#HistoricalAccountability

[ptitolier]

The Silent Erasure of Local History –

Why It Matters More Than You Think

I have a deep appreciation for independent media, especially outlets like Fumaça and Gerador, which shed light on stories that often go unnoticed. Recently, Fumaça highlighted a powerful article from Gerador:

"Refém da Falta de Recursos, Memória dos Media Locais Está em Risco de Desaparecer", written by Sofia Craveiro, edited by Tiago Sigorelho, and published on December 18, 2023.

The article reveals a silent crisis: local media archives are disappearing due to chronic underfunding, lack of digitization, and institutional neglect. These archives—often the only record of small-town history—are being lost forever.

But does that really matter? Absolutely.

When archives vanish, so do decades of political history, community struggles, and cultural evolution. The press is not just a source of daily news—it is a long-term record of society. If we erase the past, we erase accountability, public memory, and historical truth.

- What happens when we can no longer trace political promises?

- What happens when local corruption leaves no trace?

- What happens when community victories are forgotten?

The answer is simple: history is rewritten to serve those in power.

I have written a detailed breakdown of the article, summarizing its key points to make the topic more accessible. If you care about press freedom, knowledge preservation, and historical accountability, this is a conversation worth having.

Read my full article on Medium

And if you’re interested in going even deeper, stay tuned for my next piece, where I explore the philosophical and democratic implications of lost media archives.

#MediaHistory #SaveLocalNews #JournalismMatters #MemoryMatters #DemocracyInDanger #HistoricalAccountability

[ivygorgon]

An open letter to the U.S. Supreme Court

Your decision to hear the Presidential Immunity case is terrible and dangerous.

2,181 so far! Help us get to 3,000 signers!

I’m writing to express my horror and disappointment in your decision to first delay, then hear Donald Trump’s absurd Presidential immunity case. It’s a major disappointment for people who believe justice can be done and presidents are not above the law. This is not about politics. This is not about using a criminal prosecution in an unfair way against a candidate for office. This is about seeking justice and accountability, the core functions of our criminal justice system. This isn't a hard case. The substantive argument Trump makes—that presidents are entitled to absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for anything they do in office and more specifically, for trying to steal an election—is a loser and everyone knows it. If it’s not, to quote Joyce Vance, “our claim to be a democracy is no longer viable.” But it’s becoming increasingly apparent that several justices on your court don’t care. If it is true—and it is—that “justice delayed is justice denied,” then this Supreme Court has denied U.S. citizens justice in the most important court case we’ve ever seen. We will remember it. So will history.

▶ Created on February 29 by Jess Craven

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[talhanisar]

Palestine and Israel: When & How Things Gone Worse?

Journey with us to explore Palestine and Israel's rich and complex ancient history. In this meticulously researched video, we delve into the captivating tales of these lands, from the earliest civilizations to the rise and fall of mighty empires.

Discover the archaeological treasures, historical accounts, and cultural legacies that have shaped the narratives of these two remarkable regions. We'll take you through the stories of ancient Canaan, the biblical accounts, the conquests of great empires, and the influence of various cultures that left their indelible mark.

Our mission is to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the historical tapestry that weaves these lands together. Join us in this enlightening journey through the annals of time.

Whether you're a history enthusiast, a student of the past, or someone eager to uncover the roots of today's geopolitical landscape, this video offers a deep dive into the ancient world of Palestine and Israel.

🔍 To continue your exploration of history and culture, like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell. Share this video with fellow history buffs, and let's unravel the fascinating ancient history of Palestine and Israel together. 🌍📜🏺

#AncientHistory #Palestine #Israel #Archaeology #HistoricalAccounts #CulturalHeritage #HistoricalNarratives #AncientCivilizations

[briefnytw]

Slavery & Sexual Exploitation

Content warning: sexual violence

Slaves in the United States were subject to an array of violent mistreatment at the hands of the white people who claimed ownership of them or oversaw them in any capacity. Slavery was a means of white people exerting control over Black bodies, and this included sexually exploiting them. As is usually the case in issues of sexual assault, enslaved women were particularly vulnerable to sexual violence at the hands of white owners.

An uncountable number of these women gave birth to children whose fathers were their white owners. Because these children were Black and their mothers were enslaved, the law mandated that they, too, were the property of their white fathers. This meant that these children could be exploited for labor, could fall prey to sexual abuse like their mothers, or could be sold to another plantation for the profit of a white owner.

Accounts of this violence are abundant in slave narratives, both in memoirs that were published while slavery was still being practiced in the United States South and in interviews with former slaves that were recorded by the Works Progress Administration Slave Narrative Project in the 1930s.In her famous 1861 memoir, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Harriet Jacobs details the abuse she experienced and the rape culture that existed on the plantation where she lived and worked:

I now entered on my fifteenth year—a sad epoch in the life of a slave girl. My master began to whisper foul words in my ear. Young as I was, I could not remain ignorant of their import...I turned from him with disgust and hatred. But he was my master. I was compelled to live under the same roof with him—where I saw a man forty years my senior daily violating the most sacred commandments of nature. He told me I was his property; that I must be subject to his will in all things. My soul revolted against the mean tyranny. But where could I turn for protection? No matter whether the slave girl be as black as ebony or as fair as her mistress. In either case, there is no shadow of law to protect her from insult, from violence, or even from death; all these are inflicted by fiends who bear the shape of men…

It is important to note that consent was non-existent in sexual encounters between slaves and white people. Because slaves were viewed as property, they were essentially stripped of agency in sexual encounters with the white people who exercised control over them. If a slave were to resist the sexual advances of a white person, they risked violent punishment—saying “no” was not a real option, nor was self-defense. This is exemplified in the case of Celia, a 14-year-old girl who was purchased in Missouri by Robert Newsom in 1850, regularly raped over the course of several years, and eventually found guilty of murder after killing Newsom in self-defense, resulting in her execution. Celia’s case demonstrates the complete disempowerment slaves faced. Though at the time it was illegal in Missouri for a man “to take any woman unlawfully against her will and by force, menace or duress, compel her to be defiled,” the judge told the jury this did not apply in Celia’s case.

Celia shared her story in front of a jury of 12 white men. Jacobs’ memoir was published in her lifetime, while slavery was still being practiced. The courage of these women, and the many others who came forward with accounts of their suffering, echoes through generations of Black women bravely recounting the abuse inflicted upon them by white people to this day. So too, however, does the opposition these women face when they come forward. Just as Celia’s suffering was disregarded, many survivors of sexual assault are not believed or taken seriously.

To read more about the historical context of slavery in the antebellum South, click here.

To read more about the relationship between the sexual assault of slaves and the contemporary #MeToo movement, click here.

To read more slave narratives on sexual abuse, click here.

Sources: Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl and The Washington Post.