A collection of links, ideas, resources, and miscellany to help create a world that is just and sustainable.
Wednesday, April 28, 2004
So, today the US Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments in the 'enemy combatants' case in which Jose Padilla and Yaser Hamdi are plaintiffs. This past Sunday's New York Times had a lengthy examination of Jose Padilla which included interview excerpts with his mother and his wife (a citizen of Egypt). I don't know anything about the guilt or innocence of these men, but I do it morally reprehensible that they--or anyone else--should be held without access to legal counsel.
Several weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to hear the story behind the Ex Parte Quirin (1942) case that the Bush Administration is using in part to justify its decisions in holding these men as well as the Guantamo prisoners. This American Life carried the story. You can listen to the broadcast ("The Facts Don't Matter") by going to the show's website.
You can find interesting opinion and contextual writing about the case at several sites. Some of the ones I like include Lardner's editorial from the Washington Post in 2002; an article from Human Rights Law that discusses the Hamdi and Padilla case in light of Quirin; and a wide-ranging piece by Kenneth Roth in Foreign Affairs that examines the Hamdi and Padilla case within the context of the current administration's overall legal policies. You may also be interested in the links prepared for the National Institute of Military Justice on terrorism and military tribunals.
Several weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to hear the story behind the Ex Parte Quirin (1942) case that the Bush Administration is using in part to justify its decisions in holding these men as well as the Guantamo prisoners. This American Life carried the story. You can listen to the broadcast ("The Facts Don't Matter") by going to the show's website.
You can find interesting opinion and contextual writing about the case at several sites. Some of the ones I like include Lardner's editorial from the Washington Post in 2002; an article from Human Rights Law that discusses the Hamdi and Padilla case in light of Quirin; and a wide-ranging piece by Kenneth Roth in Foreign Affairs that examines the Hamdi and Padilla case within the context of the current administration's overall legal policies. You may also be interested in the links prepared for the National Institute of Military Justice on terrorism and military tribunals.
Tuesday, April 27, 2004
For those of you who are interested in a theological perspective in working for a better world, I recommend A Global Witness (http://www.thewitness.org/agw/index.html). This website is what remains from an excellent Episcopal publication titled The Witness. I was sorry that the publication was no longer financially sustainable, but I was quite willing to offer my monetary contribution to ensuring that the website stays viable and vital.
A couple of weekends ago, I read Lawrence Lessig's new book titled Free Culture: How Big Media Uses Technology and the Law to Lock Down Culture and Control Creativity. It's a cogent, readable look at the impact of corporate and political manipulation on copyright and free expression in the United States. One of the projects that Lessig promotes (and is involved in) is the Creative Commons (http://creativecommons.org/). This website provides creators--artists, writers, musicians, and the like--with a voluntary and customizable licensing alternative to copyright. Check it out.
During the past several years I've become increasingly aware of the consolidation of media ownership both nationally and globally. This trend toward consolidation is nothing new--Ben Bagdikian has been writing about it for several decades now--but the impact is growing. To get a better idea of how few corporations control what we read, view, and hear, take a look at the profiles of the top media companies, a project of the Center for Public Integrity (http://www.openairwaves.org/default.aspx).
A couple of weekends ago, I read Lawrence Lessig's new book titled Free Culture: How Big Media Uses Technology and the Law to Lock Down Culture and Control Creativity. It's a cogent, readable look at the impact of corporate and political manipulation on copyright and free expression in the United States. One of the projects that Lessig promotes (and is involved in) is the Creative Commons (http://creativecommons.org/). This website provides creators--artists, writers, musicians, and the like--with a voluntary and customizable licensing alternative to copyright. Check it out.
During the past several years I've become increasingly aware of the consolidation of media ownership both nationally and globally. This trend toward consolidation is nothing new--Ben Bagdikian has been writing about it for several decades now--but the impact is growing. To get a better idea of how few corporations control what we read, view, and hear, take a look at the profiles of the top media companies, a project of the Center for Public Integrity (http://www.openairwaves.org/default.aspx).
Welcome to my new blog. I had been telling folks that I had no interest in writing one of these, but increasingly I have ideas and resources that I want to connect for myself. So, I figured I would share them as well.
Soujourners (http://www.sojo.net), a magazine with a liberal Christian perspective, discusses in its mission statement the goal of people being guided by justice, mercy, and humility in their daily living. Those three concepts seem to me a good starting point for a better world.
What I hope to collect and present in this blog are resources and ideas that in some way encourage me (and other readers) to understand and apply justice, mercy, and humility with greater regularity. I suspect I'll toss in a few things just for fun too...after all, a sense of humor is important in a better world too!
Peace.
Soujourners (http://www.sojo.net), a magazine with a liberal Christian perspective, discusses in its mission statement the goal of people being guided by justice, mercy, and humility in their daily living. Those three concepts seem to me a good starting point for a better world.
What I hope to collect and present in this blog are resources and ideas that in some way encourage me (and other readers) to understand and apply justice, mercy, and humility with greater regularity. I suspect I'll toss in a few things just for fun too...after all, a sense of humor is important in a better world too!
Peace.
