Author: Danielle Levy

The green movement has long been accepted in just about every phase of our lives, so much so it seems odd that vegan shoes haven not made an appearance before now. Several manufacturers are currently engaged in a line of shoes without leather, shoes with materials that are organic and environment friendly. Some, while comfortable may be ordinary looking, some are quite stylish. There are at present some 40 manufacturers with some 200 styles to choose from. The article I read only mentioned women’s shoes, but surely that is quite temporary. As the idea becomes more established lines for men’s and children’s will soon also become popular.
It all sounds so great—unless of course one views the advent of vegan shoes as part of what one commentator called the commoditization of the environment.

For many Americans, Viet Nam, if not a war zone, is a third world country struggling with the same issues other developing nations are. We’ve heard news reports of its fledging economic successes and many returning from trips to the area report the vibrancy of certain regions. Still it is a welcomed surprise to read that Viet Nam is now helping Chad improve its food security. Chad a land-locked West African nation bordering the Darfur region is among the world’s poorest countries. According to a recently signed agreement, brokered by the FAO’s technical cooperation department, Vietnamese experts will help Chad with activities such as irrigation meant to improve food security. Nevertheless, Viet Nam is now sharing its knowledge with those less developed—an accomplishment to be sure.

We already know that a large percentage of Americans have a negative perception of Islam. What seems new is that 47% of Protestant pastors agree with Franklin Graham—son of Billy—that Islam is an evil and wicked religion. Three out of four pastors think that Christians and Muslims pray to different gods and four in ten say that the religion is fundamentally evil.
While tolerance is said to be a Christian virtue, while turning the other cheek is a fundamental principle and while love whether called charity or mercy is an underlying Christian value, in the minds of these pastors these precepts do not appear to apply to Islam. What is also disturbing is that pastors are leaders and in a position to influence others. The irony is that the same ignorance and prejudice that is impugned to Muslims when it comes to their view of the United States, Christianity and Western culture seem to be having sway over these pastors. For whatever reasons, they do not seem to be practicing what they are—or ought to be—preaching.

Nicholas Sarkozy, the President of France is suggesting a law that would ban all face covering veils in public places, a law that would even apply to visitors. As such wealthy Saudi women shopping on the Champs Elysee would have to have bare faces. There has been much criticism from Muslim groups, but not enough to keep the law from being considered.
Next door in Germany the northern state of Lower Saxony the Christian Democrat party appointed the daughter of Turkish immigrants as minister of social affairs, a first. Aygul Ozkan is a lawyer and a Muslim. In a recent interview she is quoted as saying that crucifixes do not belong in state-run schools anymore than Muslim headscarves. The comment caused an uproar, so much so Ms Ozkan had to disavow it. Crucifixes, critics said, are part of the Christian Democrat party tradition.
Is that the way it is: When the uproar comes from a minority faction within the culture it is easily explained away or overlooked, but when it comes from the majority then it prevails?