Human Rights
For a society to function democratically requires more than majority rule, it requires that individual rights be protected—from the government or other members of society—and even extends to limits on the ‘tyranny of the majority’. The founders’ belief in individual rights led to the Bill of Rights.
The movement towards Human Rights—rights that belong to every human—was largely driven by the United States and culminated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Afghanistan – Ten Years of War
Following is a message from Afghan activist and former member of the Afghan parliament Malalai Joya: Message on the Tenth Anniversary of NATO’s War and the Occupation of Afghanistan I would like to thank all supporters and anti-war movements around … more
Statement from the NYC General Assembly
Following is the first collective statement from the New York City General Assembly, issued October 5 2011. As we gather together in solidarity to express a feeling of mass injustice, we must not lose sight of what brought us together. … more
Conscientious Objection
When a person refuses to participate in war or other hostilities on moral grounds, he or she is a ‘conscientious objector’, or ’C.O.’. It is not for those who are afraid of being hurt or killed, it is for those who have … more
Human Trafficking
A few years ago, police in a town in NJ raided a suspected brothel. But they didn’t find young women working as prostitutes, they found sex slaves who had been trafficked from overseas—captives whose every move was controlled by the traffickers. Trafficking … more
School of the Americas
The School of the Americas, renamed the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, is located at Fort Benning, Georgia. For decades it has operated as a combat training school for soldiers from Central & South America, training Latin American soldiers in … more
Earth Charter
The Earth Charter is a declaration of fundamental ethical principles for building a just, sustainable and peaceful global society in the 21st century. It seeks to inspire in all people a new sense of global interdependence and shared responsibility for … more
Sustainability in the Workplace
by Rachel LeWitt — In an era where even Walmart has pushed attempts to “go green”, the average consumer has been faced with the sustainability movement and its efforts in many different forms by 2011. Most if not all of these initiatives … more
Embracing Diversity
by Emma Cleveland — Think about that poster—I’m sure you’ve seen it because it hangs in many an elementary school classroom—of children holding hands around a cartoon globe, their skin varying shades of the rainbow. They might be wearing traditional dress from … more
Another World Is Possible
by Faramarz Farbod — Can humans rise to the occasion and overcome the challenges facing their societies and the planet? Call me unimaginative but I believe this can come about if as participants in movements for social change we re-embrace the politics … more