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The dictionary describes "justice" as meaning “Just or fair behavior or treatment.” That’s our guidepost on “Justice Counts”, where the conversation goes beyond the law to issues that are important...
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The dictionary describes "justice" as meaning “Just or fair behavior or treatment.”
That’s our guidepost on “Justice Counts”, where the conversation goes beyond the law to issues that are important – like equal access and fair treatment for everyone.
Justice Counts is a bi-weekly podcast featuring legal thriller author/justice advocate Mark M. Bello and political activist/author Bob Gatty discussing the important cultural, social justice, and political stories of our time. The podcast features interviews with lawyers, activists, journalists, authors, police officers, and everyday people with concerns about justice.
Bello is an attorney, civil justice advocate, and award-winning author of the Zachary Blake Legal Thriller Series, and is emerging as an important voice in social justice today. He draws upon
over 40 years of courtroom experience in his Zachary Blake Legal Thriller Series and this podcast.
A Michigan native, Mark received his B.A. in English Literature from Oakland University and his law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. After working extremely high-profile legal cases, Mark wanted to give the public a front-row glimpse of what victims face when standing up for justice.
Combining his legal experience and passion for justice with a creative writing style, Mark not only brings high-quality legal services to his clients but captivating novels to his readers. When Mark’s not writing legal and political novels, he writes and posts about fairness and justice in the civil justice system on his website, Legal Examiner and NotFakeNews.biz.
Bob Gatty is a political and human-interest writer who hosts the NotFakeNews blog and website, and the NFN Radio News podcast. He’s co-author of Hijacked Nation: Donald Trump’s Attack on America’s Greatness.
For many years, Bob has worked as a writer, editor and communications consultant, focusing on government and politics. He began as a home town journalist, then worked for United Press International in its heyday covering state politics in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He got his start at the Black weekly, The Pittsburgh Courier, covering crime and the courts.
Tempted by the allure of Washington, DC and big-time politics, Bob became press secretary and chief of staff for two Congressmen -- first the late Edwin B. Forsythe (R_NJ) and then James J. Florio (D-NJ), who later became governor. Florio is a regular co-host of the NFN Radio News podcast with Bob.
After seven years on Capitol Hill, Bob opened a communications business in Washington, first providing political media consulting to candidates and then Washington coverage for national business magazines and communications consulting services for trade associations.
His passion now is the Not Fake News network, which includes two podcasts, a video channel, and books.
Not Fake News includes commentary on timely topics from the perspective of someone who once was a political insider, but is now on the outside looking in. Mark Bello is part of the NFN team of talented writers who contribute to Not FakeNews, which generally trend with "A Little Lean to the Left."
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That’s our guidepost on “Justice Counts”, where the conversation goes beyond the law to issues that are important – like equal access and fair treatment for everyone.
Justice Counts is a bi-weekly podcast featuring legal thriller author/justice advocate Mark M. Bello and political activist/author Bob Gatty discussing the important cultural, social justice, and political stories of our time. The podcast features interviews with lawyers, activists, journalists, authors, police officers, and everyday people with concerns about justice.
Bello is an attorney, civil justice advocate, and award-winning author of the Zachary Blake Legal Thriller Series, and is emerging as an important voice in social justice today. He draws upon
over 40 years of courtroom experience in his Zachary Blake Legal Thriller Series and this podcast.
A Michigan native, Mark received his B.A. in English Literature from Oakland University and his law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. After working extremely high-profile legal cases, Mark wanted to give the public a front-row glimpse of what victims face when standing up for justice.
Combining his legal experience and passion for justice with a creative writing style, Mark not only brings high-quality legal services to his clients but captivating novels to his readers. When Mark’s not writing legal and political novels, he writes and posts about fairness and justice in the civil justice system on his website, Legal Examiner and NotFakeNews.biz.
Bob Gatty is a political and human-interest writer who hosts the NotFakeNews blog and website, and the NFN Radio News podcast. He’s co-author of Hijacked Nation: Donald Trump’s Attack on America’s Greatness.
For many years, Bob has worked as a writer, editor and communications consultant, focusing on government and politics. He began as a home town journalist, then worked for United Press International in its heyday covering state politics in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He got his start at the Black weekly, The Pittsburgh Courier, covering crime and the courts.
Tempted by the allure of Washington, DC and big-time politics, Bob became press secretary and chief of staff for two Congressmen -- first the late Edwin B. Forsythe (R_NJ) and then James J. Florio (D-NJ), who later became governor. Florio is a regular co-host of the NFN Radio News podcast with Bob.
After seven years on Capitol Hill, Bob opened a communications business in Washington, first providing political media consulting to candidates and then Washington coverage for national business magazines and communications consulting services for trade associations.
His passion now is the Not Fake News network, which includes two podcasts, a video channel, and books.
Not Fake News includes commentary on timely topics from the perspective of someone who once was a political insider, but is now on the outside looking in. Mark Bello is part of the NFN team of talented writers who contribute to Not FakeNews, which generally trend with "A Little Lean to the Left."
12 JAN 2024 · We’re living in a time when a former president refuses to acknowledge his re-election defeat, falsely claiming that thousands of votes were cast illegally.
In the aftermath of that, many states – mostly led by Republicans – are making it harder for people of color to vote on the assumption that they would vote in favor of the Democrats. Even the courts are getting in on the act.
Justice Counts podcast host Mark Bello and I are delighted to welcome author, lawyer Fatimah Gilliam to discuss all of that. So, stay with us. --Fatimah Gilliam, is an author, lawyer, consultant, public speaker, and entrepreneur whose career combines expertise in the law, diversity, human capital, leadership, stakeholder engagement and negotiations. She holds a law degree from Columbia Law School, a master’s in public policy from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and an undergraduate degree from Wellesley College.
Gilliam is the founder and CEO of The Azara Group, which provides diversity and inclusion, leadership development, negotiation and strategy consulting services to Fortune 500 corporations, senior executives of billion-dollar businesses and industry thought leaders. She is the author of a new book, “Race Rules: What Your Black Friend Won’t Tell You.”
So, Fatimah, thanks for joining us today for the Lean to the Left and Justice Counts podcasts.
Mark: So, there’s a case in the 8th Circuit in Missouri that might severely limit voter access. I understand it might be headed to the Supreme Court. What’s it all about? Should our listeners be concerned?
Bob: What’s the make-up of the 8th Circuit panel? In Missouri, it must lean Republican, right?
Mark: Why do Democrats seem to be for more freedom and access to voting, while Republicans want to restrict access?
Bob: Are these efforts racist? Are we talking about blatant bigotry here?
Mark: In general, we have a voting rights act, right? Why isn’t it enough to protect us?
Bob: You speak about what you call “Jim Crow 2.0.” You say that the strategy will strip freedoms and suppress votes of people of color and younger, urban, elderly, and disabled Americans. What’s the strategy and what can people do about it?
Mark: In the materials you provided us, you mention Supreme Court cases of Shelby County v. Holder (2013) and Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee (2021). What do these holdings say and how did they skirt around the voting rights act?
Bob: Do we need a new voting rights act? Will that ever happen if we continue to have divided government?
Mark: There is a big election coming in 2024. Because of the Dobbs decision, abortion will be on the ballot. People will want to vote. It may be the most important election of our lifetime. Talk to us about the law of voting. Do you consider voting a right or a privilege? If it’s a right, what can people do to assure that they can vote in upcoming elections?
Bob: Even if state and local governments put barriers in front of lower and middle-income voters, what can they do to assure that they can vote in 2024? Where do they go to find out what they must do to qualify for a voter registration card?
Mark: Talk to us about “Race Rules: What Your Black Friend Won’t Tell You.” Does the book answer some of the questions we’ve been asking today? Is it a blueprint for citizen’s who want to assure that they have the right to vote in 2024?
Bob: You say that the book provides rare access to what many Black people won’t say to White people, what Black people secretly think and feel about White people’s behaviors and choices. What do Black folks say and feel about White folk’s behaviors and choices?
Mark: You also argue that self-education without behavioral change is half stepping? What behavioral change is needed and what does appropriate self-education look like?
Transcribed
27 NOV 2023 · Why is it that so many Americans continue to justify, even celebrate, Hamas’ slaughter of Israelis, attending rallies in support of Palestinians and calling Hamas terrorists “freedom fighters?”
Today, thriller author Mark M. Bello and I are pleased to present legendary feminist and bestselling author Phyllis Chesler to discuss all of this on the Justice Counts and Lean to the Left podcasts.
Chesler is a psychotherapist and Professor Emerita of Psychology at City University of New York. She has authored 20 books including https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUboMdb6zWHvs70Kzf8mrjzkUdjTxcz-2B2JxskZqr7Qp8ataRsy1s2Fh2PgEB0-2F29O8OmNo2BmTXOXhh9eNZL2eda4jt5vVhkG0QwwEpAFbVy5kJQn2Z4Zxmh50aNYgVQfODozsjuVM-2FDTPGL6BY5gtJUjn6qTueyEe79MZXpNy0Y1yQjlpgzIvI6giVN3qQQnGg-3D-3D3w6a_Q6qmdjMpMvhS9AzDSGw97bfeynh42s5c1-2B60CZIFdcbVpXz5m9-2BzeJKn32PxQ8BawPdlq4D1iE22nnn5Sczpq7LScPOc8WNtUXJfd5tVfqoFnQEYWNd6NkHoQ6FcU8ROE7ndFL7dLibMINbZjooAITD0jN1Rm125fR8wnHzu8Mh-2BkS9BM7QHoqrhD7-2Bz2c9C3KHeULUMp1sgsZoYt-2FDvQ6ZlqTjjks2ATVoew1LCKodpG2C81PHnLLp7tfdfQ1-2BkyedO8hIhuItjrUkDeFnMNxMA45zYa-2BDNSzhtbu1QFy-2Fo5o0fvOFsfqKUGH6SlzLDbfMJ2fX4y-2BpJUqTi9-2FwpdJiyKwQp8Cr7p6QYrqpIKuY-3D, https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUarKnn83zwRSicBeX2G1cXIiydbP4IjWAG2YAWaT0OkUV2G17ECIUuq0IURzkiM5xT2V9CFGaOsM-2FayYoGFDtL3wwg8lIbP1qmh5GY4MHZMhU02juLB-2FskdkATz8XPdSS3VMOXcyiU9TWOc8N5cMZ-2FBegGh1S4xD-2BuDzRdYtY6ZSA9FytdpWHtxXEEMNcHlomq6Q5FxBWMX7Ssvy6DnbioSZ71rqhOYqWMSrfIjWJVo6CygibZgfjjF8TpihCABA0393CzjA55QYfb0C6NJP8k4-3D8gl8_Q6qmdjMpMvhS9AzDSGw97bfeynh42s5c1-2B60CZIFdcbVpXz5m9-2BzeJKn32PxQ8BawPdlq4D1iE22nnn5Sczpq7LScPOc8WNtUXJfd5tVfqoFnQEYWNd6NkHoQ6FcU8ROE7ndFL7dLibMINbZjooAITD0jN1Rm125fR8wnHzu8Mh-2BkS9BM7QHoqrhD7-2Bz2c9C3KHeULUMp1sgsZoYt-2FDvQ-2FDMKxbX-2BmlliWfU0h3Mw5PFayqe71ET7xMwwuSy584st-2Bz2gdSRuq3Jdi4-2BsmKRSKbL7IuYgm-2BT7XmU2q7zjJyY1D2ATpV5GLfDDD-2BR7K6-2Blge92t-2B-2BGPD2DXB6DUMkWJKojP-2BoOl4QzqOZCS4Sr2M-3D, https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUZ0K530yLjyAHOVxV4rR61Vg4pLbf7fbsodp1a4GaLuypDnXGBVdZpHe97GsLynTz3S0Tu3uDLK7DlZiif-2BMssSwCOv1LvtngEmBqTCvB3HJBpXcZuHn1NcQY5S9V-2Bs-2FbRDhLTZX3Uvzl9EqsPraYHiEPGlNwk6GViYO3vpfTULgnCYb_Q6qmdjMpMvhS9AzDSGw97bfeynh42s5c1-2B60CZIFdcbVpXz5m9-2BzeJKn32PxQ8BawPdlq4D1iE22nnn5Sczpq7LScPOc8WNtUXJfd5tVfqoFnQEYWNd6NkHoQ6FcU8ROE7ndFL7dLibMINbZjooAITD0jN1Rm125fR8wnHzu8Mh-2BkS9BM7QHoqrhD7-2Bz2c9C3KHeULUMp1sgsZoYt-2FDvQ-2BM4P94UnLQIhjvPa1Y-2BpeVWY9qz7vUx30Q2pwFyu7-2Fdi73yXZJItWtzPHmUOubTZwANleIgjXiuQcpzgZU8LEzkK-2FDs4grSVfjgeQRJU5He46yms0ao8YD1RnW3mDXzCU2YGAv4-2FdrQysWvISvWPcU-3D, and the groundbreaking https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUVTF4KOxbqsuSErcl4Z4SAWnkud3-2BJaaZ8hmz8spdlGYsQNxJbfISxxBUyVGWCWDnKGhMcuMnmSRXCZNR0UrO9eJjntemFLmPvDDJQDF5WcVSU-2B7SpMqrAKjLgtYBPbOVFSB2-2FOclfRNfyGPoQp8rpYL5YyTaHi1jREji7S2qkh6rHZf_Q6qmdjMpMvhS9AzDSGw97bfeynh42s5c1-2B60CZIFdcbVpXz5m9-2BzeJKn32PxQ8BawPdlq4D1iE22nnn5Sczpq7LScPOc8WNtUXJfd5tVfqoFnQEYWNd6NkHoQ6FcU8ROE7ndFL7dLibMINbZjooAITD0jN1Rm125fR8wnHzu8Mh-2BkS9BM7QHoqrhD7-2Bz2c9C3KHeULUMp1sgsZoYt-2FDvQ1y7cu3kmKQSTbsChn-2BmsIiExpH2nvymsMjrU-2B-2B4g5fKLJxY5-2BFSc6Nc6TxcIv0GZ9Unzsa9GvtCVtITjde28n8xyaoST6hLvGn1fp3KDEx4hsY5JCo-2B8HNcYvSFzKFIyEO9BKXVdTAI7T3lzKQRWZs-3D. She has lectured and organized political, legal, religious, and human rights campaigns in the United States, Canada, Europe, Israel, Central Asia, and the Far East.
Since 9/11, Dr. Chesler has focused on the rights of women, dissidents, and gays in the Hindu, Sikh, and Muslim communities; the rights of women in prison; the rise of anti-Semitism/anti-Zionism, the demonization of Israel, the nature of terrorism, forced veiling, forced marriage, polygamy, and tribal psychology.
Dr. Chesler has conducted four studies about honor killing that have appeared in Middle East Quarterly. She has submitted affidavits for Muslim and ex-Muslim women who are seeking asylum or citizenship based on their credible belief that their families will honor kill them. In 2021-2022, Dr. Chesler co-led a team which rescued 400 women from Afghanistan. That work continues.
Here are some key questions we discussed with her:
BOB: You’ve been able to bridge the great divide between the Muslim community and the Jewish community. Why is it that the peaceful Muslim community is incapable of speaking out against Islamic terror? Why, for instance, won’t the Palestinian people welcome Israel as liberators from a terrorist regime?
Mark: A foreign invader comes into your country illegally and viciously and inhumanely murders and dismembers an entire community of your citizens, men, women, children, and even infants. Not surprisingly, you wage war against the vicious terrorists at fault. Many citizens and countries around the world, including citizens of the United States, are condemning you and your government instead of the terrorists who are responsible for the atrocities and who use their own people as human shields. Two-part question: 1. Would this be happening to any other modern democracy other than Israel? 2. Is the world’s response appropriate or an example of modern anti-Semitism?
Bob: You’ve commented that “Western academics, including feminists, have completely lost their reason and their morality; that they are revealing more openly who they really are and gloating about Israelis who have been raped, burned alive, shot dead, or kidnapped. Or, you say, “they are maintaining a pained and awful silence.” Why is that? Is this causing divisions among key women’s organizations?
Mark: Since the holocaust, the cry, especially in the Jewish community has been “Never Again!” Countries have built Holocaust memorials and museums all over the world. It seems, however, that the civilized world has a short memory. Aren’t these “Never Again” crimes? What’s the difference in 2023?
Bob: in a blog you published on your website, you write that “Because Israel has dared to fight back, Jews around the world are being “punished” for Israel’s alleged “crimes.” Jews everywhere are being verbally harassed, demonized, threatened, physically attacked and sometimes murdered. Visibly Jewish students no longer feel safe in their classrooms or on the street. “We are all hostages,” you say. Can you please comment further?
Mark: In my writing, I often quote the Martin Niemoller poem, “First They Came.You have written that: “If we don’t act, they will come for all of us sooner rather than later. Israel alone cannot be expected to fight the battle for Western civilization.” Please explain what’s at stake.
Bob: President Biden’s approval ratings have plummeted since the war began. I don’t quite understand it. The way things are going, the only alternative will be Trump. Which of the two is the better person to manage this crisis and why?
Mark: Is the Israeli response to October 7, 2023, any different than America’s response to September 11, 2001? If not, why did the United States receive international support, including military support, while Israel is widely condemned?
Bob: On Nov. 14, you published a piece in The Hill stating that “Israel will likely be victorious in its war of self-defense against the Hamas terrorists who perpetrated the Oct. 7 massacre. But the expected victory will not truly resolve the situation.” What will resolve the situation?
Mark: 20 years ago, you wrote a book called “The New Anti-Semitism.” Here we are, 20 years later, and it seems to be getting worse. What conditions in 2003 caused you to write the book, and how do those conditions compare to what’s happening today?
Bob: This is the 21st century, not the middle ages. You have done heroic work in the area of women, gays, and dissidents' rights in the Muslim, Hindu, and Sikh communities, where forced marriage, forced veiling, and polygamy are huge problems. Why is almost no action taken to stop these human rights violations? How does the world stop these atrocities?
Mark: What is the future of the feminist movement in these archaic religious communities? Why aren’t feminists speaking out about this? Are we making progress? What can people do to help?
Mark: As you know, some of these archaic practices exist in Orthodox Judaism, too. While these are not as extreme as those in the Muslim, Sikh, or Hindu communities, they do exist. Women are confined to subsidiary roles in the bedroom and kitchen—they wear scarves or wigs on their heads. Their access to education and social growth are restricted. Care to comment?
Mark: When the war is over, I believe we need a Nuremberg-style trial against Hamas for crimes against humanity. What’s your view?
Bob: Let’s talk about the UN. After WW 2, the UN helped to create the State of Israel. Today, all I see are comments critical of Israel. What can and should the UN be doing in 2023?
Mark: On November 3, you wrote an interesting op-ed about the NY Times coverage of the Israel-Hamas war, very critical of the Times coverage. I was shocked when the only place I could watch the protest in support of Israel was, of all places, FOX News. These are only two examples of many. What’s going on? Why doesn’t the extreme left, or even
Transcribed
14 NOV 2023 · With violent extremism on the rise in the U.S. and around the world, many of us are tempted to simply write off extremists as beyond help.
But according to licensed clinical psychologist and extremism expert https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUemQwA0hOIDbGBJZZz-2BFt-2B5m3xbGnInah-2BQvg-2F2U6EatTlDw_Q6qmdjMpMvhS9AzDSGw97bfeynh42s5c1-2B60CZIFdcbVpXz5m9-2BzeJKn32PxQ8BawPdlq4D1iE22nnn5Sczpq9xrFfKkW8gGzY2LHrO-2BacZBZfrodWAB7YqEageJNoitA-2B365v9MPfmljOx7YUGDOYjaZV0LcSxRXV-2B1HGEi75OmYn00eZmjJdCRz8Z055G35-2BX7Xe5z6EG-2FnDf903LA1BGmrLHJvPkBSzJ7Klaf2Zeu38ceIkxDyDUpaiPcYmHftPcEQV9jEKcrElUam3x-2BlzqjFzifEl0-2FuWocLPtJZlt1asTOzLPUZxAM0-2Bf3bhmJ3O-2FX32WiAfVoAF6LCldb0q-2FYpEth8QnEtLEruN1jCw4-3D, the lack of understanding around what causes extremism is simply adding fuel to the fire. She is our guest for the second time on the Lean to the Left and Justice Counts podcasts.
Dr. Bashah was awarded the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues Policy Fellowship and served within the American Psychological Association’s Public Interest Government Relations Office in Washington, D.C. She is co-author of the highly-praised book https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=TeZUXWpUv-2B6TCY38pVLo9lQ-2B9CmiBvK7qTT99SZz99-2Flznd3KRel4dYesuEUPzRYjLpMggjZYVzgCk3XK-2Fk75DUbCqlfU4sNI3ieT2DKtjHtPWe-2BbHA81bf4Q3isSVHInxtJ_Q6qmdjMpMvhS9AzDSGw97bfeynh42s5c1-2B60CZIFdcbVpXz5m9-2BzeJKn32PxQ8BawPdlq4D1iE22nnn5Sczpq9xrFfKkW8gGzY2LHrO-2BacZBZfrodWAB7YqEageJNoitA-2B365v9MPfmljOx7YUGDOYjaZV0LcSxRXV-2B1HGEi75OmYn00eZmjJdCRz8Z055G35-2BX7Xe5z6EG-2FnDf903LA1LN4Ydhja2i9DfA-2FZkCIDM0pB-2BMfEExvR7fMW-2FzGGJ8tbFF8q-2BU8GFRMhhES6xqVlcuMKGKKXDk29TqREx95zNQ27CJrHxbzL7MOvO2iqpvNL14cJi-2B3IdCUCuPNUosDtNTaoOWWFzSoNlQWkVu6Fbk-3D, which we discussed in some detail in our initial episodes, which are still available on both the Lean to the Left and Justice Counts podcasts.
She frequently serves as an expert witness in civil and criminal court sand has worked on high-profile cases covering issues of domestic terrorism and capital offenses.
Here are some questions we discussed with Dr Bashah:
Mark: Do you consider anti-Semitism an “addictive ideology?”
Bob: What can America do to combat anti=Semitism?
Mark: Do you consider recent pro-Palestinian protestors on college campuses anti-Semites in search of a cause, or is something else going on?
Bob: Any other country that experienced a terrorist attack by its next-door neighbor would be encouraged to stamp out terror, yet Israel is portrayed as the aggressor rather than the defender. What are your thoughts about that?
Mark: We should add Islamaphobia to this discussion. American Muslims are not Hamas nor even Hamas sympathizers. Yet they are subject to abuse as well. Your thoughts?
Bob: You say that more and more seemingly reasonable individuals are falling into the trap of violent extremism, and are lured in by compelling conspiracy theories and a feeling of control they have when they engage with extremist ideologies. Can you elaborate?
Mark: You’ve said that by not working to understand extremists, we are actually encouraging extremism to continue. Please explain.
Bob: What are some common misconceptions about violent extremists?
Mark: What do you believe are the factors that contribute to a rise in violent extremism around the world?
Bob: You say that fragility feeds extremism. What do you mean? How do you teach anti-fragility?
Mark: What are some strategies for raising children in this atmosphere today? How is that crucial to fighting extremism?
Bob: Why is treating ideological extremism as an addiction important for stopping this violence?
Mark: Can you offer some tips to help someone who has fallen into the trap of addictive ideologies?
Bob: Remind our audience about your book, Addictive Ideologies. Can you give us the cliff notes version of the highlights? When can people find it?
Transcribed
25 OCT 2023 · According to the National Institutes of Health, 20 million Americans suffer from substance abuse at some point in their lives. Mary Beth O’Connor, our guest today, was one of those, but since 1994 has been sober from methamphetamine use disorder.
She wrote about her journey in an award-winning memoir, “From Junkie to Judge: One Woman’s Triumph Over Trauma and Addiction.” Mary Beth will share her story with us in just a moment, so stay with us. --
Within a week of being born, Mary Beth was dropped off at a convent. Then, she moved in with her mom, but she was more focused on her own needs and desires than her young child. At age nine, her stepfather kicked her in the stomach for spilling milk, beat her when she displeased him, and molested her at age twelve.
A few months later, she took a sip of Boone’s Farm Strawberry Hill wine, which made her feel euphoric and relaxed. So, she drank as much as possible, added pot, then pills, then acid. At sixteen, she found methamphetamine and experienced joy, but when this high was no longer sufficient, she turned to the needle and shot up.
That began 16 years of severe addiction, resulting in destroyed relationships, problems at work, and damage to her physical and emotional health.
But, today, Mary Beth O’Connor is a retired federal administrative law judge. She is director, secretary, and founding investor for the She Recovers Foundation, a director for Life-Ring Secular Recovery, and a member of the advisory council for the Hyer Calling Foundation. Her opinion pieces have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Recovery Today, and other publications.
Six years into her recovery, Mary Beth attended Berkeley Law. She worked at a large firm, then litigated class actions for the federal government leading to her appointment as a federal administrative law judge in 2014, a position from which she retired in 2020.
Transcribed
13 OCT 2023 · Early on Saturday, October 7, Hamas invaded Israel, firing thousands of rockets from Gaza into the Jewish State while also launching an incursion into Israeli border towns, killing and kidnapping residents as they celebrated the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah.
Since then, more than two thousand people have been killed, thousands more injured, and over a hundred are being held hostage by Hamas, which is threatening public executions. You would think that would be enough to prompt immediate condemnation here in the U.S. of those actions. But not so fast.
Today we welcome my podcast partner and fellow author Mark M. Bello to discuss some of the reactions to those terrorist acts by Hamas. Mark’s just published a blog at LeantotheLeft.net urging Americans to speak out against the Hamas atrocities.
21 SEP 2023 · Today we’re focusing on the environmental challenges facing our world today with Rebecca Bratspies, founding director of the Center for Urban Environmental Reform.
She’s the author of an award-winning environmental justice comic book series, The Environmental Justice Chronicles. The three books, Mayah’s Lot, Bina’s Plant, and Troop’s Run, are designed to bring environmental literacy to a new generation of environmental leaders.
Mark Bello and I are delighted to welcome Rebecca to our podcast. She is an award-winning author, scholar, and speaker, and as I said, executive director of the Center for Urban Environmental Reform. That’s a social justice Initiative of the City University of New York School of Law, where Bratspies is a professor of law.
Her most recent book, Naming Gotham: The Villains, Rogues and Heroes Behind New York Place Names, uses the names New York gives its roads and bridges to tell bigger stories about racial and class politics, and to highlight who has the power to name things and who gets to define what counts as history.
Bob: Please tell us about the Center for Urban Environmental Reform. You’re the founding director of the Center. Why was it established?
Mark: What’s its goal?
Bob: As a law professor, why are you making environmental justice comic books? Tell us about them.
Mark: How are you using the books to build a next generation of environmental leaders?
Bob: A Montana court recently ruled that the state’s constitution guarantees the right of all citizens to live in a clean, safe, and healthy environment. Efforts are underway to convince other states to enact such guarantees in their constitutions. What are your thoughts about this?Mark: How would you characterize the state of our climate today and the importance of moving our energy sources from fossil fuels like coal to renewable sources like wind and solar?Bob: Nearly 150 million Americans https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2023/08/22/heat-wave-extreme-temperatures-midwest-plains-south/?itid=lk_inline_manual_2 after July marked the planet’s hottest month on record. Devastating downpours dumped two months of rain on Vermont in two days. Smoke from Canadian wildfires choked East Coast skies, causing the worst air quality on record for some locations. And Hawaii is reeling from https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/08/11/maui-fire-death-toll-compared-us-wildfires/?itid=lk_inline_manual_2.Yet, a new Washington Post-University of Maryland poll, only 35 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents think climate change is a major factor, compared to 85 percent of Democrats.What will it take to convince the doubters that the extreme weather patterns that we are now experiencing are caused, at least in large measure, by man and our reliance on fossil fuels?
Mark: Why did you write a book about New York City history and what did it teach you about racial justice?
Bob: What are some of your favorite stories from the book?
Mark: How did writing Naming Gotham lead you to get involved with the Renewable Rikers project, which I understand is a restorative environmental justice plan to close the jail at Rikers and convert the island to renewable energy to remove the polluting infrastructure from overburdened communities?
Transcribed
10 SEP 2023 · Do you believe equity has finally come to the workplace, that women are now being treated equally with men?
On this podcast, Dr. Regina Lark, author of the new book, Emotional Labor: Why a Woman’s Work Is Never Done and What to Do About It, traces developments over the years that were intended to close the gap, but explains why inequality still exists and what can be done about it.
In 2008, before founding her 7-figure company, Dr. Lark excelled in a career in higher education. When budget cuts eliminated her position at UCLA at age 50, Regina started over and created A Clear Path from scratch. Today, Lark and her ninja organizers provide professional physical, emotional, and psychological support to people who wish to clear clutter and chaos from their lives.
Dr. Lark holds a Ph. D. in Women’s History from the University of Southern California. Her work in that field informs her third and most recent book, Emotional Labor: Why a Woman’s Work Is Never Done and What to Do About It.
The author of Psychic Debris, Crowded Closets: The Relationship Between the Stuff in Your Head, and What’s Under Your Bed, Dr. Lark helps women rid their lives of emotional labor by offering concrete ways to identify and mitigate the costs of women’s unseen, unnoticed and unwaged work at home, and to unleash women into the full potential in the paid workplace.
She delivers keynote addresses, retreats and corporate speaking engagements on women’s leadership, emotional labor, time management, productivity, hoarding and ADHD.
With the podcast hosted by legal thriller author Mark Bello and Lean to the Left podcast's Bob Gatty, here are some questions that we covered in the show:
Mark: Quite the resume. Bob and I are proud to have you on our show. This is 2023 and this is a show about justice and injustice. Historically, women have not been treated equally in the workplace. However, here we are, almost a quarter into the 21st Century. Women have finally achieved equality in the workplace, right?
Bob: You’ve often used the term “household management.” What is it and why is it considered “women’s work?” And, if you can, please give our audience some historical context.
Mark: You also use the term “emotional labor,” especially in your Ted Talk. Please define the term in the context of the inherent inequities women still face in the workplace.
Bob: How is emotional labor performed at home? What does it look like?
Mark: The saying goes “a woman’s work is never done.” Is that still true? And, if so, what can society do about it?
Bob: What are some reasons for the unequal distribution of work in the home? Are men inherently better at certain things and women better at others?
Mark: If you could wave a magic wand, how would you create equity in your own household and in society’s unequal, unjust workplace?
Bob: If couples and their children thought of their home as a business, would the structure and delegation of the work inside the home change? If so, how?
Mark: A person out there is what society still calls a “stay at home Mom.” She’s frustrated by the burdens of Emotional Labor. What can she do to stop the never-ending cycle?
Bob: Why is delegating and outsourcing so integral to lifting the burden of emotional labor?
Mark: How do we become better delegators?
Mark: I believe that men have had since the beginning of time their chance to rule the world and they’ve screwed it up. It is high time for woman to ascend to the throne—I believe that will do a far better job. Is that possible sometime soon? Is there any hope for true equality or a world led by women?
Transcribed
28 AUG 2023 · To counter negative stereotypes afflicting probation clients across the country, award-winning filmmakers/editors, Jonathan Fisher and George Carrano handed cameras to people in the probation system including its officers.
What transpired was an exercise in "participatory photography*" now represented in a book and PBS documentary called, https://usw2.nyl.as/t1/24/c87h938ty0y1fs4zf9ulfyxx3/0/783ceaa4c999e58e294428e4717ace4b5af0a09c273d6673208155a5b5149c5d.
Introduced in the book are tools and possible ways to transform a system that comprised 4 million people in 2020. Jonathan is with us today. So, stay tuned.---The focus of “In a Whole New Way” is keeping people out of jail and informing readers and viewers about probation, a sorely misunderstood and effective alternative to incarceration.
It’s both a film and book by the nonprofit Seeing for Ourselves, charting a whole new way to criminal justice reform.In this visually powerful medium,
Fisher and Carrano share the intriguing history of probation which dates to the 19th century. Prior to producing In a Whole New Way, the duo applied participatory photography inside of NY's project housing. https://usw2.nyl.as/t1/24/c87h938ty0y1fs4zf9ulfyxx3/1/4e5806d816daf2c364a6d1e131f9834bc99112a7e469e0b38b23648ac504ddd1 is the non-profit umbrella. and the former book and documentary were called Project Lives.
Jonathan, thanks for joining Mark Bello, host of the Justice Counts podcast, and myself today.---
Bob: You guys wrote “In a whole New Way” to shine a light on problems involved in our probation system today, right? Tell us about that.Mark: The book talks about probation reform, but isn’t much more needed when it comes to our system of criminal justice?
Bob: Can you explain for us generally how the probation system works and why it needs reformed?Mark: In the book’s preface, you write that “By reforming probation and re-establishing it as a viable option for many ordinarily bound for jail or prison, we Americans will have embarked on one of the most promising paths toward this end.” So, are you advocating an expansion of probation to replace incarceration, at least in some cases?
Bob: What piqued your interest in working on this project? What's your background; how did you get into this practice of participatory photography?
Mark: What exactly is participatory photography and how is it used in this project?
Bob: You were working in the NYC housing projects. What was that initiative like?
Mark: How did you wind up serving New Yorkers on probation? What did you do?
Bob: What surprised you most about probation as a criminal justice sanction?
Mark: How are you leveraging the film and book for criminal justice reform?
Bob: Who were the photographers and where are they now? Mark: You have a new initiative planned. Tell us about that.
Mark: Tell us about the film, where it can be seen, and where your book can be purchased.
Transcribed
5 JUL 2023 · Many states in America are now restricting, even banning, books that discuss important social issues that can be used in our schools. It’s a misguided attempt to somehow protect children. Our guests today will explore those developments and their implications.
Robert Kesten has worked globally promoting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and furthering democracy. His work has taken many forms, including writing and producing an award winning documentary on the Holocaust and Concentration Camps in Poland. He worked on the Ghanaian Constitution, produced events leading to Ukrainian independence, and events for AIDS day and decriminalization of homosexuality in Ukraine, which was the first Soviet Republic to do so.
He is currently the Executive Director of Stonewall National Museum and Archives which we will discuss. He is actively engaged in the LGBTQ+ community and committed to using history as a tool to make sense of the present and form a community response for today, tomorrow, and beyond.
Born and raised in New York, Lesley Abravanel covered the amusingly vapid celeb scene in So Flo for the Miami Herald and several illustrious supermarket mags since the Kardashians were fetuses. She also wrote about restaurants, nightlife and travel for such outlets as the http://miami.com/ and the Daily Mail.
After 2016, she took a major left turn and started using her platform to speak up about politics, especially after being blocked on Twitter by a certain one-term, twice-impeached former "president" who has recently been indicted. She parlayed that into her current position as Managing Editor for Occupy Democrats and Washington Press, two of the internet's most followed left-leaning websites.
She sometimes covers antisemitism in Palm Beach County for The Forward.
When she's not fighting fascism, she collects hot sauces, raises twins, and attempts to learn Swedish from her Stockholm-born husband. I strongly recommend that you follow her twitter page. https://twitter.com/lesleyabravanel
For the first time in its history- only one teacher from the state of Florida is registered to attend the 10th annual Stonewall National Education Project (SNEP) Educators' Symposium next week (April 13-16) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. One teacher. No administrators, no government employees.
I’m joined on this program by co-host Mark M. Bello, who also hosts the Justice Counts podcast, which also is streaming this episode. Robert & Lesley—Welcome to Justice Counts. Thanks for being here. Mark, you have the first question.
Mark: I’d like to start with Robert. As I just mentioned, there is only one Florida teacher registered for the Educators’ Symposium this year. But this event is in Florida and SNEP was started ten years ago in partnership with Florida's Broward County Public Schools. What the heck is going on? Please tell our audience what SNEP is and why only one teacher is registered to attend the event?
Bob: That’s outrageous. Worse, I understand that Florida-type attacks on literature, arts, and music are spreading to other states. Tell us about that.
Mark: If the goal is to protect kids, why do the same groups who seek to ban books, also seek to permit assault rifles? Why is the 2nd Amendment sacrosanct, but the 1st not so much? I wrote an OP ED in the Washington Press called “a book never killed 6 people including 3 children in less than 15 seconds. They protect the guns but ban the books. What’s going on?
Bob: Lesley, I’d like to turn to you for a second. Hearing Mark read your bio, I think it’s a badge of honor to be banned from Twitter by a certain former president, but I also heard that you were the Managing Editor for Occupy Democrats and Washington Press, two of the internet's most followed left-leaning websites. What caused your twitter ban, and please tell us about your websites and left-leaning advocacy?
Mark: I’d like to talk education for a second. In Delray Beach, FL, I belong to a small group that is focused on educating people about anti-Semitism. As a small group, we struggle with finding the right way to approach community outreach. With regard to anti-Semitism or LGBTQ issues, which are near and dear to both of our guests, why do some people feel threatened by alternative lifestyles or non-Christian religions and what can we do to educate them?
Bob: I know that Jews represent roughly 2% of the US population. Muslims are about 2%. About 6% is LGBTQ. About 14% is Black. These four groups combined are less than a fourth of the population as 44% identify as white Christian. Obviously, there is some overlay between the LGBTQ community and the other communities, but where are these numbers heading in the future? Are minorities any kind of real threat to White Christians, or is all of this just nonsense meant to divide us? What’s perception and what’s reality?
Mark: Robert—I saw that you produced an award-winning documentary on learning about the Holocaust and concentration camps. I have a 3-part question about this. 1st, are you receiving Florida type pushback on Holocaust education in this country? 2nd, could you please compare or contrast the current anti-Semitic and anti-LGBTQ movements going on today to 1930s and 40s eastern Europe? And 3rd, how can citizens of goodwill and good faith, turn this around?
Bob: What advice do you guys have for children who are struggling with these issues and who may feel bullied or out of place in school or in their community?
Mark: I did a little research on you guys. I found out that Robert once ran for the state senate in NY and that he did so because his son asked him: “How can you ask someone to do something you won’t do yourself.” You want to tell the story?
Bob: And I read, Robert, that you have connections with both Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr. You don’t look that old. Please tell us those stories. Bob: I also heard that you were once a performer, performing in 5 films, true?
Mark: And in one of those films, you played a lawyer. Talk to me. Did you like being a lawyer?
Mark: Robert- a little Rapid Fire Q & A if you don’t mind. I’d like a comment on each little snippet: You’ve advocated for: A Universal Declaration of Human Rights Walking in someone else’s shoes to be able to truly understand human rights. Every single story gets told. The fact that LGTBQ is the only community that represents a piece of every other community
Bob: Lesley: About Ron Desantis. Gov. White Power. That’s what you call Ron DeSantis on your Twitter feed. So how do you really feel about him?
Mark: Lesley: My three favorite quotes on your Twitter page are 1. DeSantis taking credit for people moving to Florida from so-called Blue states, like it is because of his policies–not the weather or tourists easing the tax burden. 2. That Florida is a “law & order” state when advocates for open carry, and 3. The number one quote? Florida is # 1 in education (unless you want to “say gay” or talk about slavery, the Holocaust, or any other dark period in our history.) What did you do with yourself before DeSantis became governor?
Bob: Lesley: According to your LinkedIn page, you were once a gossip columnist, a restaurant columnist, and a travel guide author. How did you transition to politics?
Mark: This is for either of you. Have you guys been following legal challenges to the so-called “Don’t Say Gay Law” in Florida? I understand there’s a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the law. Where does it stand?
Transcribed
3 JUL 2023 · Amanda Hall is the Campaign Director at Dream.org JUSTICE. She has been directly impacted by the criminal legal system having been imprisoned following conviction on drug charges, and has a personal passion and drive to end mass incarceration and to create a better world in its place. That’s what we're talking with her about today on the Justice Counts podcast.
Before joining Dream.org JUSTICE, Amanda was a Policy Strategist at the ACLU of Kentucky. Amanda was a leader of Kentucky Smart on Crime, a broad-based coalition working for common-sense justice reforms that enhance public safety, strengthen communities, and promote cost effective sentencing alternatives.
Prior to policy work, Amanda served as program director of The Healing Place for Women in Louisville, KY. Amanda graduated from the University of Louisville with a Masters degree in Social Work.
Here are some questions we discussed with Amanda:
MARK: Does an incarcerated person automatically receive help with addiction and treatment, or does it depend on where you are or what you request it?
BOB: What about gender differences and medical treatment, do women in prison receive the care that is necessary or appropriate for their gender?
MARK: A prisoner is serving his or her time. What steps are taken to in prison and during the release process to help a prisoner re-integrate into society?
BOB: Is that a universal process? Are prisoners everywhere offered the same assistance for reentry to society? If not, what are some of the differences?
MARK: Are there any statistics about whether prisoner are more successful upon reentry if they have received assistance than those who have not?
BOB: Are there differences in this reentry process for men and women? Are women treated differently in and out of prison?
MARK: You have faced this process yourself, obviously. What are some of the injustices or discrimination you have faced when trying to reintegrate into society?
BOB: What are the injustices faced by former inmates that you are most focused on and why?
MARK: What can the average person, those who have not experienced prison or been involved with the system do to help alleviate discrimination?
BOB: If you haven’t done so already, please check out Mark Bello’s ripped-from-the-headlines legal thrillers, all available online at Amazon and other major online booksellers. He has quite the hero in Attorney Zachary Blake, who fights for justice on all fronts.
His books are Betrayal of Faith, Betrayal of Justice, Betrayal in Blue, Betrayal in Black, Betrayal High, Supreme Betrayal, Betrayal at the Border, You Have the Right to Remain Silent and his latest, and his latest, “The Final Steps – A Harbor Springs Cozy Legal Mystery.
Also, he’s written a wonderful children’s book about bullying, “Happy Jack, Sad Jack.” For more info, just check markmbello.com.
Until next time, this is Bob Gatty for Mark Bello signing off from Justice Counts.
The dictionary describes "justice" as meaning “Just or fair behavior or treatment.” That’s our guidepost on “Justice Counts”, where the conversation goes beyond the law to issues that are important...
show more
The dictionary describes "justice" as meaning “Just or fair behavior or treatment.”
That’s our guidepost on “Justice Counts”, where the conversation goes beyond the law to issues that are important – like equal access and fair treatment for everyone.
Justice Counts is a bi-weekly podcast featuring legal thriller author/justice advocate Mark M. Bello and political activist/author Bob Gatty discussing the important cultural, social justice, and political stories of our time. The podcast features interviews with lawyers, activists, journalists, authors, police officers, and everyday people with concerns about justice.
Bello is an attorney, civil justice advocate, and award-winning author of the Zachary Blake Legal Thriller Series, and is emerging as an important voice in social justice today. He draws upon
over 40 years of courtroom experience in his Zachary Blake Legal Thriller Series and this podcast.
A Michigan native, Mark received his B.A. in English Literature from Oakland University and his law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. After working extremely high-profile legal cases, Mark wanted to give the public a front-row glimpse of what victims face when standing up for justice.
Combining his legal experience and passion for justice with a creative writing style, Mark not only brings high-quality legal services to his clients but captivating novels to his readers. When Mark’s not writing legal and political novels, he writes and posts about fairness and justice in the civil justice system on his website, Legal Examiner and NotFakeNews.biz.
Bob Gatty is a political and human-interest writer who hosts the NotFakeNews blog and website, and the NFN Radio News podcast. He’s co-author of Hijacked Nation: Donald Trump’s Attack on America’s Greatness.
For many years, Bob has worked as a writer, editor and communications consultant, focusing on government and politics. He began as a home town journalist, then worked for United Press International in its heyday covering state politics in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He got his start at the Black weekly, The Pittsburgh Courier, covering crime and the courts.
Tempted by the allure of Washington, DC and big-time politics, Bob became press secretary and chief of staff for two Congressmen -- first the late Edwin B. Forsythe (R_NJ) and then James J. Florio (D-NJ), who later became governor. Florio is a regular co-host of the NFN Radio News podcast with Bob.
After seven years on Capitol Hill, Bob opened a communications business in Washington, first providing political media consulting to candidates and then Washington coverage for national business magazines and communications consulting services for trade associations.
His passion now is the Not Fake News network, which includes two podcasts, a video channel, and books.
Not Fake News includes commentary on timely topics from the perspective of someone who once was a political insider, but is now on the outside looking in. Mark Bello is part of the NFN team of talented writers who contribute to Not FakeNews, which generally trend with "A Little Lean to the Left."
show less
That’s our guidepost on “Justice Counts”, where the conversation goes beyond the law to issues that are important – like equal access and fair treatment for everyone.
Justice Counts is a bi-weekly podcast featuring legal thriller author/justice advocate Mark M. Bello and political activist/author Bob Gatty discussing the important cultural, social justice, and political stories of our time. The podcast features interviews with lawyers, activists, journalists, authors, police officers, and everyday people with concerns about justice.
Bello is an attorney, civil justice advocate, and award-winning author of the Zachary Blake Legal Thriller Series, and is emerging as an important voice in social justice today. He draws upon
over 40 years of courtroom experience in his Zachary Blake Legal Thriller Series and this podcast.
A Michigan native, Mark received his B.A. in English Literature from Oakland University and his law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. After working extremely high-profile legal cases, Mark wanted to give the public a front-row glimpse of what victims face when standing up for justice.
Combining his legal experience and passion for justice with a creative writing style, Mark not only brings high-quality legal services to his clients but captivating novels to his readers. When Mark’s not writing legal and political novels, he writes and posts about fairness and justice in the civil justice system on his website, Legal Examiner and NotFakeNews.biz.
Bob Gatty is a political and human-interest writer who hosts the NotFakeNews blog and website, and the NFN Radio News podcast. He’s co-author of Hijacked Nation: Donald Trump’s Attack on America’s Greatness.
For many years, Bob has worked as a writer, editor and communications consultant, focusing on government and politics. He began as a home town journalist, then worked for United Press International in its heyday covering state politics in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He got his start at the Black weekly, The Pittsburgh Courier, covering crime and the courts.
Tempted by the allure of Washington, DC and big-time politics, Bob became press secretary and chief of staff for two Congressmen -- first the late Edwin B. Forsythe (R_NJ) and then James J. Florio (D-NJ), who later became governor. Florio is a regular co-host of the NFN Radio News podcast with Bob.
After seven years on Capitol Hill, Bob opened a communications business in Washington, first providing political media consulting to candidates and then Washington coverage for national business magazines and communications consulting services for trade associations.
His passion now is the Not Fake News network, which includes two podcasts, a video channel, and books.
Not Fake News includes commentary on timely topics from the perspective of someone who once was a political insider, but is now on the outside looking in. Mark Bello is part of the NFN team of talented writers who contribute to Not FakeNews, which generally trend with "A Little Lean to the Left."
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