Think locally and act locally.
Four months ago thousands flocked to the streets of London in protests and riots during the G8 summit held in the nation’s capital. Sadly, the same was not true after news of MP’s expenses claims broke out. Why is it that the streets outside the houses of parliament weren’t taken by mobs of angry people demanding an explanation? Why didn’t thousands of students get together to protest outside the gates of 10 Downing street? Would it be that young britons have more appetite for global causes than local ones? In my five years living in the UK, I came to believe that for most of the nation’s youth no cause is too small. As long as it’s global. Save the rain forests! Stop global warming! That’s what they’re saying.
Protect local jobs in Lancashire! Preserve Cornwall’s beaches! Seem as unlikely as the propstects of Superman snorting kryptonite. The island’s youth is eager to change the world and it forgets all about their own backyard. Have you ever stopped to think and ask yourselves how many of our university students actually bothered to get up and vote in 2005. Many people say that voting doesn’t matter because nothing ever changes. Democracy is no fast food restaurant and it’s certainly no take away at 2 in the morning, where you order a kebab knowing all too well that it’s a bad idea and that it’ll prove regretable in the morning. Democracy takes time and pondering. It took Brazil decades of democratic process to finally elect a left wing government, not that is was a very good choice, but it was a democratic one. America endured a long wait before it voted in it’s first black president after 232 years of independence. Democracy is a bottom to top thing, which means we can’t change the world if we don’t make those essential changes locally first. Perhaps the motto should be changed. Perhaps we should think locally, act locally to then, change globally.
BRITISH PREMIERE ‘Chomsky and Company’
Housmans Bookshop present the British premiere of ‘Chomsky and Company’, a French produced documentary which critically assesses Noam Chomsky’s body of political thought.
Will the murder of children result in a war crimes commission?
“Let’s try and and talk about something we should all be able to agree on.
KILLING CHILDREN IS A WAR CRIME PLAIN AND SIMPLE
STAND FORWARD ANYONE WHO SAYS OTHERWISE”
John Holdren is Santa Claus
The news from America that John Holdren is Barak Obama’s chief scientific adviser is the best Christmas present the human race could hope for.
Chistmas Shopping: Shoes are the perfect gift!
I never seem to have an idea what to buy the man who has everything but a journalist in Iraq appears to have found the perfect present; shoes! Perhaps he skimped a bit on the wrapping but there was no shortage of gusto in his presentation.
The Unlawful Killing of one man’s Human Rights
Words, just words….. don’t you feel as though the world we are all living in is run by people who use words to wriggle and squirm their way through reality?
Mombai terrorism and the arrest of Damien Green
The point here is that this digital revolution is not simply technical, electronic and soulless, this 21st century media revolution is embedded in our humanity.
Free Will - A Dialogue
The question of free will is whether rational agents exercise control over their actions and decisions.
Peace Boats to Gaza: An interview with Lauren Booth
Human Rights TV have recorded an interview with Lauren Booth on the situation in Gaza for the Islington Friends of Yibna channel. London Student has an exclusive first look at this interview here and now: Play Video
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The issue of Israel and the occupation of Gaza prompts a passionate response from both sides but as [...]
Do you remember the day Obama was elected President?
Without wanting to write an essay on the history of being black in America, or the more recent history of the last 8 years of George W. Bush, this is a defining moment in time that deserves to be highlighted as much as possible.
Men Need Not Apply
Two of my friends have given me the nickname: “Disgruntled of Surrey”. They claim that I like to moan about things which resembles the ramblings of a Guardian reader.
Transfiguration, Hiroshima and Burma, the human connection.
Having made this discovery of unexpected humanity I have, never the less, not lost my own position in life.
Human Rights and the individual voice
A team of volunteers, students and human rights abuse victims have demonstrated that where there is a will there is always a way.
