It's extremely heartening in this time of financial belt tightening to see more and more of my friends making charitable donations for the holidays in lieu of gifts. Whether it's supporting the important work of Doctors Without Borders, or buying a goat for an African village through Oxfam, these fantastic gestures take advantage of avenues set up by caring non profits whose work we really should support all year round. All we have to do is click a button and these organizations will turn our money into food, housing, medical supplies and other forms of aid to needy populations. But there is one population that is never included in all this good will; it is by its very nature difficult to reach, and extremely uncomfortable for most of us to talk about outside of tasteless jokes: inmates who have been raped behind bars.
Why should we care about criminals, you ask? It's because in addition to the horror of rape, these men and women are contending with indifference and shame at best, trauma, ridicule and continued abuse at worst. We don't hear about it very often, but it's a reality for a horrific number of prisoners: over 20 percent of inmates in men's prisons and as many as 25 percent in women's institutions (and these are conservative estimates since so many cases go unreported.) Did you know that right here in Los Angeles there is a human rights organization--Just Detention International -- devoted especially to these survivors of rape?
When you look at the circumstances, at the very institutionalization of rape in our prisons, it can really seem hopeless. The activists working with such isolated victims are truly pioneers. And using the ingenuity of the internet, they make it possible for any of us to reach out and send a message directly to one of these survivors. It takes 30 seconds, it's fast free and easy. But it will provide nothing less than a lifeline to someone who is suffering this holiday season, reminding them they are not alone.
I don't know anyone who doesn't consider themselves compassionate. So if you are, you will not turn away from this great way to make a difference for someone less fortunate. It will take less time than it just took you to read this piece!
JDI will send your card to someone like Beverly, who was sexually abused by staff in a state prison. Beverly wrote
"Here I was feeling like an island all by myself, and that I didn't have anyone to turn to who could possibly understand me. And then I received your envelope. Thank you so very, very much!"
Let's all join JDI in sending holiday cards to sexual abuse survivors in prisons and jails across the U.S.
First, there are things like money and energy. Russia has both. The EU is going broke. The Kremlin could be thought of as a rich uncle once removed, a kind of orthodox Santa Claus. The Russian economic model may be predicated on natural resources and larceny, but whatever the Russians are doing seems to be keeping Europe warm and working better than communitarianism. Indeed, if Angela Merkel stops writing checks, Western Europe may fold like a cheap tent. And Americans may not see black ink until sometime after they win a World Cup. NATO should welcome Russia because all clubs should have at least one member solvent enough to pay for the electric bill and the adult beverages.
bench craft company scam
'You lie!' Clarence Page calls Fox <b>News</b> Channel's 'fair and <b>...</b>
Chicago Tribune takes a dig at the cable news channel for the second year in a row.
Fox <b>News</b> - Ratings - 2010 | MSNBC - CNN | Mediaite
Fox News will mark 2010 as one of the best years since the network's launch in 1996. The network posted powerful ratings, beating the combined ratings of CNN and MSNBC and marking the ninth straight year as cable's top news network.
Neanderthals Enjoyed Home-Cooked Meals, Study Finds - AOL <b>News</b>
Even Neanderthals understood the value of a diverse diet. Researchers have identified strong evidence that the Neanderthal diet, previously thought to be almost exclusively meat-based, also included a nutritious portion of cooked ...
bench craft company scam
'You lie!' Clarence Page calls Fox <b>News</b> Channel's 'fair and <b>...</b>
Chicago Tribune takes a dig at the cable news channel for the second year in a row.
Fox <b>News</b> - Ratings - 2010 | MSNBC - CNN | Mediaite
Fox News will mark 2010 as one of the best years since the network's launch in 1996. The network posted powerful ratings, beating the combined ratings of CNN and MSNBC and marking the ninth straight year as cable's top news network.
Neanderthals Enjoyed Home-Cooked Meals, Study Finds - AOL <b>News</b>
Even Neanderthals understood the value of a diverse diet. Researchers have identified strong evidence that the Neanderthal diet, previously thought to be almost exclusively meat-based, also included a nutritious portion of cooked ...
bench craft company scam
'You lie!' Clarence Page calls Fox <b>News</b> Channel's 'fair and <b>...</b>
Chicago Tribune takes a dig at the cable news channel for the second year in a row.
Fox <b>News</b> - Ratings - 2010 | MSNBC - CNN | Mediaite
Fox News will mark 2010 as one of the best years since the network's launch in 1996. The network posted powerful ratings, beating the combined ratings of CNN and MSNBC and marking the ninth straight year as cable's top news network.
Neanderthals Enjoyed Home-Cooked Meals, Study Finds - AOL <b>News</b>
Even Neanderthals understood the value of a diverse diet. Researchers have identified strong evidence that the Neanderthal diet, previously thought to be almost exclusively meat-based, also included a nutritious portion of cooked ...
bench craft company scam
'You lie!' Clarence Page calls Fox <b>News</b> Channel's 'fair and <b>...</b>
Chicago Tribune takes a dig at the cable news channel for the second year in a row.
Fox <b>News</b> - Ratings - 2010 | MSNBC - CNN | Mediaite
Fox News will mark 2010 as one of the best years since the network's launch in 1996. The network posted powerful ratings, beating the combined ratings of CNN and MSNBC and marking the ninth straight year as cable's top news network.
Neanderthals Enjoyed Home-Cooked Meals, Study Finds - AOL <b>News</b>
Even Neanderthals understood the value of a diverse diet. Researchers have identified strong evidence that the Neanderthal diet, previously thought to be almost exclusively meat-based, also included a nutritious portion of cooked ...
bench craft company scam
'You lie!' Clarence Page calls Fox <b>News</b> Channel's 'fair and <b>...</b>
Chicago Tribune takes a dig at the cable news channel for the second year in a row.
Fox <b>News</b> - Ratings - 2010 | MSNBC - CNN | Mediaite
Fox News will mark 2010 as one of the best years since the network's launch in 1996. The network posted powerful ratings, beating the combined ratings of CNN and MSNBC and marking the ninth straight year as cable's top news network.
Neanderthals Enjoyed Home-Cooked Meals, Study Finds - AOL <b>News</b>
Even Neanderthals understood the value of a diverse diet. Researchers have identified strong evidence that the Neanderthal diet, previously thought to be almost exclusively meat-based, also included a nutritious portion of cooked ...
bench craft company scam
'You lie!' Clarence Page calls Fox <b>News</b> Channel's 'fair and <b>...</b>
Chicago Tribune takes a dig at the cable news channel for the second year in a row.
Fox <b>News</b> - Ratings - 2010 | MSNBC - CNN | Mediaite
Fox News will mark 2010 as one of the best years since the network's launch in 1996. The network posted powerful ratings, beating the combined ratings of CNN and MSNBC and marking the ninth straight year as cable's top news network.
Neanderthals Enjoyed Home-Cooked Meals, Study Finds - AOL <b>News</b>
Even Neanderthals understood the value of a diverse diet. Researchers have identified strong evidence that the Neanderthal diet, previously thought to be almost exclusively meat-based, also included a nutritious portion of cooked ...
bench craft company scam
'You lie!' Clarence Page calls Fox <b>News</b> Channel's 'fair and <b>...</b>
Chicago Tribune takes a dig at the cable news channel for the second year in a row.
Fox <b>News</b> - Ratings - 2010 | MSNBC - CNN | Mediaite
Fox News will mark 2010 as one of the best years since the network's launch in 1996. The network posted powerful ratings, beating the combined ratings of CNN and MSNBC and marking the ninth straight year as cable's top news network.
Neanderthals Enjoyed Home-Cooked Meals, Study Finds - AOL <b>News</b>
Even Neanderthals understood the value of a diverse diet. Researchers have identified strong evidence that the Neanderthal diet, previously thought to be almost exclusively meat-based, also included a nutritious portion of cooked ...
bench craft company scam
'You lie!' Clarence Page calls Fox <b>News</b> Channel's 'fair and <b>...</b>
Chicago Tribune takes a dig at the cable news channel for the second year in a row.
Fox <b>News</b> - Ratings - 2010 | MSNBC - CNN | Mediaite
Fox News will mark 2010 as one of the best years since the network's launch in 1996. The network posted powerful ratings, beating the combined ratings of CNN and MSNBC and marking the ninth straight year as cable's top news network.
Neanderthals Enjoyed Home-Cooked Meals, Study Finds - AOL <b>News</b>
Even Neanderthals understood the value of a diverse diet. Researchers have identified strong evidence that the Neanderthal diet, previously thought to be almost exclusively meat-based, also included a nutritious portion of cooked ...
bench craft company scam
'You lie!' Clarence Page calls Fox <b>News</b> Channel's 'fair and <b>...</b>
Chicago Tribune takes a dig at the cable news channel for the second year in a row.
Fox <b>News</b> - Ratings - 2010 | MSNBC - CNN | Mediaite
Fox News will mark 2010 as one of the best years since the network's launch in 1996. The network posted powerful ratings, beating the combined ratings of CNN and MSNBC and marking the ninth straight year as cable's top news network.
Neanderthals Enjoyed Home-Cooked Meals, Study Finds - AOL <b>News</b>
Even Neanderthals understood the value of a diverse diet. Researchers have identified strong evidence that the Neanderthal diet, previously thought to be almost exclusively meat-based, also included a nutritious portion of cooked ...
bench craft company scam
'You lie!' Clarence Page calls Fox <b>News</b> Channel's 'fair and <b>...</b>
Chicago Tribune takes a dig at the cable news channel for the second year in a row.
Fox <b>News</b> - Ratings - 2010 | MSNBC - CNN | Mediaite
Fox News will mark 2010 as one of the best years since the network's launch in 1996. The network posted powerful ratings, beating the combined ratings of CNN and MSNBC and marking the ninth straight year as cable's top news network.
Neanderthals Enjoyed Home-Cooked Meals, Study Finds - AOL <b>News</b>
Even Neanderthals understood the value of a diverse diet. Researchers have identified strong evidence that the Neanderthal diet, previously thought to be almost exclusively meat-based, also included a nutritious portion of cooked ...
bench craft company scam
'You lie!' Clarence Page calls Fox <b>News</b> Channel's 'fair and <b>...</b>
Chicago Tribune takes a dig at the cable news channel for the second year in a row.
Fox <b>News</b> - Ratings - 2010 | MSNBC - CNN | Mediaite
Fox News will mark 2010 as one of the best years since the network's launch in 1996. The network posted powerful ratings, beating the combined ratings of CNN and MSNBC and marking the ninth straight year as cable's top news network.
Neanderthals Enjoyed Home-Cooked Meals, Study Finds - AOL <b>News</b>
Even Neanderthals understood the value of a diverse diet. Researchers have identified strong evidence that the Neanderthal diet, previously thought to be almost exclusively meat-based, also included a nutritious portion of cooked ...
bench craft company scam
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