By Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers

We're camping out day and night on the FCC's doorstep to defend net neutrality and keep the Internet free from discrimination and "slow lanes"

Schedule at the FCC Camp This Week
Tuesday: Performance night, music and spoken word, bring your instruments.
Wednesday: Art Build
Thursday: Rally at 9 AM, Open Commission Meeting at 10:30

Last week we wrote about the importance of taking action to save the Net. The Chairman of the FCC Tom Wheeler is proposing new rules that will be great for Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon, but terrible for the rest of us. The FCC has been surrounded by corporate lobbyists for too long.

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by Stephen Lendman

On May 11, Donetsk and Lugansk regional referendums were held. Polls opened at 8AM.

Central Election Commission head Roman Lyagin said "turnout is not just high, it's off the charts."

"People (queued) up at polling stations…(E)lection commissions (worked) at full capacity."

Results will be declared valid whatever the turnout, he added.

Around 1,500 polling stations were set up in each region. Thousands participated in preparations. Thousands more including local autonomy campaigners.

Residents in both regions were asked if they "support an act of state self-rule." Yes or no.

Election Commission officials dispelled false information. Residents didn't choose between remaining in Ukraine or joining Russia.

They voted up or down for self-determination. For federalization. For local autonomy.

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by Stephen Lendman

On Sunday, Lugansk and Donetsk voted. Regional referendums were held. Doing so reflected real democracy.

Ordinary people spoke. They did so overwhelmingly. They did near unanimously. They rejected Kiev fascists decisively.

They were unequivocal. They left no doubt where they stand.

On Monday, Lugansk People's Governor Valery Bolotov went the extra mile. He declared what free people everywhere support.

He proclaimed regional self-determination. He spoke for virtually all residents, announcing:

"We have chosen our own path of independence from tyranny and bloody dictatorship by Kiev junta, from fascism and nationalism. We have chosen the path of freedom and the rule of law."

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by Stephen Lendman

Blackwater's rap sheet reveals a record too deplorable to conceal. It became Xe. It's now Academi.

Putting lipstick on this pig doesn't help. It's no different than before. Jeremy Scahill's book titled "Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army" called it:

A "shadowy mercenary company (employing) some of the most feared professional killers in the world accustomed to operating without worry of legal consequences (and) largely off the congressional radar."

It has "remarkable power and protection (within) the US war apparatus." It's well funded. It operates extrajudicially.

It's unaccountable. It's licensed to kill, terrorize, destroy and destabilize. It takes full advantage. It does so wherever it's deployed.

On May 11, Voice of Russia (VOR) headlined "400 US commandos help Kiev in its military offensive in east Ukraine - reports."

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Mary Shaw

By now you probably know that more than 200 Nigerian schoolgirls were abducted last month by Boko Haram terrorists and remain missing. Some of the girls have reportedly been forced to marry their captors while others have been sold into slavery for $12 each.

And you may have heard that the U.S. and other nations are getting involved to help in the search to find the kidnapped girls and their abductors. In fact, it's been reported that U.S. Marines in Nigeria have already arrested two suspects.

It's good that outsiders are getting involved, in light of Amnesty International's recent discovery that Nigerian officials had received advance warnings that Boko Haram was planning to raid the girls' boarding school but did nothing to prevent it. Those poor girls clearly need outside help.

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by Stephen Lendman

Three nations among others stand out: America, Israel and Ukraine.

America's deplorable history reflects barbarism writ large. Killing civilians is longstanding policy. Doing so violates core international law.

It prohibits collective punishment. It forbids attacking noncombatants. Targets unrelated to military necessity are strictly off-limits.

Lawless attacks constitute crimes of war, against humanity and genocide. Committing them reflects official US policy. It's been so throughout America's sordid history.

It's guilty as charged. Its drone program alone is damning. It reflects out-of-control state terror.

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by Stephen Lendman

Israel denies Palestinians fundamental rights everyone deserves. Praying to the wrong God is considered terrorism. So is self-defense against Israeli brutality.

So-called peace talks represent the greatest hoax in modern times. Multiple rounds for decades accomplished nothing.

Things are worse than ever today. Nine months of 2013/14 talks were fruitless. Chances for success ahead are nil. Israel is all take. It's no give.

Washington is part of the problem. The main part. It's no responsible peace partner. It's no honest broker.

It one-sidedly supports Israeli interests. It endorses its worst crimes.

It funds them with billions of dollars annually. It's involvement in talks makes responsible resolution impossible.

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James Petras

Some things do not change, despite world-historic catastrophes. Back in the late 19th century, Isaac Babel witnessed and described mobs, self-described as “Black Hundreds”, rampaging the streets of Odessa, dragging red-bearded Jews through the streets, sacking and burning their stores. Dozens of Jews were murdered and hundreds fled to sanctuaries. Terrible times, indeed!

But how much worse today when the progeny of the Black Hundreds and the proud descendants of Nazi collaborators, who now call themselves the ‘Right Forum’, roam the streets of Odessa with impunity and license, beating whomever they encounter.

Women, adolescents and pensioners fled, seeking refuge in a Trade Union Center. The contemporary Nazi’s firebombed the Center, incinerating forty and forcing others to jump from windows to their death. And those injured from their fall… beaten to a bloody pulp.

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by Stephen Lendman

Palestinians remember Deir Yassin. Poles remember Katyn Forest. Native Americans remember Wounded Knee.

Odessans won't forget May 2. Nor will people of conscience everywhere paying attention.

Massacring people in cold blood exposed the worst of fascist extremism. Neo-Nazi Right Sector thugs committed mass murder.

Kiev putschists ordered them to do so. Washington OK'd their atrocity. What happened was well planned in advance.

A previous article discussed it. About 300 Ukrainians were slaughtered. Fire didn't take them. Neo-Nazi hoodlums did.

Mass murder was mostly inside Odessa's Trade Union House (TUH) building. People perished inside from gunshot wounds, strangulation and beatings. Some were thrown from windows. They didn't jump.

Photographic evidence is damning. Independent videos don't lie. Nor does graphic eyewitness testimony.

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by Stephen Lendman

It bears repeating what other articles stressed. Putin represents responsible geopolitical leadership. Obama is polar opposite.

Responses to Putin's diplomatic proposal didn't surprise. According to State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki:

"(W)e need to see more from President Putin than simply calling for (Eastern Ukrainian referendums) to be postponed."

"And we believe and we would call on Russia to use its influence to - with the militant groups to ensure a safe and secure environment for all Ukrainians to cast their ballots on May 25th. And that's how they can deliver on these words."

Russia is withdrawing its forces from close to Ukraine's borders. They never threatened Ukraine. They engaged in Western-monitored military exercises.

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