There is a whole lot going on in the world. A few topics on our radar include the following three:
- In Colombia, a tax reform bill was introduced by their government which would provide relief after the economic recession they faced due to COVID-19. However, the people of Colombia have made it clear they believe their gov't to be corrupt and thus do not agree to any tax increases. A protest ensued and police officers have killed multiple civilians (including a 17 year old boy) and injured many more. The tax proposal increases taxes on everyday essentials like milk, eggs, gas, bread, water, tampons, etc. Experts have agreed that this tax increase would disproportionately impact the middle- and working-class negatively while also escalating inequality of the wealth gap in the country. The police officers are becoming more hostile. How can we help?
-
Share factual information - News coming out of Colombia is fuzzy as disinformation abounds. Check with reliable organizations on the ground like local NGO Temblores or the Campaign Defend Liberty.
-
Use the hashtag #SOSColombia - Protestors are working around traditional media to get information out as quickly as possible. Evidence of police violence is spreading like wildfire on the hashtag, but so is solidarity from abroad.
-
Donate - People on the frontlines need your support. Donate here to get food and protective equipment to demonstrators or help Temblores, an NGO monitoring human rights abuses committed by police during protests.
-
Pressure congresspeople - Organizations like the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) are drawing connections between U.S. aid to Colombia and the police’s bloody repression of protestors. Support calls to suspend the U.S.’s training and sale of equipment to Colombia’s riot police known as ESMAD until guarantees are instituted to protect protestors.
- China understands its place in the world as the soon-to-be largest economy in the world and has started to take certain steps with impunity. They feel they don't have to answer for their actions. For example, they accounted for 27% of gas emissions in 2019. That is more than all developed countries combined. That's huge! They have vowed to reach net-zero emissions by 2060. This impacts the whole world. Not to mention, they are sending rockets into space and having the debris fall back to Earth which could potentially cause major issues too. But surprisingly, these issues are miniscule in comparison to the issue that many countries have sounded an alarm on as a genocide. That is the disturbing events taking place in China in regards to Uyghur Muslims. They are being held, tortured, forced to convert, and even killed within internment/detention/concentration camps and it's all solely based on the religion of the Uyghur Muslims. This is an attack of mega-proportions on human rights and a very bold violation of international law. How do we make sure China begins treating Uyghur Muslims better? Hit them where it'll hurt: their pockets. Identify where you get your products. Try to avoid products made in China until they shut down the internment camps and start treating people with respect, despite their religious beliefs.
- Palestine. This is a travesty of its own. Israeli settlers in Sheikh Jarrah, a town in the East Bank of Jerusalem, have been granted permission by the Israeli courts to literally steal the homes of Palestinians that have been living there for decades. A lot of people still don't understand the extent or reasoning of this conflict. Some people see it to be a religious issue or a land-grab issue. Many people also don't understand why the U.S. government is so invested in supplying aid to Israel which then uses an estimated $3.8 billion in military aid to destroy and steal the land away from Palestinians. That is something we will talk about soon in an upcoming blog. But for now, we should understand that this is deeply rooted as an ethnic-cleansing campaign by Israeli settlers who are not treating Palestinians with any dignity or respect. The Israeli police force raided the Al-Aqsa mosque during Ramadan while Muslims were praying, they harass the residents of Sheikh Jarrah to intimidate them into leaving their homes, and are conducting mass sweeps of Palestinian health clinics with sound grenades after injuring people who are being treated at those health clinics. Not only is it inhumane and reprehensible, but also a very clear violation of international law. And above all, our tax dollars are funding this. How do we help make sure our tax money isn't being used to torture and oppress the Palestinian people? We can voice our concerns by letting congress know. Text "SIGN PGEOPH" to 50409 to let your representatives know that you want them to sign bill H.R.2590.
The Brown Capitol will be donating all proceeds from the "Palestine Forever" collection which can be found here.
In all three of these scenarios there is an underlying theme. Inequality against civilians and an excessive use of force by police with minimal to no liability. We need to find a way to change this system that allows oppressors to get away with using excessive violence to suppress people. A universal human right is that "all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights." Not some. All humans. We have allowed some officers and public officials to become ignorant to these human rights violations. They believe that the world is not watching while they commit atrocities.
The world is watching. And we, as Americans, can use our voice to enact changes through discourse and legislation. We hope for a better tomorrow for the oppressed, the poor, the underserved, and the overwhelmed. We will continue the fight for a more equal tomorrow. Stay strong.
- TBC
Use left/right arrows to navigate the slideshow or swipe left/right if using a mobile device
