100 Living Peace and Justice Leaders and Models: List 4, Part 1

Peace March – a painting by Reginald Pollack from the Collection of the Lowe Art Museum. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.

by Kathie Malley-Morrison & Anthony J. Marsella

This Fourth List of Living Peace and Justice Leaders continues our efforts to honor the life and work of Reverend Martin Luther-King, Jr.  Reverend King’s legacy of peace, justice, and non-violence changed the world, inspiring  hope in those whose lives are oppressed by the evils of racism and the abuses of political rank and status.

We are eternally grateful for Reverend King’s efforts to free people and nations from the brutal oppressions imposed by governments, nations, societies, organizations, and individuals. Our spirits are buoyed by the thousands of living peace and justice leaders  whose activism and advocacy insure Reverend King’s sacrifices will not be forgotten.

LIST 4, Part 1

The presence of peace and justice advocates and activists across time and place are testimony to the enduring human spirit to resist oppression, to claim liberty, and to endure, even at the cost of life. Individuals recognized on Lists 1- 4 are part of the tradition of resistance to oppression and  commitment to peace and justice though non-violence.  They occupy a special “sacred” status in our minds and hearts for their efforts to advance the human condition.

And then there are the beautiful and inspiring words from the Sermon on the Mount, resonating across time and place: “Blessed are the peace makers, for they shall be called children of God.” (Matthew 5.9 KJV).

Today we present the first 30 names in our newest List of Living Peace and Justice Leaders and Models.  We thank them for their efforts and sacrifices.

LIST 4

  1. Al-Obaidi: Abdul Kareem Al-Obaidi, mental health advocate for victims of war and terrorism 
  2. Ashy: Majed Ashyadvocate for peace and human rights as pre-requisites for mental and physical health 
  3. Arkin: William Arkin,  investigative reporter, Washington Post,  Top Secret America   
  4. Atkinson: Moya Atkinson,   social worker, addresses prisoner isolation
  5. Atran: Scott Atran, anthropologist, studies terrorism 
  6. Bamford: James Bamford, author, journalist, focuses on NSA
  7. Beam:  Amy L. Beam, humanitarian assistance for Yazidis
  8. Beydoun: Khaled Beydoun, expert on institutionalization of Islamophobia
  9. Billoo: Zahra Billoo, civil rights activist, exec. director San Francisco Bay Area chapter Council on American Islamic Relations
  10. Bourgeois:  Father Roy Bourgeoisfounder of the human rights group School of the Americas Watch 
  11. Boyce-Simms: Pamela Boyce-Simms, Convenes the Mid-Atlantic Transition Hub (MATH), a six-state network of environmental activists
  12. Braun: Marie Braun, anti-nuclear weapons activist
  13. Bronzaft: Arline Bronzaft,   environmental psychologist, activist & leader
  14. Brown:  Craig Brown, progressive community organizer  
  15. Benjamin: Medea Benjamin, co-founder Code Pink
  16. Chailert: Lek Chailert (Thailand), Elephant Nature Park Care
  17. Chung: Rita  Chung, GMU professor Global Refugee Trauma Work
  18. Cohn: Marjorie Cohn, legal scholar, political analyst, social critic
  19. Conley: Julia Conley, staff writer Common Dreams 
  20. Corbett: Jessica Corbett,  Common Dreams writer 
  21. Cunningham: Finian Cunningham,  newspaper journalist focusing on international affairs  
  22. Daley-Harris: Sam Daley-Harris,  hunger eradication advocate and democracy activist    
  23. Dariyani: Angad Dariyani  Aims at solving large-scale problems for developing countries like India
  24. Davis: Martha Davis, film director, On the dark side 
  25. Dellums: Ronald Dellums, civil rights and anti-war activist
  26. Desai: Miraj Desai, researcher focusing on cultural, community, and social justice perspectives on mental health
  27. Dharm: Bhawuk Dharm, research on cultural sensitivity, ethics, whistle-blowing
  28. Dorrel: Frank Dorrel, anti-war film maker 
  29. Dueck:  Alvin Dueckpeace psychology teacher   
  30. Ecklein: Joan Ecklein, peace and social justice activist

Fossil fuel or life? Polar bears today. The world’s children tomorrow?

A video of an emaciated polar bear on Baffin Island was recently shared on social media. Warmer temperatures have led to longer ice-free periods throughout the year in the Arctic, increasing the risk of starvation for the animals. (Photo: @mitrasites2016/Twitter)

Today’s post features excerpts from a Common Dreams staff writer, Julia Conley, who describes an award-winning video  of a polar bear starving to death. Global warming results in less ice, which means less availability of polar bears’ food.

Conley’s story and the video deserve attention because, frankly, the powerful oil industry magnates and the politicians in their pockets don’t give a damn about polar bears. They care only about profits and the power that money brings.

And face it, they also don’t give a damn about you or your children or your grandchildren, and certainly not the environment that sustains — or cannot sustain — life.

Julia Conley tells us:

“A video of a starving polar bear led to calls for climate change deniers to confront the real-world effects of global warming this week. Taken by a Canadian conservationist and photographer and posted to social media, the video offered a stark visual of the drastic impacts of climate change that have already begun taking root.

“‘When scientists say bears are going extinct, I want people to realize what it looks like. Bears are going to starve to death. This is what a starving bear looks like.’ (Paul Nicklen)

“On social media, viewers of Nicklen’s video called for political leaders like President Donald Trump, who has refused to take part in global efforts to minimize the warming of the earth by reducing carbon emissions, to reconsider their climate-wrecking actions.

We can all take part in those efforts before the earth becomes unable to sustain life at all. Remember, the oil magnates and the banking system and the  military-industrial complex has tons of money and power, but you have a voice and a vote. There are millions and millions more people like you, like us, than like them.

Conley’s article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License.