The Contrapuntal ’s Post

Every year, on the 24th of March, we unite to commemorate the International Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims. This day serves as a solemn reminder of our unwavering commitment to uncovering the truth and seeking justice for victims of atrocities. PEJ works tirelessly to shed light on past injustices, holding perpetrators accountable before it's too late. Our mission is to ensure that the voices of victims are heard and their stories acknowledged. As advocates for truth and accountability, we stand in solidarity with those who have suffered gross human rights violations. From executions to enforced disappearances, victims and their families deserve answers, closure, and justice. In transitional processes, the right to truth is not just a principle; it's a beacon of hope for reconciliation and healing. By uncovering the truth, we pave the way for communities to confront their past, learn from it, and build a better future based on justice and respect for human rights. Together, we honor the memory of victims, amplify their voices, and work towards a world where atrocities are never forgotten and justice is always served. #RightToTruth #JusticeForAll

The House is expected to vote today on the bipartisan Antisemitism Awareness Act, which would mandate that the Dept. of Education uses the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism when enforcing federal anti-discrimination laws. Jewish Federations of North America have been leading advocacy efforts around the passage of this critical legislation for over a year. Now, in the wake of Oct. 7 and a terrifying increase in antisemitism worldwide, it has become even more important. Take a moment to tell Congress that a vote for this bill is a vote for the Jewish community, and vote for Jewish students, and a vote against antisemitism: https://ow.ly/QyFx50RtzHn

The House is expected to vote today on the bipartisan Antisemitism Awareness Act, which would mandate that the Dept. of Education uses the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism when enforcing federal anti-discrimination laws. Jewish Federations of North America have been leading advocacy efforts around the passage of this critical legislation for over a year. Now, in the wake of Oct. 7 and a terrifying increase in antisemitism worldwide, it has become even more important. Take a moment to tell Congress that a vote for this bill is a vote for the Jewish community, and vote for Jewish students, and a vote against antisemitism: https://ow.ly/QyFx50RtzHn

Leadership in action.

The recent decision in Samherji HF v Fridriksson [2024] EWHC 2892 (Ch) highlights the limitations of activism and freedom of expression more generally as defences to IP claims. The full piece can be found here https://lnkd.in/gpgjft2q

S2. Ep. 1: Nigerian American Rep. Oye's Political Journey & Fight for D.C Statehood When someone dared Dr. Adeoye Owolewa to run for the D.C Neighborhood Advisory Commission if he thought he could run it better, little did he know that accepting the dare and winning that election would open more doors for him. Today, as Washington D.C's Representative to Congress, Rep. Oye, as he's popularly known, is not just taking care of the people in his Ward, he is leading the charge to make the District of Columbia, America's 51st state. "DC is different than all other parts of the United States. We're not a state, and because we're not a state we have a delegate position and also the US Representative role that I'm in right now which is unseated, non-voting because we're not a state. So DC statehood, we're fighting for congressional representation, we're fighting for self-autonomy, control of our laws, our budget, and our resources and my daily routine is to basically fight for that." - Rep. Oye Owolewa Click on this link to listen to the full episode: https://lnkd.in/eEJzS6Ng

First Nations people across the world are no strangers to shifting goal posts when it comes to policies that directly impact their lives, and equally when we protest these shifts we're labelled as 'radicals' and 'agitators'. Māori, despite having a treaty with the New Zealand Government, are now facing their own shifting goal posts and have assembled en masse to protest. It would seem that even a formal treaty means little when it doesn't suit the needs of one of the parties. Senator Lidia Thorpe's recent protest, which included the words "we want a treaty in this country", ended in a formal censure from the Senate. Whilst the censure has no specified consequences, it carries the disapproval of the Senate (tisk tisk), of which she is one of six First Nations members. Sadly, a quick search of the Australian DFAT database of treaties using the filters, human rights/discrimination/all/in force, reveals Australia has only three examples of where it is has signed on the dotted line. If you add 'protection of minorities' to that search you will come up with no currently enforced treaties. I wonder if Senator Thorpe's recent call for treaty could be a real outcome in a country that likes to blow its multi-cultural trumpet whenever it suits, or whether, like the newly installed Queensland Premier, we find it too difficult to lead in this space and to address the issues that divide us. My former colleague Anthony Ruakere has kindly let me use his Dummies Guide to Te Tiriti which I think encapsulates the Māori position perfectly. I stand in solidarity with you, and all Māori. A Dummies Guide to Te Tiriti - in 10 Easy Steps 1. Settlers liked what Māori had 2. Māori liked what settlers brought 3. Māori and settlers said "if we share our things, we will all be better off" 4. An agreement setting this out was signed 5. Settlers repeatedly breach the agreement 6. Settlers prosper 7. Māori suffer 8. Māori continue asking settlers to abide by agreement 9. Instead, some settlers now want to re-write the agreement 10. Māori say "ew David", no thanks

THAT'S WHAT WE ARE DOING SO STOP WHINING ALL THE TIME AND JOIN THE WORLD CITIZENS INITIATIVE (NCBP) FOR A NEW WORLD CONSTITUTION! Institutions, organisations, universities, civil society, politicians, academia, ... ARE HELPLESS AND DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO! WHY? DYSFUNCTIONAL MINDSET <---> DYSFUNCTIONAL EDUCATION <---> DYSFUNCTIONAL GOVERNANCE. SOLUTION = INTERFACE MINDSET <---> INTERFACE EDUCATION <---> INTERFACE GOVERNANCE. I therefore suggest that the international community turns to the IMNRC and its Flagship Programme (NCBP) immediately. There seems to be NO ALTERNATIVE! https://lnkd.in/effir8jN

Restoring the presumption of innocence https://lnkd.in/gycngCCN

The Lynching of Jamal Bowman: AIPAC's War on an African-American Congressperson Discover the shocking truth about the targeted campaign against Jamal Bowman, an African-American Congressperson, by AIPAC, the powerful Jewish lobby group. Uncover the tactics and motivations behind AIPAC's efforts and the staggering amount they have invested to defeat him in New York City. #JamalBowman #AIPAC #LobbyGroup #NYCPolitics #PoliticalTargeting #CongressElection #CampaignTactics #PoliticalInfluence #DemocracyMatters #ElectionIntegrity