activism

Grassroots campaigns have proven instrumental in bringing about political, social or environmental change; you've got to start somewhere-might as well start here.

Democracy, Its Survival Is at Risk
Democracy—it's survival is at risk. July 2019 The British tax payers are funding, through the Economic and Social Research Council and the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, ways to support and improve democracy around the world.
By Peter Rose7 years ago in The Swamp
Political Protests
Political protest When is it acceptable? Does it achieve anything? In some way or another, nearly all protests that involve groups of people are political, from a local gathering who want a road sign changed to international mass marches against climate change. All such protests are political, since they are demanding action by authorities.
By Peter Rose7 years ago in The Swamp
Conversion Therapy
If you are not part of the LGBT community, it is likely that you have never heard of conversion therapy. For those who are part of the community, it is a heartbreaking and devastating thing that has destroyed many lives. Today, we will explore what it is, and how it has impacted so many.
By Lorraine Woiak7 years ago in The Swamp
2 Years From Grenfell
Friday June 14, 2019. Two years since the horrific wildfire tragedy of Grenfell tower—a time for reflection has never been more haunting on the brain. Upon such reflection I’ve found myself trying to piece together the right words, or even the words that are just about adequate enough, to express how two years of government and public apathy have simply flown by. Finding in that time the word “tragedy” would become a sentimental and whitewashed concession for indicting our government with social negligence, and preventable slaughter of working class people of colour. Maybe you, like me, woke up this morning, and thought “wow, has it really been two years?” The world in recent times has been saturated with tragedy and sensationalism. Perhaps, this “tragedy” just fell to the wayside as they all do in a time so swiftly gratifying as this digital age. As they may forever do. And as the news cycle roles on, and the world makes a spectacle of more unnecessary horror, we may forget to ask ourselves if anything has ever even changed.
By Kofo Ajala7 years ago in The Swamp
National Equality March 2017
Two years ago in June, members of the LGBTQ Community and our allies took to the streets across the world to speak up about the current, and ever-shifting administration holding the White House and Congress. As an experience it was something my generation never had to deal with. As a community, our rights and protections were being slowly advanced by the Political Activist in the generation right before ours. The last March on Washington prior to this took place way back in 1993, when I was 15. For those of you doing the math, yes I am 40, and at my advanced age it was quite an uplifting experience getting to exercise my right to a peaceful protest, to cover it from a unique perspective.
By DM Lewis7 years ago in The Swamp
The Labour Anti-Semitism Row: Israeli Lobbying, Zionism Stepping Stones, and Abusing the Holocaust
The BBC presenters seem to smile smugly as they read out more accusations of anti-semitism leveled at Corbyn’s Labour Party. The headlines morph and evolve as they are told over the United Kingdom’s rolling news networks. First of all the newsreader tells of “anti-Jewish” comments made by a Labour member. But when no one is found to argue against the vague accusations, the wording changes to anti-semitism. The BBC is being constantly lobbied by the Israeli government, they always have been under significant pressure from the Middle Eastern nation, but about a decade ago, they appeared to stop fighting back. Now we are bombarded with fake news stories where the wording has become like a giant sticky cobweb, capable of trapping the naive passer-by, but also the shrewdest linguists.
By Johnny Vedmore7 years ago in The Swamp
Naked Cyclists Protest Against Climate Change
It is the first day of June. Groups of young and old people are sitting in the street outside the cafés, pubs and bars that surround the walls of Nottingham Castle.
By Paul Conneally7 years ago in The Swamp
Veganism Could Save Our Planet
You’ve heard time and time again that, in order to save the environment, you should use less water, ride your bike more often, and recycle in order to conserve water, resources, and energy. What you may not know is that even if everyone stopped driving completely, took every measure to conserve water, and composted everything they are able to compost, the carbon dioxide levels still surpass what is considered a “safe” level, and way too much water is being used each day. You can thank the agriculture industry for these issues, which the government is trying to blame on simple tasks performed by people everyday. Most organizations that are made to support the prevention of deforestation, greenhouse gas build up, or overfishing do not even mention the effects of the agriculture industry on their websites; they fear that it will deter people from donating to their cause, and draw too much government attention. In many interviews done in the documentary Cowspiracy, their representatives admitted that the agriculture industry is producing the most problems to the environment, but do not list them on their site as significant of a problem as it actually is (Andersen). The agriculture industry is responsible for fifty-one percent of the greenhouse gas emissions at 32 billion (32,000,000,000) tons of carbon dioxide per year. Methods of transportation (cars, trains, airplanes, etc.) are what is most often blamed for the mass amounts of carbon dioxide, but they only produce thirteen percent of greenhouse gas emissions (Andersen, Cowspiracy). “Agriculture, food, and related industries contributed $992 billion to US gross domestic product (GDP) in 2015, a 5.5-percent share” (Ag and Food Sectors and the Economy). The government does not want us to realize how much damage the agriculture industry actually has on the world, because of how much money they are making off of animal products each year. The agriculture industry is destroying our ecosystem, and the people in it by creating a detrimental impact on our ecosystem, mass deforestation, and it's causing serious health problems that can lead to life threatening diseases.
By Kamari Grace7 years ago in The Swamp
The Moment of Kairos
Kairos: an ancient Greek word meaning the critical moment. The Greeks had two words that were related to time; one being 'chronos,' which refers to sequential time, and the other being 'kairos,' which refers to the proper or opportune moment for action.
By Danielle Dragani7 years ago in The Swamp
Not Yet, Uhuru
It has been 25 years since the Republic of South Africa has been a democratic country. On the 8th of May 2019, the Republic of South Africa held its sixth General Election. Before democracy, South Africa was under the cruel system of Apartheid.
By Dimpho Moepane7 years ago in The Swamp
Bernie's Last Stand
With Trump in the White House it seems that our society has, in so many respects, succumbed to a much lower common denominator. The divisions that exist have only exasperated the growing divide that has turned humanity away from what is good and virtuous. It is quite evident when, for the past 30 years, the violent atrocities in our schools, entertainment venues, churches, and other places where the public gathers, has steadily increased in severity and frequency. Yet, our leaders seem powerless to find solutions that would negate all the horrific violence that is like a plague on our society.
By Dr. Williams7 years ago in The Swamp
Grade School Teacher Drops Everything for a Cause. Top Story - May 2019.
In late 2018, after becoming aware of how animals are produced by the food industry, Teresa Gangnier, a grade school teacher living in Toronto, Ontario, was determined to make drastic changes in her life.
By Emily Adams7 years ago in The Swamp