Erik Guerra

Social Movements

Are any plastics safe?

http://www.democracynow.org/2014/3/4/are_any_plastics_safe_industry_tries

In this video the issue is BPA free bottles. BPA was found to be harmful so it was then replaced. There has been recent investigations implying that the materials that replaced BPA are yet as or more harmful. BPA is still used even though it has been linked to have estrogen like properties. This has been linked to breast cancer and diabetes. BPA can hamper brain development. It was found by research that the vast majority of everyday plastics still use the estrogen mimicking substance called BPA. In 2008 the dangers of BPA were widely known and was pulled off. The chemicals that replaced BPA had not been tested to see if they possessed similar properties which they do. These chemicals still pose health threats. The big plastic companies have now adopted a big tobacco style campaign to bury the information. I was never aware of these harmful chemicals in everyday plastic.

Freed Ex-Black Panther

http://www.democracynow.org/2014/3/5/exclusive_freed_ex_black_panther_marshall

Marshall “Eddie” Conway has been freed. Marshall was released after serving nearly forty four years in prison. He was formal leader of the Black Panthers. He was described as one of the longest held political leaders. Conway was convicted of killing a Baltimore police officer. The officer was shot dead. Another officer was injured during the event. The Baltimore chapter of the Black Panther was supposedly founded by an undercover police officer. Conway was constantly helped by his attorneys in the attempt to have him released from jail. They had found that the instructions given to juries back in the 1980s were unconstitutional. The jury was told that the instructions were only advisory and did not have to be followed. This had already started the movement of other prisoners being released. Although some have been released some are still being denied their release. The reason for their denial is unknown.