The Week In Review, Jan 20th
From MLK to Nablus: Fighting Institutionalized Racism and Ongoing Discrimination
Clare Herceg - This week’s celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day offers us a unique opportunity to reflect on the significance of the Civil Rights Movement, the current situation of race relations in the United States, and some of the parallels that can be drawn between discrimination in the United States and Palestine.
The Civil Rights Movement was active from 1955 to 1968 and used a series of nonviolent tactics and methods of civil disobedience to secure equal legal rights for African Americans. The movement culminated in the adoption of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed discrimination based on race; the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which reaffirmed the right of minorities to vote; and the Fair Housing Act of 1968, which outlawed discrimination in renting or purchasing housing.
Is Peace Possible?: Atlantic Exchange With Senator George Mitchell
Last night a whole host of Washington’s Mideast policy characters came out to participate in The Atlantic’s third installment of the Atlantic Exchange series and introduction to the smartly designed multimedia presentation on Israel-Palestine’s core issues, “Is Peace Possible?“.
There’s only so much you can cram in to an hour and thirty minutes when talking about decades (or even century, depending on your interpretation) old protracted conflict like this, but emcee and Palestine Note co-publisher Steve Clemons and moderator Jeffrey Goldberg did an outstanding job in making sure the crowd was treated to a well-rounded discussion. Though, depending on who you were following on Twitter, some of Jeffrey Goldberg’s questions were a little too…broad.
In any case, its worth listening to Senator Mitchell’s description of what the US could have done better in brokering the failed 2010 resumption of direct negotations, and why he believes the US is still a legitimate and capable mediator.
Certainly looking forward to the next Atlantic Exchange!


