Tag: Jtmp

July 24, 2013 - Yaslin Bey, also known as rapper Mos Def, underwent the Guantanamo Bay standard force-feeding with a tube procedure; and it is all caught on video and was released on the Guardian website. The American hip-hop artist is a practicing Muslim, and at the start of Ramadan on July 8 (it runs till August 7) got together with the human  rights group Reprieve to make a video showing in graphic detail the procedure being inflicted upon  46 of the 105 Guantanamo detainees on a hunger strike, protesting their conditions and detainment. Mr. Bey said, "When the tube went in, the first part of it is not that bad but you get this burning, I got this burning and it starts to get really unbearable like something that was going into my brain and it reached the back of my throat and I really couldn't take it." 

In 2007, JTMP teamed up with activist band Op-Critical and Velvet Revolution to make an anti-torture PSA and music video for their anti-torture song "Exile", and one of the band members was actually water boarded, similar to what Mos Def has done. Watch the two videos below, but be warned...both videos are extremely graphic and is disturbing to many viewers. They should be, because it is all torture. JTMP calls for the US to cease torturing and force-feeding detainees. Read more on the Guardian website here.

July 24, 2013 - Jon Bon Jovi, Alicia Keys, and Jennifer Hudson will be teaming up with the Obama administration to help raise awareness and educate young people about the new Affordable Health Care Act, or "Obamacare", and how young people will need to be signing up  and buying individual health-care coverage as of October 1, 2013. This crowd is the toughest crowd to sell this too, because young people tend to not want to pay for health insurance, for they feel invincible, and don't feel they need it; but everybody needs health-care sooner or later. If young people do enroll in health-care coverage in droves, costs for health-care coverage should lower considerably. JTMP recommends that our young supporters enroll in health-care coverage, and help bring down the costs of health insurance, and get regular checkups, eat healthy, and make our society healthier and safer. The White House says they need about 2.7 million young people to enroll in health insurance coverage. 

The Obama administration have also urged organizations and websites to help in their efforts to educate the public about this, and JTMP will be helping out over the next few months. The website Funny or Die has pledged to make videos to educate young people about the Affordable Health Care Act, and other organizations will join in as the date draws closer.

If you are curious on how the Affordable Health Care Act will affect you, check out the Affordable Health Care Act website the White House has set up here.  Read more on WashPo here. (photo credit: John Shankbone/CC)

July 23, 2013 - HuffPo has an post up about the Israeli heavy metal rock band Orphaned Land and Palestinian band Khalas will tour Europe together, even sharing the same bus. Khalas' bass player Abed Khathout said, "We are metal brothers before anything", and Orphaned Land's lead singer Koby Farhi said, "Having a brotherhood, sharing the stage, simply shows that Rock and Roll music is above politics." Orphaned Land has been using music as a bridge for over 20 years to reach out to Palestinians to help bring about peace between their 2 peoples. Justice Through Music totally supports these bands efforts, and is all about using music as a catalyst for positive and progressive change in the world, it is in our name! Read more on HuffPo here, including a video with clips of the two bands.  (photo: Orphaned Land 2010 - credit: Dark Apostrophe/CC)

UPDATE JULY 26, 2012 - Earlier reports of Jay-Z, Rihanna and Justine Timberlake may be incorrect. Even though April Ryan is sticking by her sources, all 3 musicians have now said they are not boycotting Florida.

July 23, 2013 - More musicians have joined the boycott of Florida that was started by Stevie Wonder, as they call for the repeal of the "Stand Your Ground" laws in Florida and other states. The Rolling Stones, Kanye West, Jay Z, Young Jeezy, Wale, Rod Stewart, Madonna, Justin Timberlake, Usher, Rihanna, R. Kelly and Alicia Keys have all joined the boycott. Many musicians have also expressed support for Stevie Wonder's stance, such as Bruce Springsteen, who dedicated a song "to justice for Trayvon Martin" at a recent concert in Ireland. Beyonce and Jay Z met with Trayvon's parents recently at a rally in New York City. Read more on The Hill website here. What do you think? Start or join a conversation on our Facebook Page.

What's hilarious, is the website Breitbart.com put up a post that Stevie Wonder's call for other musicians to join his boycott was an "Epic Fail" and that "Musicians Ignore Wonder's Florida Boycott". No, your post and your hateful website is an EPIC FAIL.  (photo credit: Antonio Cruz/CC)

July 19, 2013 - The gospel duo Mary Mary has joined the boycott of Florida that was started by Stevie Wonder in the wake of the Trayvon Martin tragedy, calling for "Stand Your Ground" laws to be abolished. JTMP joined the boycott immediately, and calls for more entertainers to join also; we have had self-defense laws on the books for over 200 years that suited us fine. We don't need armed citizen vigilantes standing over dead bodies giving only their version of the "altercation" and walking away scott-free. Email your favorite entertainer and ask them to Boycott Florida until "Stand Your "Ground" laws are gone! Also, a Change.org petition to repeal the "Stand Your Ground Laws" as a result of the Trayvon Martin shooting has been started by Asia Lamb Cole HERE, so make sure you sign it! Below is the Tweet by Erica and Tina.  (photo credit: Krisanne Johnson/Public Domain)