Ahead is the cleanup, and how to help over 2 million Chileans affected for some time to come.  What will be needed, and how long will it take to get help to them after the widespread need is figured out?

Whether from terrorism or Mother Nature, disasters will continue to strike, and coordinated efforts will be required, in the news, on television and radio, and yes – here in social media.

USING SOCIAL MEDIA’S POWER TO PREPARE FOR A TRAGEDY

Although social media allows all of us to demonstrate some level of influence, the greater power has always been in the sharing of our ideas freely.  So what ideas are out there that would allow a person, group or organization to stick their proverbial toes in the social media waters, and make a big a ripple helping others in the event of another disaster?

Here are a few methods to prepare and act, broken down based on whether you are a regular person, business or organization, or the very government representing all of us.  I’ve used war-time examples (semi tongue-in-cheek) to demonstrate how we all can show our uniquely American social media style of helping others around the World, on all levels, when tragedy strikes.

ONE PERSON – GROWING A SOCIAL MEDIA VICTORY GARDEN

If you are just a “regular guy” you may be unsure as to what you can do to help, especially in light of seeing what all of the support larger companies, organizations, governments and non-profits are providing.  But there are little things you can do on your own turf, the equivalent of growing your own little “Victory Garden” during times of crisis…

1. Talk to the boss – Talk to your employer about putting together a social media campaign (see below, If You Are a Business.)  Offer your services to put together and direct the campaign when asked to do so.
2. Go local - Raise money at your local level. Hold bake sales at work, school, or place of worship.  Ask your neighborhood to hold one big yard sale.  Print out and hand out flyers encouraging neighbors to participate and donate.
3. Blog about it – Put together a blog and post your own unique viewpoint about the tragedy, and tell them what you are doing to help.  Read the blogs of others writing about the tragedy, and thank them for taking the time.
4. Letters to the editor - Write your local newspaper and encourage your entire city to do something.
5. Use your social media account - Tweet and retweet, write Facebook updates, share on MySpace.  Repeat.

CELEBRITIES! ELVIS DID IT – WHY CAN’T YOU?

It takes a war-level effort to overcome major tragedies in the World. One of the biggest periods of recruitment during any historic war we’ve been involved with, was after a major celebrity put their hat in the ring too.  Are you a celebrity or social media persona? Do you have tons of followers who actually listen to what you have to say?  During times of crisis, it is incumbent on you to use your much louder voice to reach out to others as an example.

1. Just talk about it - You have a ton of followers, and they love what you have to say.  Whether or not you have embraced the celebrity nomenclature and all that comes with it, you are in the public eye, even in social media.  Take the time to tweet and retweet messages of encouragement and support.  Share on all your social media network accounts often.
2. School your followers – Find great sources of information regarding the background of the region and its peoples, and share the links with your fans.  If you have first-hand knowledge of the location where the tragedy took place, use this knowledge to add support to your concerns.  An incredible example of this is @Alyssa_Milano who has travelled far and wide in support of others nations during tragedies.  She is friendly, knowledgeable and accessible.
3. Donate a portion of your proceeds – If you are an artist with an upcoming CD, or a movie maker with something out there in theaters, donate a portion of sales.  Fine examples of this are @JoshCharles, @BillZucker and @AriaaJaeger who are all donating a portion of the proceeds of their new CDs right now .  There are so many of you who could join in! Many of you (such as @kirstiealley) humbly keep the majority of your donating activities a secret, and I commend you for that.  But if advertising your philanthropic activities will boost sales (and therefore donations) you might want to reconsider in this case…
4. Create a storefront - Have you considered taking the lead from celebrities such as @MarielHemingway and creating an Etsy storefront?  It’s easy to do, and allows you to generate an income from selling simple items.  Etsy takes care of everything for you, including marketing and sales.  You simply collect a check! Make it known that all proceeds will go to charity, and see if people are interested in buying t-shirts or coffee mugs with your own mug on them. You have nothing to lose…
5. Sold to the highest bidder! – Find a major non-profit relief organization, and setup a partnership with them.  Ask the non-profit to establish a donation account code for the donations you personally bring to them.  Then when a tragedy occurs, take a photo of and offer up something one-of-a-kind to your followers, to the person who donates the most to your chosen non-profit using that special code.  Ask the non-profit to track and provide you the name, email address and Twitter username of the person who donated the most using that code, so you can contact the winner directly.  Tweet out the username and congratulate them!  What a thrill for your fans!

ORGANIZATIONS AND BUSINESSES: JOIN THE ALLIED FORCES!

During any major world-changing event, it has taken the combined ingenuity and support of American business (and their employees) to be victorious.  They have the shared, larger resources, ongoing consumer base, mailing distribution lists, telephone networks and web presences worldwide.  Why shouldn’t they continue to be a partner in the efforts to combat a tragedy somewhere in the World?

1. Turn off the block and turn on the love - You have employees, and many of them are on social media. Provide your employees an email or printed sheet with recommended messages of encouragement and support, or links to resources (including your own.)  Turn off the company block on Facebook, MySpace and Twitter for a week, and let your employees freely take time during their breaks or lunch hours to tweet and retweet these messages and others they find online.  Encourage them to take one post of their blogs and say something about what they are doing at work, and let them write the post during office hours…
2. Fundraising can begin at the office - Arrange for office fundraisers and support the staff in taking the time to put something grand together and develop interest.  Let the copiers or printers to be used (within reason.)  Letting your employees do something helps remove the sense of helplessness they may have as they read the news, which ultimately will help with productivity in the longrun…
3. Get the message out – Use some of those terrabytes of webspace you’ve got to highlight the tragedy, what your office is doing, how proud your company is of its efforts and employees, and what your customers can do to help.  Add a nice banner ad on the main page of your site to take people there so they can see what you are up to, and can suggest other methods to you…  Send links to the page everywhere using your newly-enabled employees!
4. Collect a Twitter Dollar - Does your business ever collect an extra buck from your customers, have them write a short message and put a little piece of colorful paper on the storefront in support of something?   If your business has a social media account (and it had better,) perform the social media equivalent.  In your stores collect that same dollar, and ask your customers to include their Twitter username on the paper.  Create a method for your store managers to send that info to corporate, so your social media people can tweet out a personalized thank you, including the donor’s Twitter username, so others on Twitter can also thank them for their donation. I will call this the Twitter Dollar concept.
5. Tweet, damnit! - Use your company’s social media account to provide hyperlinks to places to donate, to thanks others for their fine work, and what you are doing to help out.  Make sure your company has a plan for the social media maven (or mensch) to keep your followers alerted and engaged.
6. Make your customers into mini-philanthropists – Create a method for your customers to donate to help those suffering from the tragedy, simply by doing what they do anyway – purchasing from your store.  You pay people in Marketing to figure this sort of stuff out, and if they aren’t doing that good of a job, contact me and I’ll help you figure something out!  One fine example is to create a 10% off coupon offer and place it freely available online.  Tweet out a link to this coupon far and wide and ask others to retweet.  Customers who present this coupon at time of purchase are offered the chance to donate as much of that 10% savings as they’d like to your company’s efforts to help the victims of the tragedy.
7. Buddy up with the bigwigs – Discover who the social media heavy hitters are, and contact them.  They know their networks and how to communicate with their followers.  They’ve seen what works and what doesn’t. Ask their advice on what else you can do to get the word out and help alleviate the effects of the tragedy.  Ask if they would work with your company to get the word out.  In exchange for this service, you could offer to highlight them for their help on your webpage.  It’s win-win…
8. Integrate it all - This is where a social media position at your company helps.  Keep a running tally of donations from your coupon offer and Twitter dollars on that great new webpage you’ve created.  Tweet out milestones and encourage others to help with each status update.  Take photos of your employees working hard to help those in need and use a photo sharing service to highlight them.  Keep track of what works and use it over and over…

GOVERNMENTS: IT’S TIME FOR THE SOCIAL MEDIA MARSHALL PLAN

The Office of Social Media Relations – I ask federal, local and state governments to consider the creation of their own Office for Social Media Relations (OSMR).  Work together to create a Social Media Marshall Plan, to provide helpful information freely to help businesses, organizations and individuals create and maintain social media marketing campaigns with the sole purpose of helping others  in need.  Develop and maintain state and federal websites with best practices used, helpful documentation, and examples.  Invite people to follow your OSMR on Twitter, Facebook or MySpace in order to receive word when a tragedy strikes, and how they can help.

I invite a newly formed Federal OSMR to provide a website where individuals, businesses and organizations can register their contact information for the purpose of partnering to help in the event of a tragedy such as Haiti using their own social media accounts.  Everyone will be offered downloadable help in creating their own Social Media Marshall Plans.  Allow the registrants to state whether they are willing to help with tragedies affecting others on a local, state, or national level (or all of the above.)

When something terrible happens, the Federal, State or Local OSMR will send a groupmail to its registrants, depending on the level of the tragedy.  Organizations will be asked to implement their own newly-created Social Media Marshall Plan to get the word out and to help.  OSMR will continue to contact and coordinate efforts in the most desirable and efficient manner, whether it be asking for money to be donated, clothing and blankets, or even transportation.

Like a ripple, the word would them move outward quickly, and in an organized manner….  From there, social media users would push the word out further in an organic manner.  Blog posts would be written, employees will see blocks to social media lifted, businesses will begin fundraising campaigns, and we can all work together as proud Americans, battling to help others once again.

Because of organized efforts of businesses and non-profits, millions of dollars have been raised quickly since the Haiti tragedy not so long ago.  People on Facebook and Twitter have made their friends and followers aware of simple $5 or $10 text message donation campaigns.  And what’s easier than sending a text message?

I give a thousand shoutouts to the many nonprofits and celebrities tweeting to others and encouraging them to donate whatever they could.  I bow before those that continue this effort to this day, realizing the enormity of the plight of those in Haiti (and now Chile,) and that it will take more than the millions of dollars already donated.

Haiti and Chile need much, much more than what has given thus far.  It is up to our government, businesses, and people like you on social media to continue the interest, and to find novel new (yet simple) ways for people to donate and get involved in helping as Winter continues for those people affected by the quakes.  It is also incumbent on those of us with the ability to do so, to create a Social Media Marshall Plan, in order to be ready for whatever tragedy the future holds.  We’re waiting to be organized.  You showed the path to using social media to get into office, @barackobama.  Now show us you remain committed to directing our new “Virtual Nation” to help others!

I encourage you to share this article with all of your local, state and federal government officials, corporations and organizations you find in social media, and your friends. Tweet our leaders and demand they read this post!

- Steve Woods

Did we even need a Bill of Rights?

So, why do we even need a Bill of Rights?  Didn’t we have a Constitution signed just a few years before 1791? Well, even when the Constitution was being written, there were a number of divisions with regard to whether or not it should explicitly list what our rights were.  To keep everyone in line, a proper listing of rights was left out of our founding document, in part to cobble together enough signatures on it.

The Cons

Alexander Hamilton stated a concern that by listing our rights, we were actually limiting them.  What happened to those rights that someone failed to list?  Were they now lost?  Did we only have those rights that were in the document?  Hamilton’s argument was that what was being created was typical in a relationship between royalty and their subjects.  In those situations, a Bill of Rights was often abused by those that held the power to define them.  Hamilton wanted an approach more like that of Britain’s Common Law, which drew from Natural Law, or the belief that we had rights inherent to our very presence in the World, and those rights were equal in stature to all others alive today.

The Pros

On the other side of the argument was Thomas Jefferson, who stated “Half a loaf is better than no bread.  If we cannot secure all of our rights, let us secure what we can.”  Jefferson and others were deeply concerned that a strong, emerging centralized government would work quickly to limit and/or remove the rights of all Americans.  Jefferson viewed the then-strong Presidency as possibly becoming akin to a Kingship.  Those rights secured now were less likely to be taken from us later…

Covering rights not documented

After much debate and subsequent modification, the Bill of Rights was brought forth, providing ten proposed Amendments to our Constitution, each one securing and defining the limits to our fundamental rights.  To appease those that agreed with Hamilton, the 9th Amendment stated “The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.”  Basically, if it’s not in our founding documents, it’s still a right unless stated otherwise.

Facebook and Social Media rights

On Dec. 9th of this year, Facebook changed its privacy settings for all of its users.  Founder Mark Zuckerberg posted a message on Facebook letting us all know that he would be opening up his private page for all to see and comment on.  That was nice of him.  The second thing he authorized, however, caused quite a stir.  Facebook, according to Zuckerberg, would also be opening up our status updates and photo albums for all to see too, unless we logged in, went back into our privacy settings, and reset them.

As I type this, millions of Facebook users with protected content who have not been informed, or have not logged into Facebook for awhile, may be sharing their content with everybody.  Hope all of those busy politicians, supermodels, actors, police officers, military members and so forth have the time and remember their logins…

A not-so-public change (and not addressed in Mr. Zuckerberg’s letter at all) was a privacy setting related to Google and other search engines farming your public content.  If your content is public, search engines can farm your content as of 2007.  But apparently, a new check box disallowing this sort of behavior has made its appearance in your privacy settings, but defaulted to allow it.  Yes, that’s right.  The ability for Google to deliver your content to everyone well outside of your friends network was kept defaulted to “Yeah, I’m okay with that.”  To remove this, you’ll have to go into your Privacy Settings and click on the Search icon.  Then click to uncheck the Allow box.

After logging in and changing your settings, you will find far greater granularity in defining who gets to see what content, but it was a heck of a way to introduce these new settings….

So what’s next?

As social media continues to grow in popularity, and advertisers begin to smack their chops over peeking at what we say to each other, you will likely begin to see what you say being offered up to mass marketers.  Some of the handing over will be done very publicly, and you will have to make a choice about what to do with your privacy settings.  But I do worry about what might get shared without my knowing, as yet another check box makes its emergence under dark of night, with a setting allowing for what I say to you to be whispered far and wide…

So while I am still scaring you, I have devised a simple Bill of Rights for the citizen living within the borders of Social Media.  Read them and let me know how they should be modified.  Adopt them if you’d like and use them when determining whether or not you are going to create another account somewhere online.  Copy and send them to your social media website provider and ask if they comply with them, and how.  Retweet or share them as far and wide as you’d like…

The Social Media Citizen’s Bill of Rights

First Right - We have a right to social media sites that are not configured in a way to favor one religious viewpoint, sexual orientation, gender or race over another.  We are to be allowed equal access in the ability to share our lives and exchange our viewpoints.

Second Right - We have a right to social media sites that do not prohibit or limit our freedom of speech or ability to share multimedia information openly (or privately) with others.  In order to protect us from material we deem offensive, social media sites shall provide the ability for us to limit, hide or block another user’s content.  Social media sites are to ensure they do not create features that ultimately circumvent the limiting of viewing of our content.

Third Right - We have a right to social media sites that allow any news or governmental source to share and disseminate multimedia information to us in an equally fair and timely manner, without censorship or the provision of favor to any particular viewpoint or bias.

Fourth Right -We have a right to social media sites that list, in an accessible location, the rules of how we are to use the site, as well as how the operators of the site shall address violations of these rules.  Social media sites shall provide an easy-to-use method for us to petition the site in order to redress grievances or rule violations.

Fifth Right - We have a right to social media sites that provide to its users the ability to protect the privacy of their content, and to limit its viewing by others to the maximum extent possible. With this regard, our right to set, maintain and adjust the personal privacy settings for our multimedia content, shall not be infringed.  Changes to any of our personal privacy settings shall not occur without timely public announcement and our express individual permission.  All design modifications should endeavor to default in such a way as to leave in place existing privacy settings.

Sixth Right - We have a right to social media sites that will never enter into agreements with private or governmental entities in a manner which circumvents our personal privacy settings, without our express permission (except via legal means in pursuit of criminal justice.)  Legal circumventing of our content shall not be performed without a warrant showing  probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and shall describe in detail the content to be searched.

Spread these rights far and wide, to let people know they can ask that the natural laws of social media allow us to expect certain unalienable rights to privacy and protection from its providers, simply by creating an account and showing up in the virtual world, too!

-Steve Woods

President Obama’s day began by meeting with the 5 member panel that selected him for the award, then he and Michelle Obama met Norway’s royal family.  From there, they travelled to the Nobel Awards ceremony, where President Obama, in humility, received his Nobel medallion, a diploma and a check for $1.4 million dollars.

We’ve all heard the controversy regarding the prize being given to a man who it seemed to have barely taken office.  I suppose it would make President Obama’s detractors even more angry to know that the formal nomination of Obama occurred a month before he was even elected into office.

The prize has nothing to do with attaining the Presidency, or any public office. It had nothing to do with the duties of a U.S. Senator.  The prize was awarded for peaceful “rhetoric,” in ideals embodied in the many speeches Obama gave, in ideals he often promulgated in many forms, for the very energy he brought to so many people who listened to his views on international relations.

Did Barack Obama deserve the Nobel Peace Prize? What did it mean for him to receive it? Let’s take a look…

When wealthy industrialist Alfred Nobel passed away in 1896, his will called for an annual prize in 5 areas:  Chemistry, Physics, Medicine, Literature, Peace and Economics.  Each individual prize had differing requirements for awarding.  The Peace Prize, according to the dictates of Alfred Nobel’s will, was to be awarded to individual(s) who “shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.”  So in essence it went to someone who worked hard to bring together leaders of nations otherwise at conflict, toward reducing their perceived need for dangerous war machines, and increasing their positive acceptance of peaceful rhetoric.

Unlike the other Nobel prizes, which are awarded to major accomplishments in a specific area of science, literature or finance, the Peace Prize has historically been given not only to individuals who have under their belts any number of successful peace accords, but also to persons who were working toward peace or in the resolution of conflicts.  And unlike the tendency toward retrospect in other Nobel prizes, the Peace Prize has historically been awarded much more often to individuals working with more immediate circumstances.  In other words, you could get an award simply for working on something now, and even if you were still in the process of achieving a greater peace.

President Barack Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize of 2009 for creating what the Nobel Peace Prize committee called “a new climate in International politics.” Through his speeches and calls to action, Obama embraced the use of agencies such as the United Nations in a new form of international diplomacy, where “dialogue and negotiations are preferred as instruments for resolving even the most difficult international conflicts.”

The selection committee went on to say that Obama “captured the world’s attention and (has) given its people hope for a better future.”  Adding additional weight to the value of Obama’s accomplishments, the committee unanimously stated that since its inception, the Nobel Committee” has sought to stimulate precisely that international policy and those attitudes for which Obama is now the world’s leading spokesman.”

The Nobel Peace Prize committee knew what it was doing, producing a burden for President Obama, quietly forcing him to prove to the World that he can and will follow through with the very rhetoric that got him the prize.  They chose a dynamic personality who has the popular support of much of the free World behind him, all expecting great things from this new, young leader.  A man with a singular legacy to create, as the first African-American President.  A man who has emerged in the shadow of John F.Kennedy with a beautiful family, brilliant wife, and indomitable fortitude.  If he can follow through on his rhetoric, the World stands to see a glimmer toward the fruition of Alfred Nobel’s dream.

During his acceptance speech, Obama stated that the Nobel Peace Prize “speaks to our highest aspirations — that for all the cruelty and hardship of our world, we are not mere prisoners of fate. Our actions matter, and can bend history in the direction of justice.” Given the requirements as stated by Alfred Nobel himself, and given the unique position that our new President finds himself in, Barack Obama just may indeed deserve the Nobel Peace Prize.  I believe he is poised to bend history in favor of kindness and fairness, to direct the avenues of our government toward Justice.  I believe he asked for, and can carry this burden.  I wish to reiterate my support in helping him.

The time was 10:50 29 years ago, when he was taken from us amidst a hail of bullets, in much the same manner he entered the World…

At the height of World War II in Liverpool, during yet another German air raid, John Winston Lennon’s newborn cries were covered by the indiscriminate onslaught of bullets and bombs.  As Julia and Alfred Lennon held him, young John Winston Lennon’s aunt Mary ran through back alleys to reach the hospital, following the light provided by the explosions in the dark night.  Taking John’s little hands and covering them with her own, Mary made a silent promise to ensure John was always looked after, always cared for.

Not long after John was born, his father joined the merchant marines to help with the War effort, but wound up going AWOL.  Julie did her best to help her little family survive despite spotty checks arriving from Alfred  in the mail.  Aunt Mary helped as best she could.  A year later, in 1944, Alfred looked up his wife but found that she had moved on, pregnant by another man.

John’s aunt Mary, who had years earlier dodged bullets and bombs to get to him, was tired of what she saw as neglect of her young nephew.  Mary petitioned for and received custodianship of John.  Shortly thereafter Alfred arrived again, and during a failed attempt to take John with him to New Zealand, forced John to choose between himself and Aunt Mary.  John was incredibly torn, choosing his father, then Mary, in tears and distraught.  Alfred left his son’s life that day, not to be seen again for over 20 years.

Julia never gave up on her son, although she did not fight her sister in raising him.  She wanted John to be raised in a good, steady environment, and knew Maria and her husband George could provide it.  Julia visited infrequently, teaching John the banjo, and playing Elvis Presley records with him.  This was their biggest bond, the music they shared, the quiet times in each other’s company just listening.  The World was at peace.

Julia bought John his first guitar in 1957, and kept it at her place, because Maria did not support John’s wish to become a musician.  After Julia Lennon’s untimely death from a car accident one year later, Maria consoled John and helped him get into the Liverpool College of Art.  College was not for John, who spent his evenings with friends listening to a variety of bands in Liverpool and surrounding communities.  He dropped out his last year of college and pursued his first love, a career in music, a return to the place he shared with his mother…

John took guitar lessons but soon thereafter dropped them, finding them too constrictive to his creativity.  He began a band named The Quarrymen, meeting Paul McCartney during their second concert.  Despite his father’s statements that John “Will get you into trouble,” Paul maintained a belief in John’s ability, wisdom and heart.   From there they met George Harrison, (who convinced them he was needed for the band after playing for them on the top deck of a bus,) and eventually a young Ringo Starr.  They went through a number of name changes and settled on The Beatles.

John’s music career with fraught with controversy, often from thoughts he shared that were divergent from society’s norm.  He commented often against organized religion, jingoistic foreign policies, civil rights abuses, and always war.  These comments, of course, caused a backlash wherever he went…

• Because he did not care whether his friends were gay or straight, John was derided as a Homosexual during a time when gays and lesbians were undergoing political persecution.
• Because he was open to all possible political thought in solving the many crises he saw, he was labelled a Marxist, Trotskyist, Communist and Socialist when McCarthy was holding court to imprison those with “Anti-American sentiment.”
• Because John wanted to celebrate his open, physical love with Yoko Ono, he was called a sexual exhibitionist and deviant by a Society trying to squelch open sexual expression.
• Because he questioned organized religion’s ability and desire to create a better world, he was called an Atheist, and many a religious family limited their children’s exposure to his music.
• Because he was anti-war as a means to resolve problems between peoples, his FBI files grew considerably as he was watched ever more closely.

It would seem that John was trying to be everything that the greater Authority did not want him to be, exactly when they did not want it.

Tired of growing up in a divisive World, and seeing the terrible effects of war everywhere as he toured, John began to believe that our circumstances could be changed simply by changing our minds.  He began to write songs expressing a desire for nations to cease the quarreling, and to move toward greater peace and harmony.  The album Imagine was released in 1971, and the title song soon thereafter became an anti-war anthem.  The song Happy Xmas (War is Over) was released in December of the same year.  The album’s many topics included upholding women’s rights, pushing for better race relations, and asking for peace in Ireland.

From the moment John Lennon was brought into the World, someone reached out across the dark void of human madness to hold him, to protect him.  When his mother died, again someone stepped up to support him.  Despite his anger and confusion at the greater World around him, John always had supporters.  In each waking moment, he wanted his music to push us all to find each other in the darkness too, to reach out and hold each other.  Before he was taken from us, John Winston Ono Lennon worked diligently and creatively to persuade us all to find the hands of those weaker than us, and to hold them close in protection.

10:50 p.m.  There is a certain rhyme to the days of our life, isn’t there?  A deeper meaning that can be found (or created) even from the moment we are taken away from the World.  When John was taken from us, the face of the clock in the lobby of the Dakota apartment building symbolized John’s message.  The big hand covered the little hand, a symbol of protection and love. A contract between the youngest (and weakest) of us, and those that arrived beforehand and made their own place in the World.

When asked, Yoko Ono stated that there would be no funeral for John.  Some were angered by this choice, and some said that Yoko likely did not want there to be a public spectacle made over John’s life.  I would prefer to think that Yoko refused to say farewell to her love, to allow John’s presence to disappear from the World, so that he would live forever in our hearts and minds.  To this day, Yoko expresses her love for John as a living entity, commemorating and celebrating his message of peace and unity.  Recently she invited the public to join her in re-enacting the famous bed-in anti-war protest that she and John held in 1969 at the Hilton Hotel in Amsterdam and again in Montreal.  It was during the latter bed-in that they recorded “Give Peace a Chance.”

Bless you, John.  Thanks for your message.  With the loving help of Yoko, may we remember you each and every year, commemoriating both your birth and loss by working diligently toward the day when no child comes into the world knowing the sound of war.  May our lives become together rhyming lyrics, and may we never awaken from the poetry of that song…

You can follow Yoko Ono on Twitter.  She tweets messages of love, will follow you back, and from time to time does respond…

We’ve all read the horrific accounts of slavery in the United States’ not-so-distant past.  Over 12 Million African men, women and children were forcibly removed from their villages, shipped like cattle and sold at auction.  Did you know that almost 11 Million Africans were shipped off to enormous plantations in Brazil?  America enslaved just over 645,000 of these poor souls.  By the 1860 census, the population of slaves in America had grown to well over 4 Million.

Of course, slavery was abolished by our Thirteenth Amendment, but what about the rest of the World? How has it come along on this issue?  Are there fewer slaves in the World? How are we doing?

Slavery worldwide is still an enormous issue

This last October, Hillary Clinton visited Pakistan to strengthen relations with our military ally in the Middle East.  One of the items on her agenda was Human Rights.  It is estimated that there are over 1 Million families in the Sindh District alone living in slave-like conditions, indebted to landlords for as little as $12 and having worked for years to no avail.  One-third of these slaves are children.  Other estimates by Pakistani newspapers put the number at millions across Pakistan.  In just one nation.

Pleas to the Pakistani courts have done little, and at least one advocate for the slaves has been enslaved himself.  Pakistan’s Bonded Labour System Act requires a 5-year sentence for violations; however, despite millions of violations, not one conviction has occurred.  Fully supported by the government’s blind eye, Pakistani landowners have killed those that have spoken up for themselves.  And herein lies the biggest issue – we need the government of this nation to succeed in our efforts in the Middle East, and it is difficult to reprimand someone while asking for a handout…

The State Department’s Tier System

The U.S. State Department does try.  It has a 3-tier system for ranking nations’ upholding of basic human rights. Tier One is for nations that work diligently to uphold its citizen’s rights.  Tier two is for those nations with human rights laws, but not necessarily a vigor to uphold them. Tier three is for nations that ignore basic human rights.

The State Department recently downgraded Pakistan to Tier Two on its Human Rights Watch List because of its ongoing problems with slavery.  The nation will drop to Tier Three after 3 more years if it does not improve, causing automatic sanctions.  So it looks like Pakistan has been told it has 3 years to enjoy the fruits of forced labor before we begin to whine a little louder at them, which could in turn drag on for a decade.  Children on these farms will grow up in the darkness of forced labor.  I suppose if the two-front wars in Iraq and Afghanistan ever end, we might get around to putting more pressure on the Pakistani government…?

The financial recession doesn’t help

In recessions, the trafficking of humans historically rises.  These tough times are no exception.  The State Department estimates that including forced labor, forced prostitution and organ stealing (yes, organ stealing,) over 12.3 million people are being trafficked against their will.  Wasn’t that the same number of Africans shipped around the World in our distant past?  It would appear that the misery has just spread around the World a bit more uniformly…

Largely developed nations fill the roster of Tier One states, showing the most effort in combating trafficking.  This year, both Iran and North Korea, as well as a half-dozen other nations, have joined the roster of Tier 3 states (showing the least effort to resolve the issue.)  In Iraq, mothers have been found publicly pimping out their daughters.  In Cambodia, little children are openly used for sex, and thousands of men are kidnapped for forced labor, where they are beaten to death if they refuse to comply.  In isolated locales, people are waking up, groggy from forced sedation, to find mysterious scars on their bellies, organs removed to be provided to wealthy but sick people.

How does the U.S. size up on slavery?

Did you know that the United States does not list its own issues with human trafficking on this annual report?  Things are about to change, according to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.  Clinton has revealed that beginning next year, the Obama Administration will be ranking “its own efforts at combatting trafficking along with the rest of the world.”

The Department of Labor continues to prosecute individuals and companies for imprisoning and forcing into servitude illegal immigrants, in order to pay off typically trumped-up debts owed to those that brought them into the country.  In the Immokalee region of Florida, since 1997 over 1,000 indentured slaves have been freed from the enormous tomato plantations that provide must of the tomatoes you and I eat.  The CIA estimates that each and every year, over 50,000 women and children are forced into our country for sexual exploitation.

We have a lot of cleaning to do in our own backyard, in order to help other nations deal with the issue of slavery.  I applaud the United Nations, the U.S. State Department, and countless other organizations working each and every day to free the continued victims of slavery, forced prostitution , physical and emotional thievery.

So how can you help? There are a variety of organizations on the Web…

HelpStopChildSlavery.Org – they fund a variety of anti-slavery organizations, and recommend you donate your website’s homepage to them, so ad revenue can help.

WorldVision.Org - allows you to sponsor children who are freed from slavery, so they can get back on their feet, and/or return to their families.

SaveTheChildren.Org – provides community awareness, economic alternatives, education and shelter.

CATWInternational.Org - The Coalition Against Trafficking in Women – promotes women’s rights by combatting sexual exploitation.

Take a little time to read about these organizations, and see about advertising one of them in your blog, on your website, or in Social Media.  Help remember the millions who are hidden from the rest of us…

- AKC Gazette, circa 1924

“If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog.”

- Harry S. Truman

Past Famous Political Dogs

George Washington imported  foxhounds from England, and received a number of them as a gift from the Marquis de Lafayette of France. His 30 hounds became the predecessors of the modern day American Foxhound.

Ulysses Grant’s son Jesse fawned over his Newfoundland, “Faithful,” which unfortunately passed away. Wishing to protect his son’s emotional state during his Presidency, Grant told obtained another Newfoundland and promptly told his staff that if the dog died, “every employee in the White House will be at once discharged.”

Warren Harding, one day after his inauguration, received an Airedale Terrier named “Laddie Boy.” Harding’s first cabinet meeting was interrupted to deliver the puppy, who went on to own his very own hand-carved chair to relax in during future meetings. Laddie Boy was the first White House dog to receive formal press coverage in the media, sending out invites out to all dogs in houses neighboring the White House to celebrate his birthdays. All comers enjoyed a fine dog biscuit cake. Laddie Boy  was so well-known that his statue has been a fixture at the Smithsonian for some time. Smithsonian curators say of Laddie Boy, “There have been famous dogs since, but never anything like this.”

Lyndon Johnson’s Beagles “Him” and “Her” graced the cover of Life Magazine, and we all know Richard Nixon’s faithful Cocker Spaniel “Checker,s” who of course stayed by his side through thick and thin.  George Bush Sr.’s English Springer Spaniel “Millie” authored a dogobiography “Millie’s Book: As Dictated to Barbara Bush.”.

President Obama, in closely-held secrecy alongside, chose a black and white Portuguese Water Dog, as recompense for his daughters Malia and Sasha putting up with the rigors of campaigning.  Bo, a gift from his dearly departed friend Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, who owned several of them, has even graced the White House Blog.  Some have stated concern both with his not having previously owned a dog, and with how long it took for Obama to choose one.  If case you were wondering about the name, Michelle Obama’s father was nicknamed Diddley.

Why the Love Affair with Political Pooches?

Warren Harding previous to his Presidency, while editing The Marion Star newspaper, wrote: “Whether the Creator planned it so, or environment and human companionship have made it so, men may learn richly through the love and fidelity of a brave and devoted dog.”

Why do we care whether or not the leader of the Free World has a dog, and of what breed? Because many of us believe you can judge a man by his companions, and dogs are not excluded from this argument.  Perhaps we fear that a small, scared four-legged animal roaming the halls of Power will be evidence of a leader who consistently barks orders without due consideration to the outcome.

I for one prefer to see a majestic animal gracing the White House lawn, perhaps a quiet and thoughtful Dane or Doberman, overseeing all operations but restraining himself through proper training and intelligence.  I sincerely prefer this over some little, yappy member of the canine species, peering with fear over the deft, tight grip of our leader as he carries the animal past a shouting press, returning from helicopter jaunts.

Dogs That Have Ran for (and Held) Political Office

Whether as a protest vote or humorous ploy, dogs have indeed made it onto the ballot, and have even held elected office. Perhaps at times the populace has deemed the companion of our leaders more suitable than the men themselves?

In 2008, Molly the Dog, a Daschund from the state of Oklahoma, was named a candidate for the Presidency.  Her official campaign website is still up and running. Rabbit Hash, Kentucky has a mayoral office graced by the presence of a black Labrador named Junior Cochran. The mayoral seat is largely ceremonial in Rabbit Hash.  The Mayor of Sunol, California for a whopping 10 years was a black Labrador-Rotweiller mix named Bosco. It would seem that the majestic, faithful and friendly Labrador has won out in most political elections…

What your Dog Says About You

Forbes Magazine ran an interesting article in 2008, decrying the link between certain breeds of dogs and their owners demeanor. According to the American Kennel Club and the ASPCA Beagles (and thusly their owners) are  “inquisitive and willing to learn new things…constantly questioning.”  Cocker Spaniels (and their proud owners) are deemed “family oriented and nurturing…gentle, playful and sweet in demeanor.” Golden Retrievers and their owners are “social butterflies who prefer to be in group settings,” while Poodles and their owners are “detail-oriented and appreciate art and culture.” Hmm, don’t know about that last one, as it would be difficult to ascertain the level of art appreciation of a dog…

How Does this Translate to President Obama?

The AKC considers a Portuguese Water Dog to be “an animal of spirited disposition, self-willed, brave and very resistant to fatigue.”  If the dog one chooses decries much about their own personality, then President Obama, although taking a great deal of time to consider it, may shown us by his choice of Bo that he himself is what this Nation needs in a leader, as we continue to place further demands him to lead us out of emerging problems seemingly cropping up everywhere… Maybe Bo can help him dig us out…

But I still would’ve liked to have seen the image of a majestic Dane, quietly and patiently sauntering up at his own pace, as Air Force 2’s rotor blades chipped down to a slow mutter…

In 1902, due to a long-standing boundary dispute between Mississippi and Louisiana, the governors of both states and President Theodore Roosevelt went on a hunting trip, in hopes of resolving their differences. President Roosevelt was well-known as a big game hunter, relentless in his pursuit of beasts in the wild. The target of choice during this five day hunt was the American Black Bear. (Although I personally do not condone the killing of animals only for sport, I truly miss in today’s political scene the American spirit embodied in that method of bringing people together.)

The national press grasped onto the enticing story, and a number of journalists followed along on the hunt, recording many aspects of it in great detail, much to the chagrin of the White House. With each passing and unsuccessful day of the hunt, the press egged the President on in the stories they sent out. On the fifth and final day, one of Teddy’s companions caught a young bear, in an effort to make for an easy kill, thus silencing the jokes. Teddy refused to shoot a defenseless animal tied to a tree, practically unconscious and surrounded by dogs. (Rumor has it that Teddy ultimately asked one of his party to kill the poor animal with a hunting knife, to put it out of its misery.)

The press reported far and wide on President Roosevelt’s decision to not kill the bear. Well-known cartoonist Clifford Berryman saw the firestorm of press coverage, and decided to draw a representation of the event, playing up Teddy’s compassion toward the bear. The cartoon was popular, and got redrawn over and over, each iteration making the animal smaller and smaller, eventually taking on the likeness of a tiny bear cub. In keeping with the border dispute, the cartoon was named “Drawing the Line in Mississippi.”

Morris and Rose Michtom, Russian immigrants living in Brooklyn, read the stories and enjoyed the cartoon. Having moved to America penniless twenty years earlier to escape the Jewish pogroms, they earned a small income on the side sewing stuffed animals and selling them in their tiny penny candy shop, Lollies. Morris suggested to Rose that she sew a bear in the cartoon image’s likeness. Rose got to work immediately, taking a piece of plush velvet materials and sewing it into the shape of a bear, replete with button eyes. Morris labeled the bear “Teddy’s Bear,” and placed it in the storefront window. Soon thereafter over a dozen individuals approached them attempting to buy it.

Rumor has it that Morris and Rose inquired of President Roosevelt whether or not they could name a line of stuffed bears in honor of him. President Roosevelt agreed, stating reservations that the use of his name could ever help sell a toy. Whether or not this is true, the newly created Teddy Bears became an instant hit with children and adults across America, and the Michtoms soon found themselves unable to keep up with the growing demand.

Morris and Rose’s little company sold millions of Teddy Bears, and eventually became known as the Ideal Toy Company, one of the largest toy companies in the World. Never forgetting the trials they overcame in their lives, Morris and Rose donated enormous amounts of money to the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, the Jewish National Fund, and a number of other Jewish charities.

How very interesting that Morris and Rose Michtom, driven to our fine nation by angry and dangerous stereotypes, could find a great living by turning a misunderstood and majestic creature into a beloved childhood treasure for many.

The original Teddy Bear (pictured to the right, ) created by Morris and Rose, was given to President Roosevelt’s grandson Kermit in 1963. One month later, it was put on display at the Smithsonian, where it still resides in perfect condition. Perhaps the next time you see a Teddy fondly ensconced in the arms of a happy child, you will see a symbol of triumph over adversity, acceptance of our fellow man, and compassion to all.

Today is National Pardon Day.  The very idea that a public person, after the initial shock and let-down we share at discovering their guilt, after having been tried by both the courts (and often the media) before our very eyes, after having been found guilty by both, is then forgiven, or “pardoned” at the last second by our leader prior to the punishment being carried out, causes many of us to cringe. And if you disagree with the political leanings of the leader providing the pardon, the pain may seem even more egregious.

Some Things Can Never Be Lifted from Us

Did you know that an official pardon is not only a lifting of the sentence, but also of the crime itself? Not to rub salt in the wounds of those who feel they have been denied a chance to enjoy public justice of a wrong-doer…  Pardons may also be granted to individuals before they are even found guilty or convicted of a crime.  A little-known fact is that a living person must admit guilt in order to receive the pardon, causing the pardon to become a dual-edged sword. Receiving a pardon means you are known to be guilty but forgiven. The pardoned individual resides in a state of limbo, as President Nixon was, publicly known by all to be guilty, yet officially absolved from it. Nixon’s state of guilt resided within his heart and mind, a burden he bore all his life as a personal prison.

The Process of Personal Pardoning

We have all likely “pardoned” someone at least once in our own lives, forgiving our loved ones who transgressed, rather than sticking to our own personal “laws” and punishing them as we would someone less desirable in our lives. The difference may be the personal pain we would feel alongside them, or even the fear that we would lose that individual in our life for having provided the punishment. In many countries, pardons are offered by leaders to individuals who have committed an offense, yet in other areas of their lives leading up to the event provided a positive or beneficial role to the society in general. We know what they did was wrong, but we also want our children to grow up learning the ideals of forgiveness, as well as the worth of service in balancing the blinded Scales of Justice.

A Short History of the Presidential Pardon

In the United States, the power of the Presidential pardon has had issues from the outset, largely due to perceived abuses in early England’s legal system by the royalty.  George Washington provided the very first Presidential pardon, to the leaders of the Whiskey Rebellion. From that day forth, people of various political and/or social leanings have had problems with pretty much every single pardon performed by our leaders, typically stating that the pardon was made due to political expediency, or as a personal favor or payback. Andrew Johnson pardoned thousands of former Confederates after the Civil War, Jimmy Carter pardoned Vietnam-era draft dodgers, George Bush Sr. pardoned a number of individuals, Bill Clinton pardoned 16 members of FALN, and the list goes on…

How we feel about pardons also is related to when they occurred. How many of us are angered by George Washington’s or Andrew Johnson’s pardons? With time, the most tumultuous of pardons occurring in the past 20 years will be seen by our descendants with less angry eyes as well.

Pardoning as a Reflection on Us

A Presidential pardon is society’s answer to our own more personal episodes of forgiveness. And as in our personal lives, the Presidential pardons we agree with tend to be aligned with the Presidents (and/or transgressors) we love(d) and cherish(ed.) It is our emotional tie to the individual that belies our forgiveness of them. It is society’s love of an individual that allows us to forgive them publicly for their transgressions.

May we all, in times of trial, find individuals who will balance our goodness against our mistakes, and find us worthy to forgive and love again…