Category Archives: Freedom

DETROIT, May 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Freedom Center, the newly opened military lounge at Detroit Metropolitan Airport, will benefit from funds raised by an Gala Event on Armed Forces Day, May 19.

Since their official opening on Veterans Day 2011, Freedom Center has hosted more than 8,000 traveling members of our military, their families and veterans. The lounge, located at Gate A43 in the center of the McNamara Terminal, offers a relaxing atmosphere to armed forces members, travel assistance and complimentary juice, water, soft drinks, coffee, tea, snacks and traveling amenities.

"At Meritor, it is our honor to offer support for our military men and women serving today, and everyday, as they sacrifice for our freedom and safety here at home. We view our nation's warfighters as heroes. They and their families earn our respect every day," said Tim Burns, vice president and general manager, Defense and Specialty, Industrial. Burns is Honorary Chair of the Gala Event. Meritor maintains a 100-year legacy of serving commercial truck, aftermarket and industrial markets including the supply of drivetrain components for U.S. military fleets around the world.

The event will include an elegant strolling dinner catered by Andiamo's, complimentary bar, entertainment by Johnny Trudell musicians and valet parking. The Gala will be held at the Defense Corridor Center (DC3S), 7205 Sterling Ponds Court, Sterling Heights, Mich. on Saturday, May 19 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets are $100 per person and can be ordered via the Freedom Center website: http://www.MIFreedomCenter.org or by calling 313-610-5600.

Underwriting support for the Gala is being provided by: The Michigan Chapter, National Defense Industrial Association (Freedom Sponsor); Meritor, Inc. and Robert and Virginia Vallee (Honor Sponsors); The Arsenal of Democracy Chapter, Association of the US Army; Rave Computers; Oshkosh Defense, Inc. and General Kinetics (Service Sponsors).

For more information, contact:John McCandless 313-610-5600

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Armed Forces Day Gala to Raise Funds for Freedom Center

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., May 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --WXYZ is proud to partner with the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History and the Ford Motor Company to present "Ford Freedom Award: Talent, Tenacity, Teamwork," honoring the New York Renaissance Basketball Team and NBA Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the Ford Freedom Award Scholar. The half hour special will air Saturday, May 12th at 7:00 p.m. and will be rebroadcast on Saturday, May 26th at 7:00 p.m.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100922/DE69906LOGO )

Hosted by WXYZ Editorial and Public Affairs Director Chuck Stokes, the program will feature an in-depth interview with actor, coach, author and newly selected U.S. Cultural Ambassador Abdul-Jabbar, who will be named the Ford Freedom Award Scholar. His basketball career spanned six championships, and he received a record six regular season MVP awards. The show will also look at the Ford Freedom Award recipient, the New York Renaissance, who were the first all-black, fully-professional African American owned team that dominated basketball in the 1920s and 30s.

The encore of "Ford Freedom Awards: Talent, Tenacity, Teamwork" will include highlights from this year's Ford Freedom Award celebration on Thursday, May 17, featuring Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's lecture to more than 1,500 Detroit area middle school students.

The Ford Freedom Award is awarded posthumously to distinguished individuals who dedicated their lives to improving the African American community and the world in general. Previous honorees include Judge Constance Baker Motley, Ossie Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Langston Hughes, Jackie Robinson and John H. Johnson.

The Ford Freedom Award Scholar distinction is given to individuals who have excelled on a national or international level in the same field as the Ford Freedom Award honoree and who have furthered the achievements for a new generation. Past Scholars include Judge Damon J. Keith, Morgan Freeman, Reggie Jackson and Raymond Usher IV.

Ford Freedom Award proceeds support educational programs, exhibits, and community outreach initiatives of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, the world's largest institution dedicated to the African American experience.

WXYZ-TV is part of Scripps Media, Inc., which operates 10 TV stations. The corporate parent, the E.W. Scripps Company (SSP) is a diverse, 131-year old media enterprise with interests in television stations, newspapers, local news and information Web sites, and comics/features syndication. For a full listing of Scripps media companies and their associated Web sites, visit http://www.scripps.com/.

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WXYZ Honors Ford Freedom Award Winners

Contrary to everybodys hopes to see the fruits of reform within the National Police, last Fridays dispersal of a discussion at Salihara Cultural Centre in South Jakarta suggests that the police have instead turned back the clock to the authoritarianism of the New Order.

Rather than taking action against vigilantes who intimidated those attending the free-speech forum, the police scrambled for legitimacy to force an end to the event, which they alleged lacked a permit to feature a foreign speaker.

The police were cracking down on Canadian activist Irshad Manji, whose latest book, "Allah, Liberty and Love", was the highlight of the day.

That the police considered the discussion illegal due to the absence of their prior approval amounts to an infringement of the Constitution, which protects individual freedom of speech. Nowhere in the countrys existing laws can we find a state institution or individual that has been granted the authority to silence others merely because of dissenting views.

The Reform movement, whose anniversary we will celebrate later this month, has given birth to a series of laws that confirm the nations commitment to individual freedom, including the freedom of speech and expression. Enforcement of those laws has been a different story, however.

The polices contempt of freedom of speech on Friday came just after members of the hard-line Muslim group the Islam Defenders Front (FPI), picketed outside Salihara Cultural Centre in a show of protest against reform-minded Manji, citing her liberal views, including the conformity between Islam and homosexuality, which they feared could undermine Islam.

In her book, Manji calls for separation between Islam and culture and a reinterpretation of Islam itself progressive thoughts that conservative groups such as the FPI apparently cannot tolerate.

It goes without saying that the Salihara incident sends the wrong message that the police would listen to the cause of a group that has no hesitation to resort to violence in the name of God, no less to settle differences, more than they do to people who fall prey to acts of thuggery and are therefore are in need of protection.

This has long raised suspicion of a link between the police and the group, which critics say is no different from thugs who seek income from protection rackets. Police have frequently denied allegations that the force was behind the rise of radicalism that ironically supported the flourishing democratisation in the country.

The police might argue they stepped out to prevent the FPI members from going on a rampage, but, as often happened in the past, the failure to act against radicals will further encourage them to repeat the same display of brutality. Not to mention the lenient punishment handed down on members of the hard-line groups even for violence that resulted in deaths.

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Freedom to be silent

MADISON, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Freedom Group, Inc. (FGI) has announced Corry Doyle as its new Vice President Corporate Finance & Planning and Treasurer. Doyle, who has served as the FGI Acting Vice President Production, Sales and Inventory for the last year, will continue to build and mature the companys Sales and Operations Planning process, focusing on aligning organizational resources to meet market demand. Additionally, Doyle will help FGI evaluate growth opportunities.

Doyle, a lifelong sportsman and shooter from Kentucky, comes to FGI from Cerberus Capital Management where he was a member of the Risk and Portfolio Management team developing organizational structures that support operational excellence. Prior to working with Cerberus, Doyle was a Finance Manager directing an Aviation Military and Customer Support Organization, part of a Military Engine Operations group.

Corry is not only a passionate enthusiast and user of the firearms and ammunition we produce, but someone with extensive experience across multiple disciplines vital to our success, said George Kollitides, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the FGI Board of Directors. With a strong finance and planning background in manufacturing, distribution and field and service repairs, Corry will play an integral role in ensuring our operations run smoothly and efficiently. This will benefit production, quality control, customer service and, of course, end-user satisfaction. Corrys financial experience with military operations will likewise be helpful as Remington and other Freedom Group Family Companies expand their product offerings and compete to provide best in class weaponry to the American military.

Corrys background with our products and understanding of how best to shape operational strategies will play a key role in our financial planning, said Ronald Kolka, Chief Financial Officer of FGI. Corry is a tremendous asset to this team and we are happy to have him onboard in this leadership position.

This is an exciting opportunity, said Doyle. Since its inception, I have been honored to participate in the growth and outward expansion of Freedom Group. Taking on this active role a role that cuts across every division of FGI to ensure the most efficient and highest quality production for our customer channels and consumers is a great responsibility and privilege.

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Corry Doyle Named Vice President Corporate Finance & Planning and Treasurer of Freedom Group

Constructing a debt repayment plan is the single strongest step to take to achieve freedom from debt, according to Hamm.

In my opinion, if youre in a financial hole, constructing a debt repayment plan is the single strongest step you can take. It creates a clear picture of your debt situation, tells you the most efficient way of paying them off, offers you clear steps on what to do next, and can also be a useful tool when looking for additional help.

The Simple Dollar is a blog for those of us who need both cents and sense: people fighting debt and bad spending habits while building a financially secure future and still affording a latte or two. Our busy lives are crazy enough without having to compare five hundred mutual funds we just want simple ways to manage our finances and save a little money.

Constructing Your Plan Its pretty easy to put such a plan together. Put aside an hour and follow these steps.

First, collect all of your debt information in one place. Youre going to want your current balances, your interest rates, and your minimum monthly payments for each of these debts.

Then, simply make a list of those debts, ordering them by interest rate. Make four columns debt name, balance, interest rate, and minimum payment. Put the debt with the highest interest rate at the top of the list and add others below that in order of interest rate, with the higher ones near the top.

Once you have that, total up your minimum payments. Add them up to see how much youre putting toward your debts each month.

Then, add some amount to that total minimum payment. It needs to be an amount you can consistently afford. Maybe its only $25 a month. Maybe its $500. Were all in different situations with different financial requirements.

That new amount, the total minimum payment plus the additional amount, is going to be how much you put toward debt each month until these debts are all gone.

Using Your Plan

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Freedom from debt is possible – with a plan

FOWLERVILLE, Mich., May 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Christopher Gowan, owner of Freedom Communications, located at 514 S. Grand Ave. Ste. A, recently added U-Haul truck and trailer rentals to the wireless phone and satellite business.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090622/LA34860LOGO-b)

Click here to download the photo accompanying this press release.

Families needing the finest in moving services now will have increased convenience and a shorter distance to travel when moving, which not only will make their move easier but also will have the positive effect of reducing the amount of carbon emissions released into the atmosphere. U-Haul partnering with business owners across North America to increase convenience for customers while helping our environment is just one of the programs that support U-Haul Company's Corporate Sustainability initiatives.

Freedom Communications can now offer its customers a variety of moving equipment and supplies designed specifically for moving household furnishings, including moving vans, open trailers, closed trailers, furniture pads, appliance dollies, furniture dollies, tow dollies and auto transports.

"U-Haul is proud to be partnering with a quality independent business such as Freedom Communications," exclaimed Bill Rains, president, U-Haul Company of Central Michigan. "Christopher is a great example of the type of successful business relationship U-Haul has established in order to build and maintain a strong network of more than 15,000 independent dealers across North America."

For more information, or to rent your moving equipment today, call 517-223-1156. Business hours of operation are: Mon. Fri. 9 a.m. 6 p.m. and Sat. 9 a.m. 4 p.m.

About U-Haul U-Haul was founded by a Navy veteran who grew up during the Great Depression. Tires and gas were still rationed or in short supply during the late 1940s when U-Haul began serving U.S. customers. Today, that background is central to the U-Haul Sustainability Program: "Serving the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." Our commitment to reduce, reuse and recycle includes fuel-efficient moving vans, neighborhood proximity, moving box reuse, moving pads made from discarded material and packing peanuts that are 100% biodegradable. Learn more about these facts and others at uhaul.com/sustainability.

Since 1945, U-Haul has been the choice for the do-it-yourself mover. U-Haul customers' patronage has enabled the Company to maintain the largest rental fleet in the do-it-yourself moving industry which includes trucks, trailers and towing devices. U-Haul also offers storage throughout North America. The Company provides industry leading moving and storage boxes and an extended line of packing supplies to protect customer possessions. U-Haul is the consumer's number one choice as the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket. The Company supplies alternative-fuel for vehicles and backyard grills as one of the nation's largest retailers of propane.

Contact: Joanne Fried Kelie Hale U-Haul Public Relations (602) 263-6194 (602) 263-6772 fax

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Freedom Communications in Fowlerville, Michigan Adds U-Haul Rentals

Posted by Marlon Magtira - Thu. May 03, 2012 3:50 pm

World Press Freedom Day came about twenty years ago in response to a vision of a group of journalists that gathered together at Windhoek, in Namibia.

The Windhoek Declaration was a call to arms to protect the fundamental principles of the freedom of expression that is enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

On May 3 each year, World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) is an opportunity to commemorate the fundamental principles of press freedom, to celebrate the press and to honour journalists who have demonstrated courage in standing up for media ethics and free expression around the world.

The theme for WPFD 2012 is New Voices: Media Freedom Helping to Transform Societies.

Throughout the region, IFJ affiliates are undertaking a number of activities during the week of May 3.

Australia The Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance and its professional development arm, the Walkley Foundation, will host the 2012 Press Freedom Media Dinner in Sydney on Friday, May 4.

The dinner is the media industrys major fundraising event and recognises that free speech and a free and unfettered press that serves the public good, are the most important guarantors of democracy.

Each year, media and business unite to recognise the importance of press freedom and support the many journalists and media workers under pressure in the Asia-Pacific region.

Originally posted here:
World Press Freedom Day 2012 – Asia and the Pacific

By LIM MUN FAH Translated by SOONG PHUI JEE Sin Chew Daily

The United Nation General Assembly declared May 3 as the World Press Freedom Day in 1991 to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of the press and remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right of freedom of expression.

On this day over the past 19 years, the world's members of the media had reaffirmed the basic principles of the freedom of the press, expressed their determination in defending the freedom of the press, and even paid the highest respect and remembrance to those who have lost their lives in harness.

In Malaysia, we must use the opportunity to reflect and repeatedly ask ourselves: Do we enjoy the freedom of press?

Unfortunately, pressmen were violently treated during the recent Bersih 3.0 rally. Some of them were assaulted and injured, some of them had their cameras snatched and some of them had their photos deleted. That day is undoubtedly the darkest and ugliest day in the media history of Malaysia!

Unfortunately, such an incident infringing the freedom of the press took place less than a month after the Printing Presses and Publications (Amendment) Bill 2012 was passed in the Dewan Rakyat!

Unfortunately, the incident showing our backsliding freedom of the press happened less than three months after Malaysia was reported to have moved up to the 122nd place from the 144th place in the Press Freedom Index 2011/2012 compiled by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

Unfortunately, the RSF pointed out in the report that although there is an improvement to the freedom of the press in Malaysia, they are still not optimistic about it. Sadly, the "prophecy" has actually come true!

The freedom of the press is one of the criteria to test democratic politics. As members of the media, we have to admit that the freedom of the press that we are having in Malaysia today is still having many serious deficiencies. There are sill various kinds of laws to suppress the freedom of expression. As a result, the media have been struggling in playing the sacred role of the Fourth Estate to supervise the government, push reforms and promote social progress.

Although the freedom of the press in Malaysia has been slightly opened and improved, the openness is limited while the improvement is slow. It is because, there are still many so-called taboos that must not be touched, and many so-called sensitive boundaries that must not be crossed over. The Printing Presses and Publications (Amendment) Bill 2012 still retains the provision stating that "a person found to have maliciously published any false news shall be guilty of an offence punishable for jail of three years and/or fine of RM20,000 maximum."

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World Press Freedom Day

Today, Pakistani journalists enjoy a lot more freedom to report and say what was unthinkable for them in the past. But this freedom comes with perils.

Pakistani journalists have every reason to celebrate the World Press Freedom Day on Thursday, the May 3rd. They have come a long way from the 1980s' authoritarian era of the Islamic military dictator General Zia-ul-Haq. Today, the Pakistani media enjoys a great amount of freedom to criticize governments, politicians, the country's powerful military and its ubiquitous intelligence agencies including the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). A decade ago, all this was unimaginable.

But this freedom has a price. The Islamic Republic of Pakistan has become freer yet more insecure for journalists.

A recent UNESCO report ranks Pakistan "the second most dangerous country for journalists the world over" after Mexico. According to the South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA), 17 journalists were killed in the whole of South Asia in 2011, out of which 12 were killed in Pakistan.

Nasir Tufail, a Karachi-based journalist, who works for Geo TV, told DW that the Pakistani media was "definitely freer than before," though "not absolutely free."

Freedom to die

Journalists are threatened by both militants and Pakistani security officials

Tufail said the most perilous issue for the Pakistani journalists was to report on issues regarding terrorism and Islamism, and the journalists who were working on these issues had to be very cautious.

Imtiaz Alam, Secretary General of SAFMA, also said both state and non-state elements were against press freedom in Pakistan.

"So many journalists in Pakistan have been killed yet nobody has ever been brought to justice for these murders. The recommendations of the judicial commission investigating Saleem Shahzad's murder (allegedly killed by the ISI) have never been implemented," said Alam.

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Freedom means insecurity for Pakistani journalists

World Press Freedom Day marks the anniversary of the Windhoek Declaration, a statement of free press principles drawn up by African newspaper journalists in 1991.

In 1993 the United Nations General Assembly declared May 3 to be World Press Freedom Day in order to raise awareness of the importance of press freedom and to remind governments of their duty to uphold the right to freedom of expression. The date was chosen to mark the anniversary of the 1991 Windhoek Declaration.

Like the rest of the world, sub-Saharan Africa has experienced a notable expansion of media pluralism in recent years. The number of online newspapers that have burst on to the scene are just one example and in general African media consumers now have a much wider choice to turn to in their search for information. Tools enabling the instant dissemination of information, such as the microblogging service Twitter have become commonplace. But there are also many African countries in which independent media outlets and journalists still face harassment and violence in a bid to silence them.

Muzzling the press is still frequent in Africa

"Eritrea is absolutely the worst place for journalists, according to Ambroise Pierre, head of the Africa desk at Reporters Without Borders. In the organization's latest Press Freedom Ranking, issued annually on World Press Freedom Day, Eritrea occupies bottom place in the list of 179 countries surveyed. This does not surprise Pierre, since the Eritrean government abolished freedom of the press 10 years ago. Today, journalists work for the state media and have to print what the Ministry of Information tells them. Anyone who tries to defy the state lands in jail, he said.

Award for Ethiopian journalist

It's a similar story in neighboring Ethiopia. According to the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), about 150 Ethiopian journalists live in exile, more than from any other country in the world. One who chose to stay is Eskinder Nega. He's currently in jail, charged with inciting terrorism, and could face the death penalty. Nega was arrested after he wrote articles questioning the arrest of journalists and actor Debebe Eshetu. Previously Nega and his wife, Serkalem Fasil, were jailed for their coverage of a disputed election.

Nega has just been awarded a press freedom prize by PEN America, a branch of PEN International which promotes intellectual cooperation between writers and freedom of expression. His wife accepted the prize on his behalf in a ceremony in New York on Tuesday.

On the eve of World Press Freedom Day, Somali radio journalist Farhan James Abdulle was shot dead as he was returning home in the village of Garsor. The 27 year-old is the fifth journalist to be killed in Somalia this year.

Media under threat in Nigeria

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Press freedom in Africa