Articles [50]

Report on global human rights practices notes tightening of Internet freedoms
Posted: 8 April 2011
Source: Washington Post
Tags: censorship, internet censorship, global report, wrongful imrisonment

Only Washington can fix broken immigration system
Posted: 9 Apr 2011
Source: The Salt Lake Tribune
Tags: US, immigration, economic rights,

New lease of life for child sex workers
Posted: 8 April 2011
Source: Sunday Nation
Tags: sexual abuse, gender violence, children,

NDFP, MILF working with UN in anti-child soldier campaign
Posted: 8 April 2011
Source: Phillipine Online Chronicle
Tags:

Articles [47]

OAS Human Rights Group Weighs in on Brazil’s Amazon Dam
Posted: 5 April 2011
Source: Forbes
Tags: Brazil, South America, indigenous rights, economic rights, environmental rights, industrial growth, investment

Kenyans sue UK for alleged colonial human rights abuses
Posted: 5 April 2011
Source: The Guardian (UK)
Tags: Kenya, Africa, colonialism, detention camps, wrongful imprisonment, monetary compensation, UK, justice, abuse, torture

"Among those detained and abused was Barack Obama's grandfather."
Wow...

Articles [43]

Report fingers human rights violations in Myanmar pipeline project
Posted: 29 Mar 2011
Source: M&C (Monsters & Critics)
Tags: Myanmar, Asia, economic rights, environmental rights

Are The Doors Locked in the Factory Making YOUR Shirts?
Posted: 28 Mar 2011
Source: Care 2 Make A Difference
Tags: India, Cambodia, Asia, gender, economic rights, outsourcing, American implication

No award for domestic violence
Posted: 29 March 2011
Source: 234 Next
Tags: domestic violence, gender violence, women, government studies

‘Menseregte onder skoot’
Posted: 28 Mar 2011
Source: Beeld
Tags: South Africa, evaluation

Articles [42]

Rapes of women show clash of old and new India
Posted: 27 March 2011
Source: New Delhi Television
Tags: gender violence, India, rape

U.K. Equality Watchdog Recommends Asking Kids If They're Gay
Posted: 28 March 2011
Source: The Advocate
Tags: sexuality, children, privacy

Marin Voice: Workers rights Are human rights
Posted: 28 Mar 2011
Source: Marin Independent Journal
Tags: US, Wisconson, Ohio, economic rights, class war

Articles [38]

More than 15,000 march for education in S. Africa
Posted: 21 Mar 2011
Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tags: South Africa, Africa, education, rights of children, poverty, literacy

War Bride Child Makes Human Rights Complaint to Federal Rights Agency
Posted: 21 Mar 2011
Source: Canada Free Press
Tags: Canada, immigration, WW2, children

Social workers protect children's rights
Posted: 21 Mar 2011
Source: Visalia Times Delta
Tags: Canada, economic rights, social work

Bliss: A public holiday and many more to come ...
Posted: 21 Mar 2011
Source: Jacaranda FM (South African radio/news)
Tags: Africa, South Africa, holidays, reconciliation

Articles [23]

Government defends record on racism and human rights
Posted: 23 Feb 2011
Source: Irish Times
Tags: racism, asylum, Ireland

Iraq abuse worsening for women and minorities: HRW
Posted: 22 Feb 2011
Source: Al Arabiya
Tags: Iraq, women, children, minorities, racism, american implication, disabled rights,

Internet Freedom Creates Investment and Innovation
Posted: 23 Feb 2011
Source: The Chosunilbo
Tags: glasnost, internet censorship, Egypt, economic rights

Economic Power

Please don't ever forget that one of your strongest sources of empowerment is your economic identity. You are what you buy. This implicates us in so many of the world's systems of oppression, but we should not simply allow this to make us victims. We are not entirely helpless. Sure, it's hard, nigh impossible, to avoid purchasing clothing and products that come from the hands of the oppressed - everything I can afford still seems to come from China/Taiwan/etc.

But we are not entirely without choices.

The first step is awareness, and awareness comes with questioning. Ask yourself, and your suppliers, where do these things come from? Who made them? At what cost? Is it worth it to me? Then make your decision. The more aware of the consequences of where you spend your money, the less comfortable you will be participating in the destruction of a fellow human's dignity.

It's not just about avoidance either; there are now many companies which genuinely offer products that benefit the community. Sometimes they cost just that much more. Sometimes they are fraudulent. Don't be taken in by token PR agendas. Educate yourself.

These are some of the things I am proud to participate in or abstain from:

http://www.omnipeace.com
OmniPeace is a humanitarian fashion brand that supports breaking the cycle of poverty through education and ending extreme poverty in Africa by 2025.

Don't be fooled by Starbucks' "politically correct coffee". All too often terms like "organic" and "fair trade" are employed as a PR effort to make you feel good about shelling out as much as $5 for your daily legal high. Decide for yourself how sincere their claims are - I encourage you to read analysis like this. In the same token, do consider and question even such expose's. Get all the facts before it's too latte! (Consider also, the LOCAL impact Starbucks has on your community - environmentally, economically, aesthetically...)

When you're tired of the lies and cunning half-truths, and are ready to wean yourself away from the addictive nipple of the Sbux Empire, consider how you are now going to spend all that money you're saving since you cut your habit. Consider the Mocha Club:
https://www.themochaclub.org
Do you know what kind of impact $7 a month can have on a person's life? For the price of giving up just two of your precious mochas, you can feed, water, educate, and protect millions.


And finally, this week Lady Gaga released her new song, 'Born This Way', hailed as the "new gay anthem" for our generation. Her team gave one store, Target, the exclusive rights to pre-sale of the new album, and until recently was also the only vendor for purchasing the single for download (iTunes now has it as well).
Target has a long history of making substantial donations to anti-gay politicians, including as recently as last September, and supporting homophobic agendas. They have as yet not made any statement to the contrary, much less an apology. Pretty odd for being the only guys able to sell the new "gay anthem."

I love Target stores and products as much as anyone, plus I'm always winning their gift cards, so believe me when I say it's NOT easy to stand up for your values and boycott this retailer. But it's for our own good!


Economic power; sometimes it's all you have!

Edit: I'd like to apologize for a gross misrepresentation here from yesterday; I posted an endorsement of a product I haven't fully investigated myself yet, and since both their quality and production method has come to be suspect I can't give them my support. I won't naysay them either, unless you ask me if I like them in which case I'd have to say I did not enjoy the product. Anyway, always make sure you're prepared to go all the way when you start questioning your environment!

Articles [6]

Super Bowl week gives Dallas chance to enforce panhandling ordinance; fines up to $500
Published: 26 Jan 2011
Source: Dallas News
Tags: Dallas, local, homeless

Sources: DPD to Crack Down on Panhandlers
Published : 25 Jan 2011
Sources: Fox [myFOXdfw.com]
Tags:

Ugandan Who Spoke Up for Gays Is Beaten to Death
Published: 27 Jan 2011
Source: The New York Times
Tags: LGBT, violence, Africa, Uganda, murder