Can music change the world?

While this article may not be the most relevant to our discussions, it really spoke to me. These young, twenty-something people are singing out against their society's traditions and attempting to make a change in their home. The Somalian music group has been displaced by the fighting and violence in their home country, and have been living in Kenya, some for over a decade. Singer Jamila Jamma says in the article "We are not happy with what has been happening back home, in fact we have recorded a thought-provoking song that we hope will bring our leaders back to our senses." While singing out against the war in Somalia, the group, "Waayah Cusub," is also crossing serious cultural boundaries to alert the people in their communities about social problems like AIDS. (You can listen to some Waayah Cusub songs on the BBC site)
This article raised some questions for me about the relevance of art and the responsibilities of artists when it comes to issues like AIDS, war and human rights all over the world. There has been a long standing tradition of using literature, art and music to speak out against injustices, and popular artists have a large audience to make their claims to. The question, I guess, is how much do you think the arts have an impact on society and global issues? Is there a responsibility among artists to address issues going on in the world today? How much change can they actually create?

Bangladesh's Questionable Elite Police

Hmm.  If I were in power, equipped with the total authority of the land, more power than the regular police force, the ability to kill suspects, and shady characters to quiet any family member searching for answers, what would I do?  Party...a lot, because I certainly wouldn't have many worries.  Such is the case for Bangladesh's Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) (Side note: I don't factually know how much they actually do party).  

Created in 2004 to combat inadequacies in the normal police force of low training and corruption, this group has been responsible for anywhere from 150-190 deaths in its first two years of operation (150 being the reports of the government, 190 reports of Human rights lawyers).   They have coined the term, "Death by Crossfire", which, contrary to popular believe, is not the name of a rock and roll album (though that would be a cool one), but instead refers to the fact that, "In an average week two or three people are killed in incidents involving the RAB.  'Of those who have died in this crossfire all are known terrorists and criminals of the country,' said the law minister, Moudud Ahmed."  By the way, a death by crossfire is not followed by much of an investigation.  I feel the law minister is being a tad confusing with his statement.  His RAB, stomps through the streets,  killing 'criminals' but how is this determined?  Human Rights Watch recently chastised Bangladesh for its high cases of torture and illegal detention, often at the hands of the RAB, in which many suspects never return home. 

The justice system in Bangladesh is obviously in disarray.  But in a country unable to train its police officers, is some sort of elite police unit such as the RAB necessary?  Is the far the RAB uses helping them maintain order?  Or is it another example of absolute power corrupting absolutely?  Discuss amongst yourselves...(apologies this is a week late)

Legal Immigrants now find more barriers to entry

Applying for permanent residence in the US is a hard process in general. For those who seek residency in the US legally seem to have a lot of trouble. Even though there are various ways that one can apply, often people look for sponsors. Sponsors for applications could be a spouse, a family member, or an employer. These avenues are supposed to make the process easier, however today there is still a struggle even if one has a sponsor. What does it say about our government and immigration process if those who are trying to apply legally for citizenship find constant struggles? Are illegal aliens making this process more difficult for those who are trying to do it legally?

Fidel Resigns: Should the Embargo stay?

As you all may know by now Fidel Castro resigned his position as President last week. Although everyone may think this as a catalyst for change in Cuba, nothing has happened. The Cuban economic embargo enacted during the Cold War designed to prevent American companies to do business with Cuba is still in place. Wouldn't taking down the embargo open the antiquated Cuban culture to a capitalist influence? If we do business with China, a communist country, why not Cuba?

"Kosovo is Serbia!"...or is it?

Since Kosovo declared its independence a week ago there has been unrest in Serbia. Not only are the Serbs enraged by what they call an illegitimate declaration of independence, they are furious with the United States for giving recognition to what they deem to be a false state. Anti-American sentiment came to a head on Thursday at a Serbian government sponsored protest that turned violent when protesters stormed the U.S. Embassy and lit the ground floor on fire. The Serbian Prime Minister has directly blamed the United States for the violence and one of his aides was quoted as saying, "If the United States sticks to its present position that the fake state of Kosovo exists ... all responsibility in the future will be on the United States."

Ethnic tensions between Serbs in Serbia and Albanians in Kosovo have flared throughout a series of wars in the 1990s and the ethnic cleansing propagated by Slobodon Milosevic. Although Kosovo officially remained a part of Serbia, it has been administered by the United Nations since 1999 because of these wars and tensions. Does Kosovo have a legitimate claim to independence? Should the United States have acknowledged the state before the U.N. passed a resolution? Do you think this act will have implications for other nations with relatively strong separatists movements such as Cameroon?

Illegal immigrant student arrested by ICE

What would you do if an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer arrested one of your peers? This is what happened in a Roswell, New Mexico high school when ICE officials arrested an 18-year old pregnant student who was in the United States illegally. Was ICE correct in arresting and deporting her? Should students, illegal or not, have a safe haven in schools?

Public Executions in 2008

Jon Leyne's BBC article "Iranian Hangings 'Hit New Record'" is at once shocking and unsuprising. At first, I was shocked that there were public hangings endorsed by the state occuring in the world in the 21st century. But then I felt almost naive. In the context of countries in which there is strict (some would perhaps argue the proper word is fanatical rather than strict) religious law, there are still forms of punishment that many in Western society would regard as antiquated and antithetical to Human Rights. Are we not beyong public hangings in 2008?
I was somewhat hesistant to post this article and raise questions of cultural relativism versus basic human rights in regards to Iran. I didn't want this to come off as a cliche Clash of Civilizations blog post in which an American University Student critizes the Iranian justice system for being archane and immoral, especially not as the post above Dr. D's regarding Waterboarding. But then, the fact that this article would be juxtaposed next to Dr.D's on waterboarding made me decide specifically to post it. (How) Can we condemn inhumane treatment of criminals, when we torture suspects? Is it not frightening that an article about punishment that would make one CRINGE when its about a foreign government, makes one QUESTION when its about their own government?

What's Angelina Jolie Doing In Iraq?

Angelina Jolie was recently in Iraq to improve efforts to help internally displaced refugees. More than 4.2 million Iraqis have fled their homes, 2 million of which to neighboring states. Jolie has also been vocal about boosting the U.S. effort to resettle Iraqi refugees in the United States. A goal has been set of accepting 12,000 Iraqi refugees by September of 2008 but only 375 have been accepted so far.

We should all agree that there is a certain moral responsibility for helping refugees. My question to everyone else: Because of the U.S. involvement in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, does the United States bear a greater moral responsibility to accept these refugees than refugees from other countries? If so, what implications does this have, if any, on asylum policy?

So Waterboarding is not Torture Now?

For those of you who don't know what waterboarding is -- it is essentially simulating drowning. One form is strapping someone to a board, putting a cloth over the face and pouring water over their mouth until they can't breathe.
So, is this torture? If you don't think so, what don't you try it?

So let's get to the facts. The White House has admitted and defended the CIA's use of waterboarding as an interrogation technique.
Let's remember, that the U.S signed the Convention Against Torture (CAT), and that almost every legal authority views waterboarding as torture and a crime.

So where does that leave us as Americans? Where does this leave our government? Are we okay with the fact that the U.S. government (or more specifically the CIA) is torturing in our name? How does this effect our credibility elsewhere? How does it effect our perceptions of ourselves?

"Darfur Can Wait. Let's Save America."

Isn't facebook fantastic? Below, I have pasted a description from a facebook group with the above title. I have pasted, rather than created a livelink, to protect the identity of the group members. What do you guys think about this? Are we spending too many of our resources on non-Americans? Should we, as this group suggests, take care of business at home before extending ourselves to other people in need?

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