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Catch
up with current events! |
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There's quite a lot going on in the world now. With
the stress of final exams and finalizing summer plans,
you probably haven’t had much time to educate yourself
about current events. This Holler is here to catch
you up so when you're at end of the year parties/gatherings,
you'll astound people with your knowledge of foreign
affairs and dazzle them with your witty repartee.
And be sure to check out our Holler announcements
-- you might just find that summer activity you've
been searching for.
- U.S.
- Tom Delay under Congressional microscope
- UK
- Recent election results
- Middle
East - Syria's pullout from Lebanon
- The
new Pope!
- Internships
and opportunities
- Announcements
1)
Tom Delay under Congressional microscope
Tom Delay has recently come under intense scrutiny from Congress.
Delay has been admonished by the House Ethnics committee
(a bi-partisan committee made up of five Republicans
and five Democrats) three times in the past year.
Currently he is in the hot seat because of certain
overseas trips that may have been funded by lobbyists
or foreign agents, which is against house rules.
For
the article from the New York Times, click
here.
2.
UK
- Recent election results
The UK just finished up their election
this last week. The Labour
party won 66 seats, confirming them as the majority
party and Tony Blair, the head of the Labour party, is set to be Prime Minister for a third term.
This election broke a historic precedence, as
the Labour party has never
won majority for three consecutive elections. Even
though the Labour party won the majority, they lost many seats from their
2001 election, downsizing by about 100 seats. Tony
Blair has been humbled by the experience, vowing to
renew his effort to constituents, and realizes that
Iraq
is an extremely divisive issue in the United
Kingdom.
The slim majority the Labour party secured was a striking difference from the landslide
elections in 1997 and 2001. With such a reduced majority,
Tony Blair will probably find it much more difficult
to get his programs passed. As the UK is the main cohort of the U.S. in the War on
Terror, and a leader in Europe
and the western world, the new political dynamic should
have reverberations for the international political
climate.
For
more, click
here.
3.
Syria's pullout from Lebanon
Syria has finished pulling out all its troops from Lebanon as of April 2005. Syria's pullout ends a 29-year occupation and was
initiated because of demands from Lebanon, the UN, and other countries.
In February 2005, a former Prime Minister of Lebanon was unexpectedly
assassinated, and many pointed to Syria as the culprit. After the tragic
event, the pressure for Syria's
pullout intensified. There were several riots in the
streets from both supporters and protesters of the
Syrian occupation. Syria initially intervened in 1976
during the Lebanese civil war.
In many ways, Syria
and Lebanon
are close political allies; some view Syria's
pullout as liberation for the Lebanese people, while
others view it as a U.S./Israeli attempt to weaken
Israeli enemies. At any rate, the full scale pullout
of 14,000 troops will no doubt have a long-term impact
on Middle Eastern politics.
For
more, click
here.
4.
New Pope in Rome
April brought a new Pope to the Vatican.
Though there were hopes in Africa and South
America that individuals from their continents
would be chosen, the College of Cardinals decided
on Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.
Now known as Pope Benedict XVI, he is of German
descent and grew up during the Nazi regime. He is
known as an extremely conservative and traditionalist
pontiff, who is anti-Liberation Theology, anti-Marxist,
anti-homosexual, and holds fast to the Catholic notions
against birth control and abortion.
Instead of the predicted overwhelming backlash,
there are mixed reactions from Africa at the passing over of the Nigerian Cardinal Francis
Arinze. Some speculate this
is because African Catholicism is in a conservative
trend, and many may be pleased with the choice of
an outwardly conservative pontiff. Others are obviously
disappointed with the College of Cardinals for rejecting
the opportunity to break tradition.
Africa has cautioned the new Pope not to waver from the
fight against HIV/AIDS, which continues to ravage
the continent. Latin America also seems to also be divided on the new Pope;
some welcome his conservative values, while others
feel that the climate calls for a much more progressive
Pope.
For
more, click
here.
5.
Internships and Opportunities
Union
Summer: click here
Union
Summer is a five-week educational internship to
participate in and develop skills useful for union
organizing drives and other campaigns for workers'
rights and social justice.
WAND
internship opportunity
Women's
Action for New Directions: the mission is to empower
women to act politically to reduce violence and
militarism, and redirect excessive military resources
toward unmet human and environmental needs.
Depending on prior experience and
ability, their duties may include research and analysis,
preparing correspondence, program implementation
as well as attending rallies or meetings. Interns
have direct contact with WAND members and partners.
Supervision Received and Exercised:
Position receives general supervision
from the Directors' Associate or from other management
staff.
Example of Duties:
- Assist staff in the development and implementation
of a central file system.
- Compile data for special projects; collect and assemble
data and background materials for a variety of
reports.
- Coordinate and participate in the preparation and processing
of mailings; ensure that packet is complete including
all reports and related supporting documents.
May include the duplication, collation, and distribution
of packets.
- Attend special events as staff. Some events may occur
outside of normal business hours.
- Provide general office coverage.
- Perform general administrative and clerical work; file,
schedule appointments, process information; order
and maintain supplies as directed.
- Operate a variety of office equipment.
- Perform responsible administrative work involving the
use of independent judgment and personal initiative.
- Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships
with those contacted in the course of work.
- Additional Projects: 2005 WAND
Conference
Skills:
Experience and Training Guidelines:
Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required
knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical
way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would
be:
Course work at an accredited college, university or business school with major
emphasis in business, public administration or a
related field or experience in a public agency,
social service or office environment. Volunteer
or paid work experience may qualify.
To apply, please e-mail, fax, or
mail your cover letter and resume to the following:
- E-mail: asummerville@wand.org - please include
the title of the position you are applying for
in subject or body of e-mail.
- Fax: 404-524-7593
- Mail:
464
Cherokee Ave. SE Atlanta,
GA 30312Communications Marketing Internship
Communications Marketing Internship,
The Communications Network
Responsibilities:
--Work with program consultants to develop content
for website and newsletters
--Support civic engagement research project, developing
educational workshops and writing profiles in emerging
practices for online publication
--Identify communications resources for online clearinghouse
and technical assistance library
--Assist in developing and production of marketing
materials for the Network resource center
Qualifications:
-Possess excellent communications skills, both written
and oral
-Strong writing skills, ability to meet deadlines
-Computer Proficiency with Microsoft office applications
including FrontPage / Access
Interested applicants: please submit a cover letter
with your resume by email or fax.
Web site: click
here.
Email: info@comnetwork.org
Subject: Communications Internship
8757 Georgia Avenue, Suite 540
Silver Spring, MD 20901
fax: 301-589-4289
Emily's
List Political Training Internship: click here
The
Political-Training Intern assists in the development,
planning and execution of EMILY's List Training
Programs. The Political-Training Intern works closely
with the Political Programs Assistant and the Deputy
Training Director to help manage EMILY's List Job
Bank and Job Distribution List; assist in the logistics
of planning trainings across the country; attend
job fairs on behalf of EMILY's List Job Bank; and
research current state elected officials.
20/20
opportunities
Become a 20/20 Vision Regional
Director and get a FREE trip to Washington, DC!
20/20 Vision is pleased to offer an exciting
opportunity for students all over the United
States. We are launching an innovative
new program to create a student-led Regional Directors'
Council. Ten energetic participants from colleges
and universities throughout the country will be chosen
as Regional Directors to come to Washington,
D.C. (free of charge) for an
intensive week of hands-on training in advocacy and
field organizing in preparation for their term of
service. During this one-year term, participants will be our point of contact for a non-partisan
debate on the Iraq
war and related issues
on their campus.
Please forward this to your student lists or to anyone
you know who might be interested.
Interns
Needed in Washington Office
Interested in environmental policy and peace issues?
Want great experience working on issues campaigns,
attending meetings on Capitol Hill, writing articles
and helping citizens speak out to decision-makers?
20/20
Vision is a national non-profit organization dedicated
to protecting the environment and promoting peace
through grassroots lobbying and citizen education.
Every month we send an alert to our members on a
pressing issue—things like clean air, pure foods
and nuclear weapons. We give them the most effective
action they can take—usually an email, letter or
phone call to a policymaker. It's focused action
for busy people!
Our
internship program offers an opportunity to gain
hands-on experience working in a small, dynamic
office. Interns work in the areas of program and
membership services, with some administrative work.
If you can handle it, you can do it! Interns may
work full or part for the fall, spring or summer
period. We accept one or two students or recent
graduates. Stipend/credit available.
Please
apply by Aug. 15 for fall, Dec. 15 for spring, and
April 15 for summer. Send your resume, cover letter
and writing sample to:
20/20 Vision – intern search
1828 Jefferson Place, NW
Washington, DC, 20036
Phone: (202) 833-2020
Fax: (202) 833-5307
E-mail: vision@2020vision.org
6.
Announcements
 |
iGive,
uGive, weallGive to WAND!
Don't
just click; donate while you shop!
If you go through iGive.com,
WAND Education Fund gets a percentage of every
purchase! And it offers plenty of great vendors:
from Barnes and Noble to Staples, to Land's
End, and more! Click
here for full information. |
This
is "Cover the Uninsured Week" --
a time to recognize those Americans who lack health
insurance, including one often-overlooked segment
of the uninsured population: young
adults. Between 2000 and 2003, the number of 19-to-29-year-olds
lacking health coverage rose by 2.2 million, to 13
million, according to new Commonwealth Fund research.
As a result, these young adultswho
often lose coverage after graduating from high school
or collegeare more likely
than their covered peers to forgo medical care or
have health problems.
In the newly updated Rite
of Passage? Why Young Adults Become Uninsured
and How New Policies Can Help, Fund Senior Program Officer Sara
R. Collins and colleagues suggest several policy changes
that could extend coverage to uninsured young adults
and prevent others from losing it, such as:
• Extending dependents' eligibility for private coverage
through age 23
• Extending eligibility for Medicaid and the State
Children's Health Insurance Program through age 23
• Ensuring that colleges and universities require
and offer insurance coverage to both full- and part-time
students.
Vote
Run Lead
Go Run is a weekend long training dedicated to equipping
you, the future candidate, with the skills to run
and win. The training aims to demystify the political
process and increase the number of progressive women
in the political pipeline. Go Run provides the nuts
and bolts of running for political office by focusing
on such areas as communications, fundraising, and
campaigning, amongst others. For more on Go Run
click here.
Global
Exchange Reality Tour Program
- Visit cities, villages and refugee
camps under siege in the West
Bank and the Gaza Strip (when possible). Learn from
Palestinians about their lives under Israeli occupation
and their hopes for liberation.
- Meet with Palestinian and Israeli
human rights and peace organizations such as: the
Palestine Center for human Rights, the
Rapprochement Center,
B'tselem, Alternative
Information Center, Addameer,
Gush Shalom, and Between the Lines.
- Tour around Jerusalem with the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions to learn about settlement expansion
plans, bypass roads and house demolitions; examine
Israeli settlement policy and proposals for their
dismantlement.
- Meet an Israeli who lost his
child due to the conflict and is now working with
an organization of Israeli and Palestinian Bereaved
Families to end the occupation.
- Visit with Palestinian medical
relief workers and learn about the human toll of
the occupation and the continuing military actions
in the West Bank and Gaza.
- and much more!
