Made Me Laugh

A Star in my Book

I found and article in the Boston Globe that really hit a nerve. It was an Associated Press Article entitled Rape victim seeks long path to justice. I wanted to discuss why I made it a good news story. I highly recommend you read it in full. It is the story of a woman who was raped at a fraternity house in 1984 and was unable to get anyone to press charges against the young man or as she found out later young men who drugged her and ganged rapped her.

What makes it good news is that it is a story about redemption and justice. The man William Beebe contacted Liz Seccuro the rape survivor 20 plus years later as part of a 12 step program. They corresponded and eventually Liz turned their conversations over to the authorities. William was seeking closure for his guilt and hope of sobriety. Liz was seeking healing and justice. Both have prevailed and William Beebe will serve time and hopefully help bring to justice the other young men involved. Liz has started an organization to help bring awareness to how seldom rape is reported and prosecuted. She also raises money to support group that support rape victims. A family member of mine is a survivor and I understand how the assault affects the lives of those who endure and survive the multifaceted pain of rape. It takes courage to stand up and see to it that those who are guilty pay for their crime. It is equally encouraging to me to see someone admit their guilt, seek to give restitution and ultimately pay what is due. It was an excruciatingly painful story to read, but proof that good can come out of evil.

Liz Seccuro's site is STARS -- Sisters Together Assisting Rape Survivors.

In other news.......... www.goodnewsnow.com is going interactive. We will have a good news forum were people can discuss stories and post their good news. We will also have feed back for the stories we post. Tired of bad news......... try Good News Now!

The View from here is Rosie...

We had a big bump in readers on Friday. I found out why from the photograher whose worked appeared that day. We were mentioned on The View. (http://abc.go.com/daytime/theview/)

See http://craig-photography.blogspot.com

Check out his Flickr site too. Nice work. http://www.flickr.com/photos/craig_photography/


I am having fun.

Making it Real

Private Groups Spearhead Anti-Trafficking Efforts

Here is a story I found on Human Trafficking and a group who wants something done about it. This one is about sex tourism in the U.S. That isn't the only form Human Trafficking takes. There are children taken captive in Africa and force to be soldiers, children in India and Pakistan who work long hours as laborer with little or no hope for a future. Young women in Romania tricked into thinking they are leaving their homeland for a job and a better future only to be trapped in a lifestyle of prostitution. These innocent lives are stolen because of greed. This is allowed to happen because people and nations look the other way. I am personally relieved that the issue is being addressed. Every human being has the God given right to live in freedom. There are people in places of power who can make changes, they can enact laws and enforce them, but it is the people, the churches, the non-profits that need to begin in earnest to care for the victims.

Support organiztions that do. World Vision

Cambodia: A Child in a Brothel
Kalliyan on Her Life as a Victim of the Illegal Sex Industry — and Her Recovery

Amazing Grace Sunday and Beyond

I ran across a press release for a web campaign today sent out by Religion News Service. It was about an event this Sunday called Amazing Grace Sunday.

Two hundred years ago, British politician William Wilberforce and his band of loyal friends took on the most powerful forces of their day to end the slave trade. His mentor was John Newton, the slave-trader-turned-song-writer, who wrote the world’s most popular hymn, Amazing Grace.

This year is the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade. But the work of justice and mercy continues. 27 million men, women, and children are still enslaved around the globe.

How sweet the sound of freedom.

Join churches around the globe in singing Amazing Grace and in praying for the end of slavery once and for all.

When I looked around the website a little bit it became apparent that it was part of a very big movement a float in the Christian community. So much is on the site I want to take the next few days to explore it and share it with you. There is a movie coming out about the events that took place 200 years ago along with an effort to mobilize the Body of Christ to stop modern day slavery. You ask what is that? It is human trafficking. It is an enormous problem and until the last few years it was a deep dark secret people didn’t talk about and reporters didn’t report on.

Over the last eight and a half months as I have been the webmaster for Good News Now I have encountered story after story about human trafficking, a crime on humanity. I haven’t reported it because it is not good news, it is the worst of humanity. But this story is good news. It is time we took out heads out of the sand and admit there is slavery today in our world and we have the ability to do something about it.

From the Website Amazing Change: A Campaign to Carry on Wilberforce’s Vision of Mercy and Justice.

Ten Things You Can Do

How can you contribute to The Amazing Change? The ten examples below should give you some ideas — we would love to hear your suggestions as well!

1. Sign the Petition. Become an abolitionist by signing The Petition to End Modern Day Slavery. Click Here To Print a Petition. Take the petition to your school, church, family, friends, et al., and then send it to us (mailing address provided on petition)
2. See Amazing Grace. This film is a great introduction to the work of William Wilberforce, an original abolitionist. Learn how you can carry on his legacy.
3. Raise funds to free slaves. Use the tools on this website, such as Loose Change to Loosen Chains, to start your own fundraising campaign.
4. Educate yourself. Use the resources on the site to learn about the horrors of historical and modern day slavery.
5. Show solidarity. Buy The Amazing Change t-shirt and tell friends and family about your mission to abolish slavery.
6. Create a Clapham Circle. William Wilberforce was part of a group of friends and neighbors called the Clapham Circle. They met regularly to discuss ways to advance the cause of abolition. You can form your own Clapham Circle. Have weekly meetings with friends or neighbors in your community to discuss the issue of modern day slavery. Download tools from this website to facilitate your discussion.
7. Blog. Write about modern day slavery and The Amazing Change in our online community or on your MySpace, Xanga or Facebook profile. Include a link to our website so friends can learn how to get involved.
8. Ask others. Talk to leaders in your community, school or church about The Amazing Change. and encourage them to become involved.
9. Read More. Read books about modern day slavery like Not for Sale by David Batstone.
10. Volunteer. Pass on the legacy of William Wilberforce and donate your time to The Amazing Change by joining the street team, creating a Clapham Circle, or fundraising to free slaves.

Unprepared for Valentine's Day?

If you are a guy you can get in to shape. Visit a new site I found today. It is a hoot.

www.bebetterguys.com Come on you can do it!!

Today is a good news day

I read the news 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week looking for “good news” stories for www.goodnewsnow.com. But today was an exceptional day to find good news. What is good news? I look for stories that after you have read them you are left feeling better about yourself and the world. We do not deny that there is a lot of bad news out there; we just want to create a site that let you see more of the other side. My favorite story today is from The LATIMES called Wake-up call to a.m. news: moms tuning out. It is good news for us. (you can find it front and center on our home page).

www.goodnewsnow.com

Random Picture of the Day

Have you ever been to Switzerland?