Why fight for freedom

Freedom is about what it means to be human, and to be recognized and treated by others as such. Trump is not the cause of the American crisis, but its culmination. The fragility of rights that members of marginalized groups have always experienced has been widened to encompass the country as a whole. In the 21st century, political, economic and technological freedom were all radically curtailed. The loss of legal rights over the past 20 years — voting rights chief among them — has been accompanied by a culture of fear that is as effective in derailing democracy as any decree.

What does it mean to have freedom of speech when your words are data-mined and shot back at you as targeted propaganda? What is freedom of assembly when your every movement is recorded and reproduced online, when human lives are reduced to hashtags?

Trump exemplifies this era of exploitation. The reality TV president sees citizens not as human beings, but as disposable background players in a show starring himself. The U. Complex catastrophes are no match for the easy media lure of personality politics. To some degree, this was always our national political language, but there is a soullessness today that feels new.

Whatever entertaining quality politics once possessed is gone, replaced by a culture of profound dehumanization that endangers the American experiment.

Freedom is never just about rights or laws. Newsletter — Sign Up. Hong Kong makes the most headlines. From Lebanon to Cuba, Chile to Algeria, young people are calling for greater personal freedoms, greater opportunity, and against governments who are entrenching inequality and blocking democratic reform.

The issues which spark mass movements are varied. They range from taxes on WhatsApp to LGBT rights, oppressive military rule, and corruption at the heart of government. What is clear, however, is that the young people at the heart of global movements are marching for liberty. Whilst protests and demonstrations in Chile began as simmering resentment towards a government which planned to hike metro fares, they have grown into a behemoth forcing an end to a repressive government — which initially showed no sign of compromise.

At the time of writing, 2, arrests have been made in Santiago in what have been, for the most part, non-violent protests. Pennsylvania: The official registration and financial information of Free the Slaves may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling Registration does not imply endorsement.

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Download our Fundraiser Guide here and info kit here. Fighting for Freedom Timeline. The Journey Begins: Sounding the Global Alarm: Sowing the Seeds of Freedom: Fighting Child Cocoa Slavery: Partnerships Formed on Three Continents: Demonstrating that Slavery Can Be Overcome: Fostering Collective Action: Global Thought Leadership: Creating Sustainable Freedom: Honoring Heroes of the Anti-Slavery Movement: Showing the Human Face of Slavery: Spreading the Word about What Works: Record-Breaking Rescue: Singing Songs of Freedom: Focusing on Communities: Building a Movement: A fascinating and inspiring read.

His advocacy reflects his deep understanding of the principles at stake, his formidable skills as a litigator, and his passionate commitments in dealing with such issues as equality and freedom of expression. Reading this book is like holding a conversation with him. His opinions and his arguments are bracing and incisive and the entire experience is intellectually exciting.

Oneworld Publications. Search: Search. Click here to download the sample directly. One of Britain's leading human rights lawyers examines the laws essential to our freedom and confronts the escalation of government power. Buy from Amazon UK. Buy from Waterstones.