Tikkun Daily Blog Archive (https://www.tikkun.org/tikkundaily/2014/08/)
Israel is appropriating a 1,000 acres of private land in the West Bank for settlement expansion — a move that is one step closer to pushing towards a one-state solution.
David Harris-Gershon obliterates Pennsylvania State Senator, Daylin Leach’s, argument on how supporting Israel is a progressive idea.
The difference between how the New York Times described Michael Brown — an unarmed black teenager –and the mass murderer, Ted Bundy, reveals the blatant racism in American media and society.
The crisis in the Middle East is endangering the spiritual integrity of the three Abrahamic religions — Judaism, Christianity and Islam — as six armies and armed groups claim the mantle of religion for their identities. The spiritual leaders of these three faiths must convene an emergency “spiritual summit” meeting to articulate their shared spiritual values and vision, in terms of their respective traditions, teachings and scriptures, and how to apply these to the current disastrous circumstances. If they don’t, what credibility will these religions have in the silence of the ruins after the bombs stop falling?
The work of artists and creative activists can help to create a cultural democracy that prizes diversity, practices equity, and brings a deep respect for human rights to every aspect of civil society. Therefore, the people-powered U.S. Department of Arts and Culture calls on all artists and creative activists to join in the movement to demilitarize the police and bring justice to victims of publicly funded racism. Be part of USDAC’s call to action.
In the aftermath of Michael Brown’s murder, Valerie Elverton-Dixon suggests we do not need another conversation about race, but instead one focusing on police brutality, poverty, and treating each other like human beings.
Join The Network of Spiritual Progressives and Tikkun on Sunday, September 14th for a four-hour workshop where you will learn techniques to deal with your distress, rage, and upset about the situation in Israel and Palestine and also have opportunities to learn and practice skills for hearing those who don’t agree with you and expressing yourself more effectively. You will leave feeling empowered to engage in healthy discourse, even with those with whom you disagree.
Ella Baker taught us to look deeply to discover the root causes of injustice. We can use her teachings to identify those causes in Ferguson and Gaza, and separate ourselves from our own loyalties to radically effect change.
Blatant religious violence is still ongoing in our world today, where in the name of “God” people fight and kill people who are not like them, launch vitriolic hate-filled speeches against one another, and kidnap young school girls. Beyond lazy hate speech against religion, in a world confronted by extremism, how might we as religious and non-religious people play a thoughtful role in creating the conditions for a healthy God-view in our society?
“Many black people and other peoples of color see “race” and racism as salient and central to their reality. Many white people — excluding members of the more race-conscious extremists groups — consider “race” as a peripheral issue, and may even consider racism as a thing of the past, or as aberrations in contemporary U.S. society. Since the 1960s, many people of color have embraced and expanded the definition of “racism” to reflect contemporary realities, while many white people have not.”
Warren Blumenfeld offers his commentary on race, critical multiculturalism, and how we as a society can use social justice to break down the barriers between us.