Of Peace and Politics

This blog has moved

2010-03-10T10:18:00.002-05:00

This blog is now located at ofpeaceandpolitics.wordpress.com. For feed subscribers, please update your feed subscriptions to http://ofpeaceandpolitics.wordpress.com/feed

Torture is a Moral Issue

2010-03-09T14:19:00.005-05:00

Torture is not just a national security issue. It's a moral issue.FCNL has embarked on a campaign with the National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT) to end US-sponsored torture forever. Because we're not just talking about national security, we're talking about human lives and human dignity.Torture dehumanizes both perpetrators and victims. We, as members of a society whose

Bi-partisan bill introduced to reauthorize special diabetes program for Indians!

2010-03-08T16:22:00.000-05:00

Just a few days ago, Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) introduced a bill to reauthorize a special diabetes program for Indians (SDPI) for another five years. Nearly one in five American Indians and Alaska Natives has diabetes and it is a leading cause of illness and death. I've heard the words "diabetes" and "epidemic" used in the same sentence in reference to Indian Country more times than I can count

Climate Induced Migration: Don't Overreact

2010-03-05T12:30:00.001-05:00

On Monday, I attended an event at the Center for American Progress (CAP) on the global implications of climate induced migration. For the past several months, I have been researching the intersection between climate change and preventing deadly conflict, an interdisciplinary area in its infancy. The panel at this event included a representative from the United States Agency for International

One of the many things that sets FCNL apart from the rest

2010-03-02T10:08:00.004-05:00

I think I could go on for a while about all the things that sets FCNL apart. FCNL's beautiful, green building, its location just four blocks from the Capitol, the wonderful and energetic FCNL Staff, and of course, the historic, powerful witness FCNL provides in Washington. Something less well known but equally as impressive is the process in which FCNL decides what legislative priorities to

Something to Read: the "Interfaith Amigos" of Yes! Magazine

2010-02-25T17:17:00.003-05:00

For a while now, one of my favorite sources of interesting and sometimes challenging information has been Yes! Magazine. Their tagline is, "Powerful Ideas, Practical Actions" and I've certainly always found something to like in their publication and on their website.Yesterday I took a look at their site and was happy to see that they have a new article posted by the "Interfaith Amigos" Rabbi Ted

"Rising Defense Budgets are Not a New Law of Physics"

2010-02-23T12:24:00.005-05:00

This was the message from Dr. Cindy Williams in her testimony in the Senate Budget Committee today at a hearing entitled: "Defense Budget and War Costs: An Independent Look." Another witness, Dr. Gordan Adams, stated explicitly: "...the defense budget should not be exempt from a freeze." In his opening statement, Chairman Conrad (ND) pointed out that Defense spending is taking an ever-growing

Olympics Edition Post

2010-02-23T11:15:00.002-05:00

I love the Olympics. I love parking myself in front of the TV and watching the Summer and Winter Games (I guess that's what separates me from the athletes; I'm a couch potato, and they're out working their butts off). I'm a huge sports fan in general, and I love watching sports like diving and ski jumping that are only widely available to watch during the Olympics (unless, of course, you have

Meet Gretchen Hall: Clerk of the Executive Secretary Search Committee

2010-02-23T10:19:00.002-05:00

Last week marked the end of many Committee meetings here at FCNL and since we had so many people visiting the office, it gave me the chance to ask Gretchen Hall a few questions about her connections with FCNL and other things. As FCNL continues the process of searching for a new Executive Secretary Gretchen will continue her work with the organization as Clerk of the Search Committee. To see

Rooting DC: Getting Grounded in the Local Urban Gardening Movement

2010-02-22T14:26:00.002-05:00

Free food. That's the way to win over any intern's heart. And the promise of free food and intriguing workshops inspired me to get up early last Saturday and head to an event called "Rooting DC," an urban gardening/agricultural forum held annually in the Capital. I was excited by the broad range of topics covered in sessions; everything from cooking with vegetables to gardening advice to public

Taking a Stand Against Torture

2010-02-22T09:34:00.003-05:00

How loud does your voice have to be for your message to be heard?On February 17, a few brave students protested against John Yoo, who had appeared as a guest speaker at Johns Hopkins. In the middle of the talk, they stood up and unfurled a sign reading, "Try Yoo for Torture." Even though they were silent, their message was heard.This bold act of civil disobedience challenged the dominant

Unmanned Drones: a war on civilians?

2010-02-21T20:42:00.002-05:00

Part of my internship requires me to research various periodicals that pertain to nuclear weapons and missile defense. One such periodical is Defense Review, which claims to be a source of, “News and information on the latest military defense, law enforcement, and tactical technologies from around the world.” For anyone committed to non-violence, this is a frightening periodical. It seemed more

90 day tribal consultation deadline: Did you make it?

2010-02-17T14:19:00.000-05:00

Last November, the White House hosted a nation-to-nation conference with representatives from over 350 of the federally recognized tribes in this country. During that event, the president signed a memorandum directing all federal agencies to provide a detailed plan outlining how they would improve tribal consultation. This month marked the deadline for that plan to be submitted, but several

Vice President Joe Biden's Speech on nuclear nonproliferation issues

2010-02-16T12:04:00.000-05:00

Vice President Joe Biden will be giving a speech this Wednesday, February 17, around 12:30 p.m. at National Defense University at Fort McNair in Washington, DC. The Vice President’s speech will focus on nuclear nonproliferation and our nation’s nuclear deterrent. David Culp, FCNL’s nuclear lobbyist, has been invited to attend the speech and will be giving a report after the speech. The speech

Want to be an FCNL Intern? Advice from past interns, Christine, Trevor, Caroline, and Emiko

2010-02-16T09:32:00.005-05:00

FCNL is accepting applications for the 2010-2011 internship. Applications are due by March 9, 2010 - so you don't have much more time! You can access more information about the internship, current interns, and the application by going to http://www.fcnl.org/young/intern.htm. This internship provides a different experience for each individual and offers the opportunity to work in a great

Snow-cabulary - Focus on the Positive

2010-02-12T12:08:00.004-05:00

Well - some of us were finally able to return to the FCNL office this morning, braving the wind, 30 minute waits for the very slow (but finally running) Metro, and the crowds of people anxious to get back to work. I have to say, being from New Hampshire, I never thought so many new words would come out of 5 straight days of winter storms and blizzard conditions. All across the country you've

"Driving While Brown" Should Not Be a Crime: Take A Stand Against Racial Profiling

2010-02-05T10:02:00.005-05:00

"Racism and racial discrimination have profoundly and lastingly marked and structured American society." ~ U.N. Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related IntoleranceIn 2003, the Department of Justice issued a fact sheet on racial profiling that identifies many of the concerns shared by communities around the country, whose members may find

Citizens United: now what?

2010-02-01T11:39:00.002-05:00

Scott Brown's win in the Massachusetts special election to fill Sen. Ted Kennedy's seat, followed closely by the Supreme Court's ruling that "the government may not ban political spending by corporations in candidate elections," caught much of the country off guard with the unexpected shift from the dominant political leaning of late. Both of these incidences broke not only with the change in

Why Is Feb 1st An Important Day?

2010-02-01T09:34:00.003-05:00

Today marks the 50th Anniversary of the Greensboro Sit-Ins, an action which to many represents one of the starting moments of what became the Civil Rights Movement. This year, the day when four young men began their peaceful sit-in at the Woolworths lunch counter in Greensboro, NC is being celebrated by the opening of the International Civil Rights Center and Museum. The Museum is housed in that

What's Your 'Story'? And How Will You Be Part of 'History'?

2010-01-29T16:19:00.002-05:00

As a history major, and lover of the stories that make history about people, the passing of renowned and often controversial professor and author Howard Zinn was saddening. I still remember the first time I ever read a part of his A People's History of the United States in my 11th grade U.S. History class. I also believe that it was around the time that we read from his book that I finally

In State of the Union, President Cites Need to Fix Broken Immigration System

2010-01-28T09:59:00.003-05:00

In his first State of the Union address, President Obama focused on the economy, job creation, financial regulatory reform, and health care reform. He called for an end to hyper-partisanship in Congress and, toward the end of his speech, identified domestic priorities including the need to "continue the work of fixing our broken immigration system." FCNL continues to work with Congress to

What I've Been Reading on the Metro: Outcasts United

2010-01-22T13:42:00.002-05:00

If you've ever been to DC and ridden the Metro, you've likely noticed that especially during rush hour, the trains are packed with people of all different backgrounds, many speaking languages other than English, and many not speaking at all as they are engrossed in whatever is playing through their headphones. There are also the occasional people that seem to be talking out loud (and very loudly)

Israel Attempts to Purge International Presence from Palestinian Territories

2010-01-22T12:11:00.006-05:00

It started with the Czech girl whose flat in Ramallah was invaded at night by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) even though they technically shouldn't be in Palestinian territory. She was summarily deported, for her affiliation with the International Solidarity Movement and overstaying her visa. Then a couple of Americans trying to go on a Christian Peacemaker Team delegation trip around Israel and

Happy Anniversary, Guantanamo: Obama's Task Force Stands in the Way of Justice

2010-01-22T11:18:00.007-05:00

Exactly one year ago, President Obama signed an executive order to close the illegal detention facility at the Guantanamo Bay naval base. In his own words, the closure of Guantanamo would be "consistent with the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States and the interests of justice."This time last year, the air was full of the promise of hope and the excitement of a new

FCNL Hosts Briefing on Native American Affairs

2010-01-20T13:56:00.002-05:00

Last Friday, the Native American program here at FCNL hosted a briefing for our interfaith colleagues on the hill. Our first speaker was Amber Ebarb from the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI). She gave us an overview of the federal budget as it relates to Indians, particularly Indian health care. One thing she emphasized was the incredible fluctuation in funding for the Bureau of

Sisters from Philadelphia Yearly Meeting in Haiti

2010-01-15T14:38:00.005-05:00

My mom just sent me this link earlier today. This is a link to a six-minute long clip on the Today Show. Reporters interview two American girls who were in Haiti on Tuesday when the quake hit. Christa, the focus of the clip, has connections to Philadelphia Yearly Meeting and Alaska Yearly Meeting. Her sister Julian (who served on PYM's nominating committee, and handles the database for the

Trip to New Mexico for Native American Program

2010-01-14T15:14:00.009-05:00

I recently had the opportunity to travel to New Mexico, to visit a Navajo community there. I went with the goals of meeting people, getting a sense of what life is like in a rural Native American community, and collecting some stories that might help inform my work at FCNL, and motivate congresspeople to act on the bills we support. I spent most of my time with the Torreon Chapter of the Navajo

My First Earthquake

2010-01-14T10:15:00.003-05:00

As I read the articles and look at the pictures of the devastation and destruction following the massive earthquake in Haiti, I have memories of the first earthquake I experienced. The 1994 Northridge Earthquake was nowhere near as damaging or devastating as the earthquake in Haiti, but I remember how scared and vulnerable I felt in the immediate aftermath. In January 1994, when the earthquake

Devastation in Haiti- Two Ways You Can Help!

2010-01-13T12:01:00.008-05:00

Yesterday there was an absolutely devastating earthquake in Haiti that has killed thousands of people and left much of the capital in rubble. It is a tragedy that any country would have such a devastating disaster, but this is even worse in Haiti because of the abject poverty of the country. It is already the poorest country in the Western hemisphere.What can we do to help?1. Donate to

Holiday Break=More time to talk about FCNL

2010-01-06T11:23:00.003-05:00

I'm finally back in D.C. after spending the holidays at home in Los Angeles (finally arriving home two days later then I had originally planned). I was so happy to be in L.A.: able to slip on my sandles, soak in the beautiful weather, and visit my family and friends. A lot of what I did at home, however, was talk about FCNL. I wasn't acting in any official capacity; I wasn't visiting

Take Action: Urge Your Rep. To Support Humane and Fair Immigration Reform

2010-01-05T14:55:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year! The turn of the year carries with it a new reason for hope - the chance for Congress to make good on its promise to humanely reform the broken immigration system. With the new year comes new opportunities for us to recommit ourselves to the struggle for justice.On December 15, Representative Luis Gutierrez (IL) and 91 original cosponsors unveiled the Comprehensive Immigration

Senate: Helping the U.S. Uphold Its Trust Responsibility

2009-12-28T14:44:00.007-05:00

Good news: the weekend before Christmas, the Indian Health Care Improvement and Reauthorization and Extension Act (S. 1790) was included in Sen. Reid's manager's amendment for the Senate health care reform bill! The senate passed this legislation on Christmas Eve.What does this mean? It means that the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA) has been included in both the House and Senate health

One Year On

2009-12-28T12:09:00.002-05:00

Last year on December 28th, I was sitting in the Lutheran Church in Old City Jerusalem with my friends and colleagues who had just spent Christmas together. That Sunday, it turned out, was the feast day commemorating the "Massacre of the Innocents" (a once in 7 year occurrence). The mood was incredibly grim and sorrowful, not just because we retold the story of how King Herod killed all the

Snowed In

2009-12-20T10:12:00.003-05:00

Normally there aren't any blog posts here on the weekends, because we're all out enjoying DC on Saturdays and Sundays. But, as I sit here at my house, almost completely snowed in, trying, in any way I can, to get information about my flight and find a way to airport, I am reminded why I am fighting so hard to go home.It's not just because I would rather be in snow-free, sunny Los Angeles (

Law of the Sea Treaty: The Next Stage in a Historic Effort by Friends

2009-12-16T16:51:00.001-05:00

Joe Volk and I attended a meeting at the State Department with the Assistant Secretary for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs yesterday to discuss U.S ratification of the Law of the Sea Treaty. We were invited as part of a coalition of groups that includes some unlikely bedfellows. I have never before sat around a table on the same side as gas and oil industry

Rep. Gutierrez Introduces Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America's Security and Prosperity (CIR ASAP) Act of 2009

2009-12-15T15:51:00.001-05:00

Today, Representative Luis Gutierrez (IL) and 87 original cosponsors introduced the Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America's Security and Prosperity (CIR ASAP) Act of 2009. This progressive comprehensive immigration reform bill identifies a number of workable solutions to humanely reform the broken immigration system. It is the first comprehensive immigration reform bill to be introduced

Cobell case settlement

2009-12-11T16:03:00.012-05:00

The Cobell Case, which has been litigated and debated for the last 13 years, was settled a few days ago. In the 1996 class action suit the plaintiff, Elouise Cobell, charged that the government mismanaged more than $100 billion in oil, timber, grazing and other royalties on land owned by some 500,000 individual Indian beneficiaries. These properties were held in trust by the U.S. government, with

Tribal Nations Conference: Correction

2009-12-10T15:50:00.004-05:00

I'm realizing I should have done more research before touting the recent Tribal Nations Conference as the first of its kind. The first such summit occurred in 1994, under the Clinton Administration: "Loretta Avent, Deputy Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs and the first-ever official tribal liaison to the White House, organized the Clinton tribal meeting at the White House

Reaction to President Obama's Nobel Speech

2009-12-10T15:42:00.004-05:00

I had so much hope for President Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech this morning. After defending this award to many critics, I hoped his speech would show them what many in the international community already knew about his vision for peace and hope in the world. Instead of focusing on the various initiatives that his administration has sought for a more peaceful world, it

Blogs I Love

2009-12-10T10:39:00.004-05:00

Recently, I have discovered a wonderful blog that combines my love of history, my interest in politics, and my obsession with dry humor and sarcasm into one great ball of awesomeness.The blog, The Edge of the American West, was started by two History professors from my alma mater, UC Davis. Professors Eric Rauchway and Ari Kelman are two highly regarded professors of U.S. History at Davis. I

"Democracy is Not a Spectator Sport"

2009-12-09T14:50:00.004-05:00

This Sunday, if you're able to take some time out from the hustle of the holiday season, watch The People Speak a new documentary airing on the History Channel at 8/7c. (And if you don't get the History Channel, but are interested I'm sure you can access clips & possibly the whole event online at: http://www.history.com/content/people-speak)This program will be narrated by Howard Zinn and is

Indian health as a human right

2009-12-07T12:15:00.006-05:00

December 10th is International Human Rights Day, and I would like to take this opportunity to think about Indian health care in relation to that day. Many people, states, and organizations believe that the right to good health is a basic human right. There are many treaties that state this as fact – indeed, the United States has signed a number of these treaties. To begin with, the US helped

S. 1790 - passed [out of committee]

2009-12-03T15:34:00.003-05:00

This afternoon I went to a business meeting of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee. I didn't realize that my senator, Senator Franken, was on the committee -- very cool. The main item of business they discussed was the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, which we've been working for. A number of amendments were approved, including one introduced by by Sen. Franken proposing to create the position

Reflections and Interpretations Regarding the Troop Increase in Afghanistan

2009-12-03T11:43:00.002-05:00

After listening to President Obama's address at West Point on Tuesday December 1st where he called for an increase of 30,000 troops for the war in Afghanistan, many FCNL interns have blogged their reactions to the speech, thoughts on what's ahead, and even reports of what it's like to sit in on the Congressional Hearing on the troop increase. Find out what we think about all of this by reading

The Inside Scoop on the Congressional Afghanistan Hearing

2009-12-03T10:15:00.006-05:00

After waiting in line for hours to be the first in the House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on the Afghanistan war strategy, I can assure you that being close to the action does not make it any more comprehensible. Exciting, yes, but logical, not so much. I'll admit I was hoping that being mere feet from the distinguished Secretary of State Clinton, Secretary of Defense Gates, and Chair of

New Administration Gives Hope to Improved Indian Health Care

2009-12-02T16:40:00.002-05:00

The Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA) was recently included in the House health care bill, which passed. This was a momentous step in a decade-long struggle to narrow the gap between the health care American Indians experience, and that experienced by the rest of the U.S. population.However, the longer, more controversial Senate health care bill does not include the IHCIA -- which

Show Strength by Preventing Deadly Conflict

2009-12-02T12:45:00.002-05:00

Like many of you, I was saddened by President Obama's announcement last night that he has decided to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan. It was the first time that I watched a speech by this President and rolled my eyes at empty patriotic rhetoric that obfuscates the nuances of history and current events. When watching Barack Obama's campaign speeches, his inauguration speech, and many of his

Finding Hope

2009-12-02T10:09:00.003-05:00

Overall, it was pretty surreal to watch President Obama's speech last night and have flashes in my memory of being out to brunch with family for my birthday eight years ago and watching a different president declare war on Afghanistan. Afghanistan is a country which, back then, in all honesty (although I'm pretty savvy with a map) I probably could not have correctly placed and I definitely would

New Wars, New Strategies of Engagement

2009-12-02T09:33:00.004-05:00

As I listened to President Obama's speech on Afghanistan last night, I held mixed feelings about the strategy he presented for a troop surge followed by withdrawals beginning in 2011. He spoke strongly to the concerns of people all across the political spectrum but I fear that he will satisfy few. There will be those who say Obama isn't aggressive enough, that the United States should send even

LIVE tomorrow: Congressional Hearing about Afghanistan

2009-12-01T15:21:00.004-05:00

Matt and I will be tweeting and blogging live from the Capitol tomorrow starting around noon about the Congressional hearing on Obama’s Afghanistan War strategy and the escalation he will call for in his speech tonight. Check back here on our blog and http://twitter.com/FCNL to hear our take on the testimony of Secretary of State Clinton, Admiral Mullen (Chair, Joint Chiefs of Staff), and

Giving Thanks for Family Unity

2009-11-30T11:24:00.005-05:00

I don't know about you, but I had a great Thanksgiving. On Wednesday night, I drove up to Boston to be with family and friends for the holiday. I was greeted on Thursday morning with the sound of scampering feet and yelps of joy as my five-year-old cousins joined us to watch the parade. Throughout the weekend, I found comfort in the warm presence of my family and in the rituals we have

Feast of Cultural Exchange

2009-11-23T14:38:00.002-05:00

Thanksgiving comes at a perfect time for us at FCNL to rest after our successful annual meeting November 12-15, to relax and reflect on the year with friends and family. Personally, I am extra thankful for the opportunity to return to the familiar traditions of my small family after being abroad in Bethlehem last year. As great as it was to visit my relatives by Skype call, I will relish actually

Memories - "I thought they took this down?"

2009-11-09T16:00:00.005-05:00

This week is one that marks a pretty historic event - one which, for better or worse - I only really know about from news and history books, considering I was only about 3 years old the day the wall 'fell.' As news-media, historians, and the general public around the world consider what the historic implications of this event have been and might yet still be, I find myself thinking back to my own

Tribal Nations Conference (part 2)

2009-11-09T14:05:00.003-05:00

As I mentioned in my last two blog posts, on November 5 the White House hosted a nation-to-nation conference with representatives from each of the 564 federally recognized tribes in the United States. This all-day event included participation by the members of Congress, the current administration and the President. It was a great opportunity for dialogue between nations and a symbol of the change

Senate Rejects Amendment on Second-Class System of Justice

2009-11-06T09:07:00.001-05:00

Great news! Yesterday at 6:24 PM the Senate voted against an amendment that would have compelled all Guantanamo detainees suspected of participating in the attacks of September 11, 2001 to be tried by military commission. If this amendment had passed, it would have delayed the closing of the Guantanamo prison and would have prevented Guantanamo detainees from being prosecuted fairly in U.S.

Tribal Nations Conference

2009-11-05T10:32:00.002-05:00

I mentioned the Tribal Nations Conference in my last blog post, but I forgot to mention that it is being webcast live! The conference started at 9am eastern time, and will go until about 5:30pm eastern. You can watch the whole thing, streaming live, here. President Obama, in a really unprecedented move, has invited one representative from each of the more than 550 federally recognized tribes to

Take Action: Tell Your Senators to Uphold Justice by Voting NO on the Graham Amendment

2009-11-04T18:04:00.002-05:00

Your Senators need to hear from you! They will vote tomorrow (Thursday) on an amendment that, if passed, would block access to the most effective and humane courts for criminal prosecutions of Guantanamo detainees.This amendment favors military commissions, which do not achieve the same standard of justice as federal civilian courts. The amendment, introduced by Senator Graham (SC), would

Happy Native American Heritage Month!

2009-11-03T18:59:00.003-05:00

November is Native American Heritage month, but Christmas came early (so to speak) for Indian health! On October 22, Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced her intention to include the full text of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA) in the House health care reform bill. Then last Thursday, October 29, the House introduced its amended health care reform bill, H.R. 3962 -- and it contains the

Blogs I Love

2009-11-03T09:52:00.004-05:00

Maira Kalman has a fabulous blog at The New York Times website titled "And the Pursuit of Happiness." The subject of her blog is pretty common, American democracy, nothing too novel in terms of today's blogosphere. What is remarkable, however, are her illustrations and her style of writing; I just adore this blog, and no mater what the subject of the entry, I always come away from reading it

How do We Memorialize Responsibly?

2009-10-30T16:03:00.004-05:00

A few weekends ago, my Dad came to visit me in Washington D.C. We did a number of the free touristy things that make DC such a great place to visit, including the Native American Museum, the temporary Solar Decathlon and the World War II Memorial. The WWII Memorial is one of the newest additions to the Mall and it sits in a prominent position between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln

A Report from Last Week's Survey

2009-10-27T11:08:00.004-05:00

This past week we sent out a survey to people who receive our weekly E-News. This survey was similar to one FCNL sent out at the start of the Obama administration, but instead of asking about the ever-important, first 100 days, this time our questions focused on the first 9 months. Here's a summary of the results so far.You're less happy with the Obama administration than you were in April: While

Not All Doom and Gloom in the Mideast

2009-10-26T14:52:00.007-05:00

After returning from upstate New York this weekend where I had marveled at breathtaking views of fall foliage and enjoyed a calm, restful visit with friends, I was bombarded by the terrible news emanating from the Middle East over the last few days.In Iraq, the horrible double car bombing that killed over 150 people was the most devastating attack to occur for two years and has analysts

Climate Conflict Nexus

2009-10-22T09:34:00.001-05:00

I came to FCNL from a brief but formative year working at a Philadelphia non-profit that focuses on energy policy and weatherization of low-income housing. I learned some scary facts about where our world is headed there and I came out on the other side with an enduring commitment to energy policy and conservation (it just makes so much sense). I was very excited to learn that FCNL was willing to

Here's to Sunny Skies Again

2009-10-19T11:37:00.003-05:00

While we're lucky not to have the snow that northern climates have been getting already, it's been pretty drab and dreary in D.C. the past couple of days and we're excited that the sun's out again! It's even more exciting because the power's back on!No, not the regular electricity, that never went out. I'm talking about the solar-powered models that have been built on the National Mall! The

We're all immigrants & sometimes we remember to celebrate that!

2009-10-16T09:48:00.002-05:00

Last night, while avoiding the chilly rain, Becca & I stumbled on a PBS program In Performance at the White House: Fiesta Latina (check out this link for video of the event). We both thought - how cool is this, to be in DC & be able to watch things that are going on right here - only a few blocks away from work. After watching the performances of so many talented artists, it was also clear how

A New Way to Think About Peace

2009-10-15T11:00:00.003-05:00

Just a quick note to share the new "One Minute for Peace" website from the American Friends Service Committee. Check it out and see what's going on every minute - it's pretty amazing when you think about how much could happen for peace if we all thought about things in these terms.Hope you enjoy it & please pass this on to others!In peace, ~RachaelEmail the Author | Del.icio.us | Digg | function

Words and Deeds:

2009-10-12T15:02:00.006-05:00

As Inez talked about in her earlier blog post, Columbus Day is certainly one of the stranger 'celebrations' here in the United States. Here we are, a nation that claims such high (& real) accomplishments in a relatively short amount of time (when compared to other nations around the world) and yet we still celebrate someone who set off one of the largest genocides the world and certainly the

[Happy?] Columbus Day

2009-10-12T13:14:00.002-05:00

Image from hereToday is Columbus Day, which FCNL doesn't celebrate on principle. Columbus Day marks the beginning of the greatest genocide and mass relocation and land theft our country has known. It is fitting, then, that this is the day on which I should receive this article in my inbox. It discusses an amendment to the Defense Appropriations bill called the Native American Apology Resolution.

Protesting Policy: Time for Change

2009-10-06T12:32:00.009-05:00

As we approach the beginning of the United State’s ninth year in Afghanistan, groups of activists from different perspectives converged on the White House, expressing everything from concern to disgust.It is hard to believe that eight years have passed since former President Bush launched the Global War on Terror and Al Qaeda; yet after hundreds of billions of dollars and untold loss of life,

A Good Movie for a Rainy Day

2009-10-05T15:55:00.003-05:00

I seem to hear from more people each day who were deeply touched by the movie "The Visitor," a film that follows a college professor on his journey as he meets a young immigrant couple and learns first-hand the impenetrable nature of the immigration detention system. This fictionalized account does a good job exploring the emotional experience that many families go through when their loved ones

Lessons from Last Minute Lobbying

2009-10-05T10:07:00.009-05:00

Last week we had the opportunity to get further insight into two very important aspects of our work: how Congress works (and doesn’t work) and the role of last-minute phone calls in lobbying.Lora Lumpe, the highly esteemed expert on cluster bombs who used to work at FCNL and now works for Open Society Institute, called on Monday of last week to say that we had the opportunity to finally pass the

Meeting Important People

2009-10-02T10:40:00.002-05:00

Bridget and I sent out our new Kenya brief to anyone we thought would read it late last week. A few hours later I received a call from the State Department inviting us to a lunch with State officials working in East Africa on Monday.Many other well known NGOs were invited to this lunch, which was meant to facilitate communication between the State Department and people working on the ground in

My belated introduction

2009-09-29T15:24:00.002-05:00

This is my belated introduction post to the intern blog.I joined FCNL at the beginning of September, along with all of the other new interns, and I have been quietly settling in to my job as assistant to the Executive Secretary, Joe Volk. After about one month here, I can confidently say that I've already learned a great deal and I'm having a great time. I spent last summer in DC through the

Why history's important - some thoughts from the National Parks

2009-09-28T15:08:00.003-05:00

As any fellow History major might attest, we are pretty familiar with Ken Burns films. In reality, this is where a lot of Americans get their average dose of history and personally, I'm ok with that. What has caused me to write about Ken Burns' films on this intern blog however, has to do with the airing last night of the first installment of his new series, The National Parks: America's Best

400,000 Reasons to Care About Detention Reform

2009-09-28T09:11:00.005-05:00

From Thursday through Saturday last week, I attended the annual meeting of the Detention Watch Network, a coalition representing more than 150 organizations and individuals working to reform the U.S. immigration detention system. This conference was eye-opening, to say the least. Through workshops, presentations, and lobby visits, we discussed how to best address the issue of detention. As it

Thoughts from Home…

2009-09-25T12:15:00.004-05:00

In some way, I think all of us are connected to a place that we feel is home. For me, although I've lived in 5 different states and traveled and lived abroad, home for me will always be nestled between rolling hills at the edge of a beautiful lake in New Hampshire. I know that description might sound idyllic and in some ways, it is a place that inspires thoughts of a simpler life, but the reality

Should the Redskins change their name?

2009-09-24T11:02:00.007-05:00

There has been an effort for some time to get Washington to change the name of its football team from the Redskins to… something else. Anything else. It seems everyone has an opinion about the issue. Some people argue that not only is the name is in honor of Indians, but that Indians feel honored by the name. Others, Indian and non-Indian, hold steady with the assertion that the name is racist

Crimes Against Humanity

2009-09-23T09:01:00.002-05:00

Last Friday I was fortunate to have the opportunity, along with a number of FCNL colleagues, to visit a recently installed interactive exhibit on genocide at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum on the National Mall. It's part of their learning center and it is the first non-Holocaust related exhibition there, but it fits with the organization's commitment to preventing future genocides

All the Small Things

2009-09-21T17:11:00.001-05:00