“When will they ever learn?” This was written by Pete Seeger as the refrain and last line of the anti-war song popular during the Viet Nam War “Where Have All The Flowers Gone?” And now it seems to apply to guns and mass-shootings. A Washington Post blog cites the San Bernardino shooting on December 2, 2015 as the 355th for the year. Of course just a few days before there was one in Colorado. Not all mass shooting grab the headlines, and depending on how they are counted—whether it is 4 of less casualties—the reports may differ, still even a fraction Continue reading ““When Will They Ever Learn?””
Category: Freedom
Shackling and the Humanity of Others
Can you think of being shackled, handcuffs, waist chains and ankle manacles, while delivering a baby? Anyone who has given birth, indeed anyone with a conscience, would have to feel revulsion at such practice. Yet it is being done—and legally—in 28 states! A law against it was passed in New York State in 2009 but it was recently discovered that despite it the practice often continues, women in delivery are still shackled, and will be until a new law is signed by Governor Cuomo. On the other coast the U.S. 9th Circuit issued an order Continue reading “Shackling and the Humanity of Others”
Fighting Human Trafficking
Trafficking is a $150 billion business and involves some 36 million people. Fighting it is therefore obviously difficult and complex. A reader may have heard of Operation Underground Railroad (OUR), an endeavor began and in the main maintained by Mormons. The organization now has a film called The Abolitionists because it sees its mission not only with the zeal of faith but also with the same kind of commitment the abolitionists saw slavery—for to OUR trafficking is slavery. They are also filming what they hope will be a TV series documenting Continue reading “Fighting Human Trafficking”
Democracy and Wisdom
California governor Jerry Brown signed a vaccine law barring belief exemptions saying that not only is science on the side of vaccines, that on the whole the benefits of vaccines out- weights the risks; vaccines also protect the community, he said. The law was prompted by the aftermath of a measles outbreak last December that began at Disneyland and quickly spread to several states infecting 150 people. While all 50 states Continue reading “Democracy and Wisdom”