restoring the concept of due process to immigration discourse...

The Night of 1,000 Conversations

Atlanta Bread Company

1720 West End Avenue

6:00 p.m.

Current reactionary laws against immigrants go too far and deny basic due process to millions of people who live in the U.S. That’s why members of Liberty & Justice for All are working to restore due process to our immigration system this year.

On Thursday, April 5, 2007 thousands of people all across the country will come together in living rooms, basements, back yards, community centers, schools, and places of worship to work towards immigration reform that restores basic civil liberties and human rights, protects our core American values of fairness and justice, and defends due process for everyone.

Help us create a grassroots movement that brings America closer to it’s founding values – to build a country that truly lives up to it’s vision.

For more information contact Betsy Collum at 706-676-0343 or betsywcollum@yahoo.com

This conversation is being organized and facilitated by the Nashville chapter of Amnesty International...

it's not an issue of innocence or guilt...

it's about the right to due process to determine one's innocence or guilt related to specific charges...

yesterday we referenced an op-ed by amy goodman to talk about the human rights violation that is guantanamo bay and today we turn to ruhal ahmed whose story was recently chronicled in the docu-drama the road to guantanamo...




peace out <3

amnesty international is at ground zero on guantanamo bay...

"It is appropriate that a person from Australia, home of the kangaroo, should be the first one dragged before the kangaroo court at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay. David Hicks, imprisoned there for more than five years, pleaded guilty Monday to providing material support for terrorism."

i've always loved amy goodman, maybe because we're part of the liberal wing of the tribe or perhaps because she's just a damn good commentator but she's the source of the above quote...

someone i met last weekend at amnesty international's annual general meeting in milwaukee was jumana musa the advocacy director of domestic human rights and international justice for amnesty international usa...

amnesty international has been all over the guantanamo bay human rights issue from the get-go at gitmo...and this week's first detainee trial referred to by amy goodman is simply a continuation of that commitment to the values of fairness, due process, rule, of law, and human dignity...here's what jumana shared with me yesterday...

This week, I observed the first military commission hearings for Amnesty International. As you probably know, Australian national David Hicks pleaded guilty to “providing material support for terrorism.”

Amnesty International was there, irrespective of Mr. Hicks' guilt or innocence, because his plea was made after years of indefinite detention, isolation, and allegations of torture and ill-treatment. Amnesty was there because the military commission system does not provide for due process or justice... and it does not represent the America we believe in.

I want to personally thank you for being an Amnesty supporter, because your support is what enables us to investigate the abuses at Guantánamo as well as a myriad of other human rights abuses around the world.

This week's proceedings do not bode well for the 60 to 80 people whom the government claims it will prosecute under the military commission system. The proceedings reaffirm the need to close the Guantánamo detention camp and to end the lawlessness that it has come to symbolize.

The military commissions should be scrapped. The government should charge the Guantánamo detainees with recognizable criminal offenses and bring them before a fair trial before a competent, independent, and impartial tribunal, or else release them with full protections against further abuse.

You can read my report on the proceedings in Guantánamo earlier this week here.

you can take action on closing guantanamo bay by clicking here or on david hicks who has been illegally detained - regardless of his guilt or innocence - and denied due process for far too long by clicking here...

why??? well if not for the tennessee dude (haha) then follow amy goodman's lead...

peace out <3

"The grim Guantanamo experiment is reaching its climax. The house of cards that has been erected to support this immoral, criminal enterprise is poised to collapse. Call, shout, sit down, march, donate, write, protest … demand that Guantanamo be closed"

tennessee human rights activists gather for first time in more than six years...

i got involved with amnesty international back in 99' about a year out of graduate school (political science at vanderbilt - which is a little bit like eating flank steak at a vegan restaurant)when suddenly i had discretionary time on my hands...i have been doing human rights education and activism since 1980 when i was i athens, ga...

in the fall of 2000 about a dozen amnesty activists from nashville and knoxville gathered on the utk campus for some educational workshops and exercises...we haven't done this in tennessee since this time...the issue being that if we choose to remain isolated withion our individual chapters (which is the safe thing to do) we'll never know what we might be able to achieve though coordinated, collective action - that is, what would happen if we intentionally build a human rights network and movement here in tennessee...

so here's the announcement:

1ST STATEWIDE MEETING IN 6 YEARS

Saturday March 31st
10 a.m to 5 p.m.
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN

PLEASE RSVP SO WE HAVE FOOD FOR YOU

the meeting will take place on the vanderbilt university campus (nashville) in the wilson freshman class building room 121 (a map will follow later this week)...remember, we have $$$ to reimburse you for gas expenses and will find places for you to sleep on either (or both) friday night and saturday night as you might need. And, lunch will be provided for you (which is why we are asking for rsvps).

our agenda for the meeting is as follows:

10:00 – 10:10 Introductions…review agenda

10:10 – 10:30 Opening Exercise … blanket activity

10:30 – 11:30 Human Rights 101

11:30 – 11:45 Stretch Break

11:45 – 12:15 Roundtable discussion: review activities for 2006-07

12:15 – 1:00 Working Lunch – reviewing films for organizing events

1:00 – 2:00 Recruitment and Retention Strategies

• Share best practices
• Using the internet:
• MySpace and blogs
• Managing e-mail lists
• Why the phone is still your best friend
• Effective Tabling

2:00 – 2:15 Stretch Break

2:15 – 3:15 Stop Violence Against Women workshop

3:15 – 3:45 Teambuilding exercise >>> coordinating priorities for 2007-08

3:45 – 4:15 Getting to Miami for Regional Conference: Fundraising Strategies

4:15 - 4:30 Closing and depart

don't forget that we have some $$$ to reimburse you for gas if you're traveling and to have food for lunch AND we can find you a place to crash if you want to come in on friday night or stay over Saturday night (sorry - partying is on your own).

so contact us today at 615-473-2950 to rsvp!

peace out <3

in this instance i love me a hollywood liberal...

inhuman traffic is a fast-moving and compelling documentary that provides an introduction to the human rights tragedy of trafficking of women and girls for sexual exploitation in europe...

Inhuman Traffic

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it dovetails specifically with amnesty international's stop violence against women campaign although this project featuring angelina jolie is a partnership with mtv (good for mtv i say)...

check out the coalition against trafficking in women (CATW) which is a non-governmental organization that promotes women's human rights by working internationally to combat sexual exploitation in all its forms...

obviously not all men are exploiters or abusers of women but almost all sexual predators are men - think about it...

peace out <3

some women are even more vulnerable...

the taped 911 call played for the cadets at the anchorage police academy going through training in responding to sexual assaults...

"help me, please help me, i don't know where i am...pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease help me,"...

cindy pennington, the first native american woman ever admitted into the anchorage police academy, knew the woman was native american and pretty sure she was rural - native americans come from all around alaska to find work in anchorage and the women, especially, are not city-smart...

the woman had been brutally assaulted, had fled from her attacker, naked in 20 degree below zero conditions, and was calling from a phone booth - and had no idea where she was and therefore could not tell the dispatcher where she was...it was the seventies and the sophisticated tracing and tracking equipment now standard in most police departments didn't exist then...

it took the police hours to find the naked, freezing, traumatized survivor...she was in the hospital for 6 months and lost most of both of her feet to frostbite and she had to recover from being sexually assaulted...

this was one story i took away from the session on ending sexual assault against native american and alaska native women...consider this:

• over 85% of the rapes against native american women in the lakota nation of south and north dakota are perpetrated by non-native men...


• in alaska native peoples constitute some 7% of the population yet native alaskan women constitute nearly 50% of all sexual assault victims...

the women presenting at this panel were thrilled to be working with amnesty international to remove the veil of ignorance over the plight of native american women and sexual assault...

on april 24th the full report on sexual violence against native american and alaska native women will be released and will note that, "more than one in three native american or alaska native women will be raped at some point in their lives...one support worker will be quoted as saying, "women don't report because it doesn't make a difference...why report when you are just going to be revictimized?"...

this report unravels some of he reasons why indigenous women in the usa are at such risk of sexual violence and why survivors are so frequently denied justice...sexual violence against women is not only a criminal or social issue, it is a human rights abuse,"...

check out the report online on april 24th by clicking here...

now you know...now you and i are responsible...

peace out <3

sooooooo...web 2.0 is what we've been doing???

so they said that there wasn't a web 1.0 until there was a web 2.0...sort of like there's no light without dark...but i digress, do i not???

both lynne and i went to the online organizing 1.0-an interactive workshop on YouTube, social networking sites, blogging, and activism at the amnesty international annual general meeting in milwaukee (it's where i've been blogging from dingo, k'?)...and it's interesting to see the various levels of comfort people have with the new, interactive internet or web 2.0...

it's definitely a young person's world, or, you have to think young and be open to change in order to grasp the significance of the new web as an activist networking community and an organizing tool...

while our local amnesty group has used blogger and myspace (and the old school yahoogroups listserve) as tools we have barely gotten on the YouTube wagon and totally missed the digg.com and del.icio.us boats (which are social bookmarking sites)...

so the challenge is multi-faceted: to have enough people to maintain fresh content on the sites (know your capacity), use unique and opinionated voices to make your content interesting, link you sites to other sites (tit for tat) to drive traffic, and begin creating our own podcasts and videos to spread the message, issues, content, and actions of human rights and social justice...

that's right - it's not about YOU per se it's about utilizing tools in interesting, creative, and hopefully effective ways to spread the message, the word the culture of human rights for all...

peace out <3

reasonable question posed: how do we fix it???

this is a follow-up to yesterday's blog on a nearly-fifty year old having a whoa moment and a comment posted there within...

you mean after we eliminate all the drab, gray sunflowers???

i would suggest at least two ways in which the problem is addressed - one big picture and the second more concrete...

the big picture one (and for most the least satisfying) is rather existential...the thing about change - substantive, lasting change - is that it comes slowly and its work, mostly cumulative work, related to establishing and building relationships...

and the thing about building authentic relationships is that you can't rush it ... sort of like cooking a good marinara sauce ... you have to be patient, you can't be ahead of where you're actually at, AND most importantly you have to be committed to not only the process but to the belief that underlies human rights - all human lives are of equal value and that each person has a right to a life of dignity...

on a more concrete basis i think that caucasians like myself need an awakening of sorts that relates to the discovery of our unearned privilege based solely on being white in a society where skin color has huge ramifications...and about determining whether one is an activist or an organizer (which bears a relationship to the big picture above)...

(and here i go to first person) as a white organizer (and this intersecxts with class as well) there are things i think i have to do...one is to understand that there is a world beyond that of the world of white liberals...that this world where marginalized people live - people whom i/we need to be working with in order to build an effective human rights movement - has community based organizations already existing to try and meet the challenges of their day-to-day reality...that i must seek out these organizations and approach them respectfully...

and the first action i take??? to listen to their leaders and members, listen to what their lives are like, what issues concern them as they live embedded in their community and after that process i can begin to process what has been shared with me and begin to identity how these issues intersect with human rights work..,

and for amnesty international to attract underrepresented communities' members into the organization amnesty has to develop campaign work that resonates with the reality of life in these communities, has to change its operational mechanisms so that these new members can participate in the decision-making of the organization and feel integrated into rather than pasted onto its structure and activities...

well that's my two cents worth for this morning...i'll be reporting back on a workshop related to using blogs, myspace etc... in organizing and later today on ending sexual assault against native american and alaska native women (relate that to what i've shared above)...

peace out <3

old dogs should learn new tricks or...

how i had an unexpected WHOA! moment at the maac meeting...

maac is the multicultural assessment and advisory committee of amnesty international - a board committee charged with moving amnesty to greater internal (and external) diversity - multicultural - anti-oppression achievements...

so we're meeting here at the annual general meeting and having a discussion about the implementation process for the new strategic plan - a plan that could have sweeping (positive) impacts upon the relevance and impact of amnesty as a human rights organization at the community level...

anyhoo we were having a discussion with njambi who is a staffer in washington working as a student leadership coordinator and she shared with us the difficulties encountered when trying to recruit culturally diverse and underrepresented youth into amnesty international...

it seems that even when amnesty is successful in bringing new people in, especially from economically disadvantaged communities, we are rather inept at creating safe spaces for them and sustaining their interest in human rights work with amnesty...and that is, i believe, precisely because as an organization we have not gone through the necessary internal cultural changes that will allow amnesty to attract new members...we have not developed campaigns that are rel event to their day-to-day realities AND we remain insensitive to the experiences and realities of people who are not predominantly white and middle classed...

for example - and here's my WHOA!!! moment - we don't imagine that some people have never flown before, that they have never had to get to the airport for a flight, never gone through security checkpoints (in an airport!), nor had to make a connecting flight...

so if you recruit a kid from the inner city who's never been involved with amnesty and book them to come to a conference, training, or planning session and wonder why they don't show up maybe it's because they didn't get the support they needed for interacting in a world that people of privilege take for granted...that the tools you laid out without checking in to see if they needed instructions were in fact obstacles to their participation...

that's one way that white (or class) privilege can play out in everyday life...it takes training for people who look like me to see things from a perspective different from the privileged one i navigate through on a daily basis and if we want to build a human rights movement that represents the world we want to see we have to challenge ourselves at every step just as we challenge those around us ... we too must be the change we hope to see and not see ourselves as outside that process...

peace out <3

hey cheesehead, amnesty's annual general meeting starts today...

hey, don't take it personally but amnesty international's annual national conference starts tomorrow and its in milwaukee - you cheesehead...

but i'm here today sitting in my room on the 16th floor at the milwaukee city center hilton drinking a sprecher black bavarian style beverage in a 16 oz. bottle - hey is there a theme emerging ... sixteen candles ...anyhoo...

i'm in a day early because i have to earn my way into the conference...i've been more or less unemployed since mid-august (save a couple of temp contracts albeit still doing social justice work) and couldn't afford the registration fee for the conference..so i'm here to do 4 hours worth of volunteer set-up work so that my fees are waived..it's a good deal...

on the other hand because i serve on amnesty international's multicultural assessment and advisory committee (maac) i was flown here and get a room on the committee's dime - but again, i hafta work to pay my way...

so i'll be blogging a little more often than usual as i cover the conference to give people back at home a taste of the big event...so all you hooligans on the list serve who NEVER check the blog click here and keep up with it this weekend (i mean seriously, i'm an old man blogging which is a young kid's game - the least you punks could do is read the blog regularly - am i right, am i right???)...

so if news of bordertown emerges, j-lo shows up, the slam poet mixer gets hot, or anything else cool happens you'll be the first non-attendees to know - cool???

peace out <3

all-star album for darfur announced; r.e.m. debuts first track...

the day of their induction into the rock and roll hall of fame, r.e.m. presents "number 9 dream," the first release from the forthcoming album "instant karma: the campaign to save darfur,"...other recording artists include u2, green day, cristina aguilera, jack johnson, the black eyed peas and more...proceeds will go directly to amnesty international's critical work to ending the violence in darfur...

supported by yoko ono, who has generously donated all music publishing royalties, the cd - part of ai's global music activism project "make some noise" - aims to harness the power of lennon's solo songbook to inspire a new generation of activists to stand up for human rights...

instant karma: the campaign to save darfur, arrives nearly 20 years after ai's hugely successful worldwide human rights now! tour that celebrated the 40th anniversary of the signing of the universal declaration of human rights and introduced the idea of basic human rights protection to millions of people worldwide...the 1988 tour saw musicians including bruce springsteen, sing, peter gabriel, tracy chapman, and youssou n'dour join together in a series of live performances...hundreds of thousands of people filled stadiums and crowded into fields for concerts from south america to eastern europe and from africa to asia...

for the full skinny on instant karma: the campaign to save darfur click here...

to take action on darfur click here...

peace out <3

would you have identified the subtext of this video???

i was origionally searching for a human rights video to blogpost today and found this cool one on the right to education (#26 in the universal declaration of human rights)...

but...

then i watched it a second time and it struck me as quintessentially about white privilege which i don't think was the director/creator's intent...what do you think???

Youth For Human Rights #26



white privilege, a social relation
1. a. A right, advantage, or immunity granted to or enjoyed by white persons beyond the common advantage of all others; an exemption in many particular cases from certain burdens or liabilities.
b. A special advantage or benefit of white persons; with reference to divine dispensations, natural advantages, gifts of fortune, genetic endowments, social relations, etc.
2. A privileged position; the possession of an advantage white persons enjoy over non–white persons.
3. a. The special right or immunity attaching to white persons as a social relation; prerogative.
b. display of white privilege, a social expression of a white person or persons demanding to be treated as a member or members of the socially privileged class.
4. a. To invest white persons with a privilege or privileges; to grant to white persons a particular right or immunity; to benefit or favor specially white persons; to invest white persons with special honorable distinctions.
b. To avail oneself of a privilege owing to one as a white person.
5. To authorize or license of white person or persons what is forbidden or wrong for non–whites; to justify, excuse.
6. To give to white persons special freedom or immunity from some liability or burden to which non–white persons are subject; to exempt.

peace out <3

take action - freedom writer at risk...

each month, members of amnesty international usa's freedom writers network take action on three selected human rights cases...action by you can help bring about a prisoner's release, secure vital information, launch an investigation, or even save a life...

journalist sumi khan of bangladesh has received death threats and been attacked as a result of her investigative reporting...she has written articles alleging the involvement of local politicians and religious groups in attacks on members of minority communities...she was stabbed in an attack in 2004, and her attackers remain at large...amnesty is urging the bangladeshi authorities to protect journalists who have been threatened as a result of their professional activities, and the organization is calling for an impartial and independent investigation into the threats and attack against sumi khan...

a sample letter to mr. iajuddin ahmed president and chief adviser of the caretaker government of bangladesh can be viewed by clicking here...(it is also asked that you send a copy to ambassador shamsher m. chowdhury in washington dc...

if you want further information on the case of sumi khan in order to write a more personalized letter then click here...

taking action saves lives so please take 5 minutes to do this...

peace out <3

you made it happen - environmental defender freed!!!

"We won! Andrei is free!"– Yevgenia Zatoka (Andrei's wife)

Turkmenistan: Amnesty International is happy to report that Andrei Zatoka was released from jail on January 31. Andrei had been detained on December 17 by local police at the airport in his home city of Dashoguz. There were allegations that he was targeted to punish him for his peaceful work as an environmental activist. He and his supporters are grateful for the appeals sent by AI's Urgent Action network on his behalf.

amnesty international works because YOU take action...

peace out <3

march 8th was international women's day...

this report comes from diba enayat who is the tennessee state coordinator for amnesty international's stop violence against women campaign...

This past Thursday, March 8, was International Women's Day and this year, Amnesty decided to focus on ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women, or CEDAW (actually the Treaty for the Rights of Women is probably easier).

In Nashville as part of the campaign I spoke to students at a local high school, Pope John Paul II, about CEDAW. I started off giving an overview of CEDAW at the morning assembly, which is in front of the entire school. I just spoke about the basics--what is CEDAW, what obligations countries who ratify CEDAW have, why the US should ratify CEDAW, and what they could do if they wanted to join the effort to encourage/pressure US ratification.

The faculty advisor to Pope John Paul's student Amnesty group had also asked me to stay and talk to her intergroup conflict class more about CEDAW and some of the other foci of the stop violence against women campaign. The students had an opportunity to ask questions about CEDAW and it generated a great discussion.

One sentiment that kept emerging among the students was that, considering some of the countries who have ratified CEDAW have some of the worst records of women's rights violations, what good is a treaty like this? I had grappled with this same issue myself. After all, the CEDAW committee has very limited authority to promote the implementation of the Convention, CEDAW is often ignored by the states party to it and it has endured more reservations than any other UN Convention.

This issue has been somewhat addressed by the introduction of the Optional Protocol to the Convention, adopted by the General Assembly on October 6, 1999 and opened for signature on December 10, 1999. The Optional Protocol is aimed at strengthening the weak enforcement ability of CEDAW, but as of January 2007 only
84 countries of the over 183 countries who have ratified CEDAW have also adopted the Optional Protocol.

However, despite those obstacles, I think CEDAW is important in giving women worldwide a sense of being part of an international community that acknowledges their rights, and giving them a standard that they can look to when their own governments fail to protect those rights. I think without these standards, as ideological as they may be, we would have nothing against which to judge the acts and events that comprise human history.

So, at the end of the day, I think its better if something like CEDAW exists rather than not--it provides a standard that has served and will continue to serve as a vehicle for improvement. CEDAW has been used by women to ensure women’s legal rights, improve health care for women, promote education for girls, improve the lives of women at work, and implement programs against domestic violence--not just an ideology but a real impetus for change for those who embrace its provisions.

RSVP for the road to guantanamo house party...

have you ever hosted or attended a house party movie/video screening???

they are very cool because they are like miniature town hall meetings that encourage democratic dialogue and organizing amongst community members who share a common vision about justice, fairness, and the maturation of human society as it seeks to survive in a world that is very different from the one in which "fight or flight" and other human genetic responses first evolved...

NEXT MONDAY amnesty international nashville is hosting a house party to screen the acclaimed docu-drama The Road to Guantanamo (trailer below)...

The Road to Guantanamo focuses on the story of the 'tipton three' - young guys from brmingham, england who travel to pakistan to organise a wedding, decided to pop over to afghanistan to 'help' and ended up getting embroiled in the conflict, captured with taliban fighters and subsequently picked up by us marines for the crime of speaking english in a foreign country...from this point 'til their release, they are essentially told that they are al qaeda in the hope that they'll admit to what is obviously not true...if you can put yourself in their places, this is a harrowing film - being in a situation where you are being bullied and tortured - via some truly horrible methods and treatment - into admitting you're something you're not, with no means of proving your innocence must be...well...

What: Home Screening of The Road to Guantanamo
When: Monday, March 19, 6:30 pm
Where: Bellevue at 821 Stirrup Drive, 37221,
RSVP: (required): Philip Vest 615-662-1251

ROAD TO GUANTANAMO TRAILER

les boys (and girls) do cabaret...

i experienced a rare treat last night at the bong java after hours theater in the form of the politically incorrect cabaret's berlin to braodway...i haven't enjoyed myself so thoroughly in eons...

so what is it??? berlin to braodway explores the similarities between early twenty-first century america and early twentieth century berlin ... analogously comparing the rise of hitler in the post-weimarian republic of germany's own roaring twenties to the current neocon insurrection that has held washington dc hostage for the past 5 years since 911...

but wait - it's not just that, it's about the abuse of power and so the recent outcome of the mid-term elections had its impact on the improvisational structure of the cabaret...so while dick cheney, donald rumsfeld, and condi rice all bear their burdens a new character appears to have usurped dubya's prominence in the show - that's right, the democrat's own howard dean becomes a central target because we all know "that the democrats have never let us down"...

this cabaret included political satire, racy humour and outrageous costumes while the music includes jazz, classical, broadway, music theatre, featuring mick jagger's "streets of berlin," a rousing musical tribute to our latino comrades, the story of jack abramoff and the beanstalk, and standup comedian eddie conrad...

but no camp of the berlin cabaret would be complete without the work of bertolt brecht making its presence known and it was - both in the form of music and spoken word...along with garcia lorca and a richly updated presentation of allen ginsberg (you know, drugs and gay sex - those ultimate american values)...

while the entire politically incorrect cabraret cast romped its way through a wonderful production special kudos go to andrew duxbury as the ansager (you saw joel grey in cabaret - andrew is much funnier), kimberly kirklin who can dance and sing wonderfully, ellisa mayor whose waffle house skit was hee-haw-larious, and director diane mcnaron...

kudos to bongo java upstairs theater for booking the show...you can still catch them april 14th in atlanta - well worth the drive!

peace out <3

exiting status quo - priceless!

The justice department issuing a statement calling a portion of the FBI's wiretapping activity illegal...

Defense lawyers for Jose Padilla arguing that he is unfit to stand trial due to repeated and prolonged torture by the US government, and the prosecution promptly "losing" videos of his interrogations...

The continuing downward spiral of President Bush's approval ratings...

Even the most remote possibility of a change in US policy both domestic and foreign...

priceless.

hey, alberto gonzalez - WAKE UP!

i gotta tell ya that the mere idea of corporations profiting from their participation in torture turns my stomach lining inside out so at a very minimum i want to see people take action to make this unamerican activity stop...

more than two years ago, the us army released the fay/jones report, which confirmed that prisoners at abu ghraib had been brutally abused by interrogators and translators working for private companies contracted by the us government and military...

the report asked the attorney general to look into the cases of abuse – yet more than two years later, most of these cases remain untouched...victims and their relatives have had no access to justice, and private companies operating in zones of conflict are getting the message that torture is a part of business as usual...

Send a message to the US Attorney General asking him to investigate contractors who have been accused of killing, torturing and abusing people in Iraq and Afghanistan »

Direct+Action=Direction

When descriptions of resolutions put before the Senate include "symbolic" and "non-binding" you know something isn't right. Now should be a time for decisive action to counteract the "decisive action" that got us into this messy war in the first place. Instead of the strong progressive Congress we thought we voted into office, we are getting a much more cautious government. We don't need or want to tiptoe around the President. We do not need or want a Vice President who is so quick to accuse those with dissenting opinions of aiding the terrorists. We do not need or want an expansion into bordering countries.

What we do want is a concrete strategy for ending the war. Period. We want health care. We want an end to dependence on foreign oil and non renewable resources. We want the government out of the bed of big business. We want fair immigration reform. Is that too much to ask? Is it too much to ask Congress to do what we voted them into office to do?

knoxville's 10 years shook the halls of music 2006 with this video...

10 years, an awesome band out of knoxville, had one of the most talked about rock music videos in 2006...check it out here courtesy of amnesty international usa...



10 Years were initially formed in Knoxville, Tennessee in 2000 with a different vocalist, recording Into the Half Moon in 2001, then recruited current vocalist Jesse Hasek from another local band. They released their independent album Killing All That Holds You in 2004, with the songs "Wasteland" and "Through The Iris" picking up regional radio play. 10 Years were then signed to Republic/Universal in 2005 and released their major label debut, The Autumn Effect on August 16, 2005. That same summer the band toured with Disturbed and Ill Niño. In the fall of 2005, they toured with Breaking Benjamin and Smile Empty Soul, then followed up with the Masters of Horror tour with Mudvayne and Sevendust. They recently finished touring with Korn and Deftones on the Family Values Tour, which started in late July 2006.

Mid 2006, the band toured Australia in a line up which included Hatebreed, Disturbed and KornTheir first single, "Wasteland" spent over 12 months on the Rock charts, finally reaching #1 at Active Rock in December 2005. In mid February 2006, "Wasteland" reached #1 on both Alternative and Billboard Modern Rock charts. 10 Years is the first band since June 2004 to reach #1 with their debut single...

Their first music video, "Wasteland", addresses the social problem of human rights around the world. The video received a nomination for Best Direction and Best Art Direction at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards, but failed to win either award...ROBBED!

peace out <3

The Future

The European Parliament has issued a report accusing Britain, Germany and Italy, among others, of turning a completely blind eye to secret CIA flights used to perform kidnappings and extraordinary renditions of suspected terrorists. This comes close after a move by Germany to prosecute 2 CIA agents accused of kidnapping Khaled el-Masri, a GERMAN citizen suspected of terrorism and later exonerated due to a case of MISTAKEN IDENTITY. And that follows closely after worldwide condemnation of military prisons like Abu Ghraib.

The increasingly hostile attitude towards Bush's foreign "policy" from former European allies, or sympathizers at the very least, begs the question- "How long does the United States remain in a position of power to demand key human rights changes from countries like China, while continuing to s*#@ all over the Geneva Convention?"

The answer: "We'll see..."

I am not one of those people who is just waiting for the USA to "get what's coming to it." I am under no delusion about who will suffer the consequences of Bush's dangerous and inflammatory actions abroad. It most likely will not be the people responsible for our country's current path. They have the money and resources to flee. It will be my mother and father who suffers. It will be your brothers and sisters and children. It will be you and me. So as the average people, we need to stop and take notice of what is happening to worldwide opinion and redirect it before it is too late. GET INVOLVED.

friedman's jewelers bellevue here i come...

so yesterday was after all valentine's day and i suppose that thousands of my fellow countrymen did the unimmaginative thing and bought their "honey" some sort of diamond this or that...i mean REALLY, could you be anymore of a square peg than to do THAT???

or is it that your relationship with your significant other is about him/her being bought by your thoughtless generosity??? (did you hear the guy on ATC yesterday who was stuck in o'hare but said, "i sent her the roses so at least i did what i was supposed to,"...

that is so ROMANTIC dude! ...but i digress, what i wanted to talk to you about is where those god awful diamonds come from (no, not a supernova - that was a different ATC story) and what it often takes to get them here...

yes i'm talking about those DAMN BLOODY DIAMONDS again so get over it...do you not think that conflict diamonds whose war fuelers conscript 10 year old boy soldiers and pay for their campaign with those DAMN BLOODY DIAMONDS should just get over it??? really??? well you selfish little p******...

seriously, get a life, and by get a life i mean research the DAMN DIAMONDS first to see if they're BLOODY or not ... is that so much to ask???

here's the deal...trade in blood diamonds continues to be a problem, as conflict diamonds from west and central africa continue to reach international markets, including the united states, the world’s largest consumer of diamonds...the kimberley process and the clean diamond trade act were established to stop the trade in conflict diamonds; however, implementation is less than fully effective, as both government oversight and diamond industry self-regulation remain incomplete...

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...on your marks, get set, go...........

1. Get Ready. Check out www.blooddiamondaction.org and build your knowledge of the issue.

You can conduct this survey individually or identify local and student groups in your area that might be interested in participating. A planning meeting can helpful in dividing up roles and responsibilities.

Search online or use a phone book to compile a list of local jewelers in your area. Try starting with the following major U.S. diamond retailers:
Costco Fred Meyer Jewelers Friedmans Jewelers J.C. Penny Co Kay Jewelers K’s Merchandise Kmart Kohl’s Macy’s Saks Fifth Avenue Samuels Jewelers Sears, Roebuck, & Co Target TJ Maxx Ultra Diamonds Wal-Mart Whitehall Jewelers Zales

2. Conduct Surveys. Send 1-3 people to visit or phone each retailer. Request to speak to the store manager and then ask the following four questions:

1. How can I be sure that none of your jewelry contains conflict diamonds?

2. What is your primary source for diamond jewelry?

3. Can I see a copy of your company's policy on conflict diamonds and/or a written guarantee from your suppliers that your diamonds are conflict-free?

4. How often do consumers ask you about conflict diamonds?

3. Report your Findings.

Complete the online survey below or mail written surveys to:

Mid-Atlantic Regional Office

Amnesty International USA

600 Pennsylvania Ave. SE

Washington, D.C. 20003

Download and print a survey »

now is that so freakin' hard??? well do it any way - stephen colbert whispered in my ear that you should...

peace out <3

make valentine's day more than just your ego speaking...

rather than spend a lot of $$$ on a diamond that may have helped african children in conflict zones to be abducted and forced into being soldiers stylishly sporting a used ak-47 give (and receive) a clean diamond bracelet ...and tell their story for them since they can't do it for themselves...

peace out <3

this 69 is definitely not sexy...

on mondays amnesty international nashville is bringing you a weekly video ...

some are music concert clips as a lot of bands and performers are supporters of amnesty international...

some are wily and witty such as the take-off of an HSN-type network selling ak-47s...

but this is v-day week and we are promoting our stop violence against women campaign and its recognition by the margaret cuninggim women's center and project safe at vanderbilt so this one isn't cuddly, or cute, or clever, or classical - it is what it is because domestic violence against women is what it is...

so view the video and see what 69 we're talking about...

peace out <3

Amnesty International clip

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

it's timely really that just 2 days after learning that our nashville chapter would benefit from this year's v-day production of the vagina monologues at vanderbilt that amnesty international would issue this action alert...

you see the educational focus of this year's nashville v-day event is violence against women in conflict (and post-conflict) zones and the prevalence of violence against women in guatemala today has its roots in historical and cultural values which have maintained women’s subordination and which were most evident during the 36-year internal armed conflict that ended with the signing of the united nations-brokered peace accords in 1996...and of the estimated 200,000 people who "disappeared" or were extra-judicially executed during guatemala’s internal armed conflict, a quarter of the victims were women...

that's synergy...

more than 2,500 women and girls have been brutally murdered in guatemala since 2001 and the killings are rising at an alarming rate...at the same time, actions by the guatemalan government to bring those responsible to justice are insufficient...

a house resolution condemning these brutal killings has been reintroduced in congress by representative hilda solis and may go to the floor for a vote at any time! Urge your representative now to support this resolution »

this resolution:- expresses the sympathy of the house of representatives to the families of women and girls murdered in guatemala, and - encourages the government of guatemala to bring an end to these crimes...(that is, get their freaking heads out of their BLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP)...

take this opportunity to make a difference in the lives of women and girls in guatemala. Contact your Representative as soon as possible and ask her/him to sign on to this important resolution » ...

TODAY! - RIGHT NOW - CLICK ABOVE, OKAY?!?!?!?!

peace out <3

local amnesty chapter benefits from vagina monologues...

the #1 mantra for a community organizer??? -- it's all about relationships...

and that really helps explain why amnesty international nashville will be the beneficiary of eve ensler’s award-winning play the vagina monologues presented by project safe of the margaret cuninggim women's center at vanderbilt university...

each year all proceeds proceeds form the v-day production benefit a local organization working to stop violence against women...and this year it's the stop violence against women campaign of the nashville chapter of amnesty international usa...

and the relationship thing i was referring to??? well local activists diba enayat, becky owens, and jennifer kinsey have developed a working relationship with kacy silverstein and vicky basra over at project safe through their work the past 2 years on the take back the night march and rally held in october each year...and it is through this working relationship that amnesty international's stop violence against women's campaign was considered for this very special honor...

because, these $$$ will allow becky (who works with a domestic violence program at the ywca) along with diba to roll-out a model program for working with victims of domestic violence in safe spaces ... woot woot!

the 2007 college campaign production of the vagina monologues takes place february 11, 13, 14 from 7:00 - 09:00 pm at the sarratt student center theater on the vanderbilt campus ... tickets can be purchased for $12 at the sarratt cinema box office (vandy card, cash or check accepted) or by will call at 322-1333...

so our deepest thanks go out to the staff of project safe at the margaret cuninggim women's center at vanderbilt for recognizing the value and integrity of our work!!! oh yeah - and attend the show on either the 11th, 13th, or 14th!!!

peace out <3

monday's video - on the illegality of the iraqi conflict...

here's the video version of lt watada's official public statement ...

conscientious objector or not???

a most interesting individual lurks about as the u.s. senate prepares to debate competing non-binding resolutions regarding the funding for the war in iraq...

based on his belief that the war in Iraq is illegal and immoral, lt. ehren watada is refusing to deploy to iraq...he is being court-martialed by the u.s. military and faces up to 4 years in prison...we in amnesty international believe that a guilty verdict would be a violation of internationally recognized rights to freedom of conscience...

listen to lt. watada's official statement on a you tube video by clicking here...

amnesty international's press release on lt. watada's situation can be read here...

the transcript of an interview with ehren can be found here on kevin site's in the zone blogsite...

what do you think about lt. watada's decision???

peace out <3

$100 billion

President Bush has requested over $100 billion for the war in Iraq for 2007. That's $100 billion not spent on lowering education costs. $100 billion not going to post-Katrina rebuilding. $100 billion not redistributed to our poorest and most disadvantaged citizens. $100 billion not helping to fight the homeless crisis. $100 billion not going to ESL classes or adult education. $100 billion not going to the Sudan, or Haiti, or Serbia, among others. It is $100 billion going to a mismanaged war, which the majority of Americans do not want (and did not want) fought. $100 billion dollars not even going to the families of injured and fallen soldiers who have already paid the price.

America is one of the richest and most powerful countries in the world. What are we doing?

trial of blogger in egypt expands realm of repression...

you all take the right to express yourself through blogging for granted...this should alert you to never take such "simple" rights for granted...and at least imply why amnesty international should be important to you...

Amnesty International today called for the immediate and unconditional release of Karim Amer, the first Egyptian blogger to be tried for writing blogs criticizing Egypt's al-Azhar religious authorities, President Husni Mubarak and Islam.

Karim Amer, a former al-Azhar University student and blogger, is facing up to 10 years in prison for his writings in a trial that resumes today. Charges against him include “spreading information disruptive of public order and damaging to the country’s reputation”, “incitement to hate Islam” and “defaming the President of the Republic”.

"Karim Amer's trial appears intended as a warning by the authorities to other bloggers who dare criticize the government or use their blogs to spread information considered harmful to Egypt’s reputation," said Malcolm Smart, Director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme. "This is particularly worrying as bloggers have increasingly been posting information about human rights abuses in Egypt, including torture and police violence against peaceful protesters."

The trial opened on 18 January 2007 before Maharram Bek Court in Alexandria. Karim Amer was charged under Articles 102, 176 and 179 of Egypt’s Penal Code. Amnesty International has been urging the Egyptian authorities to review or abolish this and other legislation that, in violation of international standards, stipulates prison sentences for the mere exercise of the rights of freedom of expression, thought, conscience and religion."

Amnesty International considers Karim Amer to be a prisoner of conscience who is being prosecuted on account of the peaceful expression of his views about Islam and the al-Azhar religious authorities. We are calling for his immediate and unconditional release."

Background

Karim Amer was first detained by the Egyptian authorities for 12 days in October 2005 because of his writings on his blog (karam903.blogspot.com) about Islam and the sectarian riots which took place in the same month in Alexandria's Maharram Bek district. These riots followed reports that the video of a play believed to be anti-Islam was being screened in a Coptic church in the district.

After he was charged and released, disciplinary measures were taken against him and he was dismissed from al-Azhar University in March 2006. The university's disciplinary board found him guilty of blaspheming Islam.

He was summoned to appear before the office of the Public Prosecutor in Maharram Bek district of the city of Alexandria on 7 November 2006 following a complaint made against him by al-Azhar University. The Public Prosecutor ordered his detention for four days on 7 November, which was later extended for a further 15 days, to allow further time for investigation. He has remained in detention since then following a series of extensions. While in detention, he was kept in solitary confinement and in incommunicado detention and was only allowed visits by his relatives last week.

source: Amnesty International USA

peace out <3

child soldiers use the ak-47...

yesterday we posted a video about the loopholes used by arms dealers to sell their "wares" around the world and the fact that child soldiers are trained to use the ak-47 in the wars they are subjugated to fight in...

now here's a letter from jimmie briggs who wrote "Innocents Lost: When Child Soldiers Go To War," ...

Over the last year and a half, since the publication of my first book, "Innocents Lost: When Child Soldiers Go To War," Amnesty International has been a major supporter, and partner, of mine. In particular, my involvement with the Human Rights Education Program and Artists for Amnesty has allowed me to grow as a journalist, and advocate, in ways I couldn't previously have imagined. The curriculum guide for my book has become a major tool for me to gain access to educational institutions and settings across the country. Whenever I visit a high school or university, the guide is a constant companion to be disseminated as widely as possible. Further, my relationship with Amnesty has provided me with the opportunity to participate in Amnesty-sponsored panels and screenings around issues close to my own interests, including war-affected children and women, arms, conflict resources and gender rights.

It took me a period of eight years to complete the research, reporting and writing of my book. My professional journey to fully capture the experiences of children in war continues, but now I am moving toward a focus on the lives of women and girls, especially when it comes to gender-based violence. Again, Amnesty International continues to provide assistance when asked as well as nurture me as a voice of experience and knowledge on a range of issues.

Being a freelancer, I've gotten quite used to doing things for myself, by myself. Working with Amnesty International and groups like it create vital relationships. Unfortunately, I didn't grow up with a full understanding or exposure to the notion of "human rights." My relationship with Amnesty International is its own education on the concept, and I remain very, very grateful to know the amazing individuals who work there.

Often I'm asked about my "objectivity," or "bias." From my point-of-view, one can't be objective about the individuals exercising their full human rights. I'm a journalist and writer, but I also see my responsibility to educate and advocate for those whose voices aren't heard. Amnesty International helps me do that.

Please check-out the Amnesty International USA website to learn more about how you can take action on a range of issues. Visit the education page of the website to learn about new resources and ways that you can contribute to the HRE program's
work.

In Solidarity,
Jimmie Briggs
Author of Innocents Lost: When Child Soliders Go to War

peace out <3

my father's a salesman ma'am...

oops, sorry, i was buying something over at HSN ...a lovely thing really, ...

well, it's time for our weekly video ... enjoy!


Amnesty International Lord Of War video

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Close to home

I want to tell you a story.

I grew up in a small town in Georgia. The highschool
in this town has a black prom and a white prom. It
has a black homecoming queen and a white homecoming
queen as well as homecoming court.

No one socialized with the latin migrant workers
who came through at periodic times of the year. Their
children did not speak English and were still placed
in the same classrooms as the rest of us, to sit and
learn nothing. They would leave a few weeks later.

My class started out with over 100 students and I
graduated with only 62 other people. At least eight
of them were pregnant. Two, that I can remember,
dropped out due to the pressures of having more than
one child before they were seventeen years old.

These facts alone are not what scares me.

I graduated from high school in 2000. 25 years old is
not old enough to have had the experience of
segregated proms. My mother should not have had
to listen what people were calling me for arguing for
gay rights and special education for ESL students. My
best friend's three year old son should not
automatically be the son of a whore simply because he
can claim two races.

That scares me.

We are only as strong as our weakest communities.
And South Georgia is not the only haven for racism,
high drop-out rates, teen pregnancy, non-existant
health care, and ignorance.

It's a silent epidemic that can't be relegated to the
most unseen corners of the south. So, people in
Tennessee can take some measure of comfort in knowing
that they are not alone in their societal problems.

Ok, now it's time to stop commiserating, stop
justifying, and start DOING SOMETHING.

way to go larry...

larry cox became the new executive director of amnesty international usa in april of last year succeeding bill schultz who served for 10 years...having most recently come from the ford foundation you might not expect him to be he fireball that he is...

so last week charles stimson, deputy assistant secretary of defense for detainee affairs made some disparaging and uncivil remarks regarding attorneys that represent detainees at the guantánamo bay detention center and regarding international calls for the center's closure...

larry cox didn't waste a minute in firing back and challenging the anti-american values being promoted by the current u.s. administration...

"Stimson's remarks could not have been more irresponsible. Referring to the international outrage at the U.S.-controlled detention center at Guantánamo Bay as nothing more than a few small demonstrations staged by Amnesty International is not only wrong but extremely disrespectful. After the U.S. government has been rebuked by world leaders, including leaders from allied countries, two U.N. committees, faith leaders, and people of conscience around the world, it is incredible that anyone would believe that the outrage about Guantánamo rests only with Amnesty International activists. Amnesty International has worked with other human rights organizations, legal associations, faith communities and international bodies in opposing U.S. policies in Guantánamo and will continue to do so as one of a cacophony of voices calling for its closure.

"Attacking attorneys who take their time, without recompense, to defend the human rights of people who have been subject to indefinite and arbitrary detention by the U.S. government distracts from the human rights violations that continue to be committed in Guantánamo Bay. Amnesty International stands with the attorneys who are dedicated to protecting the internationally recognized rights of all people in custody, and recognizes them as human rights defenders committed to upholding the rule of law.

"Rather than attack the law firms that have courageously and zealously fought for the most fundamental rights for their clients, such as the right to have their detention reviewed by an independent court, Mr. Stimson should spend his time working to bring the United States back into the community of civilized nations that does not imprison people without charge, without hope and without end."

peace out <3

demand the relese of mesfin woldemariam...

seventy-six year old retired geography professor and prominent human rights defender, mesfin woldemariam, is being detained under harsh conditions and suffers from pneumonia...he is being held in connection with demonstrations against alleged election fraud in ethiopia...

SPEAK OUT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS!

Please send politely worded letters to Ethiopia's Prime Minister, urging him to bring about the immediate and unconditional release of Mesfin Woldemariam and all those imprisoned solely for the legitimate exercise of their right to freedom of expression. Encourage him to take measures to ensure that human rights defenders, opposition political parties, and independent journalists are free to carry out their activities without arbitrary detention or other reprisals.

Write to:

His Excellency
Prime Minister Meles Zenawi
Office of the Prime Minister
PO Box 1031
Addis Ababa
ETHIOPIA

Fax: 011-251-11-552020
Airmail postage: 84 cents

You can use our sample letter as a guide (PDF MS Word), but please be encouraged to add your own thoughts.

peace out <3

no one knows what it's like...

i think monday should become video day - what do you think??? here's installment one in the conveyance of this new social contract...

Amnesty international awareness

Enabling the Homeless?

This is what I heard on the Nashville news yesterday. The Metro Council and the police department are issuing statements strongly discouraging individuals from giving money to the homeless. And not just money, but food, blankets and any other gifts that might alleviate their suffering for a moment, because it encourages them to beg instead of taking action to get themselves off the streets. 
     So are we enabling the homeless to continue being homeless? By buying a man a burger are we encouraging him not to seek help from the Rescue Mission or other official homeless shelters? Are we the root of the homeless problem? 

No

    That is the same logic that says: " If we provide translation services for immigrants they won't actually learn English. It doesn't have anything to do with the lack of affordable, convenient, well-staffed and well-equipped ESL classes. Or the fact that English is difficult to learn" or: "Wellfare just encourages people to stay poor. Poverty doesn't have anything to do with how hard it is to actually get good jobs, or affordable housing, health-care, child-care, education, electricity, car insurance, or decent public transportation."
    Perpetuating fear is not a solution. It is well known that some people do cheat the system, whether it is through voluntary homelessness, fraudelant welfare or any other.  What is NOT well known is the sheer volume of people who simply cannot get their feet under them.  Is it worth sacrificing our compassion to make sure that people who do not deserve it don't receive it? What message are we sending?
  Unfortunately, the metro council and the police department have sent the message loud and clear.  And it is not "help the homeless help themselves" as they would have us believe, but rather "do not encourage the homeless to be seen on the gracious streets of Nashville."  Because a problem is not our problem if we don't have to look at it.

let us install a darfur photo exhibit in your faith community...

"It was early in the morning, people were sleeping. About 400 armed people cordoned the village, with military uniforms, the same ones worn by the army… Some were shot and others, such as children and the elderly, were burned alive in their houses."

- A villager of Murli (Darfur)

this is part of the narrative that accompanies the photo exhibit yesterday my village was burned produced by amnesty international to highlight the human nature of the genocide taking place in darfur, sudan...

these photos and testimonies, collected by amnesty international, reveal a nightmare that one can only begin to comprehend...while they depict the gravest of suffering, the photos also portray the best of humanity — the extraordinary courage and strength of the people of darfur as they look towards a more hopeful future...

the photo exhibit allows us a window through which we see that children have been killed, tortured, and forcibly displaced...of the 6.5 million people living in darfur, at least 2.8 million have been directly affected by the ongoing violence and tens of thousands of people have lost their lives...

the nashville chapter of amnesty international has the full series mounted on foam board and available to be installed in your church, synagogue, mosque, other places of worship, schools, or offices...we have fact sheets, petitions, actions, reports to supplement the exhibit and empower your community members to make a difference...

call us at 615-473-2950 or e-mail us at aiusa149@bellsouth.net to find out how to get the photo exhibit installed today...

peace out <3

an extraordinary gift from yoko ono...

you know there are many artists who sell their music rights to corporations for the big bucks (the doors being a noticeable exception to this trend)...and when my activist friend steve earle's song the revolution starts now became a chevy truck song i nearly s__t my pants (but with all due respect his alimony obligations are way out there and he's dome tremendous things for the anti-war, anti-death penalty, and ban the landmine movements)...

however one notable exception led to amnesty international usa creating the make some noise campaign...

yoko gave the recording rights to “imagine” and john lennon’s entire solo songbook to amnesty international to utilize for is human rights work...through this amazingly selfless gift amnesty international is harnessing the power of music to inspire a new generation to stand up for human rights...

you rock yoko - oh yes you do...so check out our hommage to john right now...

the aim to attract one million new supporters worldwide... not by talking about the past, tugging on the heartstrings, or show images of suffering, but by making a positive impact on our world and collectively raise all our voices to make as much noise as we can for human rights....

so check out music by afroreggae, the black eyed peas, dobacaracol, jaguares, k-os, maroon 5, snow patrol, the cure, the postal service, and more...

check out a free video from the us vs john lennon...exclusive lennon covers, artist videos and opportunities to make an impact, it's time to inspire a new generation to stand up for human rights...

make some noise today!

peace out <3