humanity

Humanity topics include pieces on the real lives of politicians, legislators, activists, women in politics and the everyday voter.

Hidden Homeless, Hidden Stories
I live in Ireland, a country whose politicians proudly proclaim has one of the fastest growing economies and citizens now have more money in their pockets yet it is a country where the word 'housing' is invariably followed by the word 'crisis'. You see, the growth and improvement for businesses and our government does not measure how all the people on this island are managing and certainly not the many on the streets or on the brink, those of us living in and dying from poverty. There are over ten thousand people accessing emergency homeless services yet our housing minister does not count those sleeping rough on the streets who learned the hard way that emergency accommodation is worse than curling up in any doorway they can sleep safely in and those of us without a home of our own. I'm homeless but I don't turn up on the minister's reports because I am one of the thousands that are hidden homeless, people who cannot afford and our own place and who have been overlooked and failed by a system that casts us aside in the non priority trash can.
By Liz Wall7 years ago in The Swamp
We Need to Calm Down
First, I want to say that regardless of color, gender, sexual orientation, political, or religious beliefs, everyone deserves to have their voice heard. My past experiences are based off my being a conservative female in a time when the loudest voices around me are often liberal and/or men. The people around me who are liberal and/or men have the exact same right as me to say their opinion and I generally do not feel oppressed or put down by these people.
By Abigail Ooten7 years ago in The Swamp
America
America is indeed a melting pot. This concept can be seen in our everyday lives. The one thing that is most unique is the people within the United States. America wouldn't be the way it is without immigrants and without the different cultures that clash together. Through this clashing, there have been many unique and amazing food options. It has also changed many concepts such as music, family, art, etc. It is what makes each and every single one of us unique and amazing.
By Flying Ace7 years ago in The Swamp
New Build Houses Are Destroying Our Countryside
We all know one, that person that lives in a new build house, on the outskirts of a town or city, with a field in view. They wear Hunter wellies that have never been dirty, drive a brand new Range Rover with lowered suspension and road tyres and have everything 'country style' in their home.
By Leona Freebush7 years ago in The Swamp
O Canada, O World
Canada, the true north, strong and free. These words have been spoken about for generations. Our collective birthplace on this glittering blue and green globe.
By John Ames Birch7 years ago in The Swamp
Fears of Black Men
Race and color is such a power and pivotal issue in the US today. The racial issues of the country have taken a dramatic turn for the worst, and uptick since 2008. The conclusion of the 2008 election was a turning point of race and racial relations in the US. The Non-Minority American subconscious came out and rebelled against any black or colored. The Non-Minority population showed how fearful they were that an African-American, the first minority, was the face of the most powerful country in the world. Racial tension in the country has gotten worse since the election of Barack Obama into the office of president. For the most part, the general public made the assumption that Obama's winning of the presidency was the great equalizer in the name of race in this country, but we would soon find out that as a country; Americans were still not ready for a person of color or minority as the president. Even to this date 11 years after Obama was elected, we are in the presidency of a self-proclaimed nationalist who has done nothing but talk about blacks, Latinos, immigrants, and the handicapped. In 2015, Donald J. Trump announced that he was running for president and his rallying cry to his voting base was "Make America Great Again." That rallying cry brought all the most racist people out, and all it took was for him to say that he was running for president. Since Trump has taken office, every white nationalist, white supremacist, neo-nazi, or klansmen that has been hiding, has courageously stepped out of the shadows. Charlottesville was a blatant reminder that racism in America is alive and well; especially when the president will not condemn nor call out these groups for what they really are, groups of domestic terrorist organizations.
By A.J. Jones7 years ago in The Swamp
The Tap
What was that theory? If a tree falls in a forest and no one hears it, does it make a sound? Well, Rabia was thinking of a similar one: if a girl is buried under rubble, can anyone hear her scream? The answer, it seemed, was no.
By Leo Dis Vinci7 years ago in The Swamp
4 Years of Marriage Equality. Top Story - June 2019.
On June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that marriage equality was the law of the land in all 50 states, almost 46 years to the day that the uprising of the Stonewall Inn occurred in New York. The United States was the 21st country to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide. It was a victory for gay rights activists, same-sex couples, and the LGBT community. Two days ago, I wrote an article about why Pride Month matters and is important. In case you missed it, you can click the link below:
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 7 years ago in The Swamp
Refugees Are Exactly What America Needs
Rural Decay is a term that has been uttered more and more recently. You can see it anytime you drive in rural Wisconsin. Stores closing, along with farms, and a migration of young people to the cities seeking work. It helped propel Donald Trump to the presidency with fear that this decay was being caused by the "other," a xenophobic view on what is a real problem. Contrary to that belief, it is the hopes and dreams of refugees and immigrants that could breathe new life into American's rural areas.
By Peter Carriveau7 years ago in The Swamp
Appearance, Relationships and Politics
Consider how the modern obsessions with appearance and relationships, affects politics. While these twin obsessions, growing stronger seem to have started a long way back in history. Medieval warrior aristocrats used fine banners and distinctive clothing and armor to ensure their own side knew who they were, then came uniforms so everyone in the army was recognizable to all the others on the same side. Preventing death by friendly fire. The notion of warrior nobility evolved into displays of wealth just to distinguish the wealthy from the poor.
By Peter Rose7 years ago in The Swamp
Ending a Relationship Because of a Difference in Opinion, Specifically Political Ones
Politics are extremely controversial and there are different sides to every issue. People tend to frown upon those who end their relationship with someone because of a difference of opinion, but when it comes to politics this "opinion" matter. There are people that think politics are just an abstract concept that only matters during elections, but every single person in this country and in the world is impacted by politics. Thus, someone's opinion on political issues is extremely important. The other thing is that when it comes to politics it is not just a difference in opinion, it is a difference in morals. There are people that say "It's just a difference in opinion, you should not end that relationship" and they say that as if the issue is "Does pineapple belong on pizza?" or "Which is better, Marvel or DC?"
By Selena Vazquez7 years ago in The Swamp
Politics and Humanity
I, as many of you, i'm sure, have recently started to see attack ads about candidates running for office. Like the first cannons of long forgotten battles shattering the peace of nations, as the populace prepares for political war. Harbingers of broken promises and misinformation as candidates vie for the hearts and minds of their constituents.
By John Ames Birch7 years ago in The Swamp