

Democracy Now! 2025-08-12 Tuesday
Aug 12, 2025
Monica Hopkins, ACLU of D.C. Executive Director, voices concerns over federal interventions undermining local governance. Khalil Gibran Muhammad, a leading scholar on policing, discusses racial narratives in law enforcement. Alexander Avina sheds light on the militarization of the drug war, critiquing U.S. policies' impacts on Latin America. Irene Khan emphasizes the urgent need for justice following the assassination of journalists in Gaza, underlining threats to freedom of expression. Together, they tackle the intersections of power, race, and democracy.
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Push For D.C. Statehood
- Khalil Gibran Muhammad urges advocacy for full D.C. statehood to secure local control.
- He stresses D.C. citizens pay taxes, serve in wars, and deserve equal governance.
Homelessness Criminalized In Rhetoric
- President Trump ordered 'the homeless have to move out immediately' in D.C.
- Advocates say this criminalizes poverty instead of funding housing and services.
Federal Takeover Of D.C. Police Is Unprecedented
- Monica Hopkins says Section 740 was used to federalize the MPD for the first time.
- She warns National Guard deployment has previously caused militarized harm to protesters.