Free Republic

When an icon of the 20th century’s strivings against oppression passes away, it is an appropriate time to take freedom’s audit. [SNIP] The language of human rights is a language of protest and resistance, not of authority and discrimination. In a religious world, secular human rights of recent heritage and ambiguous origin increasingly compete with long-standing cultural claims legitimated by traditions and gods. Where strong faith meets human rights, the classic modernizing assumption — that secular rights trump religion — no longer holds. [SNIP] A more multipolar world, America’s ambivalence, Europe’s decline and more competition from faith-based movements — all...

Obama agenda won't tolerate 'preference for heterosexuality' in other countriesHomosexuals, prostitutes, and transgendered people of Central America are about to receive another boost from the Obama administration, which is expanding an HIV program initially launched during the William J. Clinton presidency. But chief among impediments to achieving U.S. policy goals in the region are “conservative gender norms related to sexuality and strong normative preference for heterosexuality,” a revised government planning document says. Organizations that help “Most-at-Risk Populations,” or MARPs, therefore, will be the beneficiaries of this Phase Two initiative, according to the revised Statement of Work detailing the Central America...

Is there something being blocked in the US news, has the U.S. Attorney been carrying a vendetta towards the Indian Caste system and feels now that he has a lower caste in New York that he needs to teach an entire nation about Caste Systems and Human Rights. MY... I would say about 50% of the people who apply for visas lie throught their teeth. It seems that this case is being exploded for some kind of class on CLASS WARFARE. Maids..working for the elite?

*SNIP* Elizardo Sanchez Santa Cruz, head of the Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation, said it was a "bad joke" to have invited Raul Castro talk during funeral services for Mandela, along with Obama and other international figures... "We admire Mandela because it represented the opposite side Castrism", said Sanchez

A Martian visiting earth this week, coasting TV channels and perusing papers, would have to conclude that among the items that most interest this planet’s news bureaus is the plight of former political prisoners, especially black ones. Well, many Cubans (many of them black) suffered longer and more horrible incarceration in Castro’s KGB-designed dungeons than Nelson Mandela spent in South Africa’s (relatively) comfortable prisons, which were open to inspection by the Red Cross. Castro has never allowed a Red Cross delegation anywhere near his real prisons. Now let’s see if you recognize some of the Cuban ex-prisoners and torture-victims: Mario...

The UN General Assembly yesterday condemned Israel in six resolutions, the most significant of which declares 2014 a “Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian people.” The new year is now liable to bring escalated politicization within UN agencies worldwide, doing nothing to help Palestinians or Israelis on the ground, while inflicting yet further damage to the world body’s effectiveness and credibility. … In his message to yesterday’s UN ceremony for Palestinians, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon criticized Israel only. He failed to condemn the recent spate of Palestinian terror attacks, including those that took the lives of 19-year-old Eden Atias and 20-year-old...

In a sickening video posted on YouTube, soldiers from the Syrian-based group Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) were seen holding up the decapitated head of a soldier they believed was a supporter of President Bashar al-Assad. But, after the footage was made public, the victim was recognised by an extremist as a fellow rebel fighter who had been wounded during a battle. The militants have now asked for forgiveness. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2507424/Horrific-moment-Al-Qaeda-terrorist-shows-enemys-decapitated-head-crowd-Syria.html#ixzz2kkiKt9fI Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

UNITED NATIONS – China, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam are among the nations running unopposed for seats on the Human Rights Council, the U.N.'s highest rights watchdog body, a prospect that has upset independent human rights groups. The General Assembly on Tuesday will elect 14 new members to the 47-seat, Geneva-based council, which can shine a spotlight of publicity and censure on rights abuses by adopting resolutions — when it chooses to do so. It also has dozens of special monitors watching problem countries and major issues ranging from executions to drone strikes. New York-based Human Rights Watch pointed out...

Islam.net is the largest growing muslim organisation in Norway. Here is a vid from their latest peace conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mO6PcFYXMo4

Adolescent pregnancy is related to a “whole string of human rights violations” and so it must gain more attention in global development policy, says the UN’s World Population Monitoring Report. … Some 7.3 million teen women give birth every year. 2 million of these are under 15 years of age. Every day, roughly 5,000 girls give birth. Yearly, 70 million young women lose their lives during pregnancy and childbirth. … “The rights of young girls cannot be trampled on any longer,” said Renate Bähr, the executive director of the German Foundation for World Population. “Teen pregnancies can only be successfully...

The White House welcome of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki this week couldn't come at a more awkward time for President Obama, whose fecklessness in foreign affairs will be his most enduring legacy. He has managed to insult our most important allies again and again -- and not just in the most recent cellphone-listening scandal involving German Chancellor Angela Merkel and others. At the same time, Obama has shown weakness to our enemies. But the Maliki visit is in a category all its own. Iraq is wracked by sectarian violence that is killing more than a thousand Iraqis a month....

Laws to apply to the Sultanate's majority Muslim population The Sultan of Brunei announced on Tuesday the gradual introduction of harsh Islamic punishments, such as death by stoning for adulterers, severing of limbs for theft and flogging for a wide range of crimes including abortion and consumption of alcohol.

While thinking about the real problem with our culture I wondered about how much we need pro-life pregnancy centers where ever there is a culture of death center. I stumbled upon this site and immediately recognized it as a means to empower the individual, forget the republic. Libertarians have nothing on these people. Masters degrees in community organizing. Who'd a thought.

European lawmakers this month will vote on a measure that promotes abortion as a fundamental human right, while taking aim at the conscientious objection rights of pro-life doctors and health workers. Critics see the move as an attempt to dictate abortion policy to individual European Union governments, despite an acknowledgement by leading E.U. institutions that there is no consensus on the matter across the 28 member-states. The controversial draft report, which is being promoted by socialist members of the European Parliament (MEPs), was passed last month by the legislature’s committee on women’s rights and gender equality. …

During this local political season, it is important that our communication with one another be characterized by a firm allegiance to honesty, integrity, and truth. As a local pastor, I decry sins of the tongue - slander, gossip, lies, outbursts of wrath, false accusations - all dishonor our Creator and defame others who are made in the image of God. It is my desire to speak the truth in love. To that end I wish to address the misleading way in which the agenda of the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, and transgendered (LGBT) community has been linked by some, including mayoral...

'Eyes gouged out, bodies hanging from hooks, and fingers removed with pliers': Horrific claims of torture emerge as soldiers reveal gory Kenyan mall massacre details Kenyan soldiers claim to find scenes of torture by mall terrorists They say children found dead in food fridges with knives still in bodies Men were said to have been castrated and had fingers removed By Paul Bentley Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2434278/Kenya-mall-attack-torture-claims-emerge-soldiers-Eyes-gouged-bodies-hooks-fingers-removed.html#ixzz2g8kwK3gd Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Kenyan police and soldiers have pinned down the remaining gunmen who opened fire at a shopping centre earlier today, killing 30 and leaving at least 50 others injured. A security source at the scene in the capital Nairobi confirmed moments ago the attackers have been isolated. The source said: 'The attackers have been isolated and are pinned down in an area on one of the floors - the rest of the mall seems to be secure.' No-one has claimed responsibility for the attack, but it is looking increasingly likely the Somalia terrorist group al-Shabaab may be responsible. A statement released...

A series of fresh revelations about atrocities and war crimes perpetrated by Western-backed Syrian "rebels" had sparked alarm among analysts, further complicating Obama's already tough-push for support to launch military strikes against the Assad regime. ... the latest atrocities are being cited by critics of the warmongering as more reasons not to join the civil war on behalf of ruthless jihadists... Christian villagers quoted in new reports [URL at link] said the rebels had, among other atrocities, forced them to convert to Islam or be murdered while shouting the now-infamous "Allahu Akbar" war cry. Christian homes and churches were reportedly...

Human Rights organizations from around the world are supporting Russia’s effort to protect children from homosexual propaganda. A statement from civil society affirms the recently enacted Russian law, which imposes fines on individuals and groups that promote homosexuality among minors, as important steps towards fulfilling international obligations towards the family and minors. A Russian pro-family sign Organizations from around the world are “rushing” to offer their support according to Profesionales por la Etica, the Spain-based organization coordinating the effort. In just one week, 71 organizations have offered their support. Russia is protecting “genuine and universally recognized human rights against artificial...

We marched against the recent attack on voting rights. We demanded justice in the face of Stand Your Ground laws and racial profiling. We marched to raise awareness on unemployment, poverty, gun violence, immigration, and gay rights. And we called for action on climate change. Chances are, when you think about civil rights, environmental issues aren't on the radar screen. But stop and think about it. Remember Hurricane Katrina? The hurricane that leveled New Orleans showed that severe weather in low-income neighborhoods and communities of colour is a matter of life and death. The images from the storm are hard...