Tuesday, October 19, 2010
The Color Purple
Wednesday, October 20, 2010 is Spirit Day, A Global Day of Remembering, in which people are encouraged to wear the color purple as a reminder of the recent suicides of gay youth.
Spirit Day is the creation of Canadian teen Brittany McMillan, who wanted to do something to honor the lives lost. This day is also an opportunity to show our continued support to LGBT youth.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Blog Action Day 2010
Blog Action day is an annual event that unites the world’s bloggers in posting about the same issue on the same day. This year, 4,000 bloggers will be blogging about the world’s water crisis. JUST Cause is proud to be a part of this important global conversation. For more information on Blog Action Day, visit blogactionday.change.org.
Got water?
When I am thirsty, I grab a bottle of water. When I invite family and friends to my home, the water flows freely. When I shop for groceries, a package of bottled water is usually one of my purchases. I am like millions of other Americans who drink bottled water on a regular basis and have helped to make bottled water big business. More than half of Americans drink bottled water and about a third of the public consumes it on a regular basis. Currently, the bottled water industry makes about 4 billion dollars a year in sales.
But like everything else in life, all ‘good’ things must come to an end. My love affair with bottled water is over. The United Nations General Assembly played an important role in my decision. Access to safe and clean drinking water is a human right, but 890 million people worldwide do not have access to clean water. Every 20 seconds a child dies from a water-related disease. In the United States, we drink an average of 200 bottles of water per person each year. We consume all this bottled water even though many of us have access to safe tap water. Add to that, Food and Water Watch states that 17 million of barrels of oil are need to produce all the plastic bottles that we use each year, and only about 86% of those bottles will be recycled.
In Hot, Flat, and Crowded, Thomas Friedman urges the adoption of an ethic of conservation. In other words, this ethic of conservation would consist of a “deeply ingrained habit of always looking to minimize our impact on the natural world” (Friedman 2008). It’s a great idea and it’s one that I will put into practice in my daily life. Doing so is more than just a trendy way to be green, it’s about taking steps to create a culture of sustainability.
As Americans, we are fortunate that our water supply is not as stressed as those in other parts of the world; however, we cannot continue to take access to clean water for granted. There is a finite amount of water on the planet, and considering that population increase, climate change, and a host of other socio-economic factors will impact our supply, it’s about time we pay more attention to the state of our collective water supply. If you think that Cincinnati is immune to water concerns, read this dispatch from the Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center: ijpc-cincinnati.org/news/who-will-control-cincinnatis-water .
And finally, water.org has a few more facts to quench your thirst for knowledge:
● 2.5 billion people don’t have a toilet.
● $25 brings one person clean water for life.
●More people in the world have cell phones than access to a toilet.
● The water and sanitation crisis claims more lives through disease than any way claims through guns.
For more information, visit water.org and change.org.
But like everything else in life, all ‘good’ things must come to an end. My love affair with bottled water is over. The United Nations General Assembly played an important role in my decision. Access to safe and clean drinking water is a human right, but 890 million people worldwide do not have access to clean water. Every 20 seconds a child dies from a water-related disease. In the United States, we drink an average of 200 bottles of water per person each year. We consume all this bottled water even though many of us have access to safe tap water. Add to that, Food and Water Watch states that 17 million of barrels of oil are need to produce all the plastic bottles that we use each year, and only about 86% of those bottles will be recycled.
In Hot, Flat, and Crowded, Thomas Friedman urges the adoption of an ethic of conservation. In other words, this ethic of conservation would consist of a “deeply ingrained habit of always looking to minimize our impact on the natural world” (Friedman 2008). It’s a great idea and it’s one that I will put into practice in my daily life. Doing so is more than just a trendy way to be green, it’s about taking steps to create a culture of sustainability.
As Americans, we are fortunate that our water supply is not as stressed as those in other parts of the world; however, we cannot continue to take access to clean water for granted. There is a finite amount of water on the planet, and considering that population increase, climate change, and a host of other socio-economic factors will impact our supply, it’s about time we pay more attention to the state of our collective water supply. If you think that Cincinnati is immune to water concerns, read this dispatch from the Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center: ijpc-cincinnati.org/news/who-will-control-cincinnatis-water .
And finally, water.org has a few more facts to quench your thirst for knowledge:
● 2.5 billion people don’t have a toilet.
● $25 brings one person clean water for life.
●More people in the world have cell phones than access to a toilet.
● The water and sanitation crisis claims more lives through disease than any way claims through guns.
For more information, visit water.org and change.org.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Make it Better
Huffington Post has declared that America is having an ‘Education Moment,’ fueled in part by the Obama administration’s ‘Race to the Top’ initiative and the new school reform documentary, “Waiting for Superman.” The focus on school reform is long overdue and I am relieved that its time has come. Let’s hope that a key element of reform will focus on school violence, most notably anti-bullying initiatives
Every September we see a range of feel good back- to-school stories, but this September was different. This past month the news was dominated by stories of young men who were driven to suicide after having endured vicious gay bullying, both in school and online. Between September 9th and September 30th, nine males committed suicide throughout the nation. So, as we commemorate LGBT History Month, we absolutely have to take time to remember 15-year-old Billy Lucas from Greensburg, IN, who committed suicide after being bullied by years. Classmates knew of the abuse and commented that many questioned his sexual orientation and picked on him because of the way he talked and dressed. Just last week, 13-year-old Seth Walsh died from injuries he sustained after he tried to hang himself. Like Billy, Seth also endured years of torment because he was gay. Asher Brown, a 13-year-old Houston area student, shot himself in the head after enduring years of torment. Asher’s parents contend that that they informed the school that their son was being bullied, but that their complaint fell on deaf ears. However, the school claims that they never received any complaints. Perhaps one of the most widely known stories is Tyler Clementi. Tyler, a freshman at Rutgers, jumped off the George Washington Bridge after his roommate used a webcam to broadcast live images of Tyler with another man. Sadly, these are only a few of the names of the young men whose lives have been cut short.
Schools and communities have to begin to do the hard work to ensure safe spaces for all of our children. We can begin by asking if we are sending the right messages to our youth. Considering that we live in the world of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ can we really expect children to trust us when we say we are committed to creating safe spaces at home and school? If we attend churches that attempt to ‘pray away the gay,’ should we be surprised when children feel lonely and alone?
Writer and activist Dan Savage has launched a new campaign that aims to reassure gay youth that they are not alone. The Make It Better Project and the YouTube series, It Gets Better provides web-based resources and support for gay youth throughout the nation. Make It Better is also organizaing a week of action from October 5 – 11 to remember victims of school bullying. To learn more visit http://makeitbetterproject.org/.
In the meantime, let’s take the time to listen and to care. We can start to make it better right here at home.
Every September we see a range of feel good back- to-school stories, but this September was different. This past month the news was dominated by stories of young men who were driven to suicide after having endured vicious gay bullying, both in school and online. Between September 9th and September 30th, nine males committed suicide throughout the nation. So, as we commemorate LGBT History Month, we absolutely have to take time to remember 15-year-old Billy Lucas from Greensburg, IN, who committed suicide after being bullied by years. Classmates knew of the abuse and commented that many questioned his sexual orientation and picked on him because of the way he talked and dressed. Just last week, 13-year-old Seth Walsh died from injuries he sustained after he tried to hang himself. Like Billy, Seth also endured years of torment because he was gay. Asher Brown, a 13-year-old Houston area student, shot himself in the head after enduring years of torment. Asher’s parents contend that that they informed the school that their son was being bullied, but that their complaint fell on deaf ears. However, the school claims that they never received any complaints. Perhaps one of the most widely known stories is Tyler Clementi. Tyler, a freshman at Rutgers, jumped off the George Washington Bridge after his roommate used a webcam to broadcast live images of Tyler with another man. Sadly, these are only a few of the names of the young men whose lives have been cut short.
Schools and communities have to begin to do the hard work to ensure safe spaces for all of our children. We can begin by asking if we are sending the right messages to our youth. Considering that we live in the world of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ can we really expect children to trust us when we say we are committed to creating safe spaces at home and school? If we attend churches that attempt to ‘pray away the gay,’ should we be surprised when children feel lonely and alone?
Writer and activist Dan Savage has launched a new campaign that aims to reassure gay youth that they are not alone. The Make It Better Project and the YouTube series, It Gets Better provides web-based resources and support for gay youth throughout the nation. Make It Better is also organizaing a week of action from October 5 – 11 to remember victims of school bullying. To learn more visit http://makeitbetterproject.org/.
In the meantime, let’s take the time to listen and to care. We can start to make it better right here at home.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Stop the madness
This October marks the fifth anniversary of LGBT Month. Equality Forum will commemorate the month by celebrating the lives and achievements of 31 lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered icons. The site will feature a new icon each day of the month and you can view the gallery at equalityforum.com.
The U. S. Department of Education is recognizing the month and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will give welcoming remarks at the Department’s first LGBT History Month event. Ora Alger, president of the LGBTA Employees at the Department of Education said it best by stating, “For a community deprived of its history, GLBT History Month teaches heritage, provides role models, builds community, and recognizes extraordinary national and international contributions.” But in the midst of these milestones, teen suicide, school violence, and gay bullying are painful reminders of how far we have to go to make diversity and safe zones more than just empty phrases that appear on school web sites.
Follow this link to learn more about how you can help put an end to bullying in our schools: http://gayrights.change.org/petitions/view/stop_the_suicides_help_put_an_end_to_bullying_in_schools.
The U. S. Department of Education is recognizing the month and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will give welcoming remarks at the Department’s first LGBT History Month event. Ora Alger, president of the LGBTA Employees at the Department of Education said it best by stating, “For a community deprived of its history, GLBT History Month teaches heritage, provides role models, builds community, and recognizes extraordinary national and international contributions.” But in the midst of these milestones, teen suicide, school violence, and gay bullying are painful reminders of how far we have to go to make diversity and safe zones more than just empty phrases that appear on school web sites.
Follow this link to learn more about how you can help put an end to bullying in our schools: http://gayrights.change.org/petitions/view/stop_the_suicides_help_put_an_end_to_bullying_in_schools.
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