Jo Cox Murder Reminds Us That Terrorism Comes In Many Forms

A court drawing of Thomas Mair. PA/Elizabeth Cook

By David Lowe, Liverpool John Moores University

The conviction of Thomas Mair for the murder of the British MP Jo Cox serves as a reminder that terrorism comes in many guises. Mair was tried for murder, rather than terrorism, but the judge in his case made it clear when delivering a whole life sentence that he considered this to be a terrorist murder.

The activities of Islamist groups such as Islamic State and Al Qaeda over the past 15 years have shaped the way we view terrorism. Particularly since the most recent attacks in Paris, Brussels and Nice by Islamic State, many of us tend to more readily associate terrorism with some causes over others. We have come to forget that far-right groups commit acts of terrorism too.

But as Mair’s trial revealed, his political motives were apparent. He owned extreme far-right material and Nazi memorabilia and had visited far-right websites. As he attacked Cox, he shouted “Britain first, this is for Britain”, “Britain will always come first” and “Make Britain independent”. Cox had been campaigning for the UK to remain in the European Union after the June referendum – a view the far right has always opposed.

This is not an isolated incident inspired by the extreme far right. In June 2015, Zack Davies was convicted of the attempted murder of a Sikh, Sarandev Bhambra. In an unprovoked attack at a supermarket, Davies attempted to decapitate Bhambra. During the attack, Davies shouted racist remarks and had with him a National Action flag.

Formed in 2013, National Action is a Nazi-inspired group that targets mainly disenchanted young people. Its website’s rallying cry is “Death to traitors, freedom for Britain”. The organisation glorifies national socialism, Hitler and the Holocaust. The group regularly holds impromptu public meetings around the UK, many of which result in violence, as was seen in February 2016 in Liverpool.

Flowers are laid at a memorial to Jo Cox. PA/Yui Mok

Because of what Mair said when he attacked Cox, the activities of the far-right group Britain First have also come under the spotlight. Although its leader, Paul Golding, was quick to distance the group from Mair’s comments, the group has acquired a para-military image because of the training camps it runs for members and its pledge to take direct action against Islam.

The influence these groups have on people like Mair cannot be overestimated. They are racist, anti-semitic, homophobic and intolerant. Whether they acknowledge it or not, they inspire people to kill and inflict violence on those they see as a threat. It’s also clear from social media that these groups inspire hate crimes. Right-wing trolling has become a startlingly common problem. A particularly striking example is the case of John Nimmo, who sent anti-semitic death threats to Luciana Berger, another Labour MP.

One of his tweets read: “watch your back Jewish scum, regards your friend the Nazi”. The tweet that caused Berger to fear for her own safety was one sent three weeks after Cox’s murder saying she would “get it like Jo Cox”.

Nimmo was convicted of sending malicious communications. And due to the anti-semitic nature of the correspondence, his was classified as a hate crime.

The scale of the problem
The impact of extreme, far-right crime should not be ignored. Figures on cases brought to the attention of the British government’s anti-terrorism programme Prevent suggest that in some regions of the UK, there can be a 50:50 split between people inspired by Islamism and those inspired by the extreme far right.

This might make you wonder why far-right groups are not banned like Islamic State or the various factions of the Irish Republican Army, thereby making them terrorist groups. There is an advantage to not doing this though, as it makes it easier for state agencies to monitor extreme far right groups’ activities and prevents the need for them to go underground.
The British far right has never been a cohesive, united group, which has prevented it from becoming an unmanageable problem. The various organisations involved in extreme right-wing activity have tended to have a fractious relationship, as was seen recently with the decline of the British National Party and the English Defence League.

But that decline has led to the emergence of new hardline groups with more dedicated followers. They may not have terrorist cells like the Provisional IRA during the Irish Troubles, but the far right reminds me of the Ulster Volunteer Force, which tended to carry out assassinations of Roman Catholics. Be it through direct violence on the streets or inspiring hate crime or, as seen with Mair, political assassinations, the danger these groups pose is very real.


About Today's Contributor:
David Lowe, Principal Lecturer in Law, Liverpool John Moores University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. 

Lego Vs Daily Mail Strikes At Paper's Weak Spot: Its Advertising Revenue

Image via Trumpton

By John Jewell, Cardiff University

Perhaps providing a welcome diversion to all the apocalyptic press reaction following the election of Donald Trump is the news that Lego, the Danish manufacturer of plastic bricks, has announced its intention to cease advertising in the Daily Mail.

Responding to tweets from social media campaign group, Stop Funding Hate (SFH), and a letter from a concerned parent on Facebook, Lego tweeted on Saturday: “We have finished the agreement with the Daily Mail and are not planning any future promotional activity with the newspaper.”

As veteran journalism blogger Liz Gerard writes, Lego’s actions may well be a game changer because in the midst of the overwhelmingly positive reaction to Lego’s decision there’s the possibility that other companies might follow suit and act upon Stop Funding Hate’s plea that they stop advertising in the Mail, Sun and Express over coverage of refugees and others that are deemed to be hateful and divisive.

The Co–op has been considering its position for some time. Its chief executive Richard Pennycook said in October that that the group is “looking at our advertising for next year to see whether we can align it more closely with our natural sources of support rather than more generic media advertising”.

And, as I write, John Lewis – a company which annually tries to make us believe Christmas exists solely as a vehicle for their latest campaign – is being heavily “brandjammed” by SFH and its army of social media followers. When the retailer recently released its Buster the Boxer ad, it quickly responded with a glossy pastiche video of its own which contained footage of previous John Lewis, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and M&S Christmas campaigns juxtaposed with the front pages of The Sun, Express and Mail.

The message is: the millions of pounds we spend at these stores is used to fund advertising in newspapers which peddle fear, hostility and hatred. To date the parody has had 6.1m Facebook views.

At the moment, though, John Lewis is currently resisting the growing pressure. It recently issued a statement claiming it “fully appreciates the strength of feeling on this issue but we never make an editorial judgement on a particular newspaper”. But there is no doubt that these negative associations will worry them, M&S and others a great deal. As the Guardian reported, John Lewis makes 20% of its annual sales – and 40% of its profits – over the Christmas period, profiting £8 for every £1 spent on advertising and the sense of its own worth is frankly staggering. As its ad strategists told Campaign, the ad industry’s trade publication:

Failing to engage the nation would have a significant commercial, social and cultural impact on the John Lewis brand.

War on hate
The fact is, Stop Funding Hate is gaining momentum and something which began as a Facebook page in August now has 176,000 likes and 58,000 Twitter followers.

Mail on migrants. Daily Mail

Perhaps more to the point, it enjoys the support of celebrities such as Lily Allen and Gary Lineker, who seem perpetually locked in their own war against the tabloids.
Its raison d'être is very simple – to take on what it sees as the divisive campaigns of the Sun, Daily Mail and Daily Express by persuading advertisers to pull their support. The campaign’s organiser, Richard Wilson, told the BBC:

It’s going to keep happening until the financial balance changes and if we can get to the point where actually you don’t make money by publishing these headlines, you lose money because advertisers are going to walk away.

Advertisers walking away is of course the major issue for the newspapers targeted by SFH. In a generally growing UK ad market, newspaper print ad revenue has been declining year-on-year and national daily newspapers as a whole suffered an 11% fall in ad spend in 2015 with tabloid titles seeing a 16.2% decline in print advertising.

It could be that the pressure finally tells. Remember that the closure of the News of the World in 2011 can be at least partially attributed to an online campaign and the fact that a host of companies including Virgin Media, Boots, O2 and Asda withdrew in the wake of the phone hacking scandal.

Undue influence?
There are broader questions, too. However distasteful one might find – as I do – the continued demonisation of refugees and asylum seekers by certain elements of the press, should any company’s advertising money have any bearing on newspaper content? Because the clear implication of the Lego decision is that they won’t return until something changes. Even if SFH argues that it is not asking advertisers to influence copy, a change in attitude will have to be the outcome if public pressure continued and Lego and any others who left the bandwagon were to confidently return.

Mail on judges. Daily Mail

On the other hand should we applaud the actions of SFH and its supporters? This is a movement creatively and effectively articulating the disgust felt by many people. It’s evident that left to their own devices and a toothless regulator, The Sun, Mail and Express will simply carry on as usual. What we are seeing now is consumer activism that is based, fundamentally, on a care and concern for fellow human beings. It might just have positive and far reaching results.

The fact is Lego listens to its customers and does have a record of corporate social responsibility. In 2014 it ended a partnership with Shell following lobbying by Greenpeace – and there are undoubtedly many who applaud their actions. Twitter and social media have been alive in the last few days with people spontaneously communicating support and (most crucially for company profits) their latest Lego purchase.

And there’s the rub – while the right-wing press cannot do without advertisers’ money, the likes of Lego can certainly get by without campaigns in the right-wing tabloid press and partnerships with the likes of the Daily Mail. And if sales of the little bricks increase too? Watch others follow as brands seek to limit damage by association.


About Today Contributor
John Jewell, Director of Undergraduate Studies, School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies, Cardiff University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. 

10-Year-Old Illinois Native Elected the First-Ever Toys"R"Us President of Play

10-Year-Old Ariana Gentry from Swansea, IL is named the first-ever Toys"R"Us President of Play (PRNewsFoto/Toys"R"Us, Inc.)

A Presidential Candidate Both Parties Can Support

While Hillary and Donald's colorful campaign battles will continue to unfold over the coming weeks, Toys"R"Us is thrilled to announce the results of its first-ever President of Play national election. 

Ten-year-old Ariana Gentry from Swansea, IL will be sworn into office today, kicking off her inaugural year on the job where she will play with the hottest new toys and games and provide shopping recommendations to parents and gift-givers nationwide.

Image via Toys"R"Us site

CLICK TO TWEET: Ariana Gentry takes office today as the first-ever @ToysRUs #PresidentofPlay! Welcome to the team, Ariana! www.ToysRUs.com/PresidentofPlay

"Ironically enough our election was significantly less childish than the actual presidential race, and we could not be more pleased to welcome Ariana as our first President of Play," said Dave Brandon, Chairman and CEO, Toys"R"Us, Inc. "Ariana had a deep understanding of important issues - like the latest NERF products – and demonstrated a level of respect to her fellow competitors. Whether you are a Republican or a Democrat, I think we can all agree that she will be an incredible ambassador for Toys"R"Us and children all around the world."

Ariana rose to the top of the ballot in September – standing out from more than 1,000 video submissions thanks to her infectious smile and enthusiasm. She then went on to dominate during in-person interviews as one of 10 semifinalists at the Toys"R"Us headquarters in New Jersey. 

Ultimately, the decision was put into the hands of the public after a live Facebook debate against finalists Jessalyn Phanouvong (9) from Fresno, CA and Nate Shue (10) from Fairfax, VA. Though all three candidates went on major charm offensives, it was Ariana who ultimately won over the (tweeting) electorate and proved she was the best kid for the job.

"I can't believe I'm the first-ever President of Play! This is my dream come true and I'm so excited to play with all the new toys and work for Toys"R"Us – the biggest and best toy company in the world," said Ariana. "I also want to thank everyone that voted for me, especially my family and friends."

In addition to being the company's resident toy-tester, Ariana will also serve as a Toys"R"Us spokesperson at events, on social media and anywhere else the company needs a real kid's input.

For more information about the #PresidentofPlay, stay tuned to @ToysRUsNews, the official Twitter account of the Toys"R"Us, Inc. Corporate Communications department, and the company's newsroom blog.

Toys"R"Us Names its first-ever President of Play - Ariana Gentry (age 10) from Swansea, IL (PRNewsFoto/Toys"R"Us, Inc.)

SOURCE: Toys"R"Us, Inc.

Donald Trump, The Flag, And The True Meaning Of Patriotism

What most news reports don’t talk about is the good stuff. The old adage that “It’s not news when a dog bites a man, but it is news when a man bites a dog” is alive and well. The only thing that’s really changed is that we now have news on demand and the internet allows citizens to act as reporters.

Let's take a brief look at what it means to be patriotic, and let's use a sampling of news reports -- both mainstream and homegrown -- to ask some hard questions.

First up, here's an Illinois woman who says vandals cut down her flag. She says those who act out destructively to push their own agenda are "animals" whose actions threaten our freedom of speech. It's a "sick society," she says, when people have to be afraid to stand up for what they believe.

Here are some of the comments the video collected on YouTube. Which do you think express patriotic views? Is it those who would allow the lady to stand behind the candidate of her choice? Or do the ones who claim they have the right to destroy your property in the name of morality express the more patriotic view?

(License: Image author owned) 

And a couple of more...

(License: Image author owned)

Which is the Patriot - Is it the One Who Flies the Flag or the One Who Removes It?
A dictionary definition of "patriotism" goes like this:

Patriotism is an emotional attachment to a nation which an individual recognizes as their homeland. This attachment, also known as national feeling or national pride, can be viewed in terms of different features relating to one's own nation, including ethnic, cultural, political or historical aspects (Wikipedia).

On first blush, it would appear both the flag flyer and the flag destroyer are patriots -- since both are acting from an "emotional attachment."

That would open the gate a little wide, though. Emotions lead to murders, rapes, and rages daily... and none of those seem patriotic.

How about the etymology of the word, where did we get the idea of "patriotic" in the first place?

Here's the origin of "patriotic," according to the Online Etymology Dictionary:

1650s, "of one's own country," from French patriotique or directly from Late Latin patrioticus, from Greek patriotikos, from patriotes...

The raw definition doesn't help a whole lot, perhaps, but both do point back to "patriotism" as being passionate about ones country, as being in support of the virtues the country symbolizes.

For the United States of America, the primary virtue is FREEDOM.

Which is proclaiming freedom, then? Is it the one who raises an American flag along with a flag supporting her choice for president?

Or is it the one who takes a saw and fells the pole, flags and all?

Aren't both free to do as they wish?

A couple of quotes come to mind:

"My freedom to swing ends where your nose begins," (Abraham Lincoln and others).

And another, that may express the root of genuine American patriotism:

I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it (Evelyn Beatrice Hall).

Here's a look at a local news media story that brings patriotism to a level that may bring tears to some and give others reason to mock.

Let's turn now to a big news story about patrotism.

Professional football player, Colin Kaepernick says "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color."

Kaepernick's decision adds an even deeper layer to a discussion of patriotism, one that is reminiscent of remarks made by a U.S. Senator in 1872.

Should one stand by his country no matter what?

A toast proposed by noted American Naval officer, Stephen Decatur, Jr., was popular at the time. At a party, Decatur held a glass high and proclaimed, "Our country – In her intercourse with foreign nations may she always be in the right, and always successful, right or wrong."

In popular usage, the quote "went viral," but it was rendered, "My country, right or wrong!" At first glance, that may seem to be a rallying cry for "true patriots."

Senator Carl Schurz, however, took issue with that position. Speaking from the floor of the Senate, he made a remark that reflects what I believe to be the essence of patriotism:

'My country, right or wrong.' In one sense I say so too. My country; and my country is the great American Republic. My country, right or wrong; if right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right.

Events that stir our patriotism create huge demands for more flags. This one, courtesy of The Flagmakers (License: Image author owned)

The United States of America constitute a floating platform of freedom on a globe marked by forced silence and external control.

Everyone who enters the country is quartered on a raft where individual rights are championed, but not at the expense of others. We're not here to guarantee success, but to create the environment where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.

From the beginning, some took liberty to mean a release of responsibility. The opposite is true. Freedom for all requires and depends upon every individual contributing to the effort. We are a free country, but not a free ride. We are a country where right laws are upheld and wrong actions are stopped. Without law, there is no freedom.

No individual is above the law, and every law should uphold the Constitution. Without law, there is anarchy. When every man does what he wishes, no man, no woman, no child is safe.

When protestors smash windows and burn buildings, they aren't helping a cause, they are adding to the problem. They are attempting to achieve right ends by the wrong methods. 

The USA isn't a perfect boat. There's much work to be done.But to drill holes in the bottom, to set fire to the gunwales, to attempt to silence those who love the ship and want to see it stay afloat... that is treason.

You have the right to raise a flagpole with the flag of your choice, you have the right to sit or stand when the anthem is played, you have the right to run for office and to vote for the candidate you deem best.

True patriotism is to work together to build the country, to correct her errors, and to ensure every person's right to the blessings this country affords.

Use that freedom to build the boat, not to sink it. Use that freedom to respect others, not to belittle them. Use that freedom to truly KEEP America great. For she is.

About Today's Contributor
Don Sturgill writes about health of body, mind, and spirit. Find out more about the Roadturn philosophy on Roadturn.com, or contact Don via Twitter @DonSturgill.

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Daily Mail's Richard Littlejohn Is Living Proof That The Right Doesn't Do Satire

The joke’s on LIttlejohn. Press Gazette, CC BY-SA

By Allaina Kilby, Cardiff University

The Daily Mail has never tried to hide its anti-immigration stance, but there can be few more egregious examples of out-and-out bigotry than Richard Littlejohn’s recent attempt at a satirical article which outlined an unconventional approach to weeding out Britain’s illegal immigrant population.

The article relates to an essay written in the Mail on Sunday by an anonymous, yet experienced asylum judge. In it, the judge makes the case that Britain’s asylum system is broken by highlighting how immigrants can “go below the radar for years”. Apparently, their cover could now be blown because evidence supplied by the sewage industry reveals that “that there are more than a million more people in London than are legally registered”.

Cue Littlejohn’s proposal of monitoring sewage waste as a way of efficiently “flushing out” illegal immigrants.

Canada: PM Justin Trudeau's Reply To The #PovertyIsSexist Campaign

While some heartless third rate "celebrities" such as Katie Hopkins tend to diss online petitions/campaigns at every opportunity , the following email from One.org I received earlier today does show that online petitions/campaigns do work (maybe not all the times, but they do most of the times...) and adding our names/voices to them is definitely not a waste of time.

But, don't take my word for it.. read the email and see by yourself.

Keep up the good fight and keep making your voices heard!

(And let's prove all the Katie Hopkins of the world wrong in the process...)

Loup Dargent

#PokemonGo Trainer Travels Across America to Catch 'Em All for Wounded Warrior Project

Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) Chadwick James poses with staff, during his cross country adventure to raise awareness and support for WWP. (PRNewsFoto/Wounded Warrior Project)

Over the years, Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) has had many supporters travel the nation in support of its mission to honor and empower Wounded Warriors. These have included cross-country bike rides, visiting every Harley-Davidson dealership in the nation, and walking along the East Coast of the United States to name a few.

Now, a new supporter has begun a very unique cross-country journey.

"I'm a gamer, and I want to do something for my fellow veterans because there's no one more important than them," said Chadwick James of Team Mystic, which is one of three teams Pokemon Go players can join within the app. "What could I do? Most people don't understand the hardships veterans face or what they've been through, and Wounded Warrior Project is my favorite charity because it helps veterans. I decided to combine these two passions and hit the road."

Chadwick announced on Twitter that he would cross America over the course of a year, on foot, bicycle, and bus, playing Pokemon Go and trying to "catch 'em all," while raising awareness and support for WWP and the warriors it serves.

Sound And Furry In #EURef Twitter War

Twitter/Lilian Edwards

By Yin Yin Lu, University of Oxford

Twitter was always going to be a major battleground in the EU referendum but the sheer number of hashtags being used in the debate has been surprising.

Both sides are linguistically inventive: for every pro-Leave hashtag, there’s a pro-Remain equivalent. Virtually all synonyms of “Remain” and “Leave” – from #britin and #britexit to #votin and #voteout – have been used. There’s even the somewhat clunky #brout and #brin, as well as whimsical phrases like #brexitandchill and #remainandgain.

Not all hashtags trend, of course. In fact, the vast majority don’t. To measure resonance, the content of tweets must be taken into consideration; it is not just a numbers game. Hashtags aren’t always used as a supportive device – a tweet that includes #GrassrootsOut, for example, might not necessarily endorse the movement.

To untangle the question of success, I have been gathering tweets containing 250 referendum-relevant hashtags since March 10. I’ve analysed the first three months of data from what has already become a collection of 10m tweets.

While Brexiters appear to be winning on Instagram, it’s the Remainers who seem to be running Twitter. The Brexiters are making a lot of noise – but that doesn’t necessarily amount to winning the war.

Left Wingers For #Brexit Need To Wake Up To What They're About To Do

Shutterstock

By Ragnar Weilandt, University of Warwick

If you listen to some left-wing voices – proponents of what is being called Lexit – the European Union is an undemocratic, neo-liberal empire. It is ruled by Angela Merkel and an army of cold-hearted, faceless bureaucrats in Brussels who spend their lives plotting to privatise British public services and deliberately making life in Southern Europe as miserable as possible.

Listening to both left-wing and right-wing arguments for Brexit can be rather confusing. Similar to Schrödinger’s immigrant who lazes around on benefits while simultaneously stealing jobs, the EU seems to be at the same time both communist and predatory capitalist. It has transformed Europe into a fortress while at the same time opening its borders to mass immigration. The EU’s rescue packages for Southern Europe have been too stingy while at the same constituting an outrageous burden to British taxpayers.

You do not have to be an idealist europhile to find these accusations a bit harsh. As a project that’s main purpose is the creation of a single market, the EU is indeed an economically liberal endeavour. Its key purpose is to replace those national laws which hamper trade with common European legislation.

The Name's Bond, James Bond ... Or Should It Be Jane?

Gillian Anderson as Jane Bond. @GillianA/Twitter

By James Chapman, University of Leicester and Shelley Cobb, University of Southampton

Amid reports that Daniel Craig has hung up his Bond boots once and for all, speculation about who will take his place is rife. Will it be Idris Elba? Henry Cavill? Tom Hiddleston? While Hiddleston dismissed his chances, X-Files star Gillian Anderson threw her hat into the ring. It was liked almost 30,000 times – many people evidently think it’s time for James to become Jane. Two academics with opposing views make their cases.

What #Brexit Would Mean For Relations Between India And The UK

Facundo Arrizabalaga/EPA

By Paul James Cardwell, University of Sheffield and Navajyoti Samanta, University of Sheffield

Much of the debate about Britain’s impending referendum on membership of the European Union so far has focused on external trade and the UK’s standing in the world. President Barack Obama intervened to say that the UK would not find new trade deals easy to conclude, even with strong allies. While relations with Canada and China have entered the discussion, little has been said about India.

This is surprising, given India’s strong links with the UK and status as the world’s fastest growing economy and world leader for inward investment.

#BreakFree - "Empire's" Jussie Smollett Guest Stars in Critically Acclaimed Hit Series "Underground"

Jussie Smollett as Josey in WGN America's "Underground." (PRNewsFoto/WGN America)

"Empire's" Jussie Smollett will guest star in WGN America's critically acclaimed hit series "Underground," marking the first time in 20 years that Smollett will appear in the same series as his younger sister Jurnee Smollett-Bell (Rosalee). Smollett will play Josey, a wild-eyed runaway, in the upcoming episode, "Firefly," premiering Wednesday, March 30 at 10:00 p.m. (ET/PT) on WGN America.

In the all-new fourth episode of "Underground," John and Elizabeth Hawkes come face-to-face with Josey in a traumatic confrontation and test of wills. The Macons realize Noah and Rosalee are missing and enlist August Pullman to help find the runaways. Meanwhile, Ernestine tries to cope with her daughter's absence and the others debate whether they should run. Cato enacts a daring plan that has immediate repercussions on the plantation, while Pearly Mae makes an extremely difficult personal decision.

The Trailer:

From creators and executive producers Misha Green and Joe Pokaski, and executive producer and Academy Award-winner John Legend, the 10-episode, hour-long program tells the unflinching story of a group of courageous men and women who band together for the fight of their lives – for their families, their future and their freedom...

"Underground" features an acclaimed cast including: 

• Jurnee Smollett-Bell ("True Blood," "Friday Night Lights") as Rosalee 
• Aldis Hodge ("Straight Outta Compton") as Noah 
• Christopher Meloni ("Sin City: A Dame to Kill For") as August Pullman 
• Alano Miller ("Jane The Virgin") as Cato ‎
• Jessica de Gouw ("Arrow," "Dracula") as Elizabeth Hawkes 
• Marc Blucas ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer") as John Hawkes ‎
• Adina Porter("The 100") as Pearly Mae 
• Mykelti Williamson ("Justified," "24") as Moses ‎
• Amirah Vann ("Girls," "And So It Goes") as Ernestine 
• Johnny Ray Gill ("Rectify") as Sam 
• Chris Chalk ("Gotham") as William Still 
• Reed Diamond ("Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.") as Tom Macon 
• Theodus Crane ("The Walking Dead") as Zeke 
• Renwick Scott ("Treme") as Henry 
• James Lafferty ("One Tree Hill") as U.S. Marshall Kyle Risdin 
• Jussie Smollett("Empire") as Josey.

Produced by Sony Pictures Television and Tribune Studios, "Underground" is created by Misha Green ("Sons Of Anarchy," "Heroes") and Joe Pokaski ("Daredevil," "Heroes,") who executive produce alongside Academy Award-winner Akiva Goldsman ("A Beautiful Mind," "I Am Legend") of Weed Road Pictures; and Joby Harold ("King Arthur," "Edge of Tomorrow") and Tory Tunnell ("King Arthur," "Holy Rollers") of Safehouse Pictures.  

Visionary artist and producer John Legend, an Academy Award, Golden Globe and multi-Grammy Award winner, and his Get Lifted partners Mike Jackson and Ty Stiklorius, executive produce. Additionally, Get Lifted oversees all elements of the show's music.  

Anthony Hemingway ("The Wire," "Treme") directs and serves as executive producer for the first four episodes. 

Amirah Vann as Ernestine in WGN America's "Underground." (PRNewsFoto/WGN America)

"Underground" Cast on Twitter:

• Jurnee Smollett-Bell @jurneesmollett
• Aldis Hodge @AldisHodge
• Christopher Meloni @Chris_Meloni
• Alano Miller @AlanoMiller
• Jessica de Gouw @jessdegouw
• Amirah Vann @amirahvann
• Marc Blucas @marcblucas
• Reed Diamond @reeddiamond
• Johnny Ray Gill @JohnnyRayGill
• Theodus Crane @theoduscrane
• Mykelti Williamson @mykeltiwmson
• Adina Porter @AdinaPorter
• Jussie Smollett @jussiesmollett 
• Christopher Backus @_cbackus
• PJ Marshall @ThePJMarshall
• James Lafferty @ThisIsLafferty 
• Chris Chalk @chalkchris

"Underground" Creative Team on Twitter:

• John Legend @johnlegend
• Misha Green @mishatrillXXL
• Joe Pokaski @JoePokaski
• Anthony Hemingway @shinybootz
• Akiva Goldsman @AkivaGoldsman
• Mike Jackson @mikemjackson312
• Ty Stiklorius @tystiklorius

WGN America Logo (PRNewsFoto/WGN America)

SOURCE: WGN America