Voter ID: The American Anti-Democracy Movement's Weapon of Choice

A Special Guest Commentary by Activist and Writer Kevin Powell

"Voter ID: The American Anti-Democracy Movement's Weapon of Choice"

by Kevin Powell

Anti-democracy forces in the US are relentless.

Each time our nation takes a step forward, sure enough, a collective of well-financed anti-democracy naysayers comes along to shoot holes in the social and political progress of this country. Never mind that voting is a fundamental right guaranteed by the US constitution. Never mind that people have been killed, through decades and centuries, so that ordinary working Americans, including blacks and other people of color, women, and 18 year-olds could have this basic human and civil right. Never mind that the 15th amendment to the constitution and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 were added as extra layers of protection to insure democracy for all.

Anti-democracy forces could care less. For they are thumbing their noses at this history, at human and civil rights, and instead, are promoting for all they're worth the "voter ID law" movement, which has been in play the past few years but is now amplified in 2012 because of the presidential election. This means there are now eight American states with voter photo ID laws. These laws vary from state to state in terms of what is "identification". Some require an ID card with an expiration date. Others mandate that an ID be only state-issued and for the state where that person is voting. Still others demand a full name and address on the ID card, while others specifically prohibit even valid college IDs as proof of identity.

Given these new sets of rules, and the very real possibility that more of America's 50 states will adopt similar measures, despite the movement's legal setback in Wisconsin this week, it is little wonder that the Brennan Center for Justice recently reported that as many as 5 million eligible voters could have difficulty casting ballots, come Tuesday 6 November, election day in America, including an estimated 800,000 in Texas alone.

And the most vulnerable to voter ID laws? Poor people of all races, and people of color, who've historically had to do battle with laws preventing them from voting, as well as senior citizens and college students. Then, there are groups like newly-married couples, or newly-divorced ones, the transgendered community, Native Americans, American citizens with immigrant family members, and those who may have recently lost their homes due to the foreclosure crisis.

What this translates into are additional costs per voter to secure new IDs, or birth or marriage certificates, or transportation fees to get to hours-long lines, and away from work and other gainful activity. Many will simply shrug their shoulders and not bother to vote. And this, I feel, is the ultimate goal of the voter ID movement.

This is why Rose Sanders says there is one American "law" that has never been repealed: the law of circumvention. Mrs. Sanders should know. Not only is she a long-time resident of Selma, Alabama (a city partially responsible for that Voting Rights Act of 1965), but she is also the founder of the National Voting Rights Museum and co-creator of the 21st Century Young Leadership Movement camp, which educates youth about, among many things, the history of voting in America. She is a daughter of the American South, having lived in North Carolina, Tennessee and Alabama. Before settling in Selma, with her husband Hank, also a civil rights veteran and community leader, Rose Sanders lived in a neighborhood of Birmingham, Alabama named "Dynamite Hill", because African Americans' homes were often bombed as a terror tactic to keep them from voting.

Ironically, I first met Rose Sanders in the mid-1980s when I was among a group of college students who had journeyed to Alabama to re-register voters knocked from voter rolls by Reagan-era policies – not unlike the ID practice today. Sanders is clear that the more things change, the more they stay the same:

"Every means that was used to circumvent the 15th amendment has re-surfaced with new names. Voter ID is the new poll tax. Efforts to stop immigrants or relatives of immigrants from voting are no different than the fugitive slave laws and grandfather clauses that were once used."

This is why Ben Jealous, head of the NAACP, America's oldest civil rights organization, has traveled this week to Geneva to speak before a United Nations panel in Switzerland. Generally the UN's human rights council hears cases from such troubled areas as the Middle East and Africa. But this is not the first time Americans have done this. The irony that this is happening with an African American president sitting in the White House is not lost.

This is also why organizations like the American Legislative Exchange Council (Alec), must be exposed. Since its founding in the early 1980s, Alec has very quietly played a major role in American legislation, including dramatic changes to voter laws. Much of Alec's base is Republican or conservative, and mostly white, and much of its funding comes from corporations, corporate trade groups and corporation foundations. Alec has, in turn, pushed bills it wants to see in place, state by state. Little wonder that when we hear the clarion cry "We want our country back", it is really coded language to say, "We want an America where not everyone has access to the ballot, or the American dream. Just as was the case in the years before the civil rights movement."

This is why it is such a huge mistake for any leader to refer to what is happening as "voter suppression". We need to continually call it what it is: anti-democracy. Because only anti-democracy forces would go to such lengths to make voting that difficult for that many, especially when the Department of Justice has stated, very clearly, that voter fraud is not rampant in our society. And we need to challenge it from every angle, including voter registration and education drives.

For this is much bigger than one presidential election. This is about the future of our democracy.

Detailed information on Kevin Powell is available here: http://www.kevinpowell.net/

Photo courtesy of http://newblackman.blogspot.com

Bill Mardo: Bud Selig, Politicians Continue to Dismiss Writer's Monumental Achievement

Bill Mardo served as sports editor for "The Daily Worker" 

"Communist" Label Could Be Key Reason MLB and Politicians Won't Bestow National Honors

"We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. We must remember always that accusation is not proof and that conviction depends upon evidence of due process of law. We will not walk in fear, one of another. We will not be driven by fear into the age of unreason, if we dig deep in our history and our doctrine, and remember that we are not descended from fearful men -- not from men who feared to write, to speak, to associate and to defend causes that were, for the moment, unpopular." - Edward R. Murrow

On January 29th, 2012, I attended a private memorial service for legendary sportswriter and civil rights icon Bill Mardo. Many of Mardo's closest family members and friends were on hand to reflect on the life of a man that helped change major league baseball and the state of race relations in America. Details of Mardo's phenomenal contributions are available here:  Bill Mardo - New York Times Obit

There were a total of 70 to 80 people that came to pay their respects, including celebrated historian and writer Joseph Dorinson, who co-edited Paul Robeson: Essays on his Life and Legacy (McFarland & Company, Inc., 2002) and Jackie Robinson: Race, Sports and the American Dream (M.E. Sharpe, 1998). Dorinson eloquently shared his fondest memories of Mardo and noted that the sportswriter often came under vicious attack for publishing his views on inequality, poverty and race in America, which was something a white man wasn't supposed to do on a sports page. However, Mardo wasn't your average sportswriter and "The Daily Worker" wasn't your average New York City newspaper. 

During the tribute, I made efforts to suppress my anger. I was angry because I felt that an entire nation should've also been mourning the loss of Mardo, especially every Black man and woman in the country. Moreover, Mardo's tribute served as a powerful reminder of what Blacks and Jews could accomplish if they worked together toward a common goal: unity. This was validated during the tumultuous civil rights struggle of the 60's, but Bill Mardo, who spent a short stint as a boxer during his teenage years, had laced up his gloves of righteousness long before Rosa Parks or Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. started the movement. 

I recently watched in amazement as the majority of people in this country and the world mourned the loss of two people that brought hope, joy and pride to Black America: Don Cornelius and Whitney Houston. Common people, politicians and preachers offered praise, and the world's greatest entertainers came together in unprecedented numbers to honor the contributions of "The Conductor" and "America's songbird". Alas, there was no national celebration or mourning for Mardo, a man who bonded with Jackie Robinson and Paul Robeson to address many of society's economic and racial ills and relentlessly pushed major league baseball to integrate. 

According to one of Mardo's closest family members who spoke at the memorial, "Many aren't aware of this, including members of his own family, but Bill was called to testify before a senate committee because he was a member of the Communist Party and often spoke out against economic and racial injustice. They put this man, and many others that fought for the rights of people in this country, through absolute hell. Bill always stood by his convictions. How many of us would be able to stand before a senate committee and say 'F*ck you!'?" 

Another family member noted, "Bill deserves a national honor of some type, but, unfortunately, a lot of powerful people and people that served or now serve in the U.S. Senate and Congress have long memories. They still have disdain for those that were considered Communists back in the day. The reality is that if you weren't considered a Communist, prior to the horrific revelations involving Stalin, people thought there was something wrong with you. It's really, really sad because Bill sacrificed so much and helped change the country in the process." 

I've repeatedly stated, personally and through this news and information site, that everyone from President Obama to professional athletes should do something to honor Bill Mardo. In my quest to share Mardo's remarkable story, I've contacted the Executive Office of the President of the United States, Congressman Gregory W. Meeks, the New York State Conference of Black Senators, representatives for Governor Andrew Cuomo, representatives for Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Clint Eastwood's production company -- in the hope Eastwood would do a documentary on Mardo -- the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and the office of Bud Selig, Commissioner of Major League Baseball. I also emailed them "The Mighty Mardo", my tribute article to the civil rights icon. Inexplicably, no one has responded.

Based on the lack of response, Mardo's relative has been proven right. Apparently, some very powerful people -- in and out of government -- have very long memories and refuse to acknowledge the phenomenal achievement of Bill Mardo because they worry about being associated with, or being viewed as supportive of, "Communist doctrine". There is no other explanation for this unconscionable treatment, and Black America, as well as Americans of all races, should be as saddened as they were when Don Cornelius and Whitney Houston were laid to rest. 

This commentary is from the heart and....From The G-Man. 

Photo courtesy of Ruth Ost.

President Obama Delivers Remarks at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Dedication

In his remarks at The National Mall President Obama said, "For this day, we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s return to the National Mall. In this place, he will stand for all time, among monuments to those who fathered this nation and those who defended it; a black preacher with no official rank or title who somehow gave voice to our deepest dreams and our most lasting ideals, a man who stirred our conscience and thereby helped make our union more perfect."

Vertus Hardiman Reveals Radiation Experiments Were Conducted on Blacks

President Obama, Congress and Members of the Senate....Make This Right, Damn It!

An Open Letter to President Barack Obama, Members of U.S. Congress and the Senate

Mr. President, and esteemed members of Congress and the Senate:

I'm going to be brief, to the point and not pull any punches. My "G-Fans" and supporters would expect nothing less.

Now, I realize you're all bogged down with a number of fiscal and political issues, but I'm demanding that you find some time to click on the link below and watch this moving and extremely powerful three and a half minute video after reading my letter.

http://www.youtube.com/smithleonardprod

I ask that every resident of the United States, as well as people outside of our jurisdiction, do the same. Brace yourselves! For I assure you, you will be shocked after discovering the truth about an inhumane and unspeakable act of hatred that was committed against an American citizen, and others like him, on American soil.

Furthermore, I urge you -- Mr. President, members of Congress and the Senate -- to not turn away in horror or shame. Watch it!

When you're done, have enough compassion and respect to admit what was done to this man was a crime against humanity and issue a public apology to the family of Vertus Hardiman and all those affected by this tragedy. Make....this....right, Mr. President.

In closing, I want to serve notice to every Republican or Democratic that is thinking about running for president in 2012. If you so much as think about politicizing this situation for your own gain, as many of you often do in situations like this, I'm using this news blog to come after you with everything I've got. Know this, and check the "creds"!

You all may have power, but never underestimate the power of the people. Once America sees this video, I suspect they won't tolerate "politics as usual", with regard to the late Mr. Hardiman and his story, and neither will I.

Please, do the right thing, Mr. President. Hopefully, your colleagues on both sides of the aisle will follow suit.

This request is from the heart and.....From The G-Man.

President Attends National Action Network 20th Anniversary Celebration

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT

AT THE NATIONAL ACTION NETWORK ANNUAL GALA

Sheraton New York Hotel

New York, New York

6:01 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Good to be in New York City. Let me begin by acknowledging some very, very special guests. Dr. Richardson, thank you. Charlie Rangel, for your outstanding work on behalf of your constituents. Mayor David Dinkins. (Applause.) Governor David Paterson is here. (Applause.) State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. DiNapoli, excuse me. This is another one that’s hard to pronounce: Stevie Wonder. (Laughter.) Martin Luther King III. (Applause.) All the Keepers of the Dream honorees with us tonight, and the National Action Network.

It is wonderful to be here as you celebrate your 20th anniversary. Some things have changed a lot since 1991. I told Reverend Al backstage he’s getting skinnier than me. (Laughter.) He’s getting skinnier than Spike. (Laughter.) But he hasn’t lost his sense of style. The other thing that hasn’t changed is the National Action Network’s commitment to fight injustice and inequality here in New York City and across America. And that’s not only a testament to Reverend Sharpton. It’s a testament to all of you who are here tonight. I want to commend you for the work that you’ve done over the last two decades to lift up not only the African American community but the broader American family. That’s what you’re about. (Applause.)

The last time I came was in April of 2007, four months ago -- four years ago this month. Back then I had fewer supporters. Most of you couldn’t pronounce my name, so Tom, don’t feel bad. (Laughter.) I had a lot fewer gray hairs. I was looking at some pictures -- I looked really young back then. (Laughter.) I said that we were facing extraordinary challenges in this country, but that what was stopping us from solving them wasn’t a lack of policies; it wasn’t a lack of plans. What was stopping us was a broken politics. A broken politics in Washington -- a politics that was all about the next election instead of the next generation; that was all about what we disagreed about instead of what we had in common; a politics that made us cynical about our ability to change this country.

And I said that if you stand with me and believe in what we can do together, if you do what civil rights groups like the National Action Network have always done, if you put your shoulder to the wheel of history, then we can move this country toward the promise of a better day. I told you at the time I wasn’t a perfect person, I wouldn’t be a perfect President, but what I could commit to was always telling you the truth even when it was hard, and I would spend each and every day thinking about you.

And because you made our campaign your own, because you believed in our ability to shape our own destiny, we won that chance to bring about real change. And I said on inauguration night in Chicago that that was simply the end of the beginning, and that now the real business started.

Because I didn’t run and so many of you didn’t support me just to win an election. We won the election so that we could then actually get moving on all the work that had been left undone. Even though we understood, of course, the magnitudes of the challenges we faced, we didn’t fully realize until late in the game, probably the last month of the campaign, that we would be facing the worst recession in generations -- a recession that was leaving millions of Americans without a home, without a job, without hope for the future.

And as Reverend Al said, some folks have amnesia about this. Where are we two years later? Our economy has started to grow again. The recovery is gaining momentum. People are finally starting to get hired back. We had to make some tough choices in between. You remember when we decided we had to move to save the American auto industry and everybody said, that can’t happen. And then two weeks ago, GM just announced that it’s going to hire back every single worker that has been laid off and every U.S. automaker is making a profit. (Applause.) But that wasn’t popular. That wasn’t popular.

A while back, I visited a small trucking business, and its owner Stephen Neal is one of our country’s African American business leaders. And he told me that because of the uptick in our economy, he was buying new equipment and adding more workers. And that’s what’s happening all across America. In the first three months of this year, we’ve added nearly half a million private sector jobs -- nearly 2 million jobs in the last 13 months.

So we’re making progress, but we’re not there yet. And I want you to know that so long as there are Americans who cannot find work I will be fighting for jobs, and so long as the gap between the wealthiest few and everybody else keeps on growing I will be fighting for opportunity. And I know you’ll be right there alongside with me. (Applause.)

We are going to keep fighting until every family gets a shot at the American Dream. That’s our North Star. That’s the first thing I think about when I wake up in the morning. That’s the last thing I think about when I go to bed at night -- the hopes and dreams of people who work hard every single day, look after their families, take care of their responsibilities, and just need a little bit of help to make it.

Now, there are Americans of all colors and creeds who are struggling to live out those dreams today. That’s part of what our campaign was about, was reminding ourselves that everybody is in this together. Now, what’s also true, though, is the unemployment rate for African Americans is almost double what it is for other groups. It’s also true that those with the least have been sacrificing the most during this recession. What’s also true is that even before the recession hit, too many communities were marked by structural inequalities in health and education and employment that made it profoundly difficult for too many people to get ahead.

You understood that. I understood that. That’s part of the reason I ran for President, because I’ve seen the frustration and the wounded pride in the eyes of folks who’ve lost their jobs or a father who has to go home and tell his kids that we might not have enough this month, might be losing our apartment this month. I’ve heard the stories of struggling families who are doing everything right and still at the end of the month don’t quite have enough to pay the bills. I did not start hearing those stories when I became President. Those are stories that led me to run for President in the first place. (Applause.)

As Reverend mentioned, I got my start tackling the problems of joblessness and hopelessness that afflict so many of our cities and rural communities. I got my start working to bring opportunity to neighborhoods that were full of boarded-up houses and shuttered stores, fighting to keep kids off the street, fighting to get them into school, fighting to make sure that they went on to college, fighting to make real the promise of justice in our judicial system.

And these causes of justice and equality and opportunity, they aren’t just what led me into politics, they’re what led ordinary people to sit down at the front of the bus, to cross that bridge in Selma, to heed a King’s call to perfect our union. They’re the heart of what makes us Americans. That’s who we are. And because of your support, they’re the causes that I’ve been carrying since I’ve been in the Oval Office.

With the help of folks at the grassroots, we passed historic health insurance reform that will not only extend coverage to 30 million more Americans and give Americans more affordable choices, but will narrow the cruel health disparities between African Americans of different backgrounds. That was because of your work. (Applause.)

We passed Wall Street reform that will protect consumers from the kind of predatory lending practices that helped cause this recession. We’re rewarding work with an expanded Earned Income Tax Credit. We’re tackling poverty with Promise Neighborhoods that build on the great work of Geoffrey Canada up in Harlem. We’re making sure our civil rights and anti-discrimination laws are enforced. And if you’re interested in learning more, if you want to spread the word about what we’re doing not just in the African American community but all across the country, go to our website and it will give you a long list of what we’ve done over the last two years -- promises made and promises kept.

That’s what we’ve tried to do over these past couple years -- advance the causes that make us who we are. But we’ve still got more work to do. If we’re serious about opening up opportunity and making sure America prospers in the 21st century, we’re going to have to up our game as a nation. I was talking to Magic right before we came out -- I was talking about the Bulls, of course. (Laughter.) He’s still picking the Lakers, but he made the point, a young man Derek Rose upped his game, worked hard, and is having an MVP season. Well, we have to do that in classrooms, we have to do that in the workplaces, we’ve got to do that in our communities and our neighborhoods. (Applause.) Our fathers got to up their games.

If we want to attract new jobs and new opportunities to our shores, we’ve got to make sure America can out-compete the rest of the world. That’s what we mean when we say we got to win the future. It means we got to rebuild our crumbling transportation networks with high-speed rail, upgrade our communications networks with high-speed Internet. It means we’re investing in cutting-edge research and technology like clean energy -- and most of all, making sure we are giving every one of our children the best possible education. (Applause.) The best possible education is the single most important factor in determining whether they succeed. But it’s also what will determine whether we succeed. It’s the key to opportunity. It is the civil rights issue of our time.

I know education is important to everybody here, especially Reverend Al. In fact, a while back, he stopped by the White House to talk about education. He was joined by the great mayor of this city, Mike Bloomberg. He was also joined by Newt Gingrich. Newt -- hmm. (Laughter.) Newt said he and Reverend Sharpton were “the original odd couple.” That’s an understatement. (Laughter.)

But I welcomed them to the White House because I don’t think there’s anything odd about the two of them coming together around the importance of education. When there is an achievement gap between students of different races and backgrounds, that’s not a Democratic problem, that’s not a Republican problem -- that is an American problem that we have to address. (Applause.) When too many of our schools are failing our children, too many of our kids are dropping out of school, that’s not a black or white or brown problem -- that is an American problem. We’re going to have to solve that problem. We are all responsible for the education of all of our children.

That starts with parents making sure that we’re doing right at home, staying engaged in our child’s education, setting high expectation. Without parental responsibility, nothing else we do will matter. But we also know that each of us has a responsibility not just as parents, but as civic leaders, as Americans, to do a better job of educating our children.

And that’s why, two years ago, we started something called Race for the Top. We’re saying to states, prove you are serious about improving education not just for some kids, but for all kids. And if you do, we will show you the money. And for less than 1 percent of what our country as a whole spends on education each year, Race to the Top has led 40 states to raise their standards for teaching and learning and student achievement, and developed plans for some of the schools that are underperforming the worst. And all this was done not in Washington. It was developed by Republican and Democratic governors across the country.

We’re going to have to take same approach when it comes to fixing No Child Left Behind. Instead of measuring students based on whether they’re above or below some arbitrary test, we need to make sure our students are graduating from high school ready for a career, ready for college. That’s what we need to do. (Applause.) Instead of labeling our schools a failure one day -- instead of labeling our schools a failure one day and then throwing up our hands and walking away, we’ve got to refocus on the schools that need help the most. In the 21st Century, it’s not enough to just leave no child left behind. We’ve got to help every child get ahead. (Applause.) That’s our goal -- get every child on a path to academic excellence.

And we need to make sure that that path leads to a college degree. That’s why we ended a system where we were subsidizing banks in the student loan program. They were taking billions of dollars out of the student loan program. We said, why don’t we give that to the students directly? That would make sense. (Applause.) So we made college more affordable for millions of students. Millions of students across the country are now getting student loans that they weren’t getting before and more loans than they were getting before. That’s why we’re making it easier to repay student loans so kids don’t graduate, like Michelle and I did, with massive loan payments each month. It was more than our mortgage for 10 years. It’s one of the things I try to remember -- I try to remind people when they say, well, you’re President now. You’re out of touch. I said, listen, it was only a few years ago I was still paying off my student loans. (Applause.) And it’s true, I don’t pump gas now, but I remember what it was like pumping gas. (Laughter.) I remember. I remember the end of the month. (Laughter.) I remember that. (Applause.)

We appreciate all of you buying the book, Michelle and I. (Laughter.) That’s the college fund right there. (Laughter.) That was not a given. That’s why we’re reinvesting in Historically Black Colleges and Universities. (Applause.) That’s why we are -- that’s why we’re upgrading our community colleges that prepare so many working families to succeed in this economy. And by taking all these steps, I’m confident we are going to meet a goal that I set when I took office that I announced in my first State of the Union: By the end of this decade, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world. That is something that we can achieve. That’s something we can achieve. (Applause.)

That’s how we can out-educate countries around the world. That’s how we will out-compete. That’s how we will win the future in the 21st century.

Now, one thing we won’t be able to win is -- if some of our people are falling behind, we will not win the future. The only way for America to prosper is for all Americans to prosper. We’ve seen that in the census that just came out. The face of America is changing. You can’t get away with having a third of our children, half of our children, not doing well. Not today, not in the 21st century. All of us -- black, white, Latino, Native American, Asian American, men, women, disabled, non-disabled -- in America, we rise and fall together.

An America where the American Dream is within reach of everybody, that’s what we’ve been fighting to build over the last two years. That’s what the National Action Network has been fighting to build over the past two decades. I know that there are times where the work is frustrating. I know there are times where it is hard. There are times when change can seem painfully slow to come by. There are times when some of you may have said, I don’t know what Obama is doing there. There are times where you lose hope, times when folks in Washington focus on scoring points instead of solving problems. And some of you may just put up your hands and say, politics is too tough.

But in those moments when we start asking ourselves if change is possible, you’ve got to remember what we’ve done together over the past few years. Remember all the children who will graduate from high school ready for college and beyond. Remember all the Americans who will no longer have to worry about going bankrupt because they got sick. Remember all the families who will no longer be exploited by insurance companies or a credit card company or a mortgage lender.

I’m not asking you to think about what we’ve already done so you can be satisfied with our progress. I know this isn’t the National Satisfaction Network. This is the National Action Network. (Laughter and applause.) But I am asking you to draw inspiration from the fact that we know change is possible. I am living testament that change is possible. (Applause.) We know we have the ability to put our shoulders to the wheel of history and steer America towards the promise of a better day. We know that we stand on other shoulders and step by step, inch by inch, we make progress.

That’s what we’ve been doing. And if you’re as committed as I am to continuing to change this country for the better, if you feel the same determination that I do to tackle the problems that haven’t yet met, if you’re still willing to believe in what we can do together, I am absolutely confident we will do what you’ve been doing for the last 20 years. We will build an America where the ideals of justice and equality and opportunity are alive and well, and we will reclaim the American Dream in our time. So thank you. God bless you. God bless the United States of America. Thank you.

END 6:24 P.M. EDT

Murder and Racism in Russia

Chystyakov, whose face has been concealed to protect his identity, is literally risking his life to make the world aware of the “ethnic cleansing” that is taking place and the Russian government’s failure to respond. He has also provided “From The G-Man” with video footage to support his statements.

St. Petersburg Native Risks Life By Speaking Out
and Providing Graphic Footage

A WORLD EXCLUSIVE

Grisha Chystyakov and his family migrated to the United States, as refugees, after Russia became what Chystyakov calls “a shit-hole”, both politically and socially. He still has many family members back in Russia, the Ukraine, and other Eastern European countries.

Since migrating to the U.S., Chystyakov and his family have faced a number of economic and social challenges, but a strong family bond and Russian pride allowed them to adapt and overcome.

The St. Petersburg native is on the verge of obtaining a degree in electrical engineering. Initially, Chystyakov was solely interested in obtaining an international studies degree and pursuing a career in homeland security and anti-terrorism. Realizing he has a greater purpose in life, he now intends to pursue a career as a U.S. Navy SEAL after graduation.

Chystyakov traveled back to Russia in 2004. He remained for quite some time and was able to get a real sense of how life had changed in his native homeland. He now feels that Russia and Russian nationalism have changed significantly…and not for the better.

In 2009, Chystyakov came across brutal execution videos of Russian neo-Nazis beheading non-Russians or “foreigners”, as well as footage of immigrants being savagely beaten or killed on the street. After an exhausting series of Internet searches, he discovered these groups were proudly posting a significant number of these horrific and gut-wrenching videos on a daily basis.

Chystyakov, who noted he is a loyal “G-Fan”, contacted me and said the number of attacks and murders are steadily increasing. He then requested my help in exposing what was happening to thousands of immigrants and his beloved Russia.

The following interview took place on August 13^th of this year. Chystyakov, whose face has been concealed to protect his identity, is literally risking his life to make the world aware of the “ethnic cleansing” that is taking place and the Russian government’s failure to respond. He has also provided “From The G-Man” with video footage to support his statements.

Be warned!! Viewer discretion is strongly advised!! The footage contains detailed news reports, in English, but it also includes extreme and gruesome violence. Three of the videos contain actual murders – including the graphic and uncensored beheading of an innocent Muslim immigrant by Russian neo-Nazis.

I hope that Google/Blogspot.com will stand in support of the First Amendment, namely freedom of speech and the press, and allow the comments and “death video” links to remain posted on this blog…. no matter how much they may anger the Russian government or threaten U.S.-Russian relations.

Now, here is my exclusive interview with Grisha Chystyakov.

G-Man: Were you surprised to learn that your country elected its first Black politician?

Chystyakov: No, it was eventually going to happen. In general, most people think there are few Blacks in Russia or in Eastern Europe. The fact is that many Africans travel to these regions to study and live. Today, it is not uncommon to see a Black person on the streets of Moscow or St. Petersburg. The country is extremely diverse and its regional officials have various backgrounds. Having said that, Russia currently has an enormous problem with ultra nationalism, and it’s running rampant. There’s a lot of hate toward outsiders and many foreigners are being violently beaten or killed.

G-Man: Are you familiar with the region where the historic election took place? If so, what can you tell me about it, as far as race relations go?

Chystyakov: I am not familiar with this region, but I searched the city where Jean Gregoire Sagbo was elected and found that it is a small town of roughly 10,000. In interviews, Sagbo describes his town as rundown and in need of help. He also mentions that he feels comfortable, at home, and doesn’t see any racism in his town.

G-Man: What prompted this interview was the fact that you said Blacks are not and have not been treated well in your country on any level. How long has this been the case and why?

Chystyakov: It’s not only Black people, but it’s foreigners in general. Anyone who is not ethnically Russian is in danger. Many ultra-nationalists see them as ruining their country and taking their jobs. They see foreigners as the ones who bring in drugs and take Russian jobs. This ideology has been prevalent for a long time and seems to be deeply rooted in Russian society. The first glimpse of this violence began after the fall of the Soviet Union in the 1990’s. Unemployment and other social problems ultimately led to this crisis. Young people had no jobs and older workers had no pensions. Given these conditions, you can easily figure out how bored and pissed off people are going to react.

G-Man: It’s truly frightening to hear you say this because the similarities are striking. As you know, the U.S. is in the midst of an economic and social crisis, and attacks on Mexican and Muslim immigrants are on the rise. Did you or your family members witness acts of brutality against people of color while living in Russia?

Chystyakov: No, we haven’t seen anything personally. Our access to that world is solely through the media.

G-Man: Are the Russian government and law enforcement doing enough to combat racism and racist attacks?

Chystyakov: They have organized groups to monitor hate group activities and created task forces to combat the violence. There are also many anti-racism activists; some of which have been brutally murdered. Just recently, I think around April of this year, a judge was murdered for sentencing ultra-nationalists. Russia is not like the United States, where local police forces will use groundbreaking technology to find killers. This is a poor country with limited resources, and it would be hard to imagine Russian law enforcement officials dedicating resources, time and effort to deal with this growing problem. From articles I’ve read, it seems that the government and law enforcement officials blame the murders and beating on hooligans and turn a blind eye to what’s really going on.

G-Man: Has the Russian media made an effort to expose the brutality shown in the videos you've provided?

Chystyakov: The Russian and international media do a fine job of exposing what these groups have done and continue to do. Most official media outlets won’t show the violent videos completely, but online bloggers and death video sites will. Just searching online I’ve found plenty of stories and underground videos detailing incidents of murder, torture, and brutal beatings by Russian neo-Nazis and other ultra-nationalist groups.

G-Man: The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) have battled racism in the U.S. for many, many years. Do similar groups exist in Russia and are they making progress?

Chystyakov: Again, there are groups that have been established to protect the rights of the people. Have they been successful? I don’t really think so. As I understand it, there has been a 30 percent increase in attacks and murders since last year.

G-Man: Consider the following: The American media picks up this article and broadcasts its video footage. A few weeks later, Reverend Al Sharpton and a coalition of civil rights activists request a meeting with the President of the Russian Federation, Dimitry Medvedev, to address this crisis. Would the Russian government be likely to comply, or would it tell Sharpton and others to stay in America and mind their own damn business?

Chystyakov: I doubt that anything would happen if civil rights activists went to speak with Russian leaders. I’m sure they would be delighted to entertain their guests with a nod or two, but I could imagine them thinking, “Who the fuck are you coming into my house and telling me what to do?” I look at it this way. If a Middle-Eastern, anti-war activist came to the White House and asked….“Can you stop invading our countries and killing our people?”… I’m pretty sure President Obama would console him with a well-placed “yes” or “I understand” at certain points of the exchange. However, at the end of the day, I suspect he would look at the activist and think, “Who the fuck are you?”

G-Man: Do you believe racism is far worse in your homeland or here in the United States? Why?

Chystyakov: It’s much, much worse in Russia. Deep down inside, I know that Russian ultra nationalists, neo-Nazis and Skinheads are far more dangerous in Russia than their U.S. counterpart. The ones in Russia truly don’t give a fuck about the value of life. From the videos I’ve seen, they have killed people in some really brutal ways. It’s a very different culture. What’s really frightening is that membership is rapidly increasing.

G-Man: Finally, do you have any concerns that the Russian government and law enforcement officials will be upset by what you've shared, verbally and visually, in this interview?

Chystyakov: At first, I didn’t see this as a problem. But after thinking about it for a while, I can see it becoming a problem. I plan to return to Russia in the future, and if they find out about this article, or discover my identity, they’ll probably want to ask me a few questions when I land. I know that for a fact. Not knowing how deep the level of racism extends in Russia, how do I know it’s not lurking within law enforcement or government offices? Will I be a marked man after this article? Perhaps. Plenty of activists, reporters, and even judges have been killed back home, so why not me?

Additional footage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GvBh8PZnmw&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLUxuq-E9yA&feature=PlayList&p=09C353EBD4264E21&index=39

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuOVgx3Zh6E&feature=related

The following video shows Russian neo-Nazis brutally murdering two Muslim immigrants. One man is killed in the most horrific and gruesome fashion! Viewer discretion is strongly cautioned!!

http://www.realogrish.com/beheading-videos/3162-neo-nazi-beheading-hi-quality.html

Photo and videos provided by Grisha Chystyakov