawfulassembly.buzzsprout.com

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Thanks, Craig, for your “practical activism and scholarship!”

Takeaways:

  • Grass roots activism works to defeat the forces of darkness and White Nationalism (the defeat of the barrage of White Nationalist immigration amendments was covered on Courtside here: https://immigrationcourtside.com/2022/08/08/%f0%9f%87%ba%f0%9f%87%b8%f0%9f%97%bd%e2%9a%96%ef%b8%8fndpa-activists-help-beat-back-gop-nativist-spoiler-amendments-to-reconciliation-bill-dems-need-to-win-midterms-to-thwart-newest-gop-immi/);
  • The John McCutcheon version of Woodie Guthrie’s song “Deportees” shows how deeply ingrained “Dred Scottification” is in our country’s often unconstitutional, impractical, and sometimes immoral approach to immigration enforcement.“De-personification” of  “the other’” — treating them as numbers, statistics, even “beds” or “apps” without names, faces or rights — and making up vile myths and lies about them, all while  exploiting their labor — is still at the heart of the anti-American White Nationalist agenda!
  • Social justice activism is an important multi-disciplinary endeavor — here we see how law, education, religion, civics, history, broadcast journalism, performance art, music, technology, political science, economics, language, culture, & communication all work together to thwart hate and lies;
  • More undergraduate institutions need to be making these links and insisting that the true history of American Immigration — with all its triumphs and warts — becomes a staple of education;
  • Many of those tone-deaf (or worse) politicos pushing the far right agenda of hate, lies, and racism reflected in the defeated amendments are elitists masquerading as “bogus populists” who got the benefit of education at some of the top law schools and universities in the nation. Whatever happened to the teaching of basic legal ethics and responsibilities to society? The Jim Crow agendas of today differ little from those of the pre-civil rights era of the 20th Century. These are NOT debates between legitimate “differing viewpoints,” but essentially questions of truth vs. lies, hate v. tolerance, integration v. exploitation; 
  • The White Nationalist Right is taking over school boards and local governance in the false name of “parents’ rights” — actually meaning the rights of far right parents to impose their minority religious doctrines and false social doctrines on others. The fight for social justice begins at the local level where where teaching of truth and legitimate debates are being drowned out by disgruntled, anti-democracy, empowered White Nationalist theocrats who claim they want liberty but actually are trying to impose autocracy and minority rule;
  • The fight for social justice never ends!

🇺🇸 Happy Labor Day, & Due Process Forever!

PWS

09-05-22

SPORTS/ENTERTAINMENT: A.R.’s Jeopardy Debut A Winner! — “Who Wanted To Kick That Field Goal?” NOT The Correct Answer In Double Jeopardy!

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/aaron-rodgers-jeopardy-host-joke_n_606c339fc5b6832c793b6572

Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers
Photo by: original: Mike Morbeck
derivative: Diddykong1130
Public realm

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/aaron-rodgers-jeopardy-host-joke_n_606c339fc5b6832c793b6572

 

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Actually, the right answer was “Mr. Rogers” (as in Fred Rogers).

The internet is already ablaze in rumors that A.R. might combine a long term run on one of America’s favorite game shows with another run at the elusive second Super Bowl as the “Leader of the Pack” (an actual category when A.R. won “Celebrity Jeopardy” several years back!)

Since he is now engaged to actress Shailene Woodley, I suppose a “dual life” in Green Bay and Hollywood wouldn’t be out of the question.

Shailene Woodley
Shailene Woodley
American Actress
Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0

Go Pack, Go!

Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers

PWS

04-07-21

 

 

🇺🇸DUE PROCESS ⚖️MUSIC🎶: THE LATEST FROM NANCY SANCHEZ, “SAY SOMETHING” — “If we just keep watching, There wont be anybody left . . . .”⚰️

 

Nancy Sanchez
Nancy Sanchez
Performing Live At Fender Acoustic Showroom
Photo by Justin Higuchi
Creative Common s License

Say Something by Nancy Sanchez 

Don’t assume that just because you’re tweeting in your room 

Somebody’s gonna get the job done 

Don’t assume that things are gonna change for me and you 

If you aren’t willing to put up a fight 

If there’s injustice in the air 

There is no justice anywhere 

People are calling for change 

Today they come for me 

But tomorrow they’ll come for you 

If I don’t say something 

If you don’t say something 

If we don’t say something 

There won’t be anybody left 

If I just keep watching 

If you just keep watching 

If we just keep watching 

There wont be anybody left 

. . . .

Get the full lyrics here: https://nancysanchezmusic.bandcamp.com/track/say-something

View Nancy’s full music video on YouTube here: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=video&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiL_tvQoYDuAhViu1kKHZGGBp4QtwIwAHoECAQQAg&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DrMus2np3k-M&usg=AOvVaw3WEcGzbiOVGPegyWombfaQ

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⚖️🗽👍🏼🇺🇸Due Process Forever!

PWS

01-03-21

 

MUSICAL EDITORIAL: “Weird Al Presents: ‘America Is Doomed,’ The Musical”

Trump Clown
Donald J. Trump
Famous American Clown
(Officially titled “Ass Clown”)
Artist: Scott Scheidly
Orlando, FL
Reproduced by permission
Weird Al
“Weird Al” Yankovic
Musician, Songwriter, Entertainer
Photo:Chris Favero from USA
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.

https://www.nytimes.com/video/opinion/100000007370133/presidential-debate-weird-al.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage

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W. Al, always one of my favorites!

PWS

10-01-20

TIME FOR SOME GOOD NEWS: Waterwell’s Immigration Court Drama “The Courtroom,” Featuring Roles By Some “Judges Of The Roundtable,” Makes NY Times “Best Theater of 2019” List! — “[W]e citizens are on trial, too. What kind of a nation are we? How cruel have we permitted ourselves to be?”

 

Jeffrey S. Chase
Hon. Jeffrey S. Chase
Jeffrey S. Chase Blog

Retired Judge Jeffrey S. Chase, leader of our “Roundtable of Former Immigration Judges” reports:

Waterwell’s wonderful play The Courtroom, in which the script is an actual transcript of an immigration court hearing, and in which three of us (Betty Lamb, Terry Bain, and myself) so far have acted along with stars of Broadway, TV, and film, was named today by the New York Times to its  “Best Theater of 2019” list!

 

Waterwell plans to hold a performance a month through next September or so, so if you are coming to NYC, you can still see it (or maybe act in it!)

 

BTW, the role played by some of us was the judge performing the naturalization ceremony at the end of the play, in which the entire audience stands and takes the oath.  The best anecdote I have heard so far was after a performance at the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, where a non-citizen audience member asked a member of the Waterwell staff if that was a real judge performing the scene.  When told yes, it was, the audience member replied “Well, then I guess I’m a U.S. citizen now!”

 

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Here’s the link to the NY Times and the summary of “The Courtroom” by Laura Collins-Hughes:

Laura Collins-Hughes
Laura Collins-Hughes
Arts Journalist
NY Times

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/03/arts/best-broadway-theater-show.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share

 

LAURA COLLINS-HUGHES

Political Punches

One of the most heart-gripping shows of the year could hardly be simpler: It’s not even a full production, just a staged reading of trial transcripts.

Michael Braun and Kristin Villanueva in “The Courtroom.”Credit...Maria Baranova
Michael Braun and Kristin Villanueva in “The Courtroom.”Credit…Maria Baranova

In Waterwell’s The Courtroom,” the accused is an immigrant in danger of deportation, her unassuming American life at risk of being torn apart over a mistake she insists was innocent. The sneaky thing about this riveting re-enactment, though, is that in watching it, we citizens are on trial, too. What kind of a nation are we? How cruel have we permitted ourselves to be?

That work, recently returned for monthly site-specific performances around New York, is part of 2019’s thrillingly vital bumper crop of political theater — shows that implicate the audience with bracing artistry.

 

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Some of you have probably heard me say that being an Immigration Judge was “half scholar, half performing artist.”

Congrats to Waterwell and to “Roundtable Drama Stars” Retired Judges Jeffrey S. Chase, Betty Lamb, and Terry Bain, all formerly of the NY Immigration Court. Proud of you guys! There are so many ways in which our Roundtable contributes to the New Due Process Army’s daily battle to restore Due Process and save our democracy, beyond filing amicus briefs throughout the country (which we do almost every week, with lots of pro bono help from our talented friends at many law firms)!

Many of those contributions are through the arts. See Judge Polly Webber and her triptych “Refugee Dilemma” fiber artwork, which has received national acclaim and recognition. https://wp.me/p8eeJm-48d As I said just today in an earlier blog about the disturbingly poor and tone deaf performance by three life-tenured judges of the 11th Circuit, this really is not about different legal views any more. https://wp.me/p8eeJm-4RO

It’s a moral and ethical battle to preserve our democracy and its commitment to humanity from the forces of evil, racism, xenophobia, misogyny, authoritarianism, corruption, and White Nationalism that threaten to destroy it. It so happens that courtrooms are among the most visible battlegrounds. But, it goes far beyond that – to the very fabric of our society and our values — to our very humanity and how we view our fellow human beings.

That’s why complicit judges are so dangerous to the system. As with “Jim Crow,” there is only one “right side of history” here! We deserve better performance from America’s judges, particularly those with Article III protections!

As Laura so cogently said in her review:

[W]e citizens are on trial, too. What kind of a nation are we? How cruel have we permitted ourselves to be?

“The Courtroom” should be required viewing for every judge, law professor, judicial law clerk, law student, legislator, congressional staff member, and immigration bureaucrat in America!

Due Process Forever!

 

PWS

12-04-19

 

 

 

GONZO’S WORLD: “Apocalypto” & “Mikey P” Headline SNL “Cold Opening” Featuring “Michael ‘The Fixer’ Cohen” & “Bob Mueller”

Here’s the link:

https://apple.news/AkZhe3YpoQsOHijc1PgzkZQ

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I’m betting that when the time comes that our poor nation finally is relieved of Gonzo’s “services” as AG, unlike the late Janet Reno he won’t be showing up for any live appearances on SNL. Perhaps, he’ll be out on bond awaiting trial. At least he’s smart enough to hire “Chuckie” Cooper as his mouthpiece rather than “The Fixer!”

 

PWS

054-15-18

 

Spicey Returns, “Lester Holt” Interviews “Trump” On SNL — See Clips Here!

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/14/arts/television/snl-melissa-mccarthy-sean-spicer.html?emc=edit_nn_20170514&nl=morning-briefing&nlid=79213886&te=1&_r=0

From the NYT.  Hard to tell spoof from reality in the Trump Circuis.

PWS

05-15-17

Trump WH Rocketing SNL Ratings To New Highs — Watch Melissa McCarthy Do It Again As Sean Spicer! See Clip (Courtesy Of Variety) Here!

http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/saturday-night-live-melissa-mccarthy-sean-spicer-alec-baldwin-1201985397/

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I wonder how AG Jeff Sessions reaction will compare with the late AG Janet Reno’s reaction to her “Dance Party?”

PWS

02/12/17

 

 

Entertainment: Never Trust A Guy Who Can’t Take A Joke — Taking Their Cue From The President, The More Trump Lets Satire Rattle Him, The More SNL And Others In The World Of Comedy Are Going To Double Down On The Stuff That Gets To Him (The Only Way Out For The Prez — Get a Sense Of Humor — But, Sadly, That’s A Tall Order For a Guy Who Has Made His Life “All About Me”)!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/snl-women-trump-administration_us_5899c922e4b040613138f6f9

Maxwell Strachan writes in HuffPost:

“So, President Donald Trump is supposedly upset that a woman played his White House press secretary on “Saturday Night Live” last weekend.

Politico is reporting that seeing Sean Spicer depicted by a thunderous Melissa McCarthy bothered the president so much, particularly because he “doesn’t like his people to look weak.” Spicer himself said that he thought McCarthy “could dial back” the impression. The impression clearly bothered them both.
As a result, people have been excitedly starting to call for more women to play the men in Trump’s administration, hoping to further injure the president’s always sensitive ego, and maybe cause some behind-the-scenes drama.
Rosie O’Donnell, a longtime critic of the president, has already said she would be willing to play Trump adviser Steve Bannon if called upon by Lorne Michaels. To which we say: Why stop there? It’s time for “SNL” to throw the entire administration into a gigantic hissy fit by having women play them all.

To help out the people over at “SNL,” we decided to do a bit of the casting work for them, just so they can think about it. Look, “SNL” can do what it wants. But if what it wants is to create an existential crisis at the White House, it should do this.”

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Check out the full story (with pictures) at the link to see who Strachan would cast as whom. Talk about going viral on Sunday morning!

PWS

02/07/17