Do anti-terror laws make us safe? Michael Ratner, Gareth Peirce and others on the impact of post-9/11 legal changes on civil liberties. Also, Tommy McKearney, a former I.R.A. volunteer reflects on recent violence in Northern Ireland. And we speak to Tony Benn about Great Britain's response to the Israeli invasion of Gaza.

As the U.S. moves closer and closer to enacting immigration reform, the situation on the ground is evolving as well. Nothing is static for an issue that touches so many people across so many communities. This week’s wire follows up on trends observed last week: holding mainstream media accountable, enforcement tactics, and immigration’s positive effect on the economy.

In the run up to the Color of Wealth 2009 Policy Summit Jose Garcia of Demos, Ludovic Blain, Program Manager of Insight’s Closing the Racial Wealth Gap Initiative, and Dr.Kilolo Kijakazi, Program Officer of the Ford Foundation discuss the racial and historical dimensions of the income gap in the United States.

Senators Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) have set a timetable for healthcare reform by this fall–a major step on the road to passing legislation this year. The Senators’ plan, set out in a letter to President Obama, calls for a bill by June, committee markups over the summer, and a final vote in the fall.

Chris Hedges on our financial and moral collapse. Young activists try to channel all that rage. And a new film by Leslie and Andrew Cockburn: American Casino.

Some of the largest U.S. banks may be on the ropes these days, but the disparity between the plight of financial executives and ordinary Americans has never been starker. Over the past two decades, the banking system has grown accustomed to scoring massive profits by preying on its own customers, making 2009’s transition to pilfering taxpayer wallets an easy one.

GRITtv is not in studio this week. We're airing some of the best shows from the last couple of months and will be back with all new programming next week. Stay tuned. It's official. Over the weekend, the Obama administration announced that it would not attend the second international conference on racism taking place in Geneva this week.

The New York Times today reports that the United States will not attend an international conference on the issue of racism, informally known as Durban II after the first world summit against racism held in South Africa eight years ago. The Obama administration's decision to withdraw, however, has angered many organizers and activists here in the United States. The marriage may not be over, says Kimberle Crenshaw, but the honeymoon certainly is.

Made in L.A. is an award winning film that came out last year. It followed three Latina immigrants fighting for their rights in Los Angeles sweatshops. Now the directors, Almudena Carracedo and Robert Bahar are looking to take their work to the next place -- to spur some grassroots action.

Obamunism, water board Pelosi, and anti-immigration rhetoric were just some of the language journalist Alexander Zaitchik observed when he attended an anti-taxation tea party on Wednesday. They also seemed to be embracing an identity of right wing extremism and a new brand of Obama age conspiracy theory.