|
Civil-Rights Groups Plan Protest March for Jena 6
Compiled by the DiversityInc staff
September 13, 2007
Civil-Rights Groups Plan Protest March for Jena 6
Civil-rights groups will march in Jena, La., next week in protest of what many are calling an "excessive" ruling on six high-school students referred to as the Jena 6. "Our intent is to have these charges reduced from felonies to misdemeanors, so these students can go back to school and not to jail," says the Rev. Ernest Johnson, president of the Louisiana National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. The march, scheduled for September 20, will be on the steps of LaSalle Parish courthouse where Mychal Bell, 17, will receive his sentence. Click here to read the full story from The Washington Times.
(See also: Jena 6 Fight: Attempted-Murder Charges Reduced, Noose, a Symbol of Hate: Why 'Jena 6' Won't Go Away)
N.Y. Grants Retirement Benefits to Same-Sex Marriages
Same-sex marriages, legally conducted in jurisdictions outside of New York, can now enjoy the luxury of receiving full retirement benefits. This announcement comes after an Albany State Supreme Court judge dismissed a 2004 lawsuit against a decision made by a former state comptroller to treat out-of-state gay marriages the same as other legal marriages when determining benefits for state employees. Thomas DiNapoli, a state comptroller, said he would recognize all legal same-sex marriages, which can also be performed in Spain, South Africa, Belgium and the Netherlands. Click here to read the full article from Metro.
(See also: More Americans Favor Same-Sex Marriage)
English Not Spoken at Home
There are more than a dozen languages spoken in California, with nearly 43 percent of residents speaking a language other than English at home. According to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau, this trend is even more prevalent in Los Angeles, where more than 53 percent of residents speak another language at home. Spanish is the most common by far, but Californians also converse in several other languages, including Korean, Thai, Russian, Hmong and Armenian. Experts say that while immigration may be the driving forces for the state's linguistic diversity, the primary reason people often speak another language is usually out of choice rather than necessity. But the downside: Typically, people who speak other languages at home are not proficient in English, making them more likely to earn low wages and live in poor neighborhoods, reports The LATimes.com.
Justice Department Rules Torture Case Not a Hate Crime
The U.S. Justice Department decided yesterday not to try six white West Virginia residents accused of torturing a black women as committing a hate crime. Noting that the victim was not selected at random and had, in fact, dated one of her torturers, court officials will defer the West Virginia prosecutors to handle the matter. Logan County Prosecutor Brian Abraham is pursing other charges related to the incident that carry tougher sentences. Twenty-year-old Megan Williams, the victim, suffered repeated stabs to her legs and was forced to drink from the toilet and eat dog feces and rat droppings. Click here to read the full story from MSNBC.
Local Crackdowns on Undocumented Workers Spark Protests
A surge in crackdowns on undocumented workers and those who employ them has spurred national consumer boycotts and protests. Workers in Waukegan, Ill., kicked off a boycott on Independence Day, and workers in Oklahoma City and Atlanta are planning prayer vigils this month and next to protest what they call anti-immigrant legislation. New police programs that train officers how to enforce federal immigration laws have also caused much controversy in the Latino community. Click here to read the full story from USA Today.
(See also: Undocumented Workers Face Tax Catch-22
Women Surpass Men in College Enrollment
In 2006, women made up 56 percent of undergrads and the number only appears to be rising. According to the U.S. census, more colleges and universities are experiencing an exponential surge in enrollment increasingly driven by young women. These numbers also confirm years of enrollment data, showing that women have not only closed the college enrollment gap but have far surpassed men on campuses. For every four men enrolled in graduate school in 2006, there were nearly six women. To Leonard Sax, a Maryland psychologist, family physician and author of Boys Adrift: The Five Factors Driving the Growing Epidemic of Unmotivated Boys and Underachieving Young Men, these numbers are disturbing. He says the data presents a picture of "more and more young men who don't seem to have the drive that their sisters have." Click here to read the full story from USA Today.
New Books Detail Islamic and Jewish Faiths
Today marks the beginning of two holy celebrations for two major world religions: Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting, and Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. A new series of books released today seek to explain these holy celebrations and the faiths associated to them in just over 100 pages. What Do Muslims Believe? The Roots and Realities of Modern Islam, by Ziauddin Sardar, a London-based commentator on Islam and culture, and What Do Jews Believe? The Customs and Culture of Modern Judaism, by Edward Kessler, founder of the Centre for the Study of Jewish Christian Relations at Cambridge, England, are in stores this week. Click here to read the full story from USA Today.
More News Digest >>
Send Your Comments About This Article Now
©DiversityInc. Reproduction in any format is absolutely prohibited.
|
|
digg this | 
mixx! | 
reddit
del.icio.us
Newsvine | 
| 
