November 2008

  • Study of a German, Christian Pacifist

    By beatriz on 11/25/08 12:05am
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    The Cost of Moral Leadership: The Spirituality of Dietrich Bonhoeffer
    by Geffrey B.

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  • Burmese Humanitarians Sentenced to Prison

    By beatriz on 11/21/08 7:52pm
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    They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions. If you don't believe that, ask Myanmar's most famous comedian, Zarganar, who was recently sentenced to 45 years in prison under the country's Electronics Act, which regulates all forms of electronic communication. According to this article:

    Zarganar was arrested with sports writer Zaw Thet Htwe in June after organising deliveries of aid to victims of Cyclone Nargis, which left 138,000 people dead or missing when it pulverised the country the previous month.

    "(Zarganar) was sentenced to 45 years imprisonment on three charges...

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  • The Return of Pirates, A Symptom of Something Worse

    By beatriz on 11/19/08 10:15pm
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    Somalia is a hell-hole.  Like most of Africa, it is a nation where chaos and crime rule.  Most recently, this East African country has been making headlines for it's pirates.  That's right, pirates have been hijaking ships, and oil tankers in the Indian Ocean.  But this is just one symptom of something so much worse.  Somalia has not had a functioning government since 1991, when warlords overthrew dictator Mohammed Siad Barre and then turned on eachother.  Read about current conditions here.

    The advocacy group Refugees International says the situation in Somalia is worse than ever. More than 1.3 million Somalis are now displaced within the country. Thirty-five-thousand fled Mogadishu in October and 10,000 crossed the border to Kenya in September. In the south, one in six children under five years old is malnourished.

    Duplat, an advocate with Refugees International, explained how piracy is contributing to the humanitarian crisis in Somalia.

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  • Cocaine's Blood-Stained Trail

    By beatriz on 11/19/08 8:20pm
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    From the growers to the dealers to the users, cocaine leaves a long trail of blood.  Cocaine has ravaged the communities where it is grown, it has destroyed the cities where it is distributed, and it wrecks the lives of the individuals and families of those who use it.

    Cocaine, is a poison to humanity and to world peace.

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  • Obama Victory Spurs Hate Crimes and Racism Across the Country

    By beatriz on 11/15/08 8:08am
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    It was one of the most monumental elections in US history.  November 4, 2008, will be remembered by many as one of the most memorable days of their lives.  For many, Barack Obama's victory is symbolic of a new era in this country's history.  One where race is no longer an issue.   Thousands of people were seen on televisions across the nation rejoicing and celebrating our new president-elect.  America had overcome one of it's ugliest hurdles, racism.

    But in some parts of the country, Obama's win has not been well-received.  America's racist shadow has been awakened.

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  • Haitian School Collapses With Children Inside

    By beatriz on 11/7/08 3:55am
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    A school building in the hills of Haiti's capital has collapsed killing at least seven people and injuring many more, according to a report from CNN.

    Aid workers fear that the death toll could rise.

    It was a typical school day at the school in Petionville, near Port-au-Prince.  There could be as many as 700 students in the building.  The students range from ages 10 to 20, but there could be younger ones as well.

    At about 10:00am this morning, the second story of the three-story building collapsed, bringing down the building with children inside.

    "Michaele Gédéon, president of Haiti's Red Cross, said she heard the voices of distraught children as rescuers tried to calm them down while she was on the phone attempting to coordinate emergency rescue efforts.

    "On the phone you can hear so many children, you know, crying, crying and saying, 'This one is dead, that one is dead,' " Gédéon said.

    Claudon said hundreds of bystanders and rescue workers were digging through the rubble.

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