Category Archives: Freedom

"How to Blog Your Way to Freedom"
"How to Blog Your Way to Freedom"

By: Sheena Yap Chan

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"How to Blog Your Way to Freedom" - Video

Jay Kila - Freedom (OFFICIAL VIDEO)
Download "50 Shades of Jay" at http://www.jkila.com Directed by Austin Henderson Featuring: Lenny Toboroff Chris Almon Brookelyn Kelly (https://www.facebook....

By: Jay Kila

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Jay Kila - Freedom (OFFICIAL VIDEO) - Video

Posted on: 9:45 am, October 1, 2013, by Staff Writer, updated on: 12:22pm, October 1, 2013

Courtesy: Leo Shane III

Veterans from Story County boarded a plane Tuesday morning, bound for Washington D.C. to visit the memorials dedicated in their honor.

The Freedom Flight was planned far in advance of the government shutdown and veterans were hopeful the memorials they traveled to see wouldnt be closed when they arrived.

Barricades were up at the World War II memorial, but that didnt stop the veterans. Stars and Stripes reporter Leo Shane III says Iowas Rep. Steve King helped get the veterans inside the memorial.

Shane also says the park police are seeking guidance on how to respond to the situation, but currently arent keeping any veterans out.

One-hundred and fifty veterans, including thirty from World War II, are taking part in the 2ndStory County Freedom Flight.

Philip Schendel got choked up talking about the police escort and send-off at the Des Moines International Airport Tuesday morning. He said, Proud, makes you pretty, its kind of hard to explain.

Many had been paying attention to news surrounding the government shutdown. Some family members took action. Kathy Gourley, Daughter of a Korean War Veteran, said, Yesterday I spent the morning writing to all my representatives and senators telling them this better not interfere with this trip.

Veterans from the Korean and Vietnam wars are also part of the trip.

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FREEDOM FLIGHT: Veterans Depart Despite Shutdown

Lack of access to information has hindered press freedom and caused our rankings to drop miserably.

PETALING JAYA: The level of press freedom in Malaysia has deteriorated even further this year compared to its earlier standings as reflected in the latest rankings carried out by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

Malaysia dropped 23 spots from 122 in 2012 to 145 this year in the World Press Freedom Index. In the 2011-2012 rankings Malaysia jointly held the 122nd spot with Tajikistan and Algeria.

According to the report, Malaysias ranking plummeted 23 spots due to constant lack of access to information.

The report acknowledged the NGOs and online medias work in pushing for more access to information.

However the government has been drifting towards authoritarianistic and repressive measures to curtail the access, stated the report.

This was illustrated by Putrajayas crackdown on Bersih 3.0 protest in April last year.

The RSF also stated that Putrajaya is constantly involved in repeated censorship efforts that undermine basic freedom, in particular the right to information.

Comparing Malaysias ranking with 12 other Southeast Asian countries including Papua New Guinea and East Timor this year, it appeared that Malaysia is placed in the middle of the chart.

In Southeast Asia; Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Brunei clinched the top three spots. Papua New Guinea is ranked 41; East Timor is at 90 followed by Brunei at 122.

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Our press freedom in freefall, down 23 spots

Manuel Scott plans to share his message at a diversity summit at New Oxford High School.

Manuel Scott is never mentioned by name in the 2007 film Freedom Writers, but his story is deeply ingrained in it.

In the movie, a class at Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach, Calif., is divided by ethnic lines and torn apart by abuse, violence and crime. But the students are transformed by Erin Gruwell's teaching methods. The group of students called themselves the Freedom Writers.

Scott was in the first class Gruwell ever taught as a 23-year-old student teacher. She had Holocaust survivors speak to students and bought books with her own money, working several jobs to pay for them.

The students named themselves the Freedom Writers, after the Freedom Riders of the civil rights movement. Through the

Manuel Scott lived in 26 places by age 16, he missed 60-90 days of school annually, he dropped out of school at the age of 14 and his father was incarcerated, according to Scott s website. He s one of the original Freedom Writers and will tell his story to the students of New Oxford High school on Oct. 7. (SUBMITTED)

Scott has traveled around the country for more than a decade to speak to school groups, telling his story. He'll share his message of how he came to believe he had a story worth telling at a diversity summit at New Oxford High School on Oct. 7.

Scott lived in 26 places by age 16, he missed 60-90 days of school annually, he dropped out of school at the age of 14 and his father was incarcerated, according to Scott's website. After an inspiring encounter with a complete stranger in a park who encouraged him to make something more of his life Scott returned to school and his life was changed in Gruwell's English class.

The

After graduating from Woodrow Wilson High School, Gruwell inspired Scott to attend the University of California, Berkeley, and then went to graduate school and is currently working on his Ph.Ds in intercultural studies at Trinity International University north of Chicago.

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Original Freedom Writer to tell his story

Academic freedom is crucial to a strong democracy says Professor Jack Heinemann, co-chair of a soon to be launched group of academics out to defend academic freedom.

The group, Academic Freedom Aotearoa, will be a watchdog and advocacy group made up of academics from all around New Zealand. The group is committed to protecting and enhancing academic freedom and tertiary education institutions autonomous role as the critic and conscience of society.

"Academic freedom is the responsibility placed on scholars to present uncomfortable truths that might otherwise cost them their jobs, liberty and life at some times and in some places. Parliament uniquely gives this responsibility and right to staff and students at New Zealand universities. It is what makes New Zealand a dynamic place to live, learn, and innovate," says Professor Heinemann.

The group will launch itself publically on 4 October, which is the day before World Academic Freedom Day and World Teachers Day. You can find the groups website at academicfreedom.kiwi.nz

The groups other co-chair, Dr Sandra Grey, says one of the big threats to academic freedom in New Zealand at the moment is the way performance research funding is channelled towards research that is commercially applicable rather than research which challenges the government or big business.

"The space for academics who are researching and speaking out on things that the government does not want to hear is shrinking. They are losing research money and they are losing their positions as institutions shuffle them aside in search of performance funding," says Dr Grey.

Academic Freedom Aotearoa will hold two launch ceremonies:

Victoria University of Wellington, Friday 4 October, 3.30pm, outside Milk and Honey Caf, Kelburn campus.

University of Canterbury, Friday 4 October, 4pm, outside the Shilling Club on campus.

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New watchdog group protects academic freedom

GWEN IFILL: In addition to last week's church bombing in Pakistan, Christians have also been targeted recently in Egypt and at last week's mall attack in Kenya. Is this merely a coincidence or is there a wider trend?

To explore that, I'm joined by U.S. Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Suzan Johnson Cook.

Welcome again, Ambassador.

SUZAN JOHNSON COOK, U.S. ambassador-at-large for International Religious Freedom: Thank you. So wonderful to be with you. Thank you.

GWEN IFILL: We saw what Fred wrote about or broadcast just now just about Pakistan. Is this something which is a worldwide problem?

SUZAN JOHNSON COOK: Well, it is a worldwide problem.

RELATED INFORMATION

Pakistani Christians Targeted by Violence, Blasphemy Law

As ambassador for international religious freedom, my portfolio is 199 countries of the world. And so we see it frequently. First, though, I want to send my condolences for those who were the victims of attack, those who lost loved ones. We certainly want to send our condolences and sympathy.

It is not just recent. It's been throughout the world and throughout history. And it opens up the whole conversation of religious freedom. We have it in our Constitution that we have the right to believe what and when we want to believe, how we want to express that, but in many parts of the world, that is not true.

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How Promotion of Religious Freedom Can Help Prevent Extreme Violence

2013 Freedom Division Championship Series Game 3
Relive the excitement of the Somerset Patriots completing the sweep of the Sugar Land Skeeters with a 5-4 win in Game 3 to become the 2013 Freedom Division C...

By: Somerset Patriots

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2013 Freedom Division Championship Series Game 3 - Video

Do We Really Know What Freedom Is? - The Richard Fowler Moment
Join #FOWLERNATION!! http://bit.ly/14crV4D On this week #39;s Richard Fowler Moment, Richard has a discussion about what freedom means for him If you liked this ...

By: The Richard Fowler Show

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Do We Really Know What Freedom Is? - The Richard Fowler Moment - Video

American Freedom Radio Producer Needs Your Donations! Vinny Eastwood 24Sep2013
If you #39;re reading this at http://www.guerillamedia.co.nz click "Original Article" on the bottom right for the video. PLEASE SUBSCRIBE AND GIVE A THUMBS UP! 2...

By: Vincent Eastwood

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American Freedom Radio Producer Needs Your Donations! Vinny Eastwood 24Sep2013 - Video