Peace And Justice Of La Luz

Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC)

The Southern Poverty Law Center is a nonprofit civil rights organization dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry, and to seeking justice for the most vulnerable members of society.

Founded by civil rights lawyers Morris Dees and Joseph Levin Jr. in 1971, the SPLC is internationally known for tracking and exposing the activities of hate groups. Our innovative Teaching Tolerance program produces and distributes – free of charge – documentary films, books, lesson plans and other materials that promote tolerance and respect in our nation’s schools.

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Albert Einstein Institution

Despite the great violence of our world, the ruthless dictatorships, widespread poverty and exploitation, and widespread popular helplessness of oppressed people, the 20th century and the new one have seen the emergence of the practice of powerful movements able to expand justice and freedom by actions of nonviolent people.

Building on decades of experience, study, and learning in many parts of the world, nonviolent struggle has emerged as a realistic alternative to both violence and passivity. People have begun to learn that they need not be the victims of violent oppression nor the tools manipulative elites of their own country or foreign regimes. People are capable of self-liberation when they learn of the possibility of
increasing their own power self-reliantly, when they refuse to fight with their oppressors’ best weapons, but instead defy injustices and domination with the social, economic, psychological, and political weapons of people power. They are beginning to learn that their courage is more likely to be effective when they learn what they are doing and how to do it skillfully.

They can learn from experience and study what will help them to succeed and what will doom them to disaster. Some people are even learning that strategic planning can increase the power of their bravery. Read More…

NAACP PASSES HISTORIC RESOLUTION CALLING FOR END TO WAR ON DRUGS

Neill Franklin at the NAACP Criminal Justice Summit

President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous: Major step towards equity, justice, effective law enforcement

(Los Angeles, CA) – Today the NAACP passed a historic resolution calling for an end to the war on drugs. The resolution was voted on by a majority of delegates at the 102nd NAACP Annual Convention in Los Angeles, CA. The overall message of the resolution is captured by its title: A Call to End the War on Drugs, Allocate Funding to Investigate Substance Abuse Treatment, Education, and Opportunities in Communities of Color for A Better Tomorrow.

“Today the NAACP has taken a major step towards equity, justice and effective law enforcement,” stated Benjamin Todd Jealous, President and CEO of the NAACP. “These flawed drug policies that have been mostly enforced in African American communities must be stopped and replaced with evidenced-based practices that address the root causes of drug use and abuse in America.”

The resolution outlines the facts about the failed drug war, highlighting that the U.S. spends over $40 billion annually on the war on drugs, locking up low-level drug offenders – mostly from communities of color. African Americans are in fact 13 times more likely to go to jail for the same drug-related offense than their white counterparts. Read More…