Videos -- In These Times

Protests Surge in Brazil in Response to Police Brutality

Posted June 18, 2013

A reporter, shot in the eye with a rubber bullet by state police, describes the escalating protests in Brazil. The demonstrations originated over an increase in public transportation fare but have since grown to include complaints over government corruption, inequality and cost of living. Several other videos appear to show police violently cracking down on protesters, bystanders and journalists.
Is Hugh Jackman a Walmart Puppet?

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Posted June 12, 2013

In this clip from All In on MSNBC, host Chris Hayes shows a video of actor Hugh Jackman admitting to the crowd at a Walmart shareholders meeting that he missed his daughter's first play in order to attend the event for the corporate behemoth. If Walmart can make Wolverine sacrifice family memories to be their shill, what can't they do?
Hoax Highlights Discrimination Against Undocumented College Applicants

Posted June 5, 2013

Attendees of the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in American Higher Education applauded when a man who identified himself as
Daniel Vargas, Communications Director for the Common Application, announced that the application used by 477 American colleges and universities would accommodate undocumented Americans. These students are usually identified as "international students," but the change, he said, would allow them to check an "undocumented immigrant" box in the demographics section. It would also include "undocumented" as a protected status in the application's anti-discrimination clause.
ColorLines picked up the story and "#undocuequality" received praise on Twitter before it was revealed by activists the next day that Vargas was actually undocumented immigrant and activist David Ramirez, who staged the hoax in order to bring attention to the hurdles undocumented students face in education and the college application process. Common Application has not announced any change to its policies.
Riot Police Disrupt Protests in Turkey with Water Cannons

Posted June 3, 2013

A large demonstration in Turkey protesting the demolition of Taksim Park was interrupted when riot police opened fire on the peaceful protestors with water cannons. Freelance journalist and artist Fabien Tepper recorded the video, but it ends when a blast of water knocks the camera out of her hands.
Why Penny Pritzker is a Terrible Choice for Commerce Secretary

Posted May 28, 2013

Billionaire business tycoon and former Obama fundraiser Penny Pritzker appears headed for confirmation as commerce secretary, despite concerns about her business dealings. Pritzker and her family owned Superior Bank, a Chicago-based firm that collapsed after the Pritzkers expanded subprime lending. With net worth of more than $1.5 billion, Pritzker stands to be one of the wealthiest Cabinet secretaries in history. Her family started the Hyatt Hotel chain, which has come under scrutiny for her clashes with labor unions. The AFL-CIO says Hyatt has exhibited a broad pattern of labor abuses, including aggressive outsourcing, low wages and the mistreatment of housekeepers. ITT Senior Editor David Moberg discusses on Democracy Now!.
Bhaskar Sunkara is Fed Up with the Bloodless Wonks

Posted May 22, 2013

Three years ago, Jacobin founder and In These Times Senior Editor Bhaskar Sunkara was a frustrated 20-year-old, fed up with what he calls, “the bloodless, wonkery of Beltway liberals.” The economy was clearly in crisis, along with the US system of government. Big questions needed to be asked and yet most media outlets were still pumping out guff about “recovery.” As he puts it in this interview with Laura Flanders of GRITtv, “We’ve been sold an ideology that’s based on the golden age of capitalism; based on the welfare state. We were told that if we work hard, if we keep our heads down, then we would be given at the very least a stable nine-to-five job, at the very least enough for a home, enough for a car, enough to raise a family. Workers for the last few decades have been finding out that that’s a lie. The question is what happens then?”
The Most Amazing Speech by a 9 Year Old You Will Ever See

Posted May 21, 2013

Nine-year-old Asean Johnson gives an impassioned speech against school closures in Chicago at a downtown rally on May 20, 2013 that worked the crowd into a frenzy. Asean goes to Marcus Garvey Elementary School, slated for closure by the Chicago Public Schools, an un-elected board who's members are appointed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
Who is America’s Largest Low Wage Job Creator?

Posted May 7, 2013

Answer: workers who are employed by private companies through federal contracts, concessions and leases. Yet, while employers reap billions of dollars in profits from taxpayers every year, they are paid such low wages that they're unable to afford basic needs such as food, clothing, and even rent.
Cartoonists Demand Action on Gun Control

Posted May 6, 2013

Some of the nation's best-loved cartoonists are calling on Congress not to back down on enacting commonsense gun laws.
Will Outrage Following the Factory Collapse in Bangladesh Lead to Safer Working Conditions?

Posted May 2, 2013

ITT's Mike Elk joins Current TV’s John Fugelsang to share his perspective on whether protests following a garment factory collapse in Bangladesh will lead to safer working conditions and whether American workers face similar dangers. “In Bangladesh there is a lot of outrage about what has happened,” Elk says. “They went and they arrested the head of the factory and he’s going to face criminal charges over this so I do think that there might be some movement for change.” Elk cites the recent fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas, as an example of why Americans should be concerned about working conditions closer to home: “This fire was preventable, but there were not the proper safety measures … I do think things like this happen in this country but on a much smaller scale.”