Worldmapper is an interesting university collaboration which aims to enable us to see the world in new ways. They have a lot of interesting maps, I really recommend you go and have a look at some of them.
I am really interested by these two:
This has countries sized by their clothing exports.
And this one their clothing imports:
© Copyright 2006 SASI Group (University of Sheffield) and Mark Newman (University of Michigan).
Posted in Justice | 3 Comments »Yesterday my wife and I were over in one of the richer neighborhoods in Seattle, and poking around for public beach access so she could jump into Lake Washington, as it was a scorcher of a day. We finally found a parking lot down near the water with a little beat up sign that said “Public Beach Access” with an arrow. There was a tiny little path down to a non beach–the trees and foliage grew right up to the water, and there was a rock sticking out into the water, next to a 6 foot high fence with barbed wire. My wife went for a swim. I stood and looked and pondered.
The 6 foot high fence was separating us from a private club of some sort. It had about 150 feet of real sandy beach, with sand that was obviously brought in. (You have to understand that *no* Washington State beach has *real* sand naturally.) There were children’s toys, with slides going into the water. And a long dock extending out into the water, with expensive looking yachts moored there. Etc.
The barbed wire was tilted outward, clearly designed to keep people from moving from our side to the other side, and not vice versa. Read the rest of this news item »
10 years ago last weekend, 16 May 1998, was an important date. G8 leaders were at a conference venue in central Birmingham, Britain’s second city. An estimated 70,000 people were there to meet them, to bring the issue of debt relief to the forefront of the discussions. A massive movement had been mobilised, turning a minority campaign issue to the forefront of the agenda of the world’s most powerful countries.
For me, it was one of the defining moments of my life. Personally, it was one of the first events in the relationship with my wife, which eventually led to marriage in 2000. Emotionally, it was a great climax to an outpouring of emotion. We felt on top of the world. We felt that the leaders had met their match - and that was not the usual suspects, but Everyman and His Granny.
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“To encounter the cross today, we will have to embrace the suffering and pain of our world. In fact, that is the most likely place we will find Jesus again.”
- Jim Wallis, The Great Awakening
John Dugard UN special rapporteur on the human rights situation in the Palestinian territories is quoted as saying
“Recent action violates the strict prohibition on collective punishment contained in the Fourth Geneva Convention. It also violates one of the basic principles of international humanitarian law that military action must distinguish between military targets and civilian targets.”
The Israeli government denies this of course, saying that the actions are necessary following repeated bombardment of Sderot by Qassam rockets fired from inside Gaza. Attacks which cost 2 Israeli lives in 2007. The UN puts deaths of Palestinians in Gaza at 26 for the period 2-8 January. More have died since, other human rights organisations put the total number much higher.
The power cuts which have plunged Gaza into darkness are caused by the main generators running out of fuel. Power cuts which have caused even hospitals and sewage systems to stop working.
Yesterday, Ehud Olmert the Israeli Prime Minister, announced that the siege was to be broken for a day, allowing some fuel and medicines to enter Gaza. He went on to say
“But we have no intention of making their lives easier… as far as I am concerned, every resident of Gaza can walk because they have no gasoline for their vehicles, because they have a murderous regime that doesn’t let people in southern Israel live in peace.”
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The Washington Post news report A Soldiers’ Officer tells the story of 1st Lt. Elizabeth Whiteside, who is currently facing the threat of a court-martial. Ms. Whiteside is accused of attempting suicide and endangering the life of another soldier while serving in Iraq and could receive a sentence of life in prison if she is tried and convicted.
On Benjamin’s The Dark Side of Christmas thread, Helen posted this comment:
I’ve read two books lately (The Real Mary by Scot McKnight and Everything Must Change by Brian McLaren) in which the authors point out what a strong justice theme is in ‘the Magnificat’ i.e. Mary’s song of rejoicing she sang about being the mother of Jesus…I love that right in the middle of the Christmas passages there’s a poem about addressing global injustice.
I love that too, Helen. I imagine that if Mary were speaking today, she would be accused of being a Marxist and promoting “class warfare”!
“He has taken princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly. He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands” (Luke 1:52-53).
And it seems she passed this revolutionary spirit on to her son.
“God blesses those who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is given to you. God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied…What sorrows await you who are rich, for you have only your happiness now. What sorrows await you who are satisfied and prosperous now, for a time of awful hunger is before you” (Luke 6:20-21, 24-25)
Those passages cause me to feel pretty uncomfortable, considering my placement on the Global Rich List. I believe in a God of mercy and grace, a God who loves everyone equally, including the rich and powerful. And yet I can’t simply ignore this troubling message.
What do these passages mean for those of us who are privileged and prosperous? How should we respond to this prophetic message?
Posted in Justice, Poverty | 5 Comments »