Q&A to become more watchable
On July 6, the homophobic, climate change-denying minister of agriculture, Senator Barnaby Joyce, was due to appear on the ABC's Q&A program. However, the night before, he announced he would not be appearing because Prime Minister Tony Abbott had ordered all government ministers to boycott the program in response to the June 22 episode in which Liberal MP Steve Ciobo had to deal with a question he didn't approve of from the audience.
Viewers may not, however, have noticed that the government was unrepresented in the July 6 episode as Richard Marles, immigration spokesperson for the ALP “opposition”, exerted himself to defend the government’s illegal, human rights abusing anti-refugee policies. One can only hope that the ALP's tactic of copying the government's policies means that they too ban their front benchers from Q&A — the show might then become watchable.
Chile moves towards marijuana decriminalisation
The personal cultivation of marijuana for medicinal and recreational use is one step closer to being decriminalised in Chile after the House of Representatives passed a bill approving it on July 7, TeleSUR English reported that day.
The initiative amends the Health Code and Drugs Act, which punishes illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. It aims at legalising personal cultivation of cannabis for private consumption and decriminalising its cultivation and marketing for therapeutic purposes. It was approved with 68 deputies voting in favour to 39 against.
The bill would allow the cultivation of up to six plants per household, therapeutic use by medical prescription, and possession of up to 10 grams for private consumption without prior authorisation.
Muslim groups raise money to rebuild Black churches
More than $35,000 has been raised by US Muslim organisations to rebuild African-American churches burnt down in arson attacks. After the June 17 white supremacist terrorist attack on the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, in which nine people were killed, at least eight churches with predominantly Black congregations have been destroyed.
The fundraising site established by three groups — Muslim Anti-Racism Collaborative, the Arab-American Association of New York and Ummah Wide — set an initial target of $10,000, which was quickly passed.
Imam Zaid Shakir wrote on the site that Muslims can understand the “climate of racially inspired hate and bigotry that is being reignited in this country”, a reference to the increasing attacks on mosques since the "War on Terror" was declared by the US in 2001.
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