The recent political trials in Iran and Burma have raised several questions on the motives of these trials. There could be several levels of analysis, and similarities and differences could be drawn between the trials of political prisoners in Iran and the political prisoners in Burma.

UN Resolution on Combating Defamation of Religions is a jihad at the UN against human rights by islamic theocracies and their allies

Nigerian government needs to recognize the existence and rights of 'religious' minorities

Last week I submitted an article for editorial review on Political Cortex titled, "Rhetoric of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict." It spent about one week in the queue, was voted up and down, and then finally disappeared from the queue. I would like to open a discussion about this controversial article for the purpose of gathering people's thoughts about it, and to learn why it was not deemed suitable for publication on this website.

Early in this 21st century it has become pertinent that humanists get involved in the promotion and propagation of human rights in Africa

Humanism is an outlook that affirms the dignity and worth of all human beings.
And human rights stand for the inalienable entitlement of all individuals by the virtue of their being human. And they include the right to life, liberty and security of persons, freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief.

The Progressive Democrat Newsletter grew out of the frustration of the 2004 election. Having organized protests against the Republican Convention, I found I had a core of activists who were looking to me for support after Bush "won" re-"election". My carefully thought out suggestions as to where we could go from that defeat led to this more-or-less weekly newsletter.

This week I discuss fighting the Burmese dictators and making money by investing in alternative energy. I revisit from last week targeting one of the most horrible, corrupt, anti-science Republicans, Joe Barton, one of the Katrina 11. I also focus on local actions and events in New York State, New York City, Texas, Virginia, California and New Jersey. Don't forget to visit an advertiser or two and if you want more, please visit Culture Kitchen.

The case brought against Shehu Sani by Islamic jihadists over his book, Phantom Crescent, has a lot of implications for human rights, democracy and civilization in Nigeria.

On October 9 (yesterday) a court in Kaduna-Northern Nigeria heard a case brought against Shehu Sani- a well-known human rights activist, social critic and author.
Mr. Sani-a practicing Muslim- was sued by a group called Concerned Sharia Forum over a play- Phantom Crescent- he wrote exposing the abuses and double standards by those implementing Sharia law in 12 states in Northern Nigeria.

NGOs are critical to the promotion and protection of human rights in Africa

The emergence of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) is one of the greatest developments in the defense, protection and promotion of human rights in Africa I realized this in May when I traveled to represent the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) at the 41 st Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and People's Rights (ACHPR) in Accra Ghana. ACHPR meet twice every year to assess the state of human rights in Africa especially how state parties are fulfilling their obligations and commitments under the African Charter on Human and People's Rights.

Usually part of the Session is devoted to hearing reports and statements by state parties, human rights institutions, intergovernmental and non governmental organizations involved in human rights protection and promotion in the region.

Most leaders and the press view violence against women and children as just "a women's issue" or "a children's issue" - in their minds, a secondary issue. But it's not only that millions of women and children are victims of violence in their homes every year; the fact is that intimate violence provides a basic model for using force to impose one's will on others.

When children either experience or observe violence against their mothers in their homes, they learn that it's ok, even "moral," to use violence to impose one's will on others. This is why throughout history, the most violently despotic and warlike societies have been those where violence, or the threat of violence, is used to maintain domination of parent over child and man over woman.

"So why are we waging war on the poor and oppressed?"

By Jason Miller

"I will not tire of declaring that if we really want an effective end to violence we must remove the violence that lies at the root of all violence: structural violence, social injustice, exclusion of citizens from the management of the country, repression. All this is what constitutes the primal cause, from which the rest flows naturally."

---Archbishop Oscar Romero (1917-1980)

This diary was written expressly for Daily Kos, but I thought other progressive bloggers might find it interesting.

Yesterday I was devastated. A friend told me my favorite TV show Stargate, had been cancelled. This was actually announced last week, but I'm not involved in online fandom, so I had to get the 411 the old fashioned way. My friend is entrenched in online fandom, so I guess I'm in the second tier for info propagation from Stargate fandom ground zero. This is approximately where I would put myself in the progressive politics information stream, as well. Not in the room, but an interested party with my nose stuck to the window.

The word "devastated" might strike some as grotesque hyperbole in the context of a cheesy sci fi show. Wouldn't it be more appropriate for me to be devastated over Darfur or the warehousing of the poor in the U.S.? I've been pondering this for the last 24 hours, and I believe I've come up with some insights that may be of use to Kossacks and other people involved in political campaigns.

I just read the NYT article about the stained glass ceiling for women in the church, and I was especially struck by this comment:

...in the marketplace of ideas and values, men matter most and...by definition, women have to take a back seat...

Why do men matter most in the marketplace of ideas?

Democrats are divided over whether appealing to the moderate center or galvanizing their progressive base is the better strategy. Given the public's declining confidence in Republican leadership, either strategy may enable Democrats to win at the polls. But neither approach will give them the electoral mandate required to govern effectively and retain the public's support once they're in office.

Fortunately, choosing between these two strategies is unnecessary. There is an alternative to left-right politics and by adopting it Democrats can remain true to progressive principles while attracting millions of voters from the non-ideological middle.

The step beyond the "New Deal," the "Fair Deal," and the "Great Society" is a "Dignitarian Society." The slogan is Dignity For All.

When it comes to politics, new language and new thinking are different things. Whatever new language progressives used in 2004 failed to change the electoral outcome, and at most it'll help them eke out a few victories in the coming years. New language is like changing the window treatment, not the window, not the view, not the perspective.

What's required for social change, and it could come from either party, is the kind of political realignment we get once every 50 years. Such realignment pulls a sizeable majority from the vast non-ideological, sensible middle of the political spectrum, and creates a real mandate for fundamental social change. Like those that FDR and LBJ presided over. Like the universal health care and campaign finance reform that we need now.

Both political parties know that a unifying core value expressed in a pithy slogan translates into votes. FDR's Democrats had "The New Deal"; LBJ's party advanced "The Great Society." Republicans rally to "lower taxes," "smaller government," "strong defense," and "family values."

What core value, what slogan, could move us beyond the toxic standoff that paralyzes American politics today?

The answer lies in a single word--Dignity.

This core value takes wings on the inclusive slogan: "Dignity For All." The bumper sticker reads "Dignity4All," and it will soon begin appearing on cars across America.

The idea of a universal right to dignity may at first seem too simple to pull together the disparate elements of this divided nation, but it's not. Dignity is what people want, on the left, on the right, and most importantly, in the vast, non-ideological middle.