Peace & Human Rights
In celebration of what would have been John Lennon’s 75th birthday, approximately 2000 peace-makers got together in Central Park to collectively create a beautiful peace symbol and sing Lennon’s “Give Peace a Chance.”
Pope Francis has expressed compassion for those fleeing war-torn countries.
Police, and sometimes the military, arrive at dawn while families are sleeping. They surround the house and call for the family to come outside. If the family resists, they will be forcefully removed and the bulldozers will begin their tragic task of destruction. Only sometimes are families allowed to take some of their possessions with them.
Tens of thousands of people gathered outisde the Japanese parliament building on Sunday to reject plans put forth by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that would see an aggressive expansion of the nation’s armed forces despite a long-standing constitutional mandate for a “defense only” military posture.
The court cited concerns that if he were sent to the U.S., he would probably be placed in Colorado’s “Supermax” prison, ADX Florence (Administrative Maximum Facility). The prison is nicknamed Colorado’s “Alcatraz of the Rockies.”
If you desire to understand what motivates a person to behave in a certain manner, simply listen to him or her talk about his or her dream (s). A dream is a state of mind characterized by abstract thinking and release from reality. White and Black males have different dreams because we live in an unjust and racist society that reminds us that we are different. White and Black males are not different from a Godly perspective, but our dreams and lifestyles are manifestations of our circumstances. The right to prosper, to be treated civilly, to be protected and to feel safe should be extended to all human beings, regardless of their appearance, race, background or economic, social or financial status.
Sandra Bland, who made it clear that she wanted the next generation to understand their “history and survival,” would have supported their speaking truth to power, just as she did before she was silenced, and just as Wells and Shakur did before them.
Back in the 1990’s, I discovered that there were teens on the streets of my town who didn’t have a legal place to sleep. There was no youth shelter, and no long term housing for young people under 18 who were away from their parents and not part of foster care. In many states, including California, women’s shelters didn’t allow boys over 16, so often abused and homeless women would have to choose between shelter for themselves and younger children and caring for their teen boys. I didn’t feel comfortable living in a community where there wasn’t a legal place for a child to be if they wanted to be, so I decided to work to create a program that could provide the missing services.
“I am honored to mark my 18th birthday with the brave and inspiring girls of Syria. I am here on behalf of the 28 million children who are kept from the classroom because of armed conflict. Their courage and dedication to continue their schooling in difficult conditions inspires people around the world and it is our duty to stand by them,” Malala said. “On this day, I have a message for the leaders of this country, this region and the world — you are failing the Syrian people, especially Syria’s children. This is a heartbreaking tragedy — the world’s worst refugee crisis in decades.”
Cash Cayen loves her local library. She has been participating in library programs such she was just a few months old. So she was particularly disappointed this summer when she tried to register for a robotics class that was being offered at the library and was told that she the class was for “boys only.”
In celebration, honor and recognition of Independence Day, it seemed appropriate to write about none other than “freedom”. Now, freedom is a concept that can mean many different things to many different people. One might consider freedom only in the context of nations, war, government and politics. Others might narrow it down a bit further to a persona level and say that freedom is in fact a state of mind and that true freedom involves taking full responsibility over the choices you make in your life.
Rev. John Dear: Like millions of others, I’m grieving the death of the nine church folk killed in the unthinkable massacre inside Charleston’s Emanuel AME Church on Wednesday night. My heart goes out to the families and friends of the dead, and the church members, and I offer all my condolences, prayers, blessings and love.
“For we are opposed around the world by a monolithic and ruthless conspiracy that relies primarily on covert means for expanding its sphere of influence. On infiltration instead of invasion. On subversion instead of elections. On intimidation instead of free choice. On guerrillas by night instead of armies by day. It is a system which […]
As with many things desired, the indoctrination which we have received in school, church and the like “teaches” us that someone else is responsible for giving it to us and, if we don’t have it, then someone has taken it from us. This leads (intentionally) and inevitably to the ridiculous activities of fighting for peace, destroying for prosperity and many other expressions of insanity.
Everyone has to practice nonviolence. Everyone. From the people on the streets to the police, to church ministers and parents, but also our media spokespeople and elected officials. Including the president. And the military. Everyone, everywhere. The days of war, killing, shootings, bombings, torture, executions and nuclear weapons are coming to an end. The days of violence are over. Everyone has to practice nonviolence. That is our only future–if we are to have a future.
