28 December 2006

united nations attacks pernicious human rights violation...

so you're an isolationist, bircher, or neocon who thinks that the u.n. is a useless bureaucracy huh???

well consider the terror generated by state sanctioned, forced "disappearances"... this tactic was once in widespread use (70's and 80's) moreso in latin america than other geopolitical battlegrounds...the recent death of former chilean dictator augusto pinochet stirs memories of the caravan of death that roamed the country after the 1973 coup kidnapping and executing political prisoners and burying them in unmarked graves...

but the irony of the new terror becomes evident when the u.n. general assembly adopted a major new human rights treaty on december 21st: the international convention for the protection of all persons from enforced disappearance..
enforced disappearances have recently emerged as an unlawful means in pursuing the so-called "war on terror"...the treaty is a response to all enforced disappearances, including those occurring in the form of renditions and holding people in secret places of detention...

which leads us to the movement to close down the torture camp that is guantanamo bay...according to amnesty international:
Despite a major international outcry and expert condemnation of US government policy, hundreds of people of around 35 different nationalities remain held in a legal black hole at the US Naval Base in Guantánamo Bay in Cuba, many without access to any court, legal counsel or family visits. Denied their rights under international law and held in conditions which may amount to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, the detainees face severe psychological distress. There have been numerous suicide attempts.

As more evidence surfaces that the abuse of Guantánamo detainees has been widespread, it is ever more urgent to end the plight of the detainees. US authorities must bring all detainees to trial, in full accordance with international law and standards, or else release them immediately and unconditionally.
no, of course the u.n. is no panacea for the world's disputes and ills but having a forum of dialogue where nations can come together and struggle in a place other than the battle field - traditional or otherwise - is vital to creating mechanisms for peaceful resolutions rather than, say, nuclear ones...

kudos to the u.n. general assembly for creating a much needed international human rights treaty...

peace out <3

25 December 2006

diamond dealers need to connect dots...

no doubt you've read about the movie blood diamonds (watch the trailer here) starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Hounsou, and Jennifer Connelly...and it is a relevent issue as today many hundreds of thousands of diamonds are given as gifts on a day used to mark the birthdate of jesus of nazareth...

is the irony clear to you...if not consider that blood diamonds are more generally referred to as conflict diamonds...and what are they??? according to amnesty international:

Some diamonds have helped fund devastating civil wars in Africa, destroying the lives of millions. Conflict diamonds are those sold in order to fund armed conflict and civil war. Profits from the trade in conflict diamonds, worth billions of dollars, were used by warlords and rebels to buy arms during the devastating wars in Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Sierra Leone. Wars that have cost an estimated 3.7 million lives.

While the wars in Angola and Sierra Leone are now over, and fighting in the DRC has decreased, the problem of conflict diamonds hasn't gone away. Diamonds mined in rebel-held areas in Côte d'Ivoire, a West African country in the midst of a volatile conflict, are reaching the international diamond market. Conflict diamonds from Liberia are also being smuggled into neighboring countries and exported as part of the legitimate diamond trade.
in the end it is innocent civilians who suffer the worst consequences of the bloody wars financed through unscrupulously mined, processed, traded, and purchased (hello zales, jared, kay. et. al.) diamond rings, bracelets, necklaces, pendants etc...

a major milestone occurred in 2003, when a government-run initiative known as the kimberley process was introduced to stem the flow of conflict diamonds...but in the end the process was and remains a fox guarding the chicken coop scheme...

does this mean you shouldn't buy any diamonds??? well no, but you should know how to hold retailers accountable, first by reading the buyer's guideline, understand how jewelers keep consumers in the dark, better understand the history and context of the issue in human rights context by reading this article by greg campbell, and most importantly understand how little jewelers and their employees know about the source of and bloody consequences of profteering from blood diamionds...

so go see the movie and if you feel the need to own a diamond be a consumer with a human rights heart - especially think about that today, christmas day...

peace out <3

23 December 2006

stop violence against women: creative cross petition for juárez and guatemala...

**note: this action will continue through the spring of 2007...

the day of the dead is a major commemoration in mexico and guatemala during which families celebrate their ancestors by visiting and sprucing up grave sites, welcoming the souls of the dead into their homes with altars and offerings of flowers and food, and engaging in other festivities...

during the fall of 2006**, thousands of amnesty international activists helped commemorate the day of the dead by participating in a "cross petition" by creating and signing crosses protesting the murders of women in juárez/chihuahua and in guatemala and calling on the mexican and guatemalan governments to take steps to end the femicides...

amnesty activists from around the country took part, sending crosses from places as far apart as california, massachusetts, illinois, missouri, new york, and georgia...0n november 2nd, activists held vigils and delivered the crosses to consulates and embassies of both countries, where they met with officials...activists from highschools, to colleges, to individual members sent some 3000 crosses to the washington, dc office alone on day of the dead, and more than a thousand have come in since...in most of the meetings, officials were welcoming, and acknowledged that femicides are a serious problem...however, amnesty international wants to send a clear message that the issue is still a priority, and you can help make this action even more successful than it has already been by continuing to create and send crosses through spring 2007...

to get more information on how to participate in this creative action click here for english and click here for spanish...

peace out <3

21 December 2006

middle tennesseans take action against torture in january...

january 11th will mark the five-year anniversary of the arrival of the first guantanamo bay prisoners...this date stands as a symbol of attempts to end protections of justice and humane treatment by the united states...

amnesty international members hold a vigil or rally in front of courthouses and other visible locations such as town squares and campuses across the country. ..the vigils will be to demand that the u.s. government end this dark chapter in u.s. history by closing the facilities in guantanamo bay and disclosing the rest of the detention centers...in addition to events across the country and around the world, there will be a press conference and rally in front of the u.s. supreme court...

did you know that despite a major international outcry and expert condemnation of u.s. government policy, hundreds of people of around 35 different nationalities remain held in a legal black hole at the u.s. naval base in guantánamo bay in cuba, many without access to any court, legal counsel or family visits...denied their rights under international law and held in conditions which may amount to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, the detainees face severe psychological distress...and that there have been numerous suicide attempts...

to get more information on the human rights scandal referred to as guantanamo bay click here...

for information on united states government obligations under international law click here...

to read the indepth report guantánamo - an icon of lawlessness click here...
to join us on january 1th here in middle tennessee e-mail us here...

peace out <3

20 December 2006

nashville activists write to prisoners of conscience...

because, as we say, "lest they not believe that they have been forgotten,"...

back in november we signed up to participate in amnesty international's annual write-a-thon which takes place on or near december 10th every year - international human rights day ... we pledged to write 40 letters that day to prisoners of conscience or people, regardless of their actions, who are the targets of human rights violations...

on thursday december 12th rosa and i met at jj's market near vanderbilt and between the 2 of us wrote nearly 50 holiday cards of hope...local member betsy asked for the addresses of the prisoners of conscience who had been targted to receive cards so we believe that we wrote at least 60 cards matching our pledge and then another 50% ... and maybe more!

we sent cards to 25 of the men on tennessee's death row as well as the people whose cases are mentioned here...

what did you do???

peace out <3

19 December 2006

too flawed to fix...

after the botched lethal injection execution of angel diaz in florida last week and a federal u.s. district court ruling in california calling lethal injection "intolerable" it is time to abandon the search for an 'ideal' way to extinguish a human life and focus instead on developing genuine solutions to crime...


Amnesty International USA Response to U.S. District Judge Jeremy Fogel's Ruling Deeming California's Lethal Injection Procedure "Intolerable"

(Washington, DC) – Sue Gunawardena-Vaughn, Director of Amnesty International USA's Program to Abolish the Death Penalty, issued the following statement in response to U.S. District Judge Jeremy Fogel's ruling that California's lethal injection procedure represents "an undue and unnecessary risk" of a violation of the constitutional prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment:
"Judge Fogel's ruling comes at a time when numerous states across the country are encountering significant legal challenges to the constitutionality of their respective lethal injection methods. Earlier today, in the wake of a horribly botched execution, Florida Governor Jeb Bush created a Commission on Administration of Lethal Injection to examine the constitutionality of that state's lethal injection protocol.

"While Judge Fogel's ruling chastises California for continuing to administer a procedure that 'lacks both reliability and transparency,' the flaws that taint the state's death penalty system go well beyond the specifics of its executing mechanism. It is plagued by racial bias and there remains the very real possibility of executing an innocent person. California officials should not waste the state's valuable resources trying to 'perfect' the apparatus of death. Instead, they should unequivocally reject the death penalty, which is both futile and irreparably flawed, and focus instead on developing genuine solutions to crime. The continuing search for an 'ideal' way to extinguish a human life is no sign of a humane, evolved society. California can and must do better."
peace out <3

15 December 2006

nashvegas' take back the night recap...

on october 23rd amnesty international members in nashville participated in the annual take back the night rally and march as part of local activists commitment to the international stop violence against women campaign...

in particular a shout out goes to amnesty international members jennifer kinsey, diba enayat, and becky owens for giving their time and energy to advance preparations and representing aiusa in the event...diba is tennessee's stop violence aganst women campaign coordinator...

here's diba's summary of the events that night - photos from the night can be viewed here ... if you're not an amnesty member become one today!!!

peace out <3

Amnesty International had a table set up and there was a pretty good turnout so a lot of people stopped by our table and took information. Then they had a speaker, Byron Hurt, the director of "Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes." He spoke about the role that men have in stopping violence against women. After his speech, we marched from the Olin field, where we were, to the Centennial Park pavilion they had designated. As we marched, we yelled chants promoting stopping violence against women. When we reached the pavilion, there was an open mic. This was probably the most powerful part of the night. Some incredibly brave women stood up and told very personal stories about their experiences with sexual violence. It was incredible to see such a range of women from different backgrounds come together for one cause--they ranged from former prostitutes to students.

Surrounding the pavilion and also the olin feild was a clothesline with a t-shirt hanging for every woman who has lost her life to domestic violence. It was a pretty powerful visual image. Overall, I think the march went well--it really does play a role in healing for those women who have survived gender-based violence by showing them that they are not alone and really helps men understand the impact that gender based violence has on women and how we can all come together for this cause.

14 December 2006

holiday cards that change lives...

tonight in nashville members and friends of amnesty international will gather to write their most significant holiday cards of the season...

each year during the winter holidays, amnesty international asks its members to send messages of support to prisoners of conscience and their families around the world...holidays can mean little to those who fear they've been forgotten by the world...a simple greeting card brings them renewed hope...

the prisoners and human rights defenders featured here need your support...please let them know they are not forgotten...

write to them in your living room from ANYWHERE in the world just by clicking here ...

it may be the most significant thing you do this holiday season...

peace out <3

13 December 2006

outraged and heartbroken...

...is an apt way to describe how i felt after viewing the independent film osama on international human rights day december 10th...

osama is the first film made in afghanistan since the rise and fall of the taliban, and it shows that hope is a rare commodity there...the protagonists, a 12 year-old girl (marina olbahari) and her mother, lose their jobs at a local hospital when the taliban shuts it down..as the family's father and brother are dead and women are not allowed unescorted in the streets, they have little choice but to try and pass off the little girl as a boy and get her a job....

the young girl gets work in a tea shop, but merely walking through the streets to get to work and speaking to customers cause her deep anxiety...it gets worse when the taliban round up all the young boys -- including our heroine -- and shuttle them to a training center....a street thief knows her secret and tries to help her blend in, but her feminine looks soon betray her...

as i viewed the film i often had no more idea of what's going on than our hero does, which increases the film's sense of danger and fear...

osama is also unafraid to be brutal, showing matter-of-factly the strange and unkind justice that goes on in afghanistan...it can be shocking and difficult to take at times...remembering the terrified look on the young girl's face left me acknowledging deeply that we're all human...each and every one...

it's a must see...

peace out <3

p.s. special thanks to jeff anderson for sharing his words with me via the internet...

02 December 2006

join the 16 days of activism against gender violence...

the 16 days of activism against gender violence is a global campaign running from nov. 25th through dec. 10th....amnesty international's theme this year is "16 shelters for 16 days," stressing the importance of creating safe and secure shelters for women fleeing violence....this is linked to amnesty's ongoing campaign to stop violence against women ...

here in music city usa our local chapter will hold a screening of OSAMA on december 10th as our action during this 16 days of international action...for information on this free public event click here ...

there is an easy action you can take as part of the 16 days of activism against gender violence by clicking on this link - you can't control the actions of others but you can take action - so please do it today...

peace out <3

01 December 2006

a letter on world aids day...support hr 5674

i received this letter to take action on world aids day ... and i did ... you should too!

Dear Randy,

In commemoration of World AIDS Day this year, call on your Representative to support the Protection Against Transmission of HIV for Women and Youth Act of 2006 (HR 5674).

This legislation can help to address specific factors that leave women and girls at an increased risk of HIV infection - including sexual violence, economic disempowerment, and lack of access to information on HIV prevention.

Amnesty International believes that human rights-based policies should be at the center of all responses to HIV and AIDS, and that gender-specific strategies to address the particular vulnerabilities of women and girls are essential to effectively combat HIV and AIDS worldwide.

Sending best wishes,

Vienna Coluccion
on behalf of AIUSA's HIV and AIDS project
www.amnestyusa.org/hiv_aid

30 November 2006

see the critically acclaimed OSAMA december 10th...

Presents

Osama


In order to save her family a 12-year-old Afghan girl disguises herself as a boy named Osama. As Osama, she embarks on an incredible journey to keep the Taliban from finding out her true identity. Based on a true story, this movie examines the lives of the Afghan people while under the Taliban’s control and highlights problems still in existence after the end of the Taliban rule.


Sunday, December 10, 2006
7:30PM

Nashville Peace and Justice Center
1016 18th Ave S



For more information you can contact
Amanda Van Doorn
tel: 319-215-6605

TO SAVE HER FAMILY A GIRL MUST BECOME A BOY.
HER STORY IS TRUE.
HER NAME IS
OSAMA.

27 November 2006

take action to save women's lives in guatemala...

the killings of women and girls in guatemala are rising at an alarming rate yet actions by the guatemalan government to bring those responsible to justice are insufficient...a house resolution condemning these brutal killings has been introduced by representatives burton (r-in), lee (d-ca), lantos (d-ca), solis (d-ca) and engel (d-ny) urging both the united states and guatemalan governments to do more to bring an end to this human rights scandal (h.res.1081)...urge your representative to sign on to this important resolution...

Take action »

22 November 2006

Maratón de Cartas 2006...


Del 8 al 10 de Diciembre, 2006

Únete a nosotros – miles de miembros de Amnistía Internacional (AI), agrupaciones y amigos alrededor del mundo – para participar en el Maratón de Cartas de AI. Este evento de solidaridad internacional conmemora el Día Internacional de los Derechos Humanos. El año pasado, activistas de Amnistía Internacional en más de treinta países escribieron cartas durante este evento. Las cartas y postales enviadas por los participantes tuvieron un impacto en la vida de muchos individuos, ayudaron a detener actos violentos en contra de mujeres y contribuyeron a la liberación de Prisioneros de Conciencia alrededor del mundo.

Este año, tu puedes participar y ayudar a aquellas personas que más lo necesitan. Solo necesitas decidirte a escribir cartas y postales. Elige casos y acciones urgentes para escribir cartas y postales en pro de personas que se encuentran en riesgo de abuso a sus derechos humanos.

Participa Ya

Ayúdanos a alcanzar nuestra meta de 50, 000 cartas organizando un maratón de cartas en tu comunidad. Nosotros te proveeremos con toda la información y recursos (en inglés) que tu necesitas para tener un evento exitoso.Registra tu evento en la
página en Inglés »

¿Qué puedes esperar cuando registres tu evento?

Al registrar tu evento en la página en inglés, tendrás a tu disposición varios recursos en inglés que harán que tu evento sea un éxito. Te ayudaremos, paso por paso, a organizar, promocionar e implementar tu maratón de cartas y te enseñaremos como motivar a tus amigos y familiares a escribir cartas y promocionar tu evento local en la página de eventos de AIUSA (opcional). Entérate de los recursos a tu disposición y cómo tu maratón de cartas te puede ayudar no sólo a afectar positivamente la vida de otros en riesgo de violaciones de derechos humanos, sino también fortalecer tu grupo, conocer nuevos amigos y divertirte.

¡Inscribete para participar en el maratón ahora! (En inglés)

18 November 2006

the buck stops here - help darfurians now...

so even if there are millions and millions of useless blogs out there i still have to love "the blog" - wanna know yyyyyyyy???

otherwise jonah and i never hook-up (no you perverts - not that way) and i never get to share with you the darfur wall ...

see, some say that all things being equal (or accounted for) the simplest explanation (answer) is usually right (it's why you go with your first instinct" on multiple choice questions i guess) ... and that goes for organizing too - make things simple for people, offer them pathways to succeed, and your chances for success increase many fold - i think ...

now you all surely know about the human rights crisis that is darfur but if not click here for an overview and here for some context...

anyways, so jonah writes the tn_dude and says, "I develop and run a web site called The Darfur Wall -- http://darfurwall.org-- which raises money for four Darfur relief organizations in a unique way:by asking 400,000 people to donate $1 each...."

here's the summary:
"400,000 dark numbers cover the 40 panels of The Darfur Wall, eachrepresenting a person killed in Darfur. By donating $1 or more, you can light a number, turning it from dark gray to brilliant white. As we lightthe wall, we acknowledge the importance of each life lost, we cast light upon a tragedy too many have ignored, and we overcome one barrier to peace."

everyone has a buck - so if you've got a buck (and i know that you do) help support Doctors Without Borders ... Save the Children ... Save Darfur ... Sudan Aid Fund / Eric Reeves

click here now!!!

peace out <3

17 November 2006

am i buggin' ya???

"i don't mean to bug ya,"...

it's my fav bono stage jabber from rattle and hum - so bono-esque...

and here's my point...in the u.s. conservatives have been using the same-sex marriage initiative to drive voter turnout, playing up homophobia and aggressively promoting sexual orientation discrimination - this is one aspect of an active anti-human rights agenda and is something that we in amnesty international oppose ... no one should suffer discrimination and be disenfranchised from their rights based on sexual orientation (i'll set aside the hypocrisy of this "movement" for another day)...

but it's worldwide - not just here in the united states...

on september 8, the ugandan newspaper red pepper published a list of 13 women they claim are lesbians...homosexuality is a criminal offence in uganda, and amnesty international believes that making such allegations against these women may put them in danger...the article called for people to name other women suspected of being lesbians in order to ''rid our motherland of the deadly vice,"...

click here to call on the president of uganda to ensure that incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence against lesbians and gay men is forbidden...

peace out <3

16 November 2006

give 45 seconds to sign the pledge...

before leaving washington, the last congress passed the "military commissions act of 2006", which disregards america's deep human rights tradition and gives the administration the power to detain people indefinitely without charge or trial and even allows the use of evidence obtained by cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment..the next congress must begin by reversing the dangerous provisions of that act and actively reaffirming america's commitment to human rights...because the violations of human rights by our government have been so profound, the steps needed to reclaim the american we believe in must be equally far-reaching..we want to collect 500,000 signatures on the america i believe in pledge to show the new congress that it's time to change the course on human rights..your signature will help leverage the human rights agenda to reclaim the america we believe in...

Sign the pledge »

15 November 2006

send letters of hope...

it's the time of year when marketeers push our trained and ingrained consumerism buttons and we send out holiday cards by the dozens, thousands, neigh millions...

as you send out cards this holiday season, remember the courageous human rights defenders who have put their lives on the line to help others and those imprisoned solely for their deeply-held convictions...

remember the brothers and sisters of a better world that you've yet to and may never meet...

let them know that they are not forgotten...

peace out <3

10 November 2006

free screening in nashville monday november 13...be there!


I signed up to host a screening of "Outlawed" at my house Monday. I hope many of you can make it.

For more information see the email below.
RSVP at http://www.amnestyusa.org/america/attend.php?id=35

Screening of "Outlawed"Amnesty International Screening - "Outlawed"Come and learn about this important issue - Due to limited space, please be sure to email me in advance to let me know you're coming!

Venue: The home of Phillip VestIn Bellevue near Caboose Park
Location: 821 Stirrup DriveNashville, TN 37221
Date: November 13, 2006 at 7:00 PM

Thanks,
Phillip Vest
Amnesty International Nashville

03 November 2006

really good news from the big easy...

only 4 or 5 years ago it would have been a struggle to hold a tennessee caucus at the annual southern regional conference of amnesty international...no, it WAS a struggle cause i was there! ... i mean 3 people do not a rich caucus make...

and from where i sit at the moment that was a looooooooooooooooooooooooong time ago...last night 12 people merged into 2 minivans and drove over 500 miles from nashville to nawlins' representing spring hill, nashville, middle tennessee state university, and tennessee tech ... 3 more people flew in today (all from mtsu) and more from other parts of the state may yet appear...

all that is to say that as a longtime amnesty international activist cum organizer this is very exciting...we have passionate, youthful people just beginning to acquire the tools they will need to help build a stronger human rights network and movement ... i'm committed to offering them the support, encouragement, and perhaps wisdom to become the next wave of leaders in the struggle to make human rights tangible in people's live around the world and to imbue their lives with the dignity we each deserve...

peace out from the big easy... <3

01 November 2006

amnesty international's global write-a-thon...


26028 letters pledged!
439 write-a-thon participants registered so far!

this international solidarity event was initiated by activists at ai poland on december 10, 2002 in commemoration of International human rights day...this annual event involves tens of thousands of participants from more that thirty countries writing letters to make a powerful change in the lives of individuals, help stop violence against women and contribute to the release of prisoners of conscience around the world...an estimated 60,000 appeals were written and sent last year by letter writers from zimbabwe, peru, kyrgyzstan, japan, lebanon, the united states and elsewhere...

help us meet our goal of 50,000 letters by organizing a letter-writing event in your community...we'll provide all of the information and resources you need to make your event a success...

click here for more information and here for background on write-a-thons...

peace out <3

26 October 2006

the u.s. senate must help end violence in darfur...

the u.s. senate can still do more to encourage the arab league, china and russia to press the sdanese government to admit u.n. peacekeepers immediately and save thousands of lives...

learn more...

take action...

peace out <3

23 October 2006

"get your red hot holiday cards right here..."

you may not have heard this particular vendor at a baseball game but that's the beauty of cyber-venues - reality can be stretched and massaged to be more friendly, fun, clever even...

so what i'm sharing with you today is that if you send holiday cards to your friends and family members (and you probably do) then why not check out the beautiful cards available from amnesty international ...

fill those close to you with your warmest thoughts and support human rights at the same time...

peace out <3

20 October 2006

amnesty international works!!!!

Charges Dropped Against Border Aid Workers

Mexico, USA: On September 1, U.S. District Judge Raner Collins dismissed the case against humanitarian aid workers Shanti Sellz and Daniel Strauss. Sellz and Strauss had been charged with transporting undocumented migrants after providing assistance to three men found in apparently life-threatening condition in the Arizona desert last July. Thanks to all who took action on their behalf!Download the interview with Daniel and Shanti as featured on Law and Disorder radio. MP3 format 15MB. 2006-09-01

Guantánamo detainee, Murat Kurnaz has been released!

Murat Kurnaz © Private"He is now again in the circle of his family. Their joy at embracing their lost son again is indescribable" -- statement from Murat's lawyer Germany, Turkey, USA: Murat Kurnaz, a Turkish national born in Germany and featured in AIUSA's Holiday Card action, was released on August 24, 2006 from Guantánamo. He had been held for four years and eight months without charge or trial. In January 2005, a U.S. federal judge cited his case as illustrative of the inherent unfairness and fundamental flaws of the administrative review process in Guantánamo. 2006-08-24

Marcelino Miranda, Leonardo Miranda, and Feliciano Pineda Freed

Marcelino Miranda (top left), Leonardo Miranda (lower left), and Feliciano Pineda (right). © PrivateHonduras: Leonardo Miranda, the last of three Honduran prisoners of conscience on whose behalf AIUSA has campaigned for the past year through its Special Focus Case project, was freed on August 15, 2006. Leonardo's brother Marcelino was freed on July 12, 2006, following a decision by the Honduran Supreme Court in June that acquitted Marcelino and Leonardo of a 2001 murder for which they were wrongfully imprisoned. On August 15, a lower court commuted Leonardo's sentence on another charge, resulting in his release. Amnesty believed the two brothers and another indigenous rights activist, Feliciano Pineda, were jailed in connection with their efforts to secure communal land titles for their communities in Montaña Verde. Pineda was released from detention in February 2006. The Casework Office extends its thanks and congratulations to all AIUSA activists, especially those in the Western Region, who took action on behalf of these three indigenous leaders. 2006-08-15

peace out <3

17 October 2006

let it grow, greatly yield...

if you check out our metro nashville amnesty international listserve you'll see it was initiated in october of 2000 (which coincidentally was the last time i experienced a period of unemployment)...so "we've" been together for six years now...

those six years have witnessed a true ebb and flow in both participation and action, at some points being no more than lynne and myself ... and that's why this year is very exciting ... there is a gathering of young, bright, passionate, energetic persons around the ideas and ideal of amnesty international - the world's largest grassroots human rights organization and network..

the witness i bear emerged out of the past week ... wednesday (11th) five of us gathered to map out an action calendar for the activist (roughly the same as an academic year)...and this was an "extra" meeting that people had to demonstrate an abiding commitment to the cause and the work...and three of those persons - rosa, diba, and betsy - are from this emergent group of young leaders...

to follow-up on monday night (16th) we had six people at the monthly chapter meeting only 2 of which were at last week's meeting...with becky, amanda, jen, and diba (again) coming from this pack of courageous young activists ... but that's not all - amanda and becky come with very diverse amnesty experience...

so my personal and humble thanks to everyone who is coming together to build a special social action network ... and maybe more...

peace out <3

Let it grow, let it grow, greatly yield.

What shall we say, shall we call it by a name,
As well to count the angels dancing on a pin.
Water bright as the sky from which it came,
And the name is on the earth that takes it in.
We will not speak but stand inside the rain,
And listen to the thunder shouting I am! I am! I am! I am.

IMMIGRATION: MAKING SENSE OF THE DEBATE

IMMIGRATION: MAKING SENSE OF THE DEBATE
Tuesday, October 17
Nashville, TN
7 – 9 p.m

A fierce, heated national discussion and debate about immigration and related issues has been taking place in recent months. This discussion has certainly found its way into our own community in which immigrants, in large numbers, have come to live. In fact, between 1990 and 2000, Tennessee has witnessed the sixth greatest increase of immigrants (169%) and the fourth greatest increase of Latinos (278%) in the country.

Too often, the animated discussion and debate on immigration has been fueled by inaccurate information, volatile rhetoric, and questionable calls for action. What seems to be sorely needed is a sensibly and rationally framed conversation centered on reasonable dialogue and truthful information. To this end, a coalition of community organizations has organized an educational forum and discussion, Immigration: Making Sense of the Debate, which will be held at the Scarritt-Bennett Center on Tuesday, October 17, from 7 – 9 p.m This event is designed to break through the emotionally driven rhetoric coming from the far sides on this issue, to center on a thoughtful and constructive conversation on immigration and the positive steps that we can take to address the problems associated with it.

Presentations will be made Dr. Katharine Donato (Vanderbilt Professor of Sociology), Stephen Fotopulos (Policy Director – Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition), and Tom Negri (Tennessee Hotel Association), and will include testimonies of immigrant families. Reasonable solutions to the problems and challenges at hand will also be shared for consideration. There will be ample opportunity for audience interaction and response.

14 October 2006

this blog has prescience!

on thursday the 12th we blogged about women in darfur bearing a huge burden of the violence (gender based) resulting from the genocidal government policy emanating from khartoum...

on friday the 13th amnesty international issued a public statement calling for protection of civilians as janjawid renew attacks on eastern chad...chad being the place that displaced refugees are fleeing to in order to escape the violence in darfur (western sudan)...

the report says in part: "Janjawid are once more crossing the border of Sudan and attacking villages in Eastern Chad. Several villages -- possibly up to 10 villages -- were raided in attacks starting 3 October."

for the full statement click here ... to sign the petition to help stop the killing in darfur click here ...

this blog rocks because either we are psychic or just damn good - you decide which...

peace out <3

12 October 2006

women bear heavy burden of violence in darfur...

most of you are by now familiar with the crisis in (the) darfur region of the sudan ... but many of us do not realize or appreciate that much of the violence perpetrated in the darfur conflict has resulted in grave human rights violations against women...these violations against women and girls include abductions, rape and forced displacement...the only real protection being provided for Darfuri women and girls has been from african union mission in sudan (AMIS), despite significant restrictions on its capabilities...

here's a tool to assist you in learning more about this specific aspect of the crisis in darfur ...

Sameera's Tears
Watch two film clips from the documentary, "Sameera's Tears," with Rev. Dr. White-Hammond (grateful thanks to Liz Walker, journalist and co-founder of My Sister's Keeper, a grassroots organization supporting micro-enterprise projects for women in Sudan; without her permission, exhibition of this footage would not be possible).

Clip 1 (high-speed low-speed)
Clip 2 (high-speed low-speed)


for public education and outreach here in nashville we have a mounted and laminated set of the photo exhibit Yesterday My Village Was Burned available to install at faith communities (churches, mosques, synagogues), schools, businesses, or even home for a small handling fee...

for access to full background and available actions on the crisis in darfur click here ...

peace out <3

10 October 2006

World Day Against the Death Penalty...


On October 10th, an international coalition of like-minded associations is joining together in an effort to abolish the death penalty worldwide. This year 53 human rights organizations, bar associations, trade unions, and local and regional authorities are promoting the theme of the death penalty being an egregious failure of justice. The five critical aspects being highlighted are child offenders, discrimination of foreign nationals, unfair trials, mental illness, and innocence. Last year, the World Day resulted in some 263 initiatives throughout the world in 46 countries.
_______________________________________________________
Act Now!


China – executes innocent people then sells their organs »
Iran – executes child offenders »
Saudi Arabia – executes foreign nationals after unfair trials »See our Ramadan actions »
United States – executes the mentally-ill »
Nigeria – executes defendants without legal representation »
____________________________________________________________

Amnesty International works of the abolition of the death penalty worldwide. Two thirds of the countries in the world – 129 – have abolished the death penalty in law or practice. In 2005, only 22 countries carried out executions. 94% of the 2,148 executions documented by Amnesty International took place in China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United States.

Hundreds of events, debates, concerts, press conferences, radio interviews, exhibitions and plays will be organized around the world to condemn the death penalty. Mark the date to bring the message to the world: the death penalty is not justice.

Further information on the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty is available on their website at http://www.worldcoalition.org/ or email coalition@abolition.fr

09 October 2006

garrison keillor on "the compromise"...

it's my birthday so i could take liberties if i chose, but since it's not about me but the issues i'm simply going to share garrison keillor's strong words of disappointment in the congress for accepting the current u.s. administration's efforts to drop support for provisions of the geneva conventions on the treatment of prisoners and continue to erode civil liberties protections here at home...

peace out <3>_____________

Congress' shameful retreat from American values
Garrison Keillor...October 4, 2006

I would not send my college kid off for a semester abroad if I were you. Last week, we suspended human rights in America, and what goes around comes around. Ixnay habeas corpus.

The U.S. Senate, in all its splendor and majesty, decided that an "enemy combatant" is any non-citizen whom the president says is an enemy combatant, including your Korean greengrocer or your Swedish grandmother or your Czech au pair, and can be arrested and held for as long as authorities wish without any right of appeal to a court of law to examine the matter. If your college kid were to be arrested in Bangkok or Cairo, suspected of "crimes against the state" and held in prison, you'd assume that an American foreign service officer would be able to speak to your kid and arrange for a lawyer, but this may not be true anymore. Be forewarned.

The Senate also decided it's up to the president to decide whether it's OK to make these enemies stand naked in cold rooms for a couple of days in blinding light and be beaten by interrogators. This is now purely a bureaucratic matter: The plenipotentiary stamps the file "enemy combatants" and throws the poor schnooks into prison and at his leisure he tries them by any sort of kangaroo court he wishes to assemble and they have no right to see the evidence against them, and there is no appeal. This was passed by 65 senators and will now be signed by President Bush, put into effect, and in due course be thrown out by the courts.

It's good that Barry Goldwater is dead because this would have killed him. Go back to the Senate of 1964--Goldwater, Dirksen, Russell, McCarthy, Javits, Morse, Fulbright--and you won't find more than 10 votes for it.

None of the men and women who voted for this bill has any right to speak in public about the rule of law anymore, or to take a high moral view of the Third Reich, or to wax poetic about the American Ideal. Mark their names. Any institution of higher learning that grants honorary degrees to these people forfeits its honor. Alexander, Allard, Allen, Bennett, Bond, Brownback, Bunning, Burns, Burr, Carper, Chambliss, Coburn, Cochran, Coleman, Collins, Cornyn, Craig, Crapo, DeMint, DeWine, Dole, Domenici, Ensign, Enzi, Frist, Graham, Grassley, Gregg, Hagel, Hatch, Hutchison, Inhofe, Isakson, Johnson, Kyl, Landrieu, Lautenberg, Lieberman, Lott, Lugar, Martinez, McCain, McConnell, Menendez, Murkowski, Nelson of Florida, Nelson of Nebraska, Pryor, Roberts, Rockefeller, Salazar, Santorum, Sessions, Shelby, Smith, Specter, Stabenow, Stevens, Sununu, Talent, Thomas, Thune, Vitter, Voinovich, Warner.

To paraphrase Sir Walter Scott: Mark their names and mark them well. For them, no minstrel raptures swell. High though their titles, proud their name, boundless their wealth as wish can claim, these wretched figures shall go down to the vile dust from whence they sprung, unwept, unhonored and unsung.

Three Republican senators made a show of opposing the bill and after they'd collected all the praise they could get, they quickly folded. Why be a hero when you can be fairly sure that the court will dispose of this piece of garbage.

If, however, the court does not, then our country has taken a step toward totalitarianism. If the government can round up someone and never be required to explain why, then it's no longer the United States as you and I always understood it. Our enemies have succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. They have made us become like them.

I got some insight last week into who supports torture when I went down to Dallas to speak at Highland Park Methodist Church. It was spooky. I walked in, was met by two burly security men with walkie-talkies, and within 10 minutes was told by three people that this was the Bushes' church and that it would be better if I didn't talk about politics. I was there on a book tour for "Homegrown Democrat," but they thought it better if I didn't mention it. So I tried to make light of it: I told the audience, "I don't need to talk politics. I have no need even to be interested in politics--I'm a citizen, I have plenty of money and my grandsons are at least 12 years away from being eligible for military service." And the audience applauded! Those were their sentiments exactly. We've got ours, and who cares?

The Methodists of Dallas can be fairly sure that none of them will be snatched off the streets, flown to Guantanamo Bay, stripped naked, forced to stand for 48 hours in a freezing room with deafening noise. So why should they worry? It's only the Jews who are in danger, and the homosexuals and gypsies. The Christians are doing fine. If you can't trust a Methodist with absolute power to arrest people and not have to say why, then whom can you trust?

- Garrison Keillor is a syndicated columnist and host of "A Prairie Home Companion."


08 October 2006

put your faith where your mouth is...

true, i've adapted the adage but with good reason...october 22nd through the 24th is amnesty international usa's national weekend of faith in action on the death penalty...

the 9th annual...so we should give a great big shout out to kristin houle (or k-bear as she's known far and wide) and her buddies morgan and sue in aiusa's program to abolish the death penalty... S-A-L-U-T-E!!!

as k-bear likes to say, "The National Weekend of Faith in Action (NWFA) is an opportunity for faith communities, interfaith groups, human rights activists, and others to examine the death penalty from a faith-based or values-based perspective. Set aside some time during the weekend of October 20-22 for an activity or event that focuses on the death penalty issue, using the ideas and resources provided by Amnesty International USA as your guide."

anyhoo - here in tennessee between aiusa and the tennessee coalition to abolish state killing we've already signed up more than 40 faith communities and groups to participate...and what do these places receive for signing on??? well you get all sorts of ideas on how to engage your group, lots of materials including amnesty international's capital punishment fact sheets, and a copy of the dvd the empty chair or the exonerated (while they last)...

if you have questions or want to sign up a group (including your local or student amnesty international group) send an e-mail to either k-bear or myself...

peace out <3

05 October 2006

amanda - meet the indigo girls...

"check, check, check..."

it's a sound you'll get well before the concert if you go early enough and it's something that amnesty international volunteers get to hear plenty of...thanks to angie hougas and nancy lutz who run the rhythm n' rights program for amnesty international...

and tabling at a concert is a great way to get new volunteers involved in your local chapter ... enter amanda van doorn...amanda recently moved to nashville after having worked with amnesty in college - she hooked up with us through the state chapter list on the amnesty website and volunteered right away to help us out with the october 3rd indigo girls concert at the ryman auditorium ... "the girls" - touring to support their 10th studio album release, despite our differences and celebrating their 20th anniversary of making music together - have been longtime supporters of the work of amnesty international and even played an anti-death penalty concert at the same venue in 1999 organized by the legendary steve earle...

here's amanda's account of the evening...peace out <3

The Indigo Girls were kind enough to allow Amnesty International to table at their concert they held in Nashville on Tuesday night. I had the pleasure of tabling with Lynne and we tabled beside volunteers from the Vote No on 1 campaign. We had several petitions at our table which were about: the situation in Darfur/Sudan, the disappearance of children in Sri Lanka, and the discrimination and violence women currently face in Guatemala. We also handed out flyers with information about our local group and encouraged people to sign up to be on the email listserve.

We had a great response and it was awesome to have the opportunity to talk to people about these various issues and the mission of Amnesty International. Everyone we talked to seemed receptive to our message and many concertgoers were excited to see that Amnesty was at the event. Being at this event allowed us to educate people on the issues mentioned above, while also giving us the chance to promote our group and establish new contacts.

In the end, it is all about getting out there and educating people, promoting awareness; tabling is an excellent opportunity to accomplish these tasks. You should never under estimate the power of action and your ability to help make a difference.

Thank you to the Indigo Girls for allowing us to be at their concert and thank you to all the people from Rhythm n' Rights who provided the Nashville chapter with this excellent opportunity.

03 October 2006

17 year old kortney hartz rocks the world...

organizing is not only about nuts and bolts but its also about inspiration and motivation...and its about engaging people while they are still young enough to teach those of us who already "know," whattup... so here's some irie words from a a "long-time" human rights activist in nyc...

Resist and Desist

Kortney Hartz,
Senior at Elisabeth Irwin High School

Sudan, Iran, Uganda, Rwanda, Vietnam, Russia, Brazil
All within the vicinity of hate,
Two miles away from the tag line
Never Again.
And men take the bait of humanity's
Degeneration kept in a mason jar at the bedside
Of exploited power.
And those hippies replacing bullets for flowers
Aren't Americans
Because they don't understand how we win.
So, cut off your long hair and replace it with this hardware
Created by politicians that glorify silence through blood-encrusted reverence.
Who forgot about the whips and the colonization of our
Mother Country,
They took the slave-ship and called it a yacht
Bought and sold oppression without a mention to the
Livelihood of humanity.
So I get down on my knees for the Sudanese
who are waiting for the pressure of atrocity to implode the measure of guilt we all
supposedly feel.
Note that in my anger I can only speak for my weak soul
That can't bear the excursions that justice likes to take in times of need.
So put one hand over your heart and repeat after me
Resist and Desist Injustice.

peace out <3

29 September 2006

rewarding good behavior...

we are quick to express our position on human rights issues to our elected officials and that's AWESOME ... and when one of them votes the correct way we should thank them and tell them why they did the right thing ... sort of like house training a puppy only not exactly ... :-)

i've just been told that representative jim cooper was the ONLY member of the tennessee delegation to vote against the irresponsible "compromise" torture bill...the ONLY one...i encourage everyone to contact jim cooper's office and tell him thank you...nashville office phone: 615-736-5295 ... washington d.c. office phone: 202-225-4311...

make another call, k'?

28 September 2006

We got our senators on board, now how 'bout Congress?

Great Job TN! Both of our Senators will be signatories in a letter to the Arab league expressing the vital importance in carrying out UN Security Council Resolution 1706 and use all diplomatic means to get UN Peacekeepers on the ground in Darfur.

Unfortunately, only one of our nine members of Congress is a signatory as well. Rep. Bart Gordon from Murfreesboro and Cookeville signed the letter today.

The letter's deadline is tomorrow, so please call your representative and urge them to sign the Darfur letter sponsored by Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ-04) and Rep. Tom Lantos (D-CA-12).

If you would like to know who your member of congress is and his/her contact info, click here.

26 September 2006

this is NOT a theoretical concern...

i don't think so...is the answer to the following question:

could 45 retired admirals and generals, military leaders and former dod officials be wrong about preserving the indivisible and universal provisions of humane treatment embedded in the geneva convention???

that includes 5 former members of the joint chiefs of staff!!! former u.s. chairman of the joint chiefs of staff john vessey, said:

"If such legislation is being considered, I fear that it may weaken America in two respects.
  • First, it would undermine the moral basis which has generally guided our conduct in war throughout our history.
  • Second, it could give opponents a legal argument for the mistreatment of Americans being held prisoner in times of war."

the signatories asked legislators to "consider the impact that redefining Common Article 3 would have on Americans who put their lives at risk in defense of our Nation...We believe their interests, and their safety and protection should they become prisoners, should be your highest priority as you address this issue."

Tell your Senators to block any legislation governing the treatment of detainees that does not follow and improve upon the principles laid out in the Graham-Warner-McCain proposal.
Click here to take action today!

23 September 2006

legislative compromise sells out geneva convention...

as it stands "the compromise" merely substitutes one injustice for another...while the right of the accused to be present at trial has been strengthened, the measure still permits the introduction of evidence long considered untrustworthy...the revised rules allow evidence obtained through "coercion," despite decades of court decisions that such testimony is inherently unreliable...likewise, the bill permits the use of hearsay evidence unless the accused can prove that the evidence is unreliable...but the accused will never be given a fair chance to do so, as the prosecution is permitted to keep sources and methods used to obtain that evidence secret...

Larry Cox, Amnesty International USA's Executive Director, issued the following statement in response to the proposed agreement reached by President Bush and Senate Republicans regarding detainee legislation:

"Amnesty International is deeply disturbed by the proposed compromise between Senate leaders and the White House on detainee legislation. Without further clarification the legislation leaves loopholes big enough to drive a Humvee through. The parties appear to have negotiated themselves right back to the starting line. The core of the public debate between senior Republican leaders and the administration largely hinged on the president's ability to interpret the Geneva Conventions as he saw fit and as he basically granted himself authority to do in the war on terror. Key Senators argued, rightly, that the Conventions must stay intact. Yet, in the alleged 'win-win' compromise, it appears that the president can reinterpret the Conventions, amend the War Crimes Act and even give a greenlight to treatment long-considered torture. Without additional clarity, the proposed agreement betrays American values of justice and long-held agreements and obligations on basic humane treatment. There can be no compromise for torture.

This is not a time for electoral calculations on either side of the aisle. Winning or losing elections doesn't matter if the price of victory is a profound betrayal of principle -- and, make no mistake about it, the proposed legislation has that potential. This bill could confirm America as a nation unbound by human rights standards Americans lived by, fought for and promoted for decades."

amnesty international has launched the "america i believe in" campaign because we believe that the united states is facing a defining moment: the nation can continue to be one of the world's leaders on human rights or lose its moral authority on fairness and justice...some of the campaign activities have included advertisements in major print and online publications and personal calls and visits to congressional members...actually, over the past week, amnesty international members and other citizens sent nearly 50,000 letters to congress urging lawmakers to keep the conventions intact and not to cede the nation's values...

21 September 2006

keep those calls coming in...

so i said, "your call can help turn the tide,"... "make a call this week,"...

and the reply was like, "oh yeah, how do you know?"...

well here's what i do know, no question, without a doubt - if you don't call you make NO DIFFERENCE at all...

zip, zilch, zero, nada...that's the only guarantee you have - do nothing, accomplish nothing...

the crisis in the darfur region is at a crucial point...a u.n. peacekeeping operation must be deployed immediately to protect civilians in darfur...that won't happen without u.s. pressure...our government won't act unless you speak out...

so call right now...

and check out the new amnesty international magazine cover story, "darfur: a call to action." ...

peace out <3

19 September 2006

outreach is creating ways to make connections...

so why start a blog???

i mean after all everybody and their mother has started a blog in the past 3 years - only the most ardent luddite has been left out of this loop...

but last night betsy and lindsay attended their first ever amnesty international meeting because of this blog ... they went to the amnesty international usa website, found the page for tennessee chapters, and clicked on the nashville group website link that we had posted less than weeks ago...

and they hooked up with us...that's called outreach - that's what i'm talkin'' about...

so whether it's free ads in local weekly papers, listserves, flyers, networking, or a host of other outreach mechanisms, building a human rights movement turns on making it possible for people hook up with you and get involved...

just like betsy and lindsay!

16 September 2006

pro-torture guidelines rebuffed by senate committee...

a week ago we reported on president bush's full-scale assault on human rights ... yesterday the president was apparently "bitch-slapped" by members of his own party...

...a senate committee dealt a bipartisan rebuff to president bush by approving military tribunal legislation that would give more legal protection to detainees than the administration wants...

...four of the 13 republicans on the senate armed services committee joined all 11 democrats to pass their version of the measure, rejecting bush's proposal to bar defendants from seeing classified evidence prosecutors may want to use in court...former secretary of state colin powell endorsed the senate approach, warning that the bush administration is risking the safety of u.s. troops and worldwide opinion by permitting harsh treatment of detainees...

...the committee acted just hours after the president made an unusual visit to capitol hill to urge support for his proposals on domestic eavesdropping and military tribunals. Bush warned the senate version would restrict the ability of intelligence operatives ``to interrogate people who have information about future attacks,"...

for coverage on president bush's so what defense check out the daily show clip entitled trial and terror - OUCH!!!

peace out <3

14 September 2006

global day for darfur...


if you think that because the international community has yet to stop the events in darfur from replicating the tragedy in rwanda you should chill out -
THINK AGAIN!!!

Sunday, September 17th is Global Day for Darfur -
a day of rallies around the country and world, including a major rally in New York City to coincide with the convening of the 61st General Assembly of the United Nations, to urge immediate international action for Darfur.


Save Darfur Rally & Musical Performances by:
Big & Rich ** O.A.R ** Lupe Fiasco
Sunday, September 17th 2:00 - 5:00 p.m.
the flyer for this event (PDF).
_________________________
a powerful hour-long documentary, at
2102 Belcourt Ave, Nashville.
Klint Alexander, an attorney specializing in international law, will speak briefly on what's preventing international action at this time and why action is justified.