May 3, 2009

Broadcast Date: 
May 3 2009

Israeli agents raid the homes of activists with New Profile, the feminist anti-military organization; Michael Ratner on the release of the Bush administration's torture memos; plus Arlen Specter defects from the GOP, but is it good for the Democrats?

Episode segments
  • New Profile Activists Targetted by Israel
    Israeli Politics
    Diana Dolev is an activist with New Profile.
    Esther Kaplan and Marilyn Kleinberg Neimark

    New Profile activists are targets--along with their, and their childrens', computers--of Israeli government raids.  Police respond violently to solidarity demonstrators.  We talk with activist Diana Dolev about what happened and why this decade old anti-militarist non-profit is suddenly in the government's cross-hairs.

  • Deconstructing the Torture Memos
    Foreign Policy, Iraq War, Civil Rights
    Michael Ratner, President, Center for Constitutional Rights.
    Esther Kaplan and Marilyn Kleinberg Neimark

    We talk with CCR's Michael Ratner about what we've learned from the Department of Justice's attempts to craft a "legal" rationale to justify Bush administration interrogation practices. Has the Obama administration gone far enough to unravel the framework of black sites, rendition and lack of accountability?

  • Arlen Specter Defects From The Republicans
    Electoral
    Esther Kaplan and Marilyn Kleinberg Neimark

    As Democrats celebrated the defection of Senator Arlen Specter from the Republican party, Beyond the Pale asks whether the price was too high.

  • A Folklorist's Take on Jewish Humor
    Comics, Jewish Life
    Steve Zeitlin
    Recorded and edited by Nan Rubin

    Part 1 of a talk by folklorist Steve Zeitlin about Jewish humor.