HelloAngel
ONE love, blood, life
By Brenda Clemons
2004.09
In 1961 London lawyer Peter Benenson wrote an article for The London Observer titled "The Forgotten Prisoners" about two Portuguese students arrested in Lisbon after making a toast to freedom. Thousands of readers responded to the article, helping push Benenson to form Amnesty International later that same year.
Forty-three years later, Amnesty International is a Nobel Prize winning organization with over 1.8 million members. Its goal is to research alleged abuses of human rights and to take non-violent action in the form of letter writing campaigns to government officials and protest marches to stop such abuses. A key component of the organization is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, stating that "All humans are free and equal," that equality does not depend on nationality, race, religion or political affirmation, and that "No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment."
Amnesty International does not accept money from governments or political parties, relying instead on fundraising efforts and support from private donations and memberships to back its efforts. The organization's Web site features a store with a variety of items including coffee mugs, mouse pads, and clothing whose sale benefits the group.
For more information about Amnesty International, readers can visit the international site at www.amnesty.org or do a Web search for the Amnesty branch located in their country. The U.S. site, found at www.amnestyusa.org, is informative, colorful and easy to navigate. Visitors to this site are sure to find something of interest, such as the part diamonds play in terrorism, why Staff Sergeant Camilo Mejia Castillo has been imprisoned by the United States, and how to help 8-year-old girls who have been forced into the sex trade. With just a few clicks of the mouse you can send an email to your elected official asking them to do what they can to stop these abuses.
Amnesty International is effective, just ask Amina Lawal, a Nigerian woman who had a child out of wedlock. In 2003 the group organized a letter-writing campaign on her behalf after the government of Nigeria declared her guilty of adultery, a crime punishable by death, and handed down the sentence of death by stoning. Her life was spared after 1.3 million letters were received on her behalf.
2004.09
In 1961 London lawyer Peter Benenson wrote an article for The London Observer titled "The Forgotten Prisoners" about two Portuguese students arrested in Lisbon after making a toast to freedom. Thousands of readers responded to the article, helping push Benenson to form Amnesty International later that same year.
Forty-three years later, Amnesty International is a Nobel Prize winning organization with over 1.8 million members. Its goal is to research alleged abuses of human rights and to take non-violent action in the form of letter writing campaigns to government officials and protest marches to stop such abuses. A key component of the organization is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, stating that "All humans are free and equal," that equality does not depend on nationality, race, religion or political affirmation, and that "No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment."
Amnesty International does not accept money from governments or political parties, relying instead on fundraising efforts and support from private donations and memberships to back its efforts. The organization's Web site features a store with a variety of items including coffee mugs, mouse pads, and clothing whose sale benefits the group.
For more information about Amnesty International, readers can visit the international site at www.amnesty.org or do a Web search for the Amnesty branch located in their country. The U.S. site, found at www.amnestyusa.org, is informative, colorful and easy to navigate. Visitors to this site are sure to find something of interest, such as the part diamonds play in terrorism, why Staff Sergeant Camilo Mejia Castillo has been imprisoned by the United States, and how to help 8-year-old girls who have been forced into the sex trade. With just a few clicks of the mouse you can send an email to your elected official asking them to do what they can to stop these abuses.
Amnesty International is effective, just ask Amina Lawal, a Nigerian woman who had a child out of wedlock. In 2003 the group organized a letter-writing campaign on her behalf after the government of Nigeria declared her guilty of adultery, a crime punishable by death, and handed down the sentence of death by stoning. Her life was spared after 1.3 million letters were received on her behalf.
