8th Annual Bellingham Human Rights Film Festival

- 8th Annual Human Rights Film Festival -
(now over, check for next years dates on the website)
February 21st to March 1st.
"Informative and Inspirational Films from around the world."
See the website: Visit www.whrtf.org/filmfest
and www.myspace.com/bellinghamhumanrightsfilm



Each night of the Festival, Someone from a Human Rights Class or from the Fairhaven College at Western Washington University put an insert in the program to highlight some more information or links to more information about the topic of that night's film.

I worked on a film called De Nadie. About the life and immigration of Central Americans attempting to get into the United States. Here's my insert. Below the Insert is another slideshow I put together, just for flashy looks and to gain attraction to the subject. None of the photos are mine, most are readily searchable on Google.com with no references to who they taken from originally.

De Nadie

SLIDESHOW

For More Information. Please see the Insert above. or Email me above for a high-quality version of the slideshow in Powerpoint or PDF format.


Genocides.Ending@gmail.com

Dear John Letter. Human Rights Style.

Sometimes you think you get it, sometimes you're lost. But you know you will continue to try anyway. Regardless of the outcome, you know in the end you have done your part to try to change and better the world. You fight for Human Rights.


Sometimes there are certain people in your life who you love, but who neither support what you do, nor understand why you give your life to fight for it.


Sometimes their answer is simply, "I don't care." It's personal. And it hurts.


Like a bad outcome to an election, you know in a matter of 4 years, there is another chance. And you hold on to the hope of that chance for change. You pick yourself back up - and move on.


If you've ever had to write one of these letters, you understand human rights.


To --------

I am going to a place, deep in the heart of the African continent, where the people do not know what I stand for or understand what I hope to accomplish. To be quite honest, I do not know what it is that I must do or what actions I must take to feel whole. I have learned much in my many years as an American, but only in the villages of poverty can I learn what the epitome of hope is. There is hope in the weakest of children faced with malnutrition who dare to forget their own lives to ask how you are doing. At the same time, there is the darkest evil in the strongest of men who seek to silence these children. If peace and hope continue to die at the hands of our own people, than a panacea must be found. I will give up my life fighting for this cause, because there is nothing I desire more than to see the beauty of this world through the eyes of the simplest creature, human, animal or ecosystem alike, that is given the chance to pursue any dream they wish.

These are the challenges that I face and with the guidance of something beyond my own strength, I hope only that I am successful because failure is something I can’t even try to imagine. Even if that success is short lived and without grace, it is something I must attempt. It is because of this risk I face, that I cannot allow myself to stay here. There is nothing here for you to love when the support for my goals is nonexistent. If my only strength must go to my ultimate passions in life, then we both know this will fail since my strength comes from you. I love you with all my heart, and yet because of that, I cannot put you through the pain of seeing what I see every day. Africa is my dream, it is the beginning and the end of humankind, and I must see it through to whatever end.

Not every man can see the world that you can see. And not every man can understand the pain that goes into being something great. I know you understand why I have to leave, but do not agree. Together with you, I could be nothing short of being in blissful happiness, but without you, I can understand so greatly, what it is that the people of this world do not have. I wish with all my heart that you live without fear and achieve what you dream most without consequence. You will become everything you imagine, because of your honesty and passion. I am so very proud of you and I only hope one day you can forgive me.

Goodbye ---- . I will miss you with everything I am.
S

Bellingham, Washington. The United States. Yes. There are slaves here.

Now you can help free them and let them begin the lives they should have had years ago. Please visit this website. It's one of the most informative sites on the subject.

http://www.freetheslaves.net/



Kevin Bales, one of the world's foremost modern slavery experts, has been working towards freeing our country of the dependence on goods made from slave labor in foreign countries. We all know the big names, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Target, other mass merchandise stores selling products for cheap, but did you know that Wal-Mart has DIRECT CONTRACTS with the slave labor factories in China? How does our government get away with letting Wal-Mart proceed with imports from factories like this. People who are arrested for "looking lazy" are not charged, yet detained for years in prison factories and forced to make the toys, household goods and other imports you use on a daily basis.



Make Bellingham a Slave Trade Free City.



See the website. Free the Slaves.

Banning Cluster Munitions

BAN CLUSTER MUNITIONS by 2008.

So Far: 75 Countries have signed the Treaty.

Is your country one of them?


To get in on the action: Visit the Human Rights Watch Website (Click the Link above or visit) http://hrw.org/campaigns/clusters/index.htm

Follow up needed.

Signing off. Our president is a 5 year old. Click for Link to a Reuters Op-ed.

I'm taking a small vacation to go see something new.. preferably without having any ability to check my email, the internet or listen to the radio.

Our president has reverted in age to that of a 5 year old. Name calling and pointing fingers at anyone but himself and his administration. And I'm so frustrated that there is nothing I can do to rectify his idiocy.

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN1555266720080216?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=10010

In particular: Mr. Bush, aka the man running out country made these quotes:

"Because Congress failed to act, it will be harder for our government to keep you safe from terrorist attack," Bush said.

That's about as anti-productive as saying the Darfur conflict would end if Al-Bashir would just hold up his end of the bargain. Even in context, it makes no sense what so ever to make a comment such as this... We learned about "constructive critism" in 4th grade... and if you didn't go to school, your parents, mentors, employers.. someone would have taught you to say nothing all at if you couldn't say something nice.

And his second blasphemous comment:

Bush had offered to delay his Africa trip if House Democratic leaders would stay to enact "a good bill."

Instead, he [Bush] said, "House leaders chose politics over protecting the country -- and our country is at greater risk as a result."

Really? I'd prefer if he doesn't go to Africa, he'll just draw attention to the fact that the United States is a country of talk and no action filled more with lies and unkept promises of foreign aid.

However
There is something we can do. We can advocate. Write letters to our senators, to the president, to anyone who will listen and let the people who run this country know that it's citizens want action, not empty promises.

Chocolate - A Human Rights Issue?

Absolutely.

Be aware of what you eat, be aware of the things you buy. Everything we do affects big and small - In this case, cocoa products are more than just the final product.

:) Here's some Great Chocolate! And it helps benefit the habitat and safety of endangered animals.

[Insert Photograph]
Coming soon!!

INHUMANE Treatment of Cows: And we're supporting it.

For More Information On this post: Please visit this website.
http://video.hsus.org/index.jsp?fr_story=346bfda2cbbf061e88fa57cbef243b30d049b3b7
Stop inhumane treatment of animals, regardless of what they were bred for.



February 6th, 2008

Secretary of Agriculture Edward Schafer
USDA
Washington, DC

Dear Secretary of Agriculture Schafer,

Atrocious cruelty like that documented by The Humane Society of
the United States at Hallmark slaughterhouse must stop
immediately. (See the investigation video at
http://video.hsus.org/index.jsp?fr_story=346bfda2cbbf061e88fa57cbef243b30d049b3b7.)
For the sake of animal welfare and food safety, please institute
a "bright line" ban on all downers in the food supply by closing
the loophole in USDA's current policy and by redirecting agency
resources to ensure meaningful enforcement.

For being the country that we are with our resources and
potentional for oversight, this is absolutely disgusting, that
you would allow this type of inhumane treatment of our animals.

Or perhaps next time you fail to show up for work due to a cold,
someone can shock your neck to force you to get up. Maybe put a
hose with cold water in your bed or and then shock you causing
not only immense pain, but severe long term health risks.

I, AS A CONSUMER, DEMAND A CHANGE. IMMEDIATELY.

This case illustrates the need for constant USDA supervision at
slaughter plants, including overseeing the way animals are
handled when they're moved off the truck, rather than occasional
check-ins.

Your prompt attention to this matter is appreciated.


Sincerely,
Sara Cartwright
1440 10th Street Unit 207
Bellingham, WA 98225

Reuters.com: My Response to Dobson.

Reuters is one of the most prominent media outlets for the Western world; however, it is still constantly underestimating the effects of posting such hateful and.. ..idiotic posts by individuals who just.. AARGGHH.. irritate the hell out of you. There is simply no other way to put that.

My Response is Below: I'll update this to see if any other individuals post responses to my response, etc. (That is.. unless they are a waste of my time and energy and I refuse to give them credit for existing because they support James Dobson's ideas)

I'll only post the actual Paragraph that prompted the my immediate response to Reuters. Please click on the link (the title of this post) to read the entire entry on Reuters.com or go here if the link does not work for you: http://blogs.reuters.com/trail08/2008/02/05/dobson-delivers-blow-to-mccain-candidacy/


REUTERS.COM FEB 5th, 2008. Article written by Ed Stoddard.

“I believe this general election will offer the worst choices for president in my lifetime. I certainly can’t vote for Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama based on their virulently anti-family policy positions. If these are the nominees in November, I simply will not cast a ballot for president for the first time in my life,” he [James Dobson] said.

Dobson said he was just expressing his views as a private citizen — but many of his millions of followers in the evangelical community, who listen to his radio show and read his books, will take it as a signal to do the same.


MY RESPONSE TO THE ARTICLE:

Reuters,

I pay attention to your headlines because it provides some of the most accurate and comprehensive information...

So why would you allow this garbage to be posted for the world to read?

To quote the line that prompted this response, "I certainly can’t vote for Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama based on their virulently anti-family policy positions."

Who would seek to undermine our democracy by using the word VIRULENTLY to describe these candidates' family positions?? The word implies that our presidential candidates would seek to literally poison our families... That is simply inaccurate information and violently opposes their actual intentions regarding family policy.

James Dobson has hit my top 5 list of most atrocious anti-democracy individuals.

Washington Primary Elections

PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES.

TO: Washington Democrats ---

Did you know your vote DOESN'T COUNT unless you attend a presidential caucus! Yeah... February 9th @ 1:00 or so. Figure out what precinct your in and get to your caucus! Make your vote actually COUNT.

And then write a letter to your representatives telling them how unfair it is that you must attend a political rally in order for your vote to count. It should count no matter where you are. What about our combat boys? How they voting???