The Episcopal Church is poised to apologize for failing to oppose slavery, but making up for its 19th century inaction won't come without 21st century controversy.
At its national convention which began June 13, the church voted on a resolution expressing regret for supporting slavery and segregation. But the debate will likely get more heated when a second resolution comes up, calling for a study of possible reparations for black Episcopalians. Read More »
Lately a lot of people have been asking about my name so I'm going to explain it to you now. A few weeks ago I took part in a naming ceremony based on the traditional ceremonies of the Akan peoples. I arrived as Kristen Marie Ware and left as Yaa (girl born on Thrusday) Miniya (much is expected of her) Waceera (she wanders) Obuya (born when the garden was overgrown). Read More »
No one imagined 25 years ago that AIDS would become the deadliest epidemic in history. Since June 5, 1981, HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, has killed more than 25 million people, infected 40 million others and left a legacy of unspeakable loss, hardship, fear and despair.
Its spread was hastened by ignorance, prejudice, denial and the freedoms of the sexual revolution. Along the way from oddity to pandemic, AIDS changed the way people live and love. Slowed but unchecked, the epidemic's relentless march has established footholds in the world's most populous countries. Advances in medicine and prevention that have made the disease manageable in the developed world haven't reached the rest. Read More »
In extreme cases, in which peaceful and democratic methods have been exhausted, it is legitimate and justified to resort to terror. In cases of repression and suffering, with an implacably oppressive state and no obvious possibility of international relief, it is sometimes necessary to resort to violence to defend one’s people and pursue one’s cause.
Terrorism works. In many countries terrorists have succeeded in bringing governments to negotiate with them and make concessions to them. Where governments have not been willing to concede to rational argument and peaceful protest, terrorism can compel recognition of a cause. Nelson Mandela moved from terrorist to President. In many other countries we see this trend too – in Israel, Northern Ireland, recently in Sri Lanka, and in the Oslo peace process that led to the creation of the Palestinian Authority. Therefore, terrorism is justified by its success in achieving results when peaceful means have failed. Read More »
One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter. Most terrorist organisations are not engaged in violence simply for the joy of it, nor for personal gain; instead, they stand for a particular political position, and often for a particular group of people. It is important to realise that there are two sides to every conflict. A good example for this is the ANC in South Africa. For many years they were regarded by the government – and by many foreign governments – as an illegal terrorist organisation. For the majority black population of the country, however, they were legitimately fighting for their freedom. History will record that they were on the side of right, and the apartheid government was in the wrong. Read More »
Islam is inherently democratic. Qua’ranic notions such as shura (consultation) and ijma’ (consensus) are indicative of an Islamic version of democracy and the importance of democratic values in the religious teachings of the faith. Some Islamic countries seem capable of reconciling the religion and democracy. For example, Turkey firmly separates the religion of the population from the character of the state. Turkey is a predominantly Muslim country yet has a secular democratic government prescribed by the Constitution. Concessions to democracy are being made in even the most pious nations: the Islamic Republic of Iran is a theocracy which is making significant manoeuvres in the direction of democratic rule (by holding regular elections) and Indonesia (which has the world’s largest Muslim population) has been constitutionally guaranteed the right to elect the president and vice-president since 2002. Read More »
Poor, Black people from New Orleans have ben scattered across the nation in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Survivors from a city once known as the Big Easy are now living lives harder than on-lookers imagine. Displaced into new places or "host cities", survivors now find themselves without anything to remind them of home; wondering about old friends and landmarks that no longer remain, drowned like the rest of their city. Remembered in a puddle of forgotten times and tourist places that traversed class and color creating a division that none have figured out how to bridge. Read More »
When is it justifiable for protesters and activists to break the law for the sake of their cause?
Even in democracies, we only have a chance to have a say in how the country is run every four years or so, and then only indirectly by voting for a political party. This is insufficient for the opinions of the people to be heard properly, and in certain circumstances civil disobedience is a powerful method of making the will of the public count if it is being ignored. Against powerful interest groups who dominate politics through their financial muscle and control of the media, civil disobedience is also the only way to get attention for a cause. Read More »
