The U.S. Social Forum kicked off this week in Detroit, with over 20,000 attendees from around the country determined to create solutions for the many problems the country faces. One of the ongoing struggles that fans of GRITtv will understand is the fight to create a thriving, independent media without corporate dollars--one that puts the concerns of real people ahead of profits.

To heck with the war. It's becoming a story about egos. Or more precisely, as one commentator put it recently, “By focusing on McChrystal’s supposed challenge to Obama’s manhood—the press is turning a story about policy into a story about penises.”

It's LGBT pride month, but for families across the nation, lip service isn't enough. In this video from Breakthrough TV, one lesbian couple explains their struggle with immigration--legally, gay and lesbian partners cannot act as sponsors for their spouses to stay in the States.

While foreign terror is unspeakable, domestic infringements on constitutional rights, such as freedom of speech, are necessary for national security. In Holder vs. Humanitarian Law project, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutional law that it is illegal to, “knowingly provide material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization.”

The announcement came this afternoon: one day after being summoned back to the US to answer for an explosive article in Rolling Stone, General Stanley McChrystal has been relieved of his command in Afghanistan. Instead, General David Petraeus will step in to take his place. But will anything fundamentally change in US policy in the region?

In Holder vs. Humanitarian Law project, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutional law that it is illegal to “knowingly provide material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization,” overturning multiple lower court rulings that the law was too broad or vague. This terror-inducing “material support” and “resources” includes, but is not limited to humanitarian aid and non-violent resistance tactics. Under this law, humanitarian assistance on the recent Freedom Flotilla to Gaza could feasibly be legally charged and President Jimmy Carter’s quest for Middle East peace, which involved some communication with “terrorists,” could have quite possibly landed him behind bars.

Hmm. What's worse: Backstabbing one president or bombing lots of civilians? The answer's pretty obvious, to judge by the stink over General Stanley McCrystal's comments in DC and in the money media. McChrystal the man's in trouble. The policies he embraced may not be. Ironically, one policy he raised consistent concerns about -- the use of remote-device killing machines - drones on, to barely a whimper of concern stateside.

Laura appeared on MSNBC's The Ed Show on Tuesday, June 23 to discuss General McChrystal and other topics of the day.

"I know what a thug corporation looks like," says lawyer and radio host Mike Papantonio, who is busy building a RICO case against BP for the oil devastation in the Gulf. "These people are sociopaths and the GOP are apologizing for them."

"We're tired of just going out in the streets and demonstrating or listening to other people speak to us," says organizer Rocio Valerio of her hopes for the U.S. Social Forum. "We're actually going to come up with alternatives, to really come up with a plan."