Earth Day 2013: Monday April 22nd

Posted on April 21, 2013 by Jueseppi B.

 

By Jueseppi B.

 

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Earth Day is an annual day on which events are held worldwide to demonstrate support for environmental protection. Earth Day is observed on April 22 each year. The April 22 date was designated as International Mother Earth Day by a consensus resolution adopted by the United Nations in 2009. Earth Day is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network, and is celebrated in more than 192 countries every year.

 

 

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The name and concept of Earth Day was pioneered by John McConnell in 1969 at a UNESCO Conference in San Francisco. He proposed March 21, 1970, the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere. This day of nature’s equipoise was later sanctioned in a Proclamation signed by Secretary General U Thant at the United Nations. A month later a separate Earth Day was founded by United States Senator Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in first held on April 22, 1970. While this April 22 Earth Day was focused on the United States, an organization launched by Denis Hayes, who was the original national coordinator in 1970, took it international in 1990 and organized events in 141 nations. Numerous communities celebrate Earth Week, an entire week of activities focused on environmental issues.

 

 

Wednesday, April 22, 1970 chosen as Earth Day

 

GaylordNelson

 

The genesis of Earth Day is credited to Gaylord Nelson, a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin. After witnessing the ravages of the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill, and inspired by the student anti-war movement, he called for an environmental teach-in, later called “Earth Day”, to be held on Wednesday, April 22, 1970. More than 20 million people participated that year, and now Earth Day is observed on April 22 each year by more than one billion people and many national governments in 192 countries. Earth Day appears on calendars around the world.

 

Nelson, an environmental and conservationist activist, hoped to demonstrate popular political support for an environmental agenda. He modeled it on the highly effective Vietnam War teach-ins of the time.

 

Nelson had conceived the idea for his environmental teach-in following a trip he took to Santa Barbara right after the horrific oil spill off the coast in 1969. Outraged by the devastation and Washington political inertia, Nelson proposed a national teach-in on the environment to be observed by every university campus in the U.S.

 

 

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The April 22, 1970, Earth Day marked the beginning of the modern environmental movement. Approximately 20 million Americans participated. Thousands of colleges and universities organized protests against the deterioration of the environment. Groups that had been fighting against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps,pesticides, Freeway and expressway revolts, the loss of wilderness, and air pollution suddenly realized they shared common values.

 

Media coverage of the first April 22 Earth Day included a One-Hour Prime-time CBS News Special Report called “Earth Day: A Question of Survival”, with correspondents reporting from a dozen major cities across the country, and narrated by Walter Cronkite.

 

Pete Seeger was a keynote speaker and performer at the event held in Washington, D.C. Paul Newman and Ali MacGraw attended the event held in Manhattan.

 

 

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Significance of April 22

Nelson chose the date in order to maximize participation on college campuses for what he conceived as an “environmental teach-in”. He determined the week of April 19–25 was the best bet as it did not fall during exams or spring breaks. Moreover, it did not conflict with religious holidays such as Easter or Passover, and was late enough in spring to have decent weather. More students were likely to be in class, and there would be less competition with other mid-week events—so he chose Wednesday, April 22.

 

Unbeknownst to Nelson, April 22, 1970, was coincidentally the 100th anniversary of the birth of Vladimir Lenin. Time reported that some suspected the date was not a coincidence, but a clue that the event was “a Communist trick”, and quoted a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution as saying, “subversive elements plan to make American children live in an environment that is good for them.” J. Edgar Hoover, director of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, may have found the Lenin connection intriguing; it was alleged the FBI conducted surveillance at the 1970 demonstrations.

 

 

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The idea that the date was chosen to celebrate Lenin’s centenary still persists in some quarters, an idea borne out by the similarity with the subbotnik instituted by Lenin in 1920 as days on which people would have to do community service, which typically consisted in removing rubbish from public property and collecting recyclable material. Subbotniks were also imposed on other countries within the compass of Soviet power, including Eastern Europe, and at the height of its power the Soviet Union established a nation-wide subbotnik to be celebrated on Lenin’s birthday, April 22, which had been proclaimed a national holiday celebrating communism by Nikita Khrushchev in 1955.

 

Earth Day anthem

There are many songs that are performed on Earth Day, that generally fall into two categories. Popular songs by contemporary artists not specific to Earth Day that are under copyright or new lyrics adapted to children’s songs. Creating new lyrics that are easily translated into multiple languages, and set to a universally recognized melody in the public domain, does not appear to have been attempted.

 

 

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The “Earth Day Anthem” below satisfies these requirements for a universal song associated with Earth Day. Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” melody is already the official anthem of the European Union (in that case purely instrumental without lyrics), the melody is widely recognized and easily performed, in the public domain, and originally composed for voice. Lyrics for the Earth Day Anthem set to “Ode to Joy” are provided below:

 

 

The Best Earth Day Song / Anthem

 

 

 

Joyful joyful we adore our Earth in all its wonderment
Simple gifts of nature that all join into a paradise
Now we must resolve to protect her
Show her our love throughout all time
With our gentle hand and touch
We make our home a newborn world
Now we must resolve to protect her
Show her our love throughout all time
With our gentle hand and touch
We make our home a newborn world

 

 

Earth Day Song

 

 

 

 

Earth Day 2013

 

The Face of Climate Change

 

Climate change can seem like a remote problem for our leaders, but the fact is that it’s already impacting real people, animals, and beloved places. These Faces of Climate Change are multiplying every day. Fortunately, other Faces of Climate Change are multiplying too: those stepping up to do something about it. Help us personalize the massive challenge climate change presents by taking a photo and telling your story. How has climate change impacted you? What are you doing to be part of the solution?

 

 

 

Earth Day 2013 The Face of Climate Change

 

Every year on April 22, more than one billion people take part in Earth Day. Across the globe, individuals, communities, organizations, and governments acknowledge the amazing planet we call home and take action to protect it.

 

 

Published on Mar 15, 2013

The theme of Earth Day 2013 is The Face of Climate Change. This campaign seeks to harness the power of Earth Day to personalize the massive challenge that climate change presents, while uniting people around the globe into a powerful call to action. Earth Day Network is collecting images of people, animals, and places affected by climate change as well as images of people doing their part in the fight against climate change.

On and around Earth Day (April 22), an interactive digital display of all the images will be shown at thousands of events around the world — from schools to parks to government buildings. The display will also be made available online to anyone who wants to view or show it.

Learn more and upload your photos at earthday.org/2013.

 

 

 

 

 

Earth Day 2013: The Face of Climate Change

 

Climate change has many faces.

A man in the Maldives worried about relocating his family as sea levels rise, a farmer in Kansas struggling to make ends meet as prolonged drought ravages the crops, a fisherman on the Niger River whose nets often come up empty, a child in New Jersey who lost her home to a super-storm, a woman in Bangladesh who can’t get fresh water due to more frequent flooding and cyclones…

 

 

And they’re not only human faces.

They’re the polar bear in the melting arctic, the tiger in India’s threatened mangrove forests, the right whale in plankton-poor parts of the warming North Atlantic, the orangutan in Indonesian forests segmented by more frequent bushfires and droughts…

 

 

These faces of climate change are multiplying every day.

For many, climate change can often seem remote and hazy – a vague and complex problem far off in the distance that our grandchildren may have to solve. But that’s only because they’re still fortunate enough to be insulated from its mounting consequences. Climate change has very real effects on people, animals, and the ecosystems and natural resources on which we all depend. Left unchecked, they’ll spread like wildfire.

 

 

Luckily, other faces of climate change are also multiplying every day.

Every person who does his or her part to fix the problem is also a Face of Climate Change: the entrepreneurs who see opportunity in creating the new green economy, the activists who organize community action and awareness campaigns, the engineers who design the clean technology of the future, the public servants who fight for climate change laws and for mitigation efforts, the ordinary people who commit to living sustainably…

 

On April 22, 2013, more than one billion people around the world will take part in the 43rd anniversary of Earth Day. From Beijing to Cairo, Melbourne to London, Rio to Johannesburg, New Delhi to New York, communities everywhere will voice their concerns for the planet, and take action to protect it. We’ll harness that power to show the world The Face of Climate Change. And we’ll call on our leaders to act boldly together, as we have, in this pivotal year.

 

Between now and Earth Day, we’ll collect and display images of people, animals, and places directly affected or threatened by climate change – as well as images of people stepping up to do something about it. We’ll tell the world their stories. But we need your help. We need you to be climate reporters. So, send us your pictures and stories that show The Face of Climate Change.

 

On and around Earth Day, an interactive digital display of all the images will be shown at thousands of events around the world, including next to federal government buildings in countries that produce the most carbon pollution. The display will also be made available online to anyone who wants to view or show it.

 

Together, we’ll highlight the solutions and showcase the collective power of individuals taking action across the world. In doing so, we hope to inspire our leaders to act and inspire ourselves to redouble our efforts in the fight against climate change.

 

 

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International Women’s Day

Posted on March 8, 2013 by Jueseppi B.

 

By Jueseppi B.

 

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International Women’s Day (IWD), originally called International Working Women’s Day, is marked on March 8th every year. In different regions the focus of the celebrations ranges from general celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women to a celebration for women’s economic, political and social achievements. Started as a Socialist political event, the holiday blended in the culture of many countries, primarily Eastern Europe, Russia, and the former Soviet bloc.

 

In some regions, the day lost its political flavor, and became simply an occasion for men to express their love for women in a way somewhat similar to a mixture of Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day. In other regions, however, the political and human rights theme designated by the United Nations runs strong, and political and social awareness of the struggles of women worldwide are brought out and examined in a hopeful manner.

 

 

 

International Women’s Day
International Women's Day
Poster for Women’s Day, March 8, 1914
Observed by Worldwide
Type International
Significance Civil awareness day
Women and girls day
Anti-sexism day
Positive Discrimination Day
Date March 8 (annually)
Related to Universal Children’s Day,

International Men’s Day,

International Workers’ Day

 

 

 

 

History

The first national Women’s Day was observed on 28 February 1909 in the United States following a declaration by the Socialist Party of America. In August 1910, an International Women’s Conference was organized to precede the general meeting of the Socialist Second International in Copenhagen. Inspired in part by the American socialists, German Socialist Luise Zietz proposed the establishment of an annual ‘International Woman’s Day‘ (singular) and was seconded by fellow socialist and later communist leader Clara Zetkin, although no date was specified at that conference.

 

Delegates (100 women from 17 countries) agreed with the idea as a strategy to promote equal rights, including suffrage, for women The following year, on 18 March 1911, IWD was marked for the first time, by over a million people in Austria,Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. In the Austro-Hungarian Empire alone, there were 300 demonstrations. In Vienna, women paraded on the Ringstrasse and carried banners honoring the martyrs of the Paris Commune. Women demanded that women be given the right to vote and to hold public office. They also protested against employment sex discrimination.Americans continued to celebrate National Women’s Day on the last Sunday in February.

 

In 1913 Russian women observed their first International Women’s Day on the last Sunday in February (by Julian calendar then used in Russia). In 1917 demonstrations marking International Women’s Day in Saint Petersburg on the last Sunday in February (which fell on 8 March on the Gregorian calendar) initiated the February Revolution.

 

Following the October Revolution, the Bolshevik Alexandra Kollontai persuaded Vladimir Lenin to make it an official holiday in the Soviet Union, and it was established, but was a working day until 1965. On May 8, 1965 by the decree of the USSR Presidium of the Supreme Soviet International Women’s Day was declared a non-working day in the USSR “in commemoration of the outstanding merits of Soviet women in communistic construction, in the defense of their Fatherland during the Great Patriotic War, in their heroism and selflessness at the front and in the rear, and also marking the great contribution of women to strengthening friendship between peoples, and the struggle for peace. But still, women’s day must be celebrated as are other holidays.”

 

From its official adoption in Russia following the Soviet Revolution in 1917 the holiday was predominantly celebrated in communist and socialist countries. It was celebrated by the communists in China from 1922, and by Spanish communists from 1936. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China on October 1, 1949 the state council proclaimed on December 23 that March 8 would be made an official holiday with women in China given a half-day off, though today’s young women in college or before motherhood are increasingly reluctant to celebrate it for the suggestion of the term ‘women’ of youth ended, prettiness lost, and relational liberty restricted.

 

In the West, International Women’s Day was first observed as a popular event after 1977 when the United Nations General Assembly invited member states to proclaim March 8 as the UN Day for women’s rights and world peace.

 

 

2010 International Women’s Day

On the occasion of 2010 International Women’s Day the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) drew attention to the hardship displaced women endure. The displacement of populations is one of the gravest consequences of today’s armed conflicts. It affects women in a host of ways.

 

 

2011 International Women’s Day

Events took place in more than 100 countries on March 8, 2011 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day. In the United States, President Barack Obama proclaimed March 2011 to be “Women’s History Month”, calling Americans to mark IWD by reflecting on “the extraordinary accomplishments of women” in shaping the country’s history. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton launched the “100 Women Initiative: Empowering Women and Girls through International Exchanges”, on the eve of IWD.

 

In the run-up to 2011 International Women’s Day, the ICRC called on States and other entities not to relent in their efforts to prevent rape and other forms of sexual violence that harm the lives and dignity of countless women in conflict zones around the world every year. In Pakistan, Punjab Govt. Project Gender Reform Action Plan, District Gujranwala celebrated this day in large scale in the Gift University Gujranwala. Mrs. Shazia Ashfaq Mattu, MPA and GRAP officer Mr. Dr. Yasir Nawaz Manj organized the events in very effective manners.

Australia issued a 100th anniversary commemorative coin.

 

 

2012 International Women’s Day

The UN theme for International Women’s Day 2012 was Empower Rural Women – End Hunger and Poverty. In that year, Oxfam America invited people to celebrate inspiring women in their lives by sending a free International Women’s Day e-Card or honoring a woman whose efforts had made a difference in the fight against hunger and poverty with Oxfam’s International Women’s Day award.

 

On the occasion of International Women’s Day 2012, the ICRC called for more action to help the mothers and wives of people who have gone missing during armed conflict. The vast majority of people who go missing in connection with conflict are men. As well as the anguish of not knowing what has happened to the missing person, many of these women face economic and practical difficulties. The ICRC underlined the duty of parties to a conflict to search for the missing and provide information for the families.

 

The Google Doodle for March 8, 2012 had an International Women’s Day theme.

 

 

2013 International Women’s Day

The UN theme for International Women’s Day 2013 is “A promise is a promise: Time for action to end violence against women,” while International Women’s Day 2013 has declared the year’s theme as The Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum.

 

On 2013 International Women’s Day, the [International Committee of the Red Cross] (ICRC)draw attention to the plight of women in prison. All over the world, women and girls living behind bars often face particular hardship in terms of protection, privacy and access to basic services, including health care.

 

 

2017 International Women’s Day

2017 will be the hundredth anniversary of the Russian Revolution, which was sparked on March 8, 1917 by women protesting against bread shortages in St. Petersburg. These events culminated in the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II on March 15. Worldwide celebrations and re-enactments are scheduled to begin on March 8, 2017. Among the organisers is the Ukrainian women’s direct action group FEMEN, which aims “to shake women in Ukraine, making them socially active; to organize in 2017 a women’s revolution.”

 

On this day a global women’s strike including a sex strike is planned, called by, among others, the International Union of Sex Workers.

 

 

International Women’s Day Official UN Themes

Year UN Theme 
1996 Celebrating the Past, Planning for the Future
1997 Women and the Peace Table
1998 Women and Human Rights
1999 World Free of Violence Against Women
2000 Women Uniting for Peace
2001 Women and Peace: Women Managing Conflicts
2002 Afghan Women Today: Realities and Opportunities
2003 Gender Equality and the Millennium Development

Goals
2004 Women and HIV/AIDS
2005 Gender Equality Beyond 2005; Building a More

Secure Future
2006 Women in Decision-making
2007 Ending Impunity for Violence Against Women

and Girls
2008 Investing in Women and Girls
2009 Women and Men United to End Violence Against

Women and Girls
2010 Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities: Progress for All
2011 Equal Access to Education, Training, and Science

and

Technology: Pathway to Decent Work for Women
2012 Empower Rural Women, End Poverty and Hunger
2013 A Promise is a Promise: Time for Action to End

Violence Against Women

In modern culture

The day is an official holiday in Afghanistan, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan,

Belarus, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, China (for women only), Cuba,

Georgia, Guinea-Bissau, Eritrea, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,

Macedonia (for women only), Madagascar (for women only), 

Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nepal (for women only), Russia,

Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Zambia.

 

In some countries, such as Cameroon, Croatia, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Bulgaria and Chile, the day is not a public holiday, but is widely observed nonetheless. On this day it is customary for men to give the women in their lives – mothers, wives, girlfriends, daughters, colleagues, etc. – flowers and small gifts. In some countries (such as Bulgaria and Romania) it is also observed as an equivalent of Mother’s Day, where children also give small presents to their mothers and grandmothers.

 

In Armenia, after the collapse of the Soviet Union celebrations of IWD were abandoned. Instead, April 7 was introduced as state holiday of ‘Beauty and Motherhood’. The new holiday immediately became popular among Armenians, as it commemorates one of the main holidays of the Armenian Church, the Annunciation. However, people still kept celebrating IWD on March 8 as well. Public discussion held on the topic of two ‘Women’s Days’ in Armenia resulted in the recognition of the so-called ‘Women’s Month’ which is the period between March 8 and April 7.

 

In Italy, to celebrate the day, men give yellow mimosas to women. Yellow mimosas and chocolate are also one of the most common March 8 presents in Russia and Albania.

 

In many countries, such as in Armenia, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil,

Bulgaria, Croatia,Estonia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland,

Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania,Russia, Serbia, Slovakia,

Slovenia and Ukraine the custom of giving women flowers still prevails.

Women also sometimes get gifts from their employers. Schoolchildren

often bring gifts for their teachers, too.

 

In countries like Portugal groups of women usually celebrate on the night of 8 March in “women-only” dinners and parties.

 

In Pakistan working women in formal and informal sectors celebrate International Women’s Day every year to commemorate their ongoing struggle for due rights, despite facing many cultural and religious restrictions. Some women working for change in society use IWM to help the movement for women’s rights. In Poland, for instance, every IWD includes large feminist demonstrations in major cities.

 

In 1975, which was designated as International Women’s Year, the United Nations gave official sanction to, and began sponsoring, International Women’s Day.

 

The 2005 Congress (conference) of the British Trades Union Congress overwhelmingly approved a resolution calling for IWD to be designated a public holiday in the United Kingdom.

 

Since 2005, IWD has been celebrated in Montevideo, either on the principal street, 18 de Julio, or alternatively through one of its neighbourhoods. The event has attracted much publicity due to a group of female drummers, La Melaza, who have performed each year.

 

Today, many events are held by women’s groups around the world. The UK-based marketing company Aurora hosts a free worldwide register of IWD local events so that women and the media can learn about local activity. Many governments and organizations around the world support IWD.

 

70% of those living in poverty are women and Oxfam GB encourages women to Get Together on International Women’s Day and fund-raise to support Oxfam projects, which change the lives of women around the world. Thousands of people hold events for Oxfam on International Women’s Day, join the celebration by visiting the website and registering their events.

 

 

Controversies

In some cases International Women’s Day has led to questionable practices that discriminated against men. For example Tower Hamlets Council closed off one of its libraries to all males to “celebrate” the occasion, forcing them to travel elsewhere, going as far as even banning male staff from the premises.

 

In Communist Czechoslovakia, huge Soviet-style celebrations were held annually. After the fall of Communism, the holiday, generally considered to be one of the major symbols of the old regime, fell into obscurity. International Women’s Day was re-established as an official “important day” by the Parliament of the Czech Republic only recently, on the proposal of the Social Democrats and Communists. This has provoked some controversy as a large part of the public as well as the political right see the holiday as a relic of the nation’s Communist past. In 2008, the Christian conservative Czechoslovak People’s Party‘s deputies unsuccessfully proposed the abolition of the holiday. However, some non-government organizations consider the official recognition of International Women’s Day as an important reminder of women’s role in the society.

 

International Women’s Day sparked violence in Tehran, Iran on March 4, 2007, when police beat hundreds of men and women who were planning a rally. Police arrested dozens of women and some were released after several days of solitary confinement and interrogation. Shadi Sadr,Mahbubeh Abbasgholizadeh and several more community activists were released on March 19, 2007, ending a fifteen day hunger strike.

 

 

Apocrypha

A popular apocryphal story which surfaced in French Communist circles claimed that women from clothing and textile factories had staged a protest on 8 March 1857 in New York City. The story alleged that garment workers were protesting against very poor working conditions and low wages and were attacked and dispersed by police. It was claimed that this event led to a rally in commemoration of its 50th anniversary in 1907. Temma Kaplan explains that “neither event seems to have taken place, but many Europeans think March 8, 1907, inaugurated International Women’s Day.”

 

Speculating about the origins of this 1857 legend, Liliane Kandel and Françoise Picq suggested it was likely that (in recent times) some felt it opportune to detach International Women’s Day from its basis in Soviet history and ascribe to it a more “international” origin which could be painted as more ancient than Bolshevism and more spontaneous than a decision of Congress or the initiative of those women affiliated to the Party.

 

 

See also

 

 

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Turkish Kurd women hold placards reading

 

 

 

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Filed under: Causes, Celebrity, Education, Event, Good News, History, Holidays, News, Photographs, Women's Causes, World News | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 7 Comments »

Black History Moment: Reverend Andrew Jackson Young

Posted on February 18, 2013 by Jueseppi B.

 

By Jueseppi B.

 

 

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Andrew Jackson Young (born March 12, 1932) is an American politician, diplomat, activist and pastor from Georgia. He has served as Mayor of Atlanta, a Congressman from the 5th district, and United States Ambassador to the United Nations. He served as President of the National Council of Churches USA, was a member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) during the 1960′s Civil Rights Movement, and was a supporter and friend of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

Since leaving political office in 1989, Young has founded or served in a large number of organizations founded on public policy, political lobbying and international relations, with a special focus on Africa.

 

 

 

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14th United States Ambassador to the

United Nations
In office
1977–1979
President Jimmy Carter
Preceded by William Scranton
Succeeded by Donald McHenry
55th Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia
In office
1982–1990
Preceded by Maynard Jackson
Succeeded by Maynard Jackson
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives

from Georgia‘s 5th district
In office
January 3, 1973 – January 29, 1977
Preceded by Fletcher Thompson
Succeeded by Wyche Fowler
Personal details
Born March 12, 1932 (age 80)
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Jean Young (deceased),

Carolyn M. Young
Alma mater Dillard University
Howard University
Hartford Seminary
Profession Pastor and Politician
Religion United Church of Christ

 

 

 

Early career

Young was appointed to serve as pastor of a church in Marion, Alabama. It was there in Marion that he met Jean Childs, who later became his wife. Young became interested in Gandhi’s concept of non-violent resistance as a tactic for social change. He encouraged African-Americans to register to vote in Alabama, and sometimes faced death threats while doing so. It was at this time that he became a friend and ally of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr..

 

In 1957, Young and Jean moved to New York City to accept a job with the Youth Division of the National Council of Churches. While in New York, Young regularly appeared on Look Up and Live, a weekly Sunday morning television program on CBS, produced by the National Council of Churches in an effort to reach out to secular youth.

 

Young moved to Atlanta, Georgia, in 1961, and again worked on drives to register black voters. In 1960, he joined the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Young was jailed for his participation in civil rights demonstrations, both in Selma, Alabama, and in St. Augustine, Florida. Young played a key role in the events in Birmingham, Alabama, serving as a mediator between the white and black communities.

 

In 1964, Young was named executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), becoming, in that capacity, one of King’s principal lieutenants. As a colleague and friend of Martin Luther King Jr., he was a strategist and negotiator during the Civil Rights Campaigns in Birmingham (1963), St. Augustine (1964), Selma (1965), and Atlanta (1966) that resulted in the passage of the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act. He was with King in Memphis, Tennessee, when King was assassinated in 1968.

 

 

Martin Luther King and Aide at Press Conference

 

 

 

 

Congress

In 1970, Andrew Young ran as a Democrat for Congress from Georgia, but was unsuccessful. After his defeat, Rev. Fred C. Bennette, Jr., introduced him to Murray M. Silver, an Atlanta attorney, who served as his campaign finance chairman. Young ran again in 1972 and won. He later was re-elected in 1974 and in 1976. During his four-plus years in Congress, he was a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, and was involved in several debates regarding foreign relations, including the decision to stop supporting the Portuguese attempts to hold on to their colonies in southern Africa. Young also sat on the powerful Rules Committee and the Banking and Urban Development Committee. Young opposed the Vietnam War, helped enact legislation that established the U.S. Institute for Peace, established the Chattahoochee River National Park and negotiated federal funds for MARTA and the Atlanta Highways.

 

 

Ambassador to the United Nations

n 1977, President Jimmy Carter appointed Young to serve as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations. Young resigned from Congress, and his seat was taken by Wyche Fowler after a special election.

 

Although the US and the UN enacted an arms embargo against South Africa, as President Carter’s UN ambassador, Andrew Young vetoed economic sanctions.

 

Young caused controversy when, during a July 1978 interview with French newspaper Le Matin de Paris, while discussing the Soviet Union and its treatment of political dissidents, he said, “We still have hundreds of people that I would categorize as political prisoners in our prisons,” in reference to jailed civil-rights and anti-war protesters  In response, U.S. Representative Larry McDonald (D-GA) sponsored a resolution to impeach Young, but the measure failed 293 to 82. Carter referred to it in a press conference as an “unfortunate statement”.

 

In 1979, Young played a leading role in advancing a settlement in Rhodesia with Robert Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo, who had been two of the military leaders in the Rhodesian Bush War, which had ended in 1979. The settlement paved the way for Mugabe to take power as Prime Minister of the newly-formed Republic of Zimbabwe. There had been a general election in 1979, bringing Bishop Abel Muzorewa to power as leader of the United African National Council leading to the short-lived country of Zimbabwe Rhodesia. Young refused to accept the election’s results, and described the election as “neofascist”, a sentiment echoed by United Nations Security Council Resolution 445 and 448. The situation was resolved the next year with the Lancaster House Agreement and the establishment of Zimbabwe.

 

Young’s favoring of Mugabe and Nkomo over Muzorewa and his predecessor and ally, Ian Smith, was, and remains, controversial. Many African-American activists, including Jesse Jackson and Coretta Scott King, supported the anti-colonialism represented by Mugabe and Nkomo. However, it was opposed by others, including civil-rights leader Bayard Rustin, who argued that the 1979 election had been “free and fair”, as well as senators Harry F. Byrd, Jr. (I-VA) and Jesse Helms (R-NC). It was later criticized in 2005 by Gabriel Shumba, executive director of the anti-Mugabe Zimbabwe Exiles Forum.

 

In July 1979, Young discovered that an upcoming report by the United Nations Division for Palestinian Rights called for the creation of a Palestinian State. Young wanted to delay the report because the Carter Administration was dealing with too many other issues at the time. He met with the UN representatives of several Arab countries to try to convince them the report should be delayed; they agreed in principle, but insisted that the Palestine Liberation Organization also had to agree. As a result, on July 20, Young met with Zehdi Terzi, the UN representative of the PLO, at the apartment of the UN Ambassador from Kuwait. On August 10, news of this meeting became public. The meeting was highly controversial, since the United States had already promised Israel that it would not meet directly with the PLO until the PLO recognized Israel’s right to exist.

 

Young’s UN ambassadorship ended on August 14. Jimmy Carter denied any complicity in what was called the “Andy Young Affair”, and asked Young to resign. Asked about the incident by Time soon afterward, Young stated, “It is very difficult to do the things that I think are in the interest of the country and maintain the standards of protocol and diplomacy… I really don’t feel a bit sorry for anything that I have done.” Soon afterward, on the television show Meet the Press, he stated that Israel was “stubborn and intransigent.”

 

Young spent the next two years running a consulting firm called Young Ideas.

 

 

Atlanta mayor

In 1981, after being urged by a number of people, including Coretta Scott King, the widow of Martin Luther King Jr., Young ran for mayor of Atlanta. He was elected later that year with 55% of the vote, succeeding Maynard Jackson. As mayor of Atlanta, he brought in $70 billion of new private investment. He continued and expanded Maynard Jackson’s programs for including minority and female-owned businesses in all city contracts. The Mayor’s Task Force on Education established the Dream Jamboree College Fair that tripled the college scholarships given to Atlanta public school graduates. In 1985, he was involved in renovating the Atlanta Zoo, which was renamed Zoo Atlanta. Young was re-elected as Mayor in 1985 with more than 80% of the vote. Atlanta hosted the 1988 Democratic National Convention during Young’s tenure. He was prohibited by term limits from running for a third term.

 

 

Post-mayoral career

Young ran unsuccessfully for Governor of Georgia in 1990, losing in the Democratic primary run-off to future Governor Zell Miller. However, while running for the Statehouse, he simultaneously was serving as a co-chairman of a committee which, at the time, was attempting to bring the 1996 Summer Olympics to Atlanta. Young played a significant role in the success of Atlanta’s bid to host the Summer Games.

 

In October 1994, then-U.S. president Bill Clinton, along with then-president of South Africa Nelson Mandela, established the Southern Africa Enterprise Development Fund (SAEDF), and named Young as its Chairman. The fund was established to provide funding to help small- and medium-size indigenous businesses throughout southern Africa.

 

In 1996, Young wrote A Way Out of No Way: The Spiritual Memoirs of Andrew Young, published by Thomas Nelson.

 

In 1996, Young and Carlton Masters co-founded GoodWorks International, a consulting firm “offering international market access and political risk analysis in key emerging markets within Africa and the Caribbean.” The company’s Web site also notes that “GWI principals have backgrounds in human rights and public service. The concept of enhancing the greater good is intrinsic to our business endeavors.” Nike is one of GoodWorks’ most visible corporate clients. In the late 1990′s, at the height of controversy over the company’s labor practices, Young led a delegation to report on Nike operations in Vietnam. Anti-sweatshop activists derided the report as a whitewash and raised concerns that Nike was trading on Young’s background as a civil-rights activist to improve Nike’s corporate image.

 

Young has been a director of the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy, and is also the chairman of the board for the Global Initiative for the Advancement of Nutritional Therapy.

 

From 2000 to 2001, Young served as president of the National Council of Churches.

 

In 2003, Young founded the Andrew Young Foundation, an organization meant to support and promote education, health, leadership and human rights in the United States, Africa and the Caribbean.

 

In 2004, Young briefly considered running for U.S. Senate from Georgia after the incumbent, Zell Miller, announced his retirement, but decided not to re-enter public life.

In 2005, to honor the 40th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, Young, William Wachtel and Norman Ornstein founded Why Tuesday?, a nonpartisan group dedicated to increasing voter participation by moving the national voting day from Tuesday to the weekend.

 

From February to August 2006, Young served as the public spokesman for Working Families for Wal-Mart, an advocacy group for the retail chain Wal-Mart. Young resigned from the position soon after a controversial interview with the Los Angeles Sentinel, in which, when asked about Wal-Mart hurting independent businesses, he replied, “You see those are the people who have been overcharging us, and they sold out and moved to Florida. I think they’ve ripped off our communities enough. First it was Jews, then it was Koreans and now it’s Arabs.”

 

In 2007, the Andrew Young Foundation produced the documentary film Rwanda Rising, about Rwanda’s progress since the Rwandan genocide of 1994. Young also served as the film’s narrator. Rwanda Rising premiered as the opening night selection at the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles in 2007.

 

An edited version of Rwanda Rising served as the pilot episode of Andrew Young Presents, a series of quarterly, hour-long specials airing on nationally syndicated television.

 

On January 22, 2008, Young appeared as a guest on the television show The Colbert Report. Host Stephen Colbert invited Young to appear during the writers’ strike, because, in 1969, Young and Colbert’s father had worked together to mediate a hospital workers’ strike. Young made another appearance on The Colbert Report on November 5, 2008, to talk about the election of Barack Obama to the presidency.

 

 

Personal life and family

Young had four children with his first wife, Jean Childs, who died of cancer in 1994. He married his second wife, Carolyn McClain, in 1996.

 

According to a DNA analysis performed by African Ancestry Inc., he is descended partially from people of Sierra Leone.

 

In September 1999, Young was diagnosed with prostate cancer which was successfully removed with surgery in January 2000.

 

 

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Books

  • An Easy Burden: The Civil Rights Movement and the Transformation of America. (January 1998);
  • A Way Out of No Way. (June 1996);
  • Andrew Young at the United Nations. (January 1978);
  • Andrew Young, Remembrance & Homage. (January 1978);
  • The History of the Civil Rights Movement. (9 volumes) (September 1990);
  • Trespassing Ghost: A Critical Study of Andrew Young. (January 1978);
  • Walk in My Shoes: Conversations between a Civil Rights Legend and his Godson on the Journey Ahead with Kabir Sehgal. (May 2010) ISBN 978-0-230-62360-6.

 

 

Awards and honors

 

 

 

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Places named after Andrew Young

  • International Boulevard, near Centennial Olympic Park, was renamed Andrew Young International Boulevard, in honor of his involvement in bringing the 1996 Summer Olympics to Atlanta.
  • The Andrew Young Center for International Affairs at Morehouse College was named after Young.
  • The Andrew and Walter Young YMCA, the only full-service YMCA operating in Southwest Atlanta, is named after Young and his younger brother.

 

 

 

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Filed under: Black History, Causes, Celebrity, Democrats/Democratic, Education, Foreign Polocy, Good News, History, Immigration Issues, News, Photographs, Politics, Stories, World News | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

More Gun Violence “Help” From The N.R.A. (NutBag Racist Americans)

Posted on January 10, 2013 by Jueseppi B.

By Jueseppi B.

 

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From  Amnesty International USA:

 

 

The NRA wants to make a “meaningful contribution” to prevent gun violence? Here’s one idea.

 

 

The National Rifle Association (NRA) wants to make a “meaningful contribution” to prevent gun violence?

 

Here’s one idea: the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). The United Nations is preparing to finalize the treaty, which would help stem the flow of weapons to human rights abusers. And world leaders will negotiate and vote on it in March.

 

We can all agree, children — no matter where they live — must be kept safe from gun related violence.

 

Unfortunately, in so many places around the world, that is not happening as a result of the unregulated global arms trade. There are tens of thousands of children forcibly recruited right now by governments’ armed forces and by non-state armed groups who are often armed with weapons irresponsibly traded by governments and private corporations. Children are also part of the 26 million people who have been displaced by armed conflict fueled by guns.

 

Despite being the largest exporter of small arms and conventional weapons, the U.S. has not been a leader in the effort to establish this treaty due to a campaign of misinformation and lies – orchestrated by the NRA—to force the U.S. government to oppose and weaken the ATT.

 

 

Tell the NRA to stop its campaign of lies about the ATT and stop interfering in U.S. foreign policy.

 

 

The NRA has asserted that the ATT would infringe on the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, the right to bear arms. But, in fact, the ATT will have no bearing on domestic gun ownership, as it deals exclusively with the flow of weapons between – not within – countries.

 

Let’s be clear about something. There is virtually no regulation of the international arms trade. Governments and groups known to commit atrocities and abuses can buy weapons traded on the open market and use them with impunity.

 

This must stop. The ATT could save hundreds of lives every day by establishing common global standards for how countries import, export and transfer conventional weapons.

 

By dropping its opposition to the ATT, the NRA has an opportunity to help keep guns out of the hands of those who routinely target children and others—saving countless lives around the world.

 

 

Tell the NRA to stop helping human rights abusers get weapons.

 

 

We’ve got their attention. Let’s keep the pressure on.

 

Sincerely,

Michelle Ringuette
Chief of Campaigns and Programs
Amnesty International USA

 

 

1. “National Rifle Association vows to fight arms trade treaty at U.N.” Reuters, December 28, 2012.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/28/us-arms-treaty-nra-idUSBRE8BR03420121228

 

 

2. http://www.un.org/disarmament/ATT/media/presskit/ATT_Myths_and_Facts.pdf

 

 

A Deadly Gift from the Gun Lobby

 

 

Don’t let the NRA help give war criminals, dictators and human rights abusers a free pass to get weapons. No more standing in the way of an Arms Trade Treaty that could help save millions of lives worldwide!

 

 

 

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Filed under: Bad News, Causes, Congress, Court Room/Legal, Crime, Democrats/Democratic, Gun Control, Gun Violence, News, Politics, The White House, World News | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Ambassador Susan Elizabeth Rice Withdraws Her Sacred Name From Consideration For Secretary Of State

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Jueseppi B.

By Jueseppi B.

 

 

 

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From NPR: 

 

Ambassador Rice Asks Not To Be Considered For Secretary Of State

 

by   December 13, 2012

 

 

Moving to withdraw her name from among those being considered to be the next secretary of state, embattled U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice has told President Obama she does not want to be nominated.

 

 

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U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice. Allison Joyce /Reuters /Landov

 

 

The White House just released a statement from the president that says, in part:

 

“Today, I spoke to Ambassador Susan Rice, and accepted her decision to remove her name from consideration for Secretary of State. For two decades, Susan has proven to be an extraordinarily capable, patriotic, and passionate public servant. As my Ambassador to the United Nations, she plays an indispensable role in advancing America‘s interests. …

 

“I am grateful that Susan will continue to serve as our Ambassador at the United Nations and a key member of my cabinet and national security team, carrying her work forward on all of these and other issues. …

 

“While I deeply regret the unfair and misleading attacks on Susan Rice in recent weeks, her decision demonstrates the strength of her character, and an admirable commitment to rise above the politics of the moment to put our national interests first. The American people can be proud to have a public servant of her caliber and character representing our country.”

 

 

NBC News broke the story, minutes before the White House statement was released, reporting that:

 

“Embattled U.N. envoy Susan Rice is dropping out of the running to be the next secretary of state after months of criticism over her Benghazi comments, she told NBC News on Thursday.

 

” ‘If nominated, I am now convinced that the confirmation process would be lengthy, disruptive and costly — to you and to our most pressing national and international priorities,’ Rice wrote in a letter to President Obama, saying she’s saddened by the partisan politics surrounding her prospects.”

 

 

Rice has been the target of sharp criticism from many Republicans because of what they have charged were misleading statements she made in the days after the Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya, in which the ambassador and three other Americans were killed. Critics say she downplayed the role that terrorists played. The administration says she relied on information provided by the intelligence community.

 

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has said she plans to step down sometime in the coming months. Among others thought to be leading contenders for the job is Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass.

 

 

Update at 4:05 p.m. ET. The Letter:

 

We’ve put a copy of Rice’s letter to the president online, and you can read it in the box below. Click on the title — “Susan Rice Letter” — to pop up a larger view.

 

 

Read The complete story at The NPR web site.

 

View Ambassador Rice’s letter to the President by visiting here.

 

 

Now that the official news is supplied for you, lets get down to the real reason Ambassador Rice has been degraded in the press and on Capital Hill.

 

Pure and blatant racism.

 

It started with false and unfounded allegations against Attorney General Eric Holder. The Reich wing TeaTardedRepubliCANTS forged ahead against AG Holder with a flimsy assed attempt to tie him into George Dubbya Bush’s Fast and Furious operation, which allowed weapons into Mexico from America. The Fast and Furious operation was conceived and started during Dubbya’s administration, AND STOPPED UNDER THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION.

 

Fast forward to this fake ass Benghazi scandal. Ambassador Rice goes on a Sunday morning political talk show to discuss the assassinations in Benghazi, to relay the intelligence report that the White House has received from the “intelligence” community. That information is upgraded on an hourly & daily basis as it is uncovered during any investigation.

 

What she said on that Sunday morning talk-fest was no longer valid 25 minutes later because as new information/intelligence is uncovered, the old intelligence/information is updated. Ambassador Susan Elizabeth Rice HAD NO INVOLVEMENT IN BENGHAZI WHAT SO EVER!

 

Based on THAT flimsy ass reason, unimportant old assed racist caucasian politicians in D.C., refused to endorse or confirm a possible candidate for the office of Secretary Of State….BEFORE SHE WAS EVEN NOMINATED. The TeaTardedRepubliCANTS falsely think they have say so in choosing whom the President nominates for HIS Presidential cabinet.

 

BEFORE THE PRESIDENT EVEN NOMINATES THEM.

 

Now I shall play the race card: AG Holder & Ambassador Rice are both Black Americans.

 

AG Holder & Ambassador Rice were both crucified by a racist caucasian element in Washington over fake, false, pseudo issues that had jack shit to do with them.

 

Why? Because for the first time in American history, America would have had a Black American President in Barack Hussein Obama. A Black American Attorney General in Eric Himpton Holder, Jr. and a Black American Secretary Of State in Ambassador Susan Elizabeth Rice.

 

Historic.

 

A First for America.

 

Understand?

 

 

Barack25

 

 

I am tired of old crusty ass racist caucasian males, and a few racist weak confused caucasian women, taking the forward advancement of America backwards and reversing years of civil rights accomplishments.

 

I’d personally like to line every racist obstructionist of all skin colors who occupy an elected office in the House Of Congress in Washington….stand them up against an old musty garage wall on the South Side of Chicago…..and…..

 

Well you get my drift.

 

Whether you agree with my desires to rid America of evil racist TeaTardedRepubliCANTS or not, you will agree that racism is killing America’s readily available pool of talent.

 

Who in America really wants to serve in public office, serve “We The People”, if you have a cross-hairs on your back, if your back happens to be anything but caucasian.

 

John Kerry? Really? Really??

 

Never accept anyone The TeaTardedRepubliCANT Pseudo-Freudian Psycho-Sexual  Secret-Whore Pro-caucasian Pro-Racist Anti-LGBT Anti-Feminist  Reich Wing GOPretender Conselfishservative NRA-Gun Loving Nut Bag racist caucasian Party wants to shove down your throat.

 

John Kerry? Seriously?? Endorsed by: The TeaTardedRepubliCANT Pseudo-Freudian Psycho-Sexual  Secret-Whore Pro-caucasian Pro-Racist Anti-LGBT Anti-Feminist  Reich Wing GOPretender Conselfishservative NRA-Gun Loving Nut Bag racist caucasian Party.

 

Why?

 

Because his confirmation by the Congressional committee, as Secretary Of State, were he nominated, means his Senate seat in Massachusetts will be vacant and up for special election. The TeaTardedRepubliCANT Pseudo-Freudian Psycho-Sexual  Secret-Whore Pro-caucasian Pro-Racist Anti-LGBT Anti-Feminist  Reich Wing GOPretender Conselfishservative NRA-Gun Loving Nut Bag racist caucasian Party loves that scenario.

 

That garage idea sounds better & better.

 

 

 

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Filed under: Bad News, Black History, Causes, Celebrity, Congress, Democrats/Democratic, Disaster, Dumb Shit, Education, Foreign Polocy, GOPukes/RepubliCANTS, News, Politics, POTUS Obama, Race, Racism, The White House, Women's Causes, World News | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 16 Comments »

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