As a Christian and as a human rights/global justice advocate, I am concerned with a range of issues – war, oppression, disparity, discrimination, etc. Indeed, G.L.O.B.A.L Justice was launched nearly a year ago to help address the severe situations and conditions affecting so many people in so many regions around the world. While I have studied, researched, taught, and advocated for 30 years on human rights efforts such as alleviating poverty, improving child survival, addressing global health and global violence, etc, I did not grapple as deeply with the issue of same sex rights. I considered same sex issues as private, personal concerns more than as broader, societal concerns. Certainly many gay and lesbian individuals have faced societal adversity throughout the years, especially from those who have inflicted hateful acts against them. But outside of those instances of adversity, the same sex rights cause was starkly different than the human rights causes historically and presently around the global. The type of wide scale oppression, stark disparities, and severe violence inflicted by governments, groups, and individuals, such as in human trafficking and terrorism, were of greater severity and immediacy from an advocacy perspective.
The United States Supreme Court Makes a Far-Reaching Decision on Same-Sex Marriage
International Criminal Justice Day
Today is International Criminal Justice Day — and my heart is heavy thinking of the victims of the Tennessee shootings–military servicepeople senselessly gunned down yesterday; the families of the victims in the Aurora, Colorado shootings–receiving a verdict of murder but still emotional at the loss of their loved ones; and many others facing violence and oppression around the globe.
Racism, Terrorism, and Nationalism: The Battle for Hearts and Minds
The shooting of nine parishioners during a church service in Charleston, South Carolina has brought both deep sadness and anger to our nation. Many have watched the community, particularly the Church community, come together in solidarity and forgiveness even in the face of racial hatred that sparked the killings. Others have become incensed about the killer’s actions and motivations, prompting questions on why this is not considered terrorism. Still others are determined to remove the Confederate flag from South Carolina in response to the tragedy. These responses and others to the horrific events in Charleston touch sharply on some of the most difficult topics in our country and worldwide – racism, terrorism, and nationalism. These terms are not only supercharged with meaning and impact, but also with misinterpretation and misapplication.