Organizing & Activism (Also see Nonviolence, Outreach)

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Non-profit orgs provides resources and truly smart proposals for a peaceful U.S. foreign policy

December 15, 2020 GlenAnderson 0

For four years Trump made the U.S.’s cruel, violent, counter-productive foreign policy even worse.  Joe Biden will most likely retreat from some of Trump’s worst foreign policy blunders, but Biden has a decades-long track record of supporting wars and recklessly cruel, unjust foreign policies and unnecessary military weapons. Therefore, returning from Trumpism to “normal” is NOT ENOUGH!  We need a TRULY PEACEFUL foreign policy, not “American Exceptionalism” and what Senator William Fulbright called “the arrogance of Power.”  We must replace the threats of violence, the actual wars, the bloated budgets, and the contempt for international law that have defined U.S. […]

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Now 51 nations have ratified the U.N. treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons.

December 15, 2020 GlenAnderson 0

This blog’s “Nuclear Weapons” category has included a number of posts about the truly exciting, historic Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons” (TPNW).  Read those for background.  Now here is what’s new: In October 2020 Honduras became the 50th nation to ratify the treaty.  The treaty specifies that it will go into effect 90 days after the 50th nation has ratified it.  That means the TPNW will go into effect on January 22, 2021. The national level of Physicians for Social Responsibility (www.psr.org) celebrated the 50th ratification:  https://www.psr.org/blog/psr-celebrates-50-ratifications-for-the-ban-treaty/?emci=8508afcb-b313-eb11-96f5-00155d03affc&emdi=bc8e3199-9b18-eb11-96f5-00155d03bda0&ceid=135885 Currently 51 nations have ratified the Treaty.  More nations are making progress […]

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“How to Deal With the U.S.’s Current Crises”

December 14, 2020 GlenAnderson 0

“How to Deal With the U.S.’s Current Crises” October 2020 Our nation is suffering from several extremely serious problems all at once.  The crises are deeply rooted and actually go beyond individual elected officials and political parties.  Problems include the COVID-19 pandemic, economic injustices, homelessness, excessive military spending, racial injustices, the criminal justice system, unfairness to immigration, right-wing extremism, the climate crisis, nuclear weapons, and Trumpism. Instead of merely lamenting “ain’t-it-awful,” three guests (Jean Gant Delastrada, Liz Moore, and Glen Gersmehl) provide smart insights into those problems and lift up some positive values that can help us solve them.  We […]

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These smart insights can help us communicate effectively about the climate crisis.

December 9, 2020 GlenAnderson 0

Please read this smart article: To Turn Fear to Action, We Must Confront the Emotions of the Climate Emergency: https://truthout.org/articles/to-turn-fear-to-action-we-must-confront-the-emotions-of-the-climate-emergency/?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=07ad2511-f34a-445c-9ae6-c45fc465d001   How To Talk To People About the Climate Crisis When Scary Facts Are Not Enough: This article says starting a conversation with scary facts only frightens people away: https://www.ecowatch.com/how-to-talk-about-climate-change-2649044390.html?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1 I believe that we’re more able to make progress if we help people thing about what they need and what they value – especially for their kids and grandkids.  Yes, the climate crisis is causing very serious problems already, but nearly 100% of the public wants their kids and grandkids […]

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Youth-led climate case in the European Court of Human Rights makes important progress!

December 9, 2020 GlenAnderson 0

The short news article I linked below begins with this paragraph: What has been described as possibly “the most important case ever tried by the European Court of Human Rights” cleared a significant hurdle Monday when the international body ordered more than 30 European governments to respond to a historic youth-led lawsuit seeking to force political leaders to take ambitious action against the existential climate emergency.   Later paragraphs say: Citing the “importance and urgency of the issues raised,” the European Court of Human Rights granted the youth-led case priority status, a move the plaintiffs and their supporters celebrated as […]

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International Declaration of Human Rights passed the U.N. General Assembly December 10, 1948

December 7, 2020 GlenAnderson 0

I’m posting this to my blog a few days before International Human Rights Day, December 10.  This day celebrates when the U.N. General Assembly passed the International Declaration on Human Rights on December 10, 1948.  It’s good to re-read the International Declaration on Human Rights every few years. Information and the text are at this link: https://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/ A .pdf with a simple, readable font is at this link: https://www.ohchr.org/EN/UDHR/Documents/UDHR_Translations/eng.pdf Thanks to Eleanor Roosevelt who had worked skillfully to create and pass this landmark document. Bonus questions:  (1) How many of these internationally recognized human rights has the U.S. (and/or states […]

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These four resources can help us de-polarize

November 27, 2020 GlenAnderson 0

My November and December 2020 TV programs help people de-polarize American society.  You can watch the videos and/or read thorough summaries of what we said during the TV interviews (and see links to additional information) at this blog’s categories for “TV Programs” and “Nonviolence.”   Here are some additional resources to help you understand and practice de-polarization:   Compassionate Communication – article by Marshall Rosenberg   Nonviolent Communication — Glen wrote this short summary.   Empathic Listening   De-Polarize After I produced this TV program and posted it to my blog, my e-mail address changed from glenanderson@integra.net to glen@parallaxperspectives.org.  When […]

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“Practical Ways to De-Polarize” American Society”

November 26, 2020 GlenAnderson 0

The December 2020 interview on “Glen’s Parallax Perspectives” TV series (also watchable on your computer) will remain very timely long after it airs on cable TV in Thurston County WA.  Our nation is sharply polarized regarding politics and public policy issues.  Many Americans recognize that we must heal the extreme polarization that is tearing our country apart.  Three guests share their insights and remedies so all of us can help to de-polarize our nation. Thurston County’s people with cable TV can watch it 14 times throughout December (Mondays 1:30 pm, Wednesdays 5:00 pm, and Thursdays 9:00 pm) on channel 22.  […]

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Here are more things Biden should do promptly after taking office

November 12, 2020 GlenAnderson 0

Two days ago I posted a list of some things that a variety of good organizations and smart individuals are urging Biden to do as soon as he takes office.  Here is that blog post:  http://parallaxperspectives.org/good-organizations-urge-biden-to-take-these-good-actions-promptly   More organizations are urging additional actions, so I am listing some of them here:   Americans United for the Separation of Church and State (www.au.org) wrote: The Biden-Harris administration has the opportunity and the moral obligation to right the wrongs of the Trump administration and build a better future – one that values religious freedom and equality for all.  That’s why AU has announced a […]

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This clever diagram can help us strategize how to change to a peaceful foreign policy.

November 12, 2020 GlenAnderson 0

For a very long time the U.S. had a “War Department,” but we conducted very few foreign wars. In 1947 Congress changed it to the “Department of Defense,” and we have conducted many, many wars since then, including our 2-decades-long Endless War against “terrorism.” Sensible people want to replace the U.S.’s chronically aggressive and violently militaristic foreign policy. The diagram linked here can help us figure out strategies for doing that.  It is fun to bring a few friends together to work through this exercise together.  Also, it can be useful for you to work with it alone.  Creative insights […]

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Conflict nowadays during our polarized era

November 10, 2020 GlenAnderson 0

For a number of years now, our society has been hurt by sloppy thinking, oversimplification, and the distortion and denial of reality.  To get out of our current mess, we need to think more clearly.  We must stop lumping people together into wholesale stereotypes.  Reality is more complex than that.  You DO support reality, don’t you? Let’s avoid the seductive trap of binary thinking (“us” vs. “them,” etc.). We will not save our nation by merely defeating the people we think are wrong.  The people who were defeated simply go underground and come back again: Example #1:  After World War […]

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50 nations ratified the U.N. treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons! See these great statements!

October 31, 2020 GlenAnderson 0

Now that the 50th nation has ratified the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (Honduras on October 24, 2020), the Treaty will go into effect 90 days after the date of the 50th ratification (on January 22, 2021) and become International Law: https://treaties.un.org/pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XXVI-9&chapter=26   The International Campaign for the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons (www.icanw.org) — the global organization that organized the United Nations General Assembly to pass the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear weapons in July 2017 and won the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize — issued this statement: https://www.icanw.org/historic_milestone_un_treaty_on_the_prohibition_of_nuclear_weapons_reaches_50_ratifications_needed_for_entry_into_force?utm_campaign=50_audience_news&utm_medium=email&utm_source=ican     Nuclear Weapons Will Soon Be […]