The Buzz 10.14.21

FREE SPEECH

The role of journalism in protecting democracy and peace has been recognized by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, which awarded the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize this year to two journalists working in authoritarian countries. In 2012, Maria Ressa founded digital media company Rappler in her native country, the Philippines. The Rappler has exposed the Duterte regime’s “anti-drug” campaign of murder against its own people, as well as the spread of fake news used to manipulate public opinion. In Russia, Dmitry Andreyevich Muratov cofounded independent newspaper Novaja Gazeta, and has worked as editor-in-chief since 1995, despite harassment and death threats. The paper has reported on corruption, police violence, electoral fraud and other important stories. “Free, independent and fact-based journalism serves to protect against abuse of power, lies and war propaganda,” the committee wrote. “The Norwegian Nobel Committee is convinced that freedom of expression and freedom of information help to ensure an informed public. These rights are crucial prerequisites for democracy and protect against war and conflict.”

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“When I’m looking at ISIS videos, I’m thinking about other images.” - Photographer Justyna Badach, who uses stills from propaganda videos, manipulated with gunpowder, to produce the photos in Proxy War (see Art story).

GOOD WEEK / GREAT WEEK

GOOD:

The bad news is that Californians continue to struggle to process unemployment claims with a beleaguered Employment Development Department. The good news is that there is finally a plan in place to start fixing the broken EDD. On Oct. 5, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed several bills into law meant to bolster EDD’s effectiveness. Included in that package are several bills to curb fraud, such as Assembly Bill 56, which requires EDD to create a fraud prevention and detection unit by March 1, 2022, and AB 110 that addresses massive fraud committed by inmates, and requires the California Department of Corrections to share records with EDD. There is also Senate Bill 390, authored by State Sen. John Laird, D-Santa Cruz, that requires EDD to develop a recession plan so they are prepared to deliver services in the event of another surge in claims like at the outset of Covid-19.

GREAT:

It’s a great week for children. First 5 Monterey County – a commission that disperses state and foundation funds to initiatives that seek to improve the lives of children from birth to age 5 – received a grant of $600,000 from All in for Kids, a nonprofit grantmaking initiative that seeks to prevent and end early childhood adversity and trauma. The grant is specifically for the Central Coast Early Childhood Advocacy Network, a collaboration between First 5 and other organizations that work with families representing 94,000 children in Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties. The network’s goals include empowering parents as leaders and increasing political support for policies that address racial and gender equity, economic stability of families and creating positive childhood experiences. First 5 will receive $200,000 a year for three years to spend on the network’s programs.