Category Archives: Freedom

Inhale. Let it sink in. Exhale. I cantremember the last time I took a yoga class. Breathe in deeply. It was probably in 2019. Let it rest inside. Then 2020 came. Exhale completely. I have to say that my home yoga practice eased up quite a bit during that year, and deep into 2021. But as things started to get back to normal, I decided to kickstart my yoga practice by going back to my roots.

Thats all I have to do to be doing yoga. I sought out my first significant yoga teacher, Christian Valeriani of Even Flow Yoga in Fair Haven, to whom I credit my becoming a yoga teacher. I took at least two classes a week with him starting in about 2005. I wanted to find out what it was about him and his classes that drew me in, made me fall in love with yoga, then spit me out into the world of teaching.

I remember the first class I took with Christian. He was sitting on the floor in the front of the room. He immediately looked up at me and met my eyes with a look Ive seen many times. Its a look that sees deep inside you. Its happy and without judgement. I saw the same look just the other day as I walked into his new studio for a yoga class. I felt the same drawing in, as if I hadnt spent 10 or so years away from his classes. It was so comfortable to be there. But I felt new, as well, not sure at all how my year away from the gym, my winter away from biking, and my lax yoga practice, would affect my performance in this class, with this important man. I had to exhale out all the stuff that had become an obstruction.

I soon was reminded of exactly what yoga is. Its something I have known for a long time. I would be drawn in, lavished with love, and spit back out a renewed man. For yoga is breath. I need do nothing more than breathe, and safely explore no more than what I need to.

Yoga opens closet doors. Yoga brings me together with other people longing for the same things, and finding freedom, and wisdom, and breath. Lots of breath. It brings to mind my injuries and helps me navigate around them. It dispels the loneliness and isolation, with or without pandemics, that no number of drugs or alcohol can fix. In the words Ive heard Christian say many times, Yoga facilitates the connection to the deeper self that is no longer afraid to address the issues we often seek to hide.

It felt so good to be in a room with other people after spending so much time at home. It didnt matter that they were strangers. I felt connected to the others in the room because we were all breathing and moving together. Christian said, Yoga is the great equalizer. If you become softer and gentler on yourself, and get right with yourself, then you can more easily accept others.

I remembered why I had attended so many of his classes. It was community. It was understanding people whose only connection to me was that they wanted to breathe, they wanted peace, and they wanted freedom. They wanted a better understanding of how to navigate life with the body and the mind they had. And we breathed.

I remember feeling good about going to Christians class. I had gone to yoga at the gym for a while, but I was always the only guy in addition to being the only beginner. That was a lot of attention on me that I didnt like. When I went to his class, it didnt seem to matter. I wasnt the only guy. It didnt matter, nor did anyone seem to know, that I was gay, or inexperienced, or very inflexible. I felt challenged and safe. It was with Christians encouragement that I became a yoga teacher. I see in my teaching much of his influence. It felt good to reconnect with him after a long time away.

After class I stopped to talk to him. I remarked about how much his teaching meant to me, even though we were so different. He was always athletic, I was not. Hes straight and Im gay. His body is flexible, mine is rather stiff. He said that it made sense that I took to yoga. He said it seems it would also be easy for a gay person to more consistently explore both feminine and masculine aspects of their personality, so important in yoga, to more completely integrate feminine and masculine characteristics into a cohesive whole. But he added that yoga has allowed this to happen for him, too.

He said, Spend a night with me and my daughter. I can hang out and smoke cigars and play poker with all my sober friends and its all super masculine, and then the next night Im with my daughter playing Barbies, painting my toenails, and totally plugging into her femininity. I thank yoga for that. I think Ive always been that way. I thank yoga for me being comfortable with that. And not to compartmentalize, but just to be purely me, with all the facets of my life as one. I just want to help people, which is maybe quite feminine. What people think of me is none of my business. All I know is this: I help people out, I got a great kid, a great wife, great friends. Im doing well. When I decided to serve my soul and not my ego, things fell into place.

He left me with, Inhale the good stuff. Let that sink into your consciousness. Then exhale the stuff that doesnt serve you or others.

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The three things you need for personal freedom - Out In Jersey

The old bus terminal with its segregated restrooms and waiting areas is no longer there.

In its place, a permanent historical marker to commemorate the first stop on the 1961 Freedom Rides was unveiled yesterday afternoon, the result of efforts by University of Mary Washington staff, faculty and students, in partnership with the City of Fredericksburg. Sixty years after the history-making journey in the presence of an original Freedom Rider and a vintage 1960s bus transported from a Roanoke museum a diverse crowd mingled at the site and intertwined their voices as they sang stayed on freedom, many with tears in their eyes.

The project was spearheaded by Christopher Williams, a friend and mentee of Dr. James L. Farmer Jr., who organized the Freedom Rides to desegregate interstate travel. Farmer later taught at Mary Washington, where Williams is now the assistant director of UMWs James Farmer Multicultural Center, dedicated to honoring the late civil rights icons legacy.

Posing with the historical marker, from left to right, James Farmer Multicultural Center Associate Director JoAnna Raucci and Director Marion Sanford, Freedom Rider Dion Diamond and Assistant Director Christopher Williams. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.

Onlookers gaze at the banner featuring the mug shots of the original Freedom Riders, including the late Dr. James Farmer (first photo in second row) and the late Rep. John Lewis (fourth photo in third row). Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.

A vintage 1960s bus, on loan from a Roanoke museum, parked at the site of the former Fredericksburg bus station where the Freedom Riders stopped. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.

Freedom Rider Dion Diamond laughs with JFMC Assistant Director Christopher Williams, who spearheaded the historical marker project, which is only the third marker on the Virginia Civil Rights Trail. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.

UMW student Sydney Baylor, who helped bring the project to fruition, read aloud the names of the original Freedom Riders, while a bell tolled for each. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.

The nearly two-year process culminated on May 4 of this year when the state Department of Historic Resources approved the marker, and a smaller gathering honored the Freedom Rides 60th anniversary with the posting of a temporary marker.

To a crowd of more than 100 yesterday, Freedom Rider Dion Diamond, 80, said, I wasnt on that bus that came through Fredericksburg. A sophomore at Howard University when the sit-ins and Freedom Rides began, he said he just couldnt stay away from the movement.

I thought I was leaving for a long weekend, said Diamond, who ended up spending 30 days in a Mississippi jail cell with Dr. Farmer. That long weekend [turned into two and a half years and] changed my life. He never made it back to Howard but later graduated from the University of Wisconsin and Harvard.

Diamond, who now lives in Washington, D.C., said he views the Black Lives Matter movement and recent protests as evolutionary activity. The cause behind the Freedom Rides lives on, he added, just with different approaches.

Vice Mayor Chuck Frye chats with Freedom Rider Dion Diamond about the historical marker unveiled in Fredericksburg yesterday. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.

A picture of Dr. James Farmer was displayed alongside a quote from the late Mary Washington history professor and giant of the civil rights movement. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.

Assistant Professor of Historic Preservation Christine Henry said the marker is helping to make a more diverse history visible on the landscape of Fredericksburg. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.

Mayor Mary Katherine Greenlaw described the unveiling of the marker as a transformational event. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.

James Farmer Multicultural Center Director Marion Sanford (left) and UMW President Troy Paino (center) snap photos at the ceremony to unveil the permanent marker commemorating the first stop of the 1961 Freedom Rides. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.

Freedom Rider Dion Diamond speaks to the crowd gathered for the unveiling of the marker, while wearing his mug shot from the Freedom Rides pinned to his shirt. He spent two years participating in the protests to desegregate interstate travel. Photo by Suzanne Carr Rossi.

The 13 initial riders, including Dr. Farmer and the late Rep. John Lewis, bravely integrated facilities at each stop, meeting more resistance even violence and arrests the deeper into the South they traveled. Their mug shots were posted on a banner, and as UMW student Sydney Baylor who helped bring the project to fruition read each name aloud, a bell tolled.

Mayor Mary Katherine Greenlaw described the unveiling of the marker across from the Fredericksburg Post Office near the corner of Princess Anne and Wolfe streets a transformational event.

To learn more about the Freedom Rides first stop marker project, read Marker Furthers UMW Mission on Freedom Rides 60th Anniversary.

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Tears, Applause and Song Greet Freedom Rides Marker - University of Mary Washington

Online freedom is continuing to decline globally, according to a new study, with governments increasingly cracking down on user speech and misinformation on the rise.

The report from Freedom House, a Washington DC-based democracy advocacy group, found internet freedom declined for the fifth year in a row in the US and the 11th year internationally for two distinct reasons.

Domestically, the lack of regulation in the tech industry has allowed companies to grow beyond reproach and misinformation to flourish online. Abroad, authoritarian governments have harnessed their tight control of the internet to subdue free expression.

Freedom House cited a growing lack of diversity among sources of online information in the US that allowed conspiracies and misinformation to rise, an issue that was gravely underscored during the 2020 elections and the 2021 insurrection at the US Capitol.

The spread of false and conspiracist content about the November 2020 elections shook the foundations of the American political system, the report said.

The yearly study, which has been published since 1973, uses a standard index to measure internet freedom by country on a 100-point scale. It asks questions about internet infrastructure, government control and obstacles to access, and content regulation. Countries are scored on a scale of 100 points with higher numbers considered more free.

The report called measures taken by Joe Biden since his election promising for internet freedom, citing the reversal of a Trump administration order to halt transactions between US individuals and Chinese social media companies as beneficial.

Meanwhile, global internet freedom declined for the 11th consecutive year, with more governments arresting users for nonviolent political, social, or religious speech than ever before. Officials in at least 20 countries suspended internet access, and 20 regimes blocked access to social media platforms, the report said.

The biggest declines were seen in Myanmar, Belarus, and Uganda. In Uganda, internet freedom fell by seven points after pro-government social media accounts flooded the online environment with manipulated information preceding the January 2021 elections. In August 2020 in Belarus, government forces cracked down on election unrest by restricting access to the internet and surveilling activists online.

The report called the Chinese government the worlds worst abuser of internet freedom, citing new legislation criminalizing certain expressions online and draconian prison terms issued to activists for online dissent - including an 18-year sentence against one activist for distributing a paper criticizing the governments handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.

This year, officials in India pressured Twitter to remove protest-related and critical commentary and to stop flagging manipulated content shared by the ruling party.

The report further showed governments are clashing with technology companies on users rights, with authorities in at least 42 countries pursuing new rules for platforms on content, data, and competition over the past year.

Specifically, in India, officials pressured Twitter to remove posts critical of the ruling party. Authorities in Nigeria blocked access to Twitter after the platform removed incendiary posts by the countrys president. President Recep Erdoan of Turkey repeatedly accused tech companies of digital fascism for their refusal to comply with provisions in the countrys new social media law.

Despite these issues, the report said legislation to address abuses of tech companies has been limited. It found that while 48 countries have pursued regulatory actions in the past year, little of that legislation has the potential to make meaningful change.

In the high stakes battles between governments and tech companies, human rights are the main casualties, said Allie Funk, senior research analyst who co-wrote the report, in a news briefing on Monday.

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Internet freedom on the decline in US and globally, study finds - The Guardian

Myanmar and Belarus proved particular low points in the report compiled by Freedom House as online rights declined globally in 2021 for the 11th year in a row.

Internet users in a record number of countries have faced arrest and physical attacks for their posts over the past year, a report says, painting a grim picture of digital freedoms in 2021.

The annual Freedom on the Net report, published on Tuesday, said internet shutdowns in Myanmar and Belarus had proved particular low points as online rights declined globally for the 11th year in a row.

Compiled by the US think-tank Freedom House, the survey gives countries a score out of 100 for the level of internet freedom enjoyed by citizens, including the extent to which they face restrictions on the content they can access.

Other factors include whether pro-government trolls seek to manipulate online debates.

This year, users faced physical attacks in retribution for their online activities in 41 countries, the report said, a record high since the tracking started 11 years ago.

Examples included a Bangladeshi student hospitalised after a beating for alleged anti-government activities on social media, and a Mexican journalist assassinated after posting a Facebook video accusing a gang of murder.

The report also found that people had been arrested or convicted for their online activities in 56 out of the 70 countries covered by the report a record 80 percent.

They included two Egyptian influencers jailed in June for sharing TikTok videos that encouraged women to pursue careers on social media platforms.

Myanmar was singled out for heavy criticism in the report after the military seized power in a coup in February and shut down the internet, blocked social media and forced technology companies to hand over personal data.

Internet shutdowns were similarly used to cut communications ahead of Ugandas elections in January and after a disputed Belarus election in August last year.

In total, at least 20 countries blocked peoples internet access between June 2020 and May 2021, the period covered by the survey.

But it was not all bad news, with The Gambia among countries praised for continuing its trend of greater online freedom since then-Gambian President Yahya Jammeh was deposed in 2017.

Iceland topped the ranking, followed by Estonia and Costa Rica, the worlds first country to declare internet access a human right.

At the other end of the spectrum, China was named the worlds worst abuser of internet freedoms, handing out heavy prison sentences for online dissent.

But there were bright spots, with the report noting that audio app Clubhouse provided an unprecedented space for users to discuss sensitive issues with people outside of mainland China until Beijing blocked it in February 2021.

Worldwide, the researchers accused governments of using the regulation of tech companies for repressive purposes.

In the high-stakes battle between states and technology companies, the rights of internet users have become the main casualties, the researchers said.

Numerous governments are pursuing laws that curb the vast power of tech giants like Google, Apple and Facebook some of which is a justified bid to prevent monopolistic behaviour, the report said.

But it called out nations including India and Turkey for passing legislation ordering social media platforms to remove content deemed offensive or which undermines public order, often under vaguely defined terms.

Legislation that forces tech giants to store local data on local servers, supposedly in the name of sovereignty, is also on the rise and is open to abuse by authoritarian governments, the report warned.

Under a draft law in Vietnam, for example, authorities can access peoples personal data under vaguely defined pretexts related to national security and public order.

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Freedom on the Net report paints grim picture of online rights - Al Jazeera English

BUSINESS leader Danny OSullivan walked sheep across Londons Southwark Bridge yesterday afternoon in a traditional ceremony marking his Freeman of the City status.

The Irishman, who hails from Gleesk in Kells, Co. Kerry, was made a freeman in October 2019, in honour of his contribution to business and the economy in London.

He planned to undertake the sheep driving ceremony last year, but it was postponed due to Covid-19.

It finally went ahead on Sunday, September 27, where he guided nine sheep across Southwark Bridge.

He was one of several freemen to take part in the ceremony over the course of the day, which was organised by the City of London - who also provide the sheep.

Mr OSullivans son Tim OSullivan was with his father on the day, along with many more family members as well as friends and supporters some who travelled over from Kerry especially for the event.

His crowd of supporters proved one of the largest ever seen for the ceremony, organisers confirmed.

It was a great day Tim told The Irish Post.

Regarding his fathers new title, he added: Were all very proud, and we are glad he was able to finally do the ceremony, which had to be postponed.

Mr OSullivan was 16 when he left Ireland to embark on a new life in England in 1971.

He founded construction firm the Danny Sullivan Group in the capital in 1986.

The successful businessman is also a keen supporter of the Irish diaspora in Britain and won an Irish Post Award for his contribution to the community in 2017.

In the same year, the father-of-five suffered a life-threatening brain haemorrhage caused by a ruptured aneurysm.

He was saved by the team at The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London a hospital his firm continues to support through fundraising and has recovered well in the years that have passed since.

The business leader joins the likes of fellow Irishmen Bob Geldof and Sir Terry Wogan, who have also received the Freedom of the City honour in London, which is one of the longest surviving ceremonial traditions of the city.

Created in 1237, it originally gave members of a Guild or Livery the freedom to trade in London.

But the Freedom was eventually modernised to incorporate people living or working in the city or those with a strong London connection.

Today it is an honour bestowed upon people of any nationality, who may be admitted either through nomination or by being presented by a Livery Company.

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FREEMAN'S FLOCK: Irishman walks sheep across iconic London bridge in Freedom of the City celebration - Irish Post

We therefore have obligations to others, even obligations that we do not willingly choose. Our personal preferences and maximal autonomy must be set aside for the sake of loving our neighbor and for the common good.

Its rarely admitted aloud but asking someone to seek the good of others is often a call to suffering in one degree or another. When pro-lifers ask a mother to carry a baby to term, they are asking her to take up inconvenience, sorrow, financial strain and pain on behalf of another.

Over the past year as weve asked people to go into lockdown, cancel their travel plans or family gatherings, close or curtail their retail businesses, wear masks and get vaccinated, we are asking them to assume some level of financial and personal risk for the greater good for strangers, for the elderly, for the immunocompromised, for the medical community. We can and should enact legislation like paid family leave, no-cost health care and other measures to support mothers, just as we support economic relief for those affected by Covid prevention. But we cannot deny that even if we seek to lessen the load, we are asking people to bear a burden.

How do you call a society committed to personal freedom and happiness to bear the burdens of others? Most of us intuitively grasp that theres more to life than living for oneself and ones own happiness or comfort. But we lack a positive vision for the purpose of individual liberty.

Thomas Aquinas, a medieval Catholic theologian, gave us the gorgeous and helpful phrase arduous good. An arduous good is a good that requires struggle, Ron Belgau wrote in a 2013 article for First Things, a good that is worth fighting for. And a good that inspires fear and hope and endurance in the face of adversity. Arduous good is also a phrase that is seldom spoken in Hollywood, and almost never heard on Madison Avenue. In that silence, the poverty of our culture is laid bare.

Consumer capitalism is not going to teach us about how to pursue arduous goods, nor is technological progress, nor is either American political party. Theoretically, religious communities are places that train us toward ends other than individual autonomy. They point us to something bigger and higher than ourselves, calling us to love God and our neighbors. However, this is unfortunately not always the case. Many religious communities have lost their ability to articulate an alternative to the sovereignty of personal choice and individual autonomy.

Christian churches have often imbibed the same overarching commitment to personal choice. The dogma of maximal individual freedom often trumps whatever other dogmas we may confess each Sunday.

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Opinion | The Limits of My Body, My Choice - The New York Times

Riccardo Tiscis Spring/Summer 2022 collection is an ode to embracing ones natural side, and the possibilities of color and pattern.

Riccardo Tiscis Spring/Summer 2022 collection is an ode to embracing ones natural side, and the possibilities of color and pattern.

Inspired by the power of imagination, dreams, and fantasy, Riccardo Tisci, Chief Creative Officer of Burberry, creates a dynamic Spring/Summer 2022 Womenswear presentation. In reconstructing the famed Burberry trench coat, introducing a new leather shoulder bag named the Rhombi, and featuring minimalist footwear, the collection feels forward-thinking and contemporary for the modern woman who is not afraid to connect with her natural side. The presentation, entitled Animal Instinct, utilizes leather, monochromatic colorways, and tortoiseshell and camouflage prints to further accentuate the idea that we are all a part of a natural landscape.

To me, this presentation really represents the freedom of our imaginations: how we dream to come alive, says Tisci. Its that idea of flicking between the endless realities and fantasies we have at our fingertips each day. This is for my mother, Elmerinda, and to a journey full of new possibilities.

This collection embraces the animal side within us through a variety of earth tones. The signature trench coat comes in soft fawn and Burberry beige, and bodysuits, capes, and dresses in deep dark birch brown with warm walnut accents seem to appear straight from the forest. Toying with the possibilities of the imagination, the collection also features pops of bubblegum pink, yellow, and orange in an array of prints. True to the tribulations of life, embracing your animal instinct is not always what you might think.

Incorporating volume, raw hems, and exaggerated embellishments, the iconic Burberry trench coat receives an edgy makeover. A few of the styles are cropped at the back, revealing whats underneathin this case, swimsuits with abstract prints. Oversized sleeves and chain-link accessories reinvent the classic Burberry gabardine and textural linen cotton, creating pieces that are energetic, youthful, fluid, and have a little punk rock attitude.

Connecting with the abstractness of the natural world, experimental geometric prints evoke camouflage on dresses, shirts, and blazers. The Universal Passport graphic reminiscent of the menswear collection adorns pieces and is layered on sheer tops, adding texture and intrigue. Mini dressesdecorated with fringe, frills, and strapsand halter neck gowns with thigh-high slits further explore the possibilities of movement and imagination. Other sensual pieces, like figure-hugging dresses, bodysuits, and leggings seem to revisit the meaning of animal instinct.

The collection feels fresh for spring, encouraging us to tap into our imaginations and embrace the fantastical. Engaging with animalistic qualities, the possibilities of movement with an edgy twist, this collection is a newfound call of the wild. A version of the wild with incredible tailoring, luxury fabrics, and strong design, that is.

Credits: Image courtesy of Burberry.

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Burberry SS22 Presentation Celebrates the Freedom of Imagination, Movement, and Animal Instincts - vmagazine.com

Vicky Kaushal on Monday shared the teaser of his upcoming movie, Sardar Udham. The video teases an intriguing tale centered around the revolutionary freedom fighter Sardar Udham Singh. In the clip, we see Kaushals character piecing a document together. The camera then shifts focus to a stack of passports which displays different names, presumably aliases of our hero. One of those passports belong to Sardar Udham Singh.

The short clip promises a compelling thriller-drama, and with the talented duo of Vicky Kaushal and director Shoojit Sircar coming together for this feature, we certainly hope the film lives up to the hype.

The promo video was shared on the actors Instagram along with a small note that read, On the birth anniversary of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Im proud to bring to you the story of his ally- Sardar Udham Singh- one man, many aliases, one mission. Presenting the teaser of #SardarUdham.

Who was Sardar Udham Singh?

Belonging to the revolutionary Ghadar Party, Sardar Udham Singh assassinated Michael ODwyer, a former lieutenant governor of the Punjab in India, on 13 March 1940 in the UK. The killing was in revenge for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar in 1919, for which ODwyer was responsible. He was hanged in July 1940 after being convicted of murder.

While the shooting of the movie was apparently wrapped in December 2019 itself, the post-production of Sardar Udham took a much longer time and the pandemic certainly did not help matters. Sardar Udham is said to a big-scale biopic made on a massive budget. Not too long ago, Vicky Kasuhal had shared a photo of himself on social media, announcing that he had finished dubbing for the movie. Sharing a picture from the studio, he had written, Dubbed and dusted.

Produced by Rising Sun Films and backed by Ronnie Lahiri and Sheel Kumar, Sardar Udham releases on October 16.

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Sardar Udham teaser: Vicky Kaushal reveals many faces of the freedom fighter, watch - The Indian Express

As readers of this newsletter know, restrictions on the use of drones can raise thorny First Amendment questions when their burden lands on drone journalism. Weve previouslyhighlighteda lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas National Press Photographers Assn v. McCraw thatarguesTexas has chosen to regulate drone photography in a fashion that discriminates against the press. Last week saw a new controversy over the use of drones bloom in the state, after the Federal Aviation Administration issued a Temporary Flight Restriction that temporarily grounded news organizations drones at the southern border.

A number of media organizations,including the El Paso Times, had been using footage from unmanned systems to document the federal response to the arrival of Haitian migrants planning to seek asylum. Astatementfrom the FAA explained that Border Patrol requested the temporary flight restriction due to drones interfering with law enforcement flights on the border, but emphasized that media organizations could seek waivers from the ban. Several did, and drones for Fox News, among other news outlets,were clearedto start flying again within a day.

Infowars, though,filed suitto challenge the TFR and has asked a federal court for a temporary restraining order,arguingthat the restriction amounts to a prior restraint on newsgathering. In court papers, the FAAmaintainsthat the suit is meritless, pointing out that the agency quickly processed waiver applications from other outlets but Infowars had chosen not to apply for one.

The TFR, the FAA highlighted, prevents everyone from flying drones in the area, not just individuals engaged in newsgathering, and, for First Amendment purposes, the agency claims that the waiver process is analogous to the well-established practice of requiring members of the press to obtain passes or credentials to report from secure locations.

As of this writing, the court hasnt acted on Infowars motion. The Reporters Committee hasnt taken a position on the case, but we plan to keep an eye on any developments on these questions.

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The Technology and Press Freedom Project at the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press uses integrated advocacy combining the law, policy analysis, and public education to defend and promote press rights on issues at the intersection of technology and press freedom, such as reporter-source confidentiality protections, electronic surveillance law and policy, and content regulation online and in other media. TPFP is directed by Reporters Committee attorney Gabe Rottman. He works with Stanton Foundation National Security/Free Press Legal Fellow Grayson Clary and Technology and Press Freedom Project Legal Fellow Gillian Vernick.

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Controversy flares up over drone journalism at the border - Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press

Succession star Jeremy Strong explains how his character is working towards liberation. Plus, there may be something special in Season 3 for Cousin Greg.

HBO

Entering the Discourseis a thrice-weekly column where we dig into who is saying what about new releases and upcoming projects. Today, we look at what Jeremy Strong, Nicholas Braun, and Sanaa Lathan have to say about Succession Season 3.

In just a few short weeks, HBOs Succession will finally be back, for Season 3. I dont know about you, but I miss the toxic Roy clan, from the curmudgeonly and cruel patriarch, Logan (Brian Cox), to the awkward Cousin Greg (Nicholas Braun). Yes, theyre all atrocious characters in their own way, but somehow we cant help loving them anyway.

The third season of Succession sees a division in the family as Kendall Roy (Jeremy Strong) tries to take down his father. The past two seasons have been tumultuous, to say the least, for the eldest Roy child. Hes been grappling with divorce, addiction, and the smothering influence of a controlling and cruel parent.

But Season 2 ended with Kendall sticking up for himself and making a calculated move against Waystar to regain control. Trailers for Season 3 of Succession tease a power struggle that force the remaining siblings Siobhan (Sarah Snook), Roman (Kieran Culkin), and Connor (Alan Ruck) to take a side and declare their loyalty.

During a virtual panel for Succession Season 3 at the Television Critics Association summer press tour, Jeremy Strong addressed his characters growth and how it feels like a moment of liberation. As quoted by TVLine, the actor said:

Theres a sort of phase transition of, like, moving from one state to another. I felt that, after the press conference, it was as if Id sat under the Bodhi tree and achieved a moment of clarity, and what feels for Kendall like enlightenment and liberation. So I think we see a sort of airborne Kendall at the beginning of the season, someone who feels like hes finally wrested himself free from the chains that have been binding him. Theres an airborne quality to it.

Jeremy Strong also added a piece of insight about Succession Season 3 that he received from series creator Jesse Armstrong. Looking at Kendalls current standing both in the family and the world:

[Armstrong] did say to me, It was as if Napoleon was sitting in Moscow, and everyone has left the city. So its sort of a Pyrrhic victory, which I think is part of what we explore in Season 3. Ive done the thing, but if I dont have support in a coalition, what is the value of it?

After watching Kendall struggle for two seasons, the time for his rebirth is now. He is not without guilt as his abuse of power and privilege do not go unnoticed. But after decades of frustration, and frankly rage, hes ready to fight back against the head monster.

Theres even hope for sweet Cousin Greg who has bumbled his way through the shows world of the wealthy elite through a strangely endearing relationship with Tom Wambsgans (Matthew Macfadyen), Siobhans husband. At the same TCA panel, Braun said:

Everyones got a version of the same ambition to get up there, to at least slot up a bit. And so I think Greg makes some nice moves himself this [season].

Sanaa Lathan, Adrien Brody, and Alexander Skarsgard join the cast of Succession in Season 3 as players in the Roy rebellion. Lathan plays lawyer Lisa Arthur, who is bent on taking down Logan. In an interview with Yahoo!, she joked that her role in Alien vs. Predator helped her prepare for such a role:

Slaying that alien fing creature definitely gave me some skills to handle some of these characters.

Brody plays Josh Aaronson, a billionaire activist investor who becomes a main player in the Waystar battle. Skarsgard plays Lukas Matsson, a successful tech founder and CEO.

Its been two years since the Season 2 finale of Succession, and new episodes cant come soon enough. We await the fate of the Roy family with bated breath.

Succession Season 3 premieres on HBO Max on Sunday, October 17th.

Related Topics: Entering The Discourse

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Kendall Roys Journey to Freedom and the Rise of Cousin Greg - Film School Rejects