Monday, May 13, 2013
Alternate Realities Roundup 5/14
Posted By Eric S. Peterson on May 13, 2013, 8:18 PM
U.S.-backed Guatemalan dictator Rios Montt has been found guilty in his own country of genocide, and prosecutors may now be investigating the dictator’s former accomplices, including U.S. officials. ---
Top of the Alty World
“Ríos Montt Guilty of Genocide: Are Guatemalan President Pérez Molina, U.S. Officials Next?”—Democracy Now!
Two congressmen are pushing for Constitutional guarantee of the right to vote.—The Nation
Author Jesse Bravin talks about his book exploring the twisted legal history of the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.—Rolling Stone
Economic austerity doesn’t just mean belt-tightening; it can lead to suicide, infant mortality and increased HIV infections.—AlterNet
Top of Alty Utah
Federal sequestration cuts will weaken wildfire preparedness this summer.—KUER
An Idaho Judge has determined that the wife of an Idaho state senator had an inappropriate relationship with a Utah inmate serving a life sentence for the kidnapping, torture and murder of a gay Utah man.—Q Salt Lake
The Legislature will be meeting Wednesday to discuss a number of issues ranging from expanding Medicaid to new liquor regulations.—Salt Lake City Weekly
Rantosphere
Utah Policy’s Bryan Schott points out that Utah’s Democrats have a lot of emphasis focused on LGBT issues and that in a bizarro world, if marriage equality were granted in the state, Democrats on the Hill would thereafter have even less clout since they’ve fought fewer battles on other fronts, like education and the environment.
“What would happen to the Utah political landscape if gay marriage were suddenly legal? Granted, this is farfetched because Utah is nowhere close to making that move. But, it’s fun to play the “what if” game. If it happened, there would be some real, tangible changes to the political atmosphere in the state. First of all, LaVarr Christensen would have to find a new legislative obsession. Second, it could conceivably push Utah’s Democrats even further into the political background.”—Salt Lake City Weekly
The Long View
Mother Jones profiles the woman who kicked off Anonymous’ anti-rape operations. “Though Anonymous is best known for targeting corporate websites, pwning religious extremists, and championing Occupy Wall Street, members of the loose-knit group have more recently branched out to go after rapists. In Steubenville, Ohio, last year, the group was instrumental in highlighting the alleged complicity of members of a local high school football team in the rape of 16-year-old girl by two of their teammates and turning it into a national story.”—Mother Jones
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