Tikkun Daily Blog Archive (https://www.tikkun.org/tikkundaily/category/politics/page/113/)
Posts about politics and social change, from a spiritual progressive perspective
Westboro Baptist Church is known for their protests against homosexuality and for their oppressive thinking. Warren Blumenfeld explains the appalling assumptions behind their oppressive tactics towards Jews and the LGBT community, and what others are doing to counter their demonstrations.
San Jose has the nation’s largest unsheltered homeless population. In response to San Jose’s homelessness crisis, the Sacred Housing Action Committee led a rally at city hall last week to inform and persuade the public and elected officials to pass a fee to raise funds for affordable housing.
Was Joan Rivers a true gay icon? Nicholas Boeving comments on the legend’s style of comedy, and if Rivers’ humor is truly something the gay community should aspire to.
For those who try to be open to the spiritual commitments of others, it is contradictory to call a group with whom we may soon be at war with by the name of a deity who is loved and honored by many. I believe that people who identify with Goddess Spirituality and generally paganism are mostly Spiritual Progressives. They honor Nature and the energies of Peace. Taking the name of their Goddesses in vain is like taking the name of any other deity in vain.
The coalition, Faith in Public Life, announced their national mobilization plans for the 2014 elections last week. Under this coalition, progressive faith communities are taking back the words commonly associated with the Religious Right — Faith, Family, Freedom, the Flag and Values — and fitting them into progressive terms as they work together towards social justice, changing the discourse for this election season.
9/11 became much more important than just a terrorist attack. It became an impetus for change within ourselves. Each anniversary brings us closer to healing, but never to forgetting the lessons learned. When I say “never forget”, I don’t mean it in a vindictive way, but to remind myself never to forget the resilience of my society, the things I learned, and the ways I improved myself. Never forget.
Why do I engage in nonviolent direct action? Because I believe that through it we can be transformed and can contribute to the transformation of the world.
An interview with Lauren Szabo on her experimental artwork inspired by her memories of LA fires and earthquakes: “When I started the series I wanted to share an experience on how I see the world, exposing its complicated beauty, issues, and truths. For me, paradise is a place for vacation, and not the place that I live.”
Victim-blaming is as American as apple pie. And unfortunately, we’ve been reminded of this repeatedly over the past month via high-profile cases and global crises. Or rather, we’ve been reminded by the way in which a mostly white, mostly patriarchal middle class has responded to such events. Women have been blamed for being victims of domestic abuse and assault, black men have been blamed for being victims of police brutality and murder, and innocent Palestinian children have been blamed for being killed my missiles.
Contrary to those who dismiss victim-blaming as a liberal misinterpretation of the good old American boostrap-pulling ethic, this phenomenon has been in existence in this country for as long as there have been those in power seeking to maintain that status, buttressed by racist and sexist ideals.
After twenty-year-old Daniel Pierce was disowned by his family when he came out as gay, a peer community of youth arose on social media to stand by his side. Warren Blumenfeld reflects on the youth’s approach and the modern generation’s determination in eradicating oppression.