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Category Archives: Human Rights
Rethinking Racism in America
This month The Atlantic published an article titled “The Racist History of Portland, the Whitest City in America”. I react badly to race-baiting, and the title of this article sounded like race baiting to me. However, I went to college … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Human Rights, Politics
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The Woman I Wish I Could Vote For
In the past few months, as a flood of desperate people have escaped Syria and other intolerable places and flooded into Europe, I’ve watched German Chancellor Angela Merkel rise above a massive flood of panic and xenophobia that is sweeping … Continue reading
On “Cultural Appropriation”: Sanity at Last!
As an undergraduate in the early 1980s, I studied German and Russian literature in college. Over my adult lifetime, however, I’ve felt increasingly out of place in the humanities. I’m not leftist. I don’t think capitalism is a bad word, … Continue reading
Posted in Anthropology, Culture, Human Rights, Politics
Tagged cultural appropriation, individual rights, racism
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Profiles in Courage: Military Officers Who Opposed Torture After 9/11
The American Civil Liberties Union has posted a web page that tells the stories of a number of military officers and CIA employees who objected to the US use of waterboarding and other forms of torture after 9/11. I just … Continue reading
The Senate Report on CIA Torture of 9/11 Terrorism Suspects
There’s very little in the redacted executive summary of the Senate’s report on CIA “enhanced interrogation techniques” that is news to me, or most people who have been following this story for the past decade. I’ve been rather quiet because, … Continue reading
The Costs of Committing Violence Against Innocents
Seen this evening on Twitter: My sorrow for the family of 3 month old Haya Zissel-Brown murdered in Jerusalem. May G-d protect the innocents of this world. Committing wanton violence against innocents makes hell on earth for others and hell … Continue reading
Ashya King
Friday and yesterday I saw several news articles about a five-year-old boy named Ashya King who has brain cancer — specifically, a stage 4 medulloblastoma in his head. His parents had taken him from the hospital where he was receiving … Continue reading
Posted in Human Rights
Tagged Ashya King, Dr. Gary Nicolin, Naghemeh King, National Health, NHS, Peter King, United Kingdom
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China: Don’t See the Dalai Lama
China is wagging its nether parts in America’s face, or so CNN reports. I don’t know what Obama will say to China, and I doubt he cares what I think he should say, but China richly deserves to be told … Continue reading
Pete Seeger: 1919-2014
To everything (turn, turn, turn) There is a season (turn, turn, turn), And a time to every purpose, under heaven.
Posted in Culture, Human Rights, Religion
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On Pardoning Edward Snowden….
While I find the word “pardon” offensive when applied to a person who did the right thing in the face of significant consequences and who should by all rights win our thanks and a medal, I support the Guardian and … Continue reading
Posted in Human Rights, Internet, Security
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