"Amnesty’s global mission is rooted in a fundamental commitment to the rights, dignity, and well-being of every person on Earth. Recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, Amnesty’s more than 1.8 million members worldwide fight to uphold the ideals enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights." To "help fight to free prisoners of conscience, stop torture, abolish the death penalty, end violence against women, and ensure that every person enjoys full human rights", sign Petitions and Letters for action: Check out: http://www.amnestyusa.org/
I recently received a solicitation from AI. It included the letter to be signed for people imprisoned to give them hope. I sent it back with a note attached saying only one thing keeps me from financially supporting them, their stance on the death penalty. I think some crimes are so horrendous they DEMAND that penalty.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Schmika @ Nov 13 2006, 04:45 PM) [snapback]348511[/snapback]</div> I happen to agree with your statement about the death penalty. However, there are means, other than financial, to champion Justice, such as Petitions and Letters to be presented to the UN on illegal arms trafficking, pressure on governments to clamp down on violence against women, or those imprisoned for voicing opinions or who sent emails against human rights abuses, or those who just 'disappear' being held incommunicado. Letters and Petitions sent through the proper outlet, are also a way to help innocent people suffering under these abuses. There are many campaigns and action centers available on their site (which do not involve the dealth penalty) for people who want to help get governments and agencies to take notice on these other issues. There is a lot of despair in the world.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Schmika @ Nov 13 2006, 07:45 PM) [snapback]348511[/snapback]</div> Unfortunately, being wrongly convicted seems to be one of those crimes. That's why Amnesty International is one of the organizations I give the most money to.
When I heard that the Red Cross refused a donation from the Dixie Chicks because of their outspokenness, I very nearly scratched the Red Cross off my "Give To" list. But I reconsidered when I realized that, on balance, the good the Red Cross does is incalculable, and far, far transcends any petty political piccadillos in the way they conduct their affairs. Amnesty International and Doctors Without Borders are my favorite two major charities, and they get big checks from me every year. Of late, I've also given more to the ACLU than I usually do because that organization REALLY with its hands full as the Cheney cabal has careened the country toward fascism (torture, domestic spying, loss of habeus corpus, patriot act - the list is long and terrifying). I'd hate to think where we'd be without the ACLU. I'm sure that if I knew all the details of deployment and priorities each of these organizations practices, there'd be several areas where I'd question their judgement. But I'm not running them, they are, (and my judgements would be just as flawed in someone else'e eyes). Meanwhile, the good they confer on quality of life around the world is much, much more important than the trivial details of how they carry it out, or the mistakes they inevitably make. Give generously! Mark Baird Alameda CA
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(airportkid @ Nov 13 2006, 07:07 PM) [snapback]348554[/snapback]</div> Agree that we should look at the big picture. One big difference with Amnesty International is the importance of taking action through Letters and Petitions. This is an organization where words are more powerful than money, and now that the "Patriot" act has been mentioned, this is a sad & outrageous abuse of power. Amnesty International has also called for the closing of Guantanamo, and Petitions are on the site. We will never know how many innocents are languishing in these types of facilities. This is not the American way. Through AI, we can let our voices be heard.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(airportkid @ Nov 13 2006, 07:07 PM) [snapback]348554[/snapback]</div> I give, but not to the Red Cross. I have read too much of their bad accounting practices, their high administrative expenses, and their habit of showing up at a disaster for the cameras, and then leaving. When it comes to disaster relief I give to Oxfam, AFSC, and the Salvation Army, all of which have stellar records for both accounting and efficiency in the use of donated funds. For my local community, I give through my church (Unitarian Univeralist, possibly the only church in the world that does not require you to believe in fairy tales). For similar reasons, I give to the Center for Constitutional Rights rather than to the ACLU. In the specific field of human rights, Amnesty International is, in my opinion, the best and the most reliable. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Schmika @ Nov 13 2006, 04:45 PM) [snapback]348511[/snapback]</div> Even when it turns out, as it so often does, that the person executed was actually innocent? Or does the severity of the crime outweigh the actual innocence of the convict?
