May 20
In my earlier post I offered some background information about the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), including its history and purpose. I wrote the piece in recognition of the 100th ratification of the treaty last week, but it’s important to understand that ratifying is simply the first step. The hard …
May 19
It took Syria a few weeks longer than other Arab nations to catch the fever of the Arab spring. Now that over 800 Syrians have died in protests for freedom and basic rights at the hand of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the international community has decided that it’s time to step in. Yesterday, President Obama …
May 19
Despite Japan’s current nuclear crisis resulting from the earthquake in March, there are plans to build another nuclear power plant in Jaitapur, an earthquake-prone area on the west coast of India. This isn’t just your average nuclear plant, either – the proposed 9900-megawatt plant will cover 968 hectares of land (that’s more than two thousand …
May 16
It’s rare to read a news article on the Tunisian revolt without also reading about Facebook; it was the “Facebook revolution,” the “social media revolt,” sparked by WikiLeaks and organized by Twitter users. But how much of the credit can really be given to social media? The revolution began in December 2010, sparked by the …
May 16
In the education system in the U.S., so many resources are utilized in order to teach children how to read. Starting in our early elementary years, various skills and tools are drilled into our heads to enable literacy. From memorizing the alphabet to understanding grammar rules to practicing reading comprehension skills, the education system ensures …
May 13
In my previous post, “Labeled Disabled”, I highlighted the divisions among isolatedinterest groups in American society. Continuing along this vein, I will explore an alternative approach that could potentially break the stigmas attached to disability in our society. American society has always nurtured its “rugged individualism” and its proudly independent character. We take pride in …
May 13
International Humanitarian Law (IHL) prohibits all forms of human rights violations, including human trafficking, slavery, torture, and other means of inhumane treatment. Yet, there is a correlation between the deployment of United States military, peacekeepers, and humanitarian aid workers to post-conflict regions and an increase in the trafficking of women and children. By trafficking, I …
May 10
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which was signed in 1990, protected the rights of persons with disabilities (PWDs), prohibited discrimination in employment, and mandated access to public services and facilities in the United States. It seemed that all the years of hard work and lobbying by activists and the disabled community to gain recognition …
May 10
A few years ago, Iraq was a hot topic of discussion. In the US, it seemed everyone had a friend or family member in some stage of deployment there. The news headlines flashed stories of Iraqi elections, sectarian struggles and attacks on Coalition Forces. Even if US citizens weren’t completely informed on the events taking …
May 03
Osama bin Laden is dead. The news spread like wildfire as it was being released,consuming the feeds of social networking sites, forums and blogs. The reaction in New York City was particularly robust, with people crowding around Ground Zero and chanting “USA! USA!” Many expressed a deep sense of satisfaction at his death, thankful that …
