tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31649071063407683162024-02-07T02:55:23.466-05:00Nonprofit ReGenerationis a forum for people who care about the nonprofit sector.Sonya Behnkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01807882857858406764noreply@blogger.comBlogger203125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164907106340768316.post-30620908625624225642010-02-10T19:00:00.005-05:002010-02-10T19:18:19.764-05:00Making Black History Month a White House PrioritySnow aside, on the evening of February 9, 2010, the President and the First Lady celebrated Black History Month with a musical tribute to one of the Civil Rights' most powerful tools and its lasting legacy...the songs and the music. White House staff must have worked hard on Wednesday evening to dig a path through the white stuff to make it possible for Bob Dylan, Jennifer Hudson, Smokey Robinson, Robert DeNiro, Morgan Freeman, Yolanda Adams, Natalie Cole, the Blind Boys of Alabama, Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon and more to make it to the White House for "In Performace at the White House: A Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement." If you missed the <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123512342">NPR bit</a>, be sure to watch <a href="http://www.pbs.org/inperformanceatthewhitehouse/">the footage of this impressive event on PBS </a>starting on Thursday.Pilar Oberwetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04973500133244927287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164907106340768316.post-60222038169810950152010-02-03T10:27:00.000-05:002010-02-03T10:28:56.164-05:00Breaking Down the Definitional Argument Against Marriage EqualityBy Zack Shaeffer<br /><br />As a recovering Evangelical, with family and friends who are current Evangelicals, I have definitely heard (and perhaps made) the definitional argument before. "Allowing gay men and women to marry would fundamentally change the definition marriage has had for all of human history!"<br /><br />The rejoinder that I have recently made to this challenge is that while same-sex marriage would have once been a non sequitur, the definition of marriage has already changed in key ways that make it illogical to exclude same-sex couples from the praxis of marriage in Western culture. For instance, marriage has largely ceased to be regarded primarily as a vehicle for property inheritance, a means of producing heirs, or a way to cement economic partnerships between families, businesses, or nations. Women's entry into the workforce, and increasingly competitive earning power, has also made women less economically dependent on men (whether their fathers or their husbands), opened up the patriarchal social structure based on male-headed family units, and provided economic choices and independence that were once available to hardly any women at all. Widely available birth control has also given women and couples the power to choose when they will reproduce, and increased social tolerance of out-of-wedlock births has made terms like "illegitimacy" almost quaint. The waning of illegitimacy as a social and legal concept reveals once again the importance inheritance by legitimate heirs had in the past social structure of marriage. The ability to adopt or to utilize artificial insemination makes it easy for gay couples to have kids and start a family. I am sure more examples could be cited, but the point is that the essential elements cited by the traditional marriage crowd are already open to unmarried people and same-sex couples, whether they are married under the law or not.<br /><br />In short, the definition of marriage in Western society has already been steadily changing for the past hundred years or more, to the point that today marriage is primarily defined as an elective union, based on mutual affection, between two people who wish to commit their lives to one another. Inheritance, dependence on a single breadwinner, and even reproduction are no longer regarded as essential aspects of the marriage relationship (although they certainly remain important on a individual preferential basis). Therefore, marriage has become a social reality that does not exclude same-sex couples by definition.<br /><br />This, I think, is the essential reason why Focus on the Family and similar groups fit opposition to gay rights within the complex of resistance to social changes in gender roles and relationships. For them, the family is essentially a male-headed and male-dominated enterprise, which is profoundly threatened by women's liberation and gay rights. If you want to get all Freudian, this all boils down to castration anxiety. For those in society who don't share these commitments to a 1950s, or even medieval, patriarchal social structure, it is difficult to come up with a good logical reason why the definition of marriage should exclude loving, committed, same-sex partners.Sonya Behnkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01807882857858406764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164907106340768316.post-27915978699566897152010-01-26T16:13:00.002-05:002010-01-26T16:29:28.307-05:00Dental Care for Those in NeedOral health care is finally starting to get some attention from the philanthropic community as an area of serious need for the uninsured and medically underserved. Oral health is deeply connected to systemic health and is particularly critical for management of chronic diseases including diabetes.<br /><br />And while I usually get annoyed by online voting processes related to grants (I know, so undemocratic of me), Tom's of Maine Foundation is letting the public vote on one of 16 nonprofit oral health projects across the country. The top 5 vote-getters will each receive a $20,000 grant.<br /><br />Each organization includes a short video presentation - shot with hand-held cameras provided by the foundation. Get online and <a href="http://www.tomsofmaine.com/community-involvement/dental-clinic.aspx">check out these cool programs</a>.<br /><br />And obviously, <a href="http://www.tomsofmaine.com/community-involvement/dental-clinic.aspx">vote for the Spanish Catholic Center</a> in Washington, DC. The clinic, in operation since 1975, serves over 2,000 low-income, uninsured adults and children from the Hispanic and immigrant communities of Washington, DC each year. <br /><br />The Spanish Catholic Center's brief video presentation:<br /><br /><div style="margin-top:15px; margin-bottom:15px;"><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.tomsofmaine.com/swf/toms_embed.swf" height="213" width="425" align="middle"><param name="movie" value="http://www.tomsofmaine.com/swf/toms_embed.swf"><param name="flashvars" value="id=29"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="bgcolor" value="#0D2238"></object><br/><img src="http://www.tomsofmaine.com/images/flash/Embed_filll.gif" height="35" width="280" border="0" /><a href="http://www.tomsofmaine.com"><img src="http://www.tomsofmaine.com/images/flash/Embed_more_neutral.gif" border="0" /></a></div>Sonya Behnkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01807882857858406764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164907106340768316.post-32031509582366365402009-12-23T09:50:00.002-05:002009-12-23T09:51:55.592-05:00Giving in Mean TimesThe Washington Post gives a <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/22/AR2009122203763.html">shout out </a>to corporations who stepped up during this holiday season.Pilar Oberwetterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04973500133244927287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164907106340768316.post-61261125315120735042009-12-15T11:15:00.002-05:002009-12-15T11:36:22.651-05:00Open GovernmentBy Pilar Oberwetter<br /><br /><a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/blog/09/12/08/Promoting-Transparency-in-Government/">OMB blog</a>, ostensibly maintained by Peter Orzag (OMB Director), pointed me towards another very interesting development from President Obama’s White House—the <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/open">Open Government Initiative</a>. Although still in-process, the website that describes the rationale for this initiative and the actions that have been taken and have been planned are absolutely worth checking out. As described, they are interesting in theory, and if successful, I believe that this initiative is capable of prompting an entire paradigm shift in our government’s approach to policy and the role of the American people in shaping it. <br /><br />I am curious why this effort has not gotten more attention from the press.Kehinde A. Togunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06024599707814782526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164907106340768316.post-78661746603498777052009-12-14T12:45:00.002-05:002009-12-14T12:51:07.363-05:00Refusing SilenceIn a place where being openly gay might soon mean imprisonment or even worse, a lesbian in Uganda <a href="http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/news/The_story_of_a_young_Ugandan_gay_couple11_95883.shtml">takes her story live</a>.Sonya Behnkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01807882857858406764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164907106340768316.post-31023197459784963252009-12-10T09:58:00.009-05:002009-12-10T10:20:24.981-05:00Access to Care, Access to FundsGreat news that the President <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2009/12/09/president-obama-three-new-initiatives-help-community-health-centers">continues to roll out stimulus funding</a> to the tune of $600 million for community health centers across the nation.<br /><br />It's particularly nice to see the administration emphasize the importance of revamping and upgrading outdated <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/09/AR2009120900774.html">electronic medical record (EMR) systems</a> and to push for more demonstration projects on the <a href="http://www.pcpcc.net/">"medical home" model</a>, a model proven to reduce health and health care disparities for racial and ethnic minorities.<br /><br /><object width="375" height="300"><param name="movie" value="http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/all/modules/swftools/shared/flash_media_player/player.swf"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="bgcolor" value="282828"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="path_to_player=http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/all/modules/swftools/shared/flash_media_player&path_to_plugins=http://www.whitehouse.gov//sites/default/modules/wh_multimedia/wh_jwplayer&path_to_captions=&file=http://www.whitehouse.gov/videos/2009/December/120909_EEOB.m4v&image=http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/audio-video/video_thumbnail/P120909PS-0306.jpg&controlbar=bottom&frontcolor=AAAAAA&plugins=http://www.whitehouse.gov//sites/default/modules/wh_multimedia/wh_jwplayer/captions,http://www.whitehouse.gov//sites/default/modules/wh_multimedia/wh_jwplayer/hat&captions.file=&stretching=fill&menu=false"><embed src="http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/all/modules/swftools/shared/flash_media_player/player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="path_to_player=http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/all/modules/swftools/shared/flash_media_player&path_to_plugins=http://www.whitehouse.gov//sites/default/modules/wh_multimedia/wh_jwplayer&path_to_captions=&file=http://www.whitehouse.gov/videos/2009/December/120909_EEOB.m4v&image=http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/audio-video/video_thumbnail/P120909PS-0306.jpg&controlbar=bottom&frontcolor=AAAAAA&plugins=http://www.whitehouse.gov//sites/default/modules/wh_multimedia/wh_jwplayer/captions,http://www.whitehouse.gov//sites/default/modules/wh_multimedia/wh_jwplayer/hat&captions.file=&stretching=fill&menu=false" width="375" height="300"></embed></object><br /><br />Ok, so what's missing?<br /><br />Well, what's missing is stimulus funding for the great many community health centers out there who are not designated as <a href="http://www.fqhc.org/">Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC)</a>.<br /><br />There are many valid reasons why a community health center would elect not to become an FQHC, not the least of which is that it allows the clinic to focus on serving the needs of low-income patients who do not qualify for Medicare or Medicaid, including many in the immigrant population.<br /><br />For these centers, who serve the poorest of the poor, there is no stimulus funding.<br /><br />If the health care bill passes without a provision for the care of immigrants, for example, these clinics will <span style="font-style: italic;">continue</span> to face increasing demand and will be one of the only lines of defense between this underserved population and our local emergency rooms.<br /><br />FHQC or not, all high-quality community health centers deserve equal access to stimulus fund competition.Sonya Behnkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01807882857858406764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164907106340768316.post-88796456509402322452009-12-09T15:35:00.002-05:002009-12-09T15:39:33.974-05:00A Picture Can Be Worth a Thousand WordsBy Pilar Oberwetter<br /><br />Articles and news footage of global issues paint a picture, but not a full one.Check out the <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/online/multimedia/2009/12/07/091207_audioslideshow_platon"><i style="">New Yorker</i></a> online for a peek into a portfolio of portraits of world leaders by photographer Platon. The faces of these powerful men and women tell a very different story than many of the reports of their policies and actions. For me, looking through Platon’s lens, I feel as if I have been given an insider’s view of their reactions to their wide-reaching actions.<br /><br />You can also learn more about the portrait series on the <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120986964">NPR</a> website.Kehinde A. Togunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06024599707814782526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164907106340768316.post-63649172880880877502009-12-09T07:40:00.002-05:002009-12-09T11:33:56.820-05:00Mr. President, Keep up the Good WorkIs it just me or does it seem like the entire country is dissatisfied with President Obama? I must say that even as a constant critic of President Obama and his administration, I am disturbed by the negativity that seems to follow every decision he makes.<br /><br />In watching the decision to send more troops to Afghanistan, I took a step back and appreciated <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/06/world/asia/06reconstruct.html?_r=1&scp=3&sq=Obama%20afghanistan%20deliberation&st=cse">President Obama's process of deliberation</a>, including his intellectual curiosity that should accompany such a grave decision. Add to this, the agreement of NATO countries to send more troops, and I think we are seeing the dividends of having a president who has invested in (re)building our nation's reputation and relationships.<br /><br />Of course there is a lot of work to get the country to where we need to be. The economy still needs to be "fixed," healthcare needs to pass, DADT needs to be repealed, and unemployment needs to return to four to five percent. The list can continue. However, I for one would like to credit the president for being on the right track.<br /><br />It's no easy job but I wish him all the best, for his sake and ours!Kehinde A. Togunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06024599707814782526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164907106340768316.post-5105528318997398982009-12-08T13:17:00.003-05:002009-12-08T13:25:20.006-05:00Why Being Gay Costs MoreThe Tax Policy Center and the Williams Institute are collaborating to host an event on December 17th entitled, <a href="http://taxpolicycenter.org/events/events_121709.cfm">"The Higher Cost of Being Gay."</a><br /><br />The public discourse over same-sex marriage often frames the issue as a primarily social one. It is critical, however, that the economic consequences of same-sex marriage (or the lack thereof) also be understood and publicized.<br /><br />Even if cold data on taxes overpaid and retirement challenges doesn't change hearts and minds, gay people need to be armed with information to meet these obstacles while continuing to wait for the laws to catch up.Sonya Behnkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01807882857858406764noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164907106340768316.post-51273530825417411542009-12-05T12:17:00.001-05:002009-12-05T12:18:19.019-05:00Praying for ProgressBy Pilar Oberwetter<br /><br /><a href="http://www.eco-justice.org/">Help</a> is available to churches that want to promote social justice and environmental stewardship from the pulpit.Kehinde A. Togunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06024599707814782526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164907106340768316.post-50139278871623215212009-12-04T09:31:00.002-05:002009-12-04T09:33:46.036-05:00Green CountingSome bad-ass cyclists take a <a href="http://www.dcfoodforall.com/content/growing-possibilities-new-census-community-gardens">census of community gardens</a> in DC.Sonya Behnkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01807882857858406764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164907106340768316.post-6196656083814196422009-12-03T14:13:00.002-05:002009-12-03T14:18:37.233-05:00Philanthropy Minus the Grey HairThe trials and tribulations of being a <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/19/AR2009111902137.html?referrer=emailarticle">trust fund baby who cares</a>, live from Washington, DC.Sonya Behnkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01807882857858406764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164907106340768316.post-67457993690375328232009-12-03T09:00:00.004-05:002009-12-03T09:56:54.189-05:00John Brown's Story<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5I9RLqlAO9Xz9mk3PDVyaNp_tJPFQFqyUzs3bzEkPNdjJ-OBageCZ9FMZZJ1o6vtU4wMIRpEbnUxM5-lc7n80CNymoycHwxB7AlIXEZ0zXcpQS4zOFMukhjrFDYv-Pch9ZPvQjfIOn9s/s1600-h/255929345_bb30dfa682.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5I9RLqlAO9Xz9mk3PDVyaNp_tJPFQFqyUzs3bzEkPNdjJ-OBageCZ9FMZZJ1o6vtU4wMIRpEbnUxM5-lc7n80CNymoycHwxB7AlIXEZ0zXcpQS4zOFMukhjrFDYv-Pch9ZPvQjfIOn9s/s320/255929345_bb30dfa682.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410836295748905106" border="0" /></a><br />I'm grateful for the coverage in NYT yesterday of the 150th anniversary of the death (by hanging) of the famous abolitionist John Brown.<div><br /></div><div>I visited Harper's Ferry, W. Va., the sight of John Brown's famously short-lived slave rebellion (the photo displays the fire house where he was captured), for the first time two weeks ago. Harper's Ferry would stand alone on its own geographic merits by virtue of its striking location at the convergence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers. But it is history that is seeped in this place and makes it truly unique.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>John Brown's raid on the Harper's Ferry armory is thought to be the major catalyst for the Civil War, a war that John Brown himself ultimately saw as inevitable. </div><div><br />Whether he is considered to be a <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/02/opinion/02reynolds.html?scp=1&sq=john%20brown&st=cse">"freedom martyr"</a> or a <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/02/opinion/02horwitz.html?scp=3&sq=john%20brown&st=cse">"terrorist"</a> in our contemporary world is inconsequential and, quite frankly, does not make for a very compelling discourse (as intended by The Times).<br /><br />John Brown's story is about the junctures of history in this country. He represents the passion, the independence, the hope, and ultimately the violence that is the American story.<br /><br />Let's leave John Brown's body where it lies. His story goes on.<br /><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">(Photo </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">copyright</span></span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b property="foaf:name"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kubina/" title="Link to Jeff Kubina's photostream" rel="dc:creator cc:attributionURL" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Jeff Kubina</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">)</span></b></span></div>Sonya Behnkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01807882857858406764noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164907106340768316.post-68210931047401903672009-12-02T16:21:00.002-05:002009-12-02T16:24:41.478-05:00Stamping Out Stigma<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/29/us/29foodstamps.html?scp=2&sq=food%20stamps&st=cse">Food stamp use</a> is up and stigma is down. This is a great example of a legitimate federal response to helping low-income individuals and families (including hard-to-reach populations) make it through the economic downturn.Sonya Behnkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01807882857858406764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164907106340768316.post-26029268959867794042009-12-02T09:09:00.003-05:002009-12-05T17:25:22.760-05:00Hey DC Schools — How about Less Talk and More ActionBy Pilar Oberwetter<br /><br />The Washington Post reported today that <st1:city st="on">Prince George</st1:city>’s County school district in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Maryland</st1:place></st1:state> awarded merit pay to its teachers.<span style=""> </span>This DC resident, and huge advocate for extreme education reform in my city, thinks that the leadership of DCPS should spend less time in the headlines and more time implementing real reforms.<span style=""> </span>They just need to look to their neighbors in Prince George’s and up the road in Baltimore to see examples of Superintendents who focus on implementing their policies rather than just talking about them. <p></p>Kehinde A. Togunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06024599707814782526noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164907106340768316.post-60354495996725363152009-11-28T11:27:00.004-05:002009-11-28T11:53:40.387-05:00Protecting the President<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDORZQg-zGU1Q8IGuujfXuAJUZ-jky8haKIaFlNMGF8U1mJcf8lhE6C_qDOqPa_FudzGERrqs31Wk1NPjJFHzN80GkCdilcjn4BxEIXzCe8rjmvvjC4M4g2lfW0GlVDoHjMMAXLofHgPY/s1600/obama-salahi.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDORZQg-zGU1Q8IGuujfXuAJUZ-jky8haKIaFlNMGF8U1mJcf8lhE6C_qDOqPa_FudzGERrqs31Wk1NPjJFHzN80GkCdilcjn4BxEIXzCe8rjmvvjC4M4g2lfW0GlVDoHjMMAXLofHgPY/s320/obama-salahi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409197583957516594" border="0" /></a>The Obamas hosted their first state dinner this week, in honor of Indian Prime Minister, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manmohan_Singh">Manmohan Singh</a>. The most interesting aspect of the event was not the menu or the decor, rather it was the breach in security by a <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/28/us/politics/28crasher.html?_r=1&th&emc=th">Virginia couple</a>: Michaele and Tareq Salahi.<br /><br />The Secret Service has since apologized. However, it is more than slightly disturbing that two people can pass security screening and come face to face with two heads of state inside the White House.<br /><br />On an unrelated note, I also was disturbed by The New York Times story on the breach, which devolved into a story about the Salahi's quest to star in The Real Housewives of DC. I love the Times and have been a lifelong reader, but seriously? These tangents belong in a separate feature story, not in a story of potential national significance.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo credit: White House photo taken from <a href="http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/11/the-salahi-obama-meeting.php">TalkingPointsMemo</a></span>Kehinde A. Togunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06024599707814782526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164907106340768316.post-31094776956753586322009-11-27T13:32:00.001-05:002009-11-27T13:34:07.795-05:00Check out...By Pilar Oberwetter<br />...a <a href="http://kalman.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/26/back-to-the-land/">blog</a> that the NY Times picked up on. I dug it.Kehinde A. Togunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06024599707814782526noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164907106340768316.post-25277343708755945842009-11-25T11:18:00.001-05:002009-11-27T12:38:25.380-05:00Give ThanksBy Pilar Oberwetter<br /><br />Some say that New Year's Eve is the time to reflect upon the last year and to plan for the coming years. This ReGenerate prefers to review her life in the present and her year that has passed on Thanksgiving.<br /><br />For me, spending a day with family and friends and preparing food in my home or elsewhere, reminds me of how blessed I am that my basic needs are met. However, I also remember that not everyone in this world has a home, a family, food, or any other of the myriad of good fortunes that I enjoy. So, while I give thanks, I am also compelled to consider the things that I could be doing to share a bit of my own gifts of thanks with others.<br /><br />Happy Thanksgiving to our readers in the United States-- let this day remind you that to 'give' is a part of being thankful.Kehinde A. Togunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06024599707814782526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164907106340768316.post-25447485401407261232009-11-24T13:29:00.001-05:002009-11-24T13:30:40.532-05:00Useless Hand Outs (UHO)A <a href="http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/24/homeless-organization-called-fraud/?hp">"homeless" organization</a> is exposed in New York.Sonya Behnkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01807882857858406764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164907106340768316.post-79431333468950316282009-11-24T04:17:00.003-05:002009-11-24T04:26:04.551-05:00Marriage for All (Who Choose)Last week's highlight was hearing news that a good friend got engaged! It is wonderful when two people who love each make a commitment to spend their lives together. I wish her and her future husband all the best in their new life together. <br /><br />I am looking forward to the day when ALL of my friends (those who want to) can not only get engaged, but also have the legal sanction to spend their lives together.Kehinde A. Togunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06024599707814782526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164907106340768316.post-1641070197872710262009-11-23T09:17:00.002-05:002009-11-23T09:25:20.865-05:00A Sincere PleaThere's no doubt I'm in a compromised position at the moment. An employee of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington, and a gay one at that. Oh, the irony runs so deep.<br /><br />I'm not going to preach but I am going to plead.<br /><br />Putting aside my own personal situation and even my pride, I would simply like to implore the Archdiocese of Washington to find a way to negotiate with the DC City Council as many other archdioceses around the country have done around the issue of same-sex marriage.<br /><br />Respecting the long-standing position of the church, it certainly seems that common ground can still be found.<br /><br />So many people are suffering through this ordeal on both sides of the debate. But many, many more will suffer a much worse fate should no compromise be found.<br /><br />Wake up. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/23/opinion/23mon1.html?_r=1&hp=&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1258985777-GRO4Jv4ITOxYTEARMliMBQ">The world is watching</a>.Sonya Behnkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01807882857858406764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164907106340768316.post-31155540293853393312009-11-21T10:49:00.003-05:002009-11-21T13:29:01.314-05:00Equity without RetributionI am a huge fan of good books! However, I don't often read books I enjoy so much that I spend my week reflecting and discussing after finishing them. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helene_Cooper">Helene Cooper</a>'s <a href="http://books.simonandschuster.com/House-at-Sugar-Beach/Helene-Cooper/9780743266246">The House at Sugar Beach</a> is one of those rare books. Cooper's memoir is so well written and the story so fascinating that the reader loses sense of time. The <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/people/c/helene_cooper/index.html"><span style="font-style: italic;">New York Times</span> White House correspondent</a> writes about growing up as the child of elites in Liberia, prior to the country's descent into militarized decay - a decay that resulted from manipulating institutionalized class divisions. <br /><br />For historical note, Liberia is a West African country that was settled by free African Americans in 1820. The "Congo" people, as the Liberian descendants of African Americans were called, made up the upper class in Liberia while the "native" Liberians struggled to make ends meet. Following a military coup (takeover) in 1980, the fate of the Congo people turned for the worse. They were persecuted (killed, raped, disposed) by the new military class. The coup leader, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Doe">Samuel Doe</a>, began his 10 year reign by executing the president and his top cabinet members. The cabinet's execution - death by firing squad - was publicly televised. Fastforwarding the story of Liberia, Doe was replaced by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Taylor_%28Liberia%29">Charles Taylor</a>, another despot who was eventually charged with war crimes (for his role in Sierra Leone, a neighboring West African nation).<br /><br />As the child of "Congo" people, Cooper lived a privileged life in Liberia, until 1980 when the country began to take its downward turn. Her uncle was among the cabinet members publicly executed by Doe. What I found most intriguing about her book was the punishment of elites - class warfare to an extreme. Doe and his successor, Taylor presided over tyrannous regimes under the guise of paying the "Congo" people back for their oppression of native Liberians.<br /><br />As a firm believer in social justice, I struggle with the notion of institutionalized class divisions. While it was in no way, her doing, as a child, Cooper benefited from a system in which her family had all they wanted (and more), while a majority of Liberians did not. However, what is most powerful about her book is that we see the consequences of retribution: taking away the resources of the elite under the pretense of creating equity and paying back the "oppressors." We also see that having one person presiding over justice is problematic. In fact it's how despots are made. If that's not enough, we see the economic vacuum that is created when the upper class (i.e tax base) flees the country for fear of retribution.<br /><br />Cooper, while fortunate enough to end up in the United States, witnessed (from another room) her mother's rape. Her childhood, and that of many others were destroyed by Doe and his "justice seeking" soldiers. While reading this, I found myself asking how one creates a system of equity, where "Congo-Native" divides don't exist. At the same time, a system that does not punish children like as Cooper and many others.Kehinde A. Togunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06024599707814782526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164907106340768316.post-6588203842330966172009-11-20T20:10:00.005-05:002009-11-21T10:48:53.691-05:00Roots, Rock, Reggae ... and Wealth?<span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >By Pilar Oberwetter<br /><br />CNN <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2009/11/20/news/companies/bob_marley.fortune/index.htm?cnn=yes">notified us</a> today that Bob Marley is reported to be the world's wealthiest dead celebrity.<br /><br /></span> <div style="font-family: georgia;"> </div> <div><span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >I would hope that those in charge of </span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);"> his </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >estate</span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);"> , which</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > will reportedly generate over a billion dollars in worldwide annual sales by 2012</span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);">, </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >have plans to direct some of that mind-boggling sum to social justice causes that the reggae legend's music spoke so eloquently about.</span><br /></span></span></div>Kehinde A. Togunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06024599707814782526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164907106340768316.post-75896061378152138662009-11-19T11:17:00.003-05:002009-11-19T11:56:28.418-05:00Hardly a Cat Fight<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JC-pF3OHY1c&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JC-pF3OHY1c&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Ok, so I'll be the first to admit that I was appalled to see this video of a Division I female soccer player violently pulling, punching, and kicking her opponents on ESPN Sportscenter. I watched this video over and over again to try and dissect whether or not my shock was based on the gender of the player or the truly horrific lack of sportsmanship. Julie Foudy's reaction on ESPN says enough.<br /><br />As a former college athlete (Division III still counts, right?), I found this level of violence inexcusable. If I witnessed a teammate treating an opponent this way, I would be ashamed and outraged.<br /><br />And yet, the coverage provided on this event by the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/18/sports/soccer/18soccer.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=soccer&st=cse">New York Times</a> was even more aggravating. Purporting to display "Those Soccer Plays, in Context" the Times went ahead and published a poorly-written, confusing piece that provides less context than it does conjectures and open-ended conclusions.<br /><br />Female athletes deserve respect. Ms. Lambert should show more respect to her opponents and her teammates and she should be punished within the context of the sport, not punished by us as uninformed consumers of her life.<br /><br />It is fair to criticize her on a human-level for her behavior but why on earth do I need to know<br />that she is now seeing a "clinical psychologist" to work our her issues or that "the incident had been perceived by some as sexy catfighting between two women"?<br /><br />This was a great opportunity for NYT to step back from the incident and illuminate the reader as to the public reaction. Instead, what resulted was a conglomerate of gender stereotyping (complete with picture of feminized Ms. Lambert and all) that serves neither female athletes nor the public.Sonya Behnkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01807882857858406764noreply@blogger.com0