Greetings!
Well,
there certainly is a lot going on in the world right
now. Students often have a difficult time keeping
up with current events, especially on international
fronts; I know I do. However, keeping up is an important
thing to do-- not only for our own personal knowledge,
but as global citizens. It is our responsibility
to know what events are changing the political climate.
It also makes for a good conversation piece. This
Holler is meant to satisfy your news palate with
an array of information sure to stimulate your intellectual
hub.
1. Tsunami:
The Environmental Impact
2.
Ukraine Elections: What's the Verdict?
3. Alberto
Gonzales: Under Fire in the Senate
4.
Announcements: STAND News
5.
Internships: 2 hot ones!
1.
Tsunami:
The Environmental Impact
Even
if you haven't been keeping up with daily current
events, South Asia's Tsunami disaster is an unavoidable
tragedy on the mind of every country's citizen.
One of the biggest earthquakes this century round,
this underwater disaster has devastated individuals,
cities, economies, and multiple countries. Amazingly
enough, countries round the world are coming to
the rescue. From local radio stations to national
governments worldwide, people are banning together
to give aid to people ravaged by the Tsunami.
The
story that falls by the wayside, however, is talk
of the environmental impact. Granted, while it is
too early to assess the total damage, the debris
from entire cities running into the ocean is a disaster
in and of itself. Species may be lost and habitats
are being destroyed.
One
extremely interesting fact from the tsunami is that
experts have found very few animal carcasses among
the devastation. Wildlife officials from Sri Lanka's
natural reserve, home to a variety of indigenous
wildlife, report that no dead animals have been
found. Apparently, the animals migrated to higher
land before the tsunami hit. It is another sign
that human beings should be more receptive to signs
from animals and the earth in the future.
Click
here for more.
2.
Ukraine Elections:
What's the verdict?
You
may or may not have heard all the noise around the
Ukrainian elections. What's the big deal? you may
wonder.
Well,
what started off as an innocent election has turned
into a battle of political cleavages, headed by
two important figureheads (and yes, their names
do look alike). The two key players are Mr. Yushchenko
and Mr. Yanukovych (the previous prime minister). The
main point of contention is that Mr. Yushchenko
represents the opposition; his supporters represent
west Ukraine (language: Ukrainian) and support Ukraine
becoming more westernized.
Mr.
Yanukovych is the Prime Minister whose support is
made up of East Ukrainians (language: Russian),
and supported by Russia. During the first few rounds
of elections that seemed to give Mr. Yanukovych
the majority; the results were suspended and investigated
for fraud. The election is considered invalid by
Parliamentary deputies.
After
a back and forth battle of both sides, new elections
were held. During the second wave of elections,
Vienna doctors confirmed that Mr. Yushchenko had
suffered from a lethal dose of dioxin, a deadly
poison drastically deteriorating his appearance.
Both candidates accused the other of fraud but the
election continues, and Mr. Yushchenko was declared
the winner.
Click
here for more.
3.
Alberto Gonzales: Under fire from the Senate
Alberto
Gonzales is undergoing intense interrogation from
the Senate concerning his memos surrounding the
Abu Ghraib scandals. His memos contained discussion
about why Al Queda and the Taliban were not entitled
to full protection by the Geneva Convention. Critics
claim that this type of counsel was indicative of
thinking which permitted and condoned the torture
at Abu Ghraib. Gonzales defended his stance by reiterating
that although he did not believe that the aforementioned
terrorists were entitled to Geneva protections he
did not in any way condone the torture at Abu Ghraib.
Click here for more.
| 
|
Renounce
torture
Gonzales
nomination under fire from
many sides
Take
Action! Join coalition of groups and individuals
in questioning Gonzales' role in opening the
door to torture in Iraq. |
4.
Announcements: STAND NEWS
1.
STAND cordially invites you to attend the
2005 WiLL/WAND September
conference as a student delegate. There
you will be able to participate in workshops, network
with national legislators, lobby on Capitol Hill,
see the Nation's Capitol, attend a Dine Around Dinner,
meet with other student activists and more!
If
you are interested in attending, please send an
email with your name, address, and phone number,
with the subject: "WiLL/Wand 2005 Conference"
to stand@wand.org, or fill out our conference flyer
that is coming in the mail. Hope to see you there!
2.
STAND's 2005 Activism Tracks are starting at the
end of January.
Each
student will choose an area of focus: peace, equality,
or progressive social change. Staff and leadership
will work to incorporate individual tracks into
the bigger picture of their area focus.
In
particular, each individual will have an activism
track, but she will be working in conjunction with
other members in her focus area towards a unified
goal. This track should include a detailed timeline
outlining three major activism goals, it should
include a plan for internship in their field, consistent
check-ins, and quarterly reporting.
To
complete the STAND activism track program, each
individual must commit to:
1)
Writing one Article for the Holler (monthly e-newsletter)
2)
Internship/Volunteer
3) Completing 3 Measures of Activism
4)
Consistent Check Ins – via email
5)
Quarterly Reports
Goal:
To train to be a lively activist.
Each
member who completes the 5 Paths of the program
will be recognized with the "Standing Tall
Achievement Award."
The
woman who shows the most initiative as an activist
will win the secret grand prize (title and prize
TBA).
5.
Internships: Two hot ones
1)
United Students Against Sweatshops
Interested
in the international labor movement? Want
to spend your summer fighting for workers' rights
abroad? Apply for USAS’ International Summer
Internship Program and spend your summer living,
working, and researching in another country!
Workers throughout the world are struggling for
the right to organize independent unions in their
workplaces, the right to safe and healthy working
conditions, and wages that allow them to support
themselves and their families. With the help of
students, these struggles have gained international
attention.
Students,
as consumers in the United States on some of the
wealthiest campuses in the world, have a unique
role in the struggle for justice worldwide. The
international summer internship program helps bring
together student power and worker power in an exciting,
effective way.
In
the summer of 2004, USAS sent 12 interns abroad
in order to research wage levels and working conditions
of garment factory workers in 9 different countries
including Guatemala, the Philippines, Nigeria, Jordan,
Dominican Republic, Mexico, Taiwan, China, and Thailand.
USAS started sending students abroad in 2000 and
the program has grown exponentially in the past
five years.
International summer interns often work closely
with the Solidarity Center in the country in which
they are placed, as well as with local labor unions
and labor support organizations. Interns are provided
with housing and a food stipend.
Actual
projects will vary by location, but past interns
have conducted interviews with workers about their
wages and working conditions, visited factories
and boarding houses, attended regional and local
conferences, worked closely on union organizing
drives, spread the word about the work that USAS
does, and developed long lasting relationships through
which USAS can build its important work. The program
lasts 8-10 weeks, and begins with a training session
in Washington DC prior to the intern's departure.
To apply:
follow this link to the application.
Visit
www.studentsagainstsweatshops.org
for info on USAS campaigns & opportunities
2)
EMERGE IS LOOKING FOR AN INTERN
Responsibilities/Duties:
* Research and produce draft copy of
political consulting guidebook
* Compile and coordinate documentation
of program curriculum
* Assist staff where needed phone
calls, mailings, production of materials, copy editing
* Perform duties as assigned
* Update new database system, monitor
incoming information
Requirements:
12-16 hours per week. Flexible scheduling.
Qualifications:
Candidates must be positive, open-minded and eager
to learn new skills in a fast-paced environment.
Candidates should have strong written and verbal
communication skills, a commitment to social justice,
good problem-solving skills, the ability to juggle
multiple tasks under deadlines, and a good sense
of humor. Working knowledge of Macintosh, PC, Microsoft
Word, and the Internet, including searches, is preferred.
There will be exciting opportunities to learn about
the political and local community as well as make
interesting new contacts and work with great organizations.
To Apply:
Please send a cover letter and resume to:
Intern
Hiring Committee
Emerge Women Leaders For A Democratic Future
182 Second Street, Suite 400,
San Francisco, California, 94105
Email
as word attachment only to: gretchen@emergeca.org.
Fax: 415-901-0110.
EOE.
