An Unfair Disadvantage

Welcome back, readers. As you’ve seen so far, the posts have been all political up until this day. Today, Everyday Injustice wants to talk about something that hits pretty close to home for me here.

You might be wondering what an “unfair disadvantage” is. Many of us have disadvantages, but none that personally make us incapable of doing everyday tasks or shun us from an otherwise normal life. The “unfair disadvantages” are ones we can not control, ones we can not help, ones that affect us and everyone around us in more ways than one. They are diseases – mental or physical.

Some of the readers here may have a disease of one kind or another – they may be autistic, bipolar, have muscle degeneration, or even be as simple and common as having a form of cancer.  Those with diseases are looked upon differently, talked to differently, and even treated differently in today’s society, when all they want is to feel normal again.

Someone close to me, the writer of Everyday Injustice, is autistic. She is the most beautiful little girl I have ever met and she is brilliant. Yet people think that because of her disease, she may be a little on the dull side. They might look at her funny everytime she speaks, just because she does not sound like everyone else. If they gave her a chance, they might be able to see that she is just as brilliant as others, if not more; if they gave her a chance, they might find that she can speak as well as everyone else when she wants to, albeit being a bit tempermental. But because of the disease that has labeled her since a little while after she was born, she is treated differently. I am sure many of you can relate.

Another woman close to me had cancer in the later stages of her life. By the time the doctors found out about it, it was already in the late stages of it’s cycle. She underwent chemotherapy, took medication, and the cancer had gone into remission. She had lost most of her hair, lost quite a large chunk of her weight, and people may have looked at her as weak. They may have looked at her with pity because of what she had been through. That woman was the bravest and strongest one I ever met and have not since met someone like her. The woman passed away due to complications from the cancer, but should we remember others like her for their diseases and not for who they were when they were healthy?

Everyday Injustice does not imply that diseases are to be thought of as a good thing, or as something that should be brushed over carelessly. Diseases, at the point where they become an incurable thing, are a part of the person then. An unfortunate part, an unfair disadavantage, but a part nonetheless. They may have changed, but it’s their hope that people will see them as they were before – not someone to be pitied because of an illness, not someone to be looked down upon. They are as strong as we are. They are as smart as many of us. They are as compassionate, if not more. They deserve more than what many give them.

Is it an injustice to treat people with disabilities and diseases the way we do today? Everyday Injustice thinks it is.

Tell us what you think or share your stories.

Leaks From a Wiki

As many of you know, there is the all-famous site called Wikipedia. Wikipedia is a internet-wide encyclopedia containing all sorts of information ranging from plant life to well-known presidents. For example, today’s “daily article” is of Edmund Evans, an English wood engraver and color printer. Wikipedia provides a free search system for all of today’s current information as well.

Only some of the many readers that know of Wikipedia also know of the site called WikiLeaks. You may be thinking to yourself, if you have never heard of WikiLeaks, what exactly is this?
A direct quote from the page itself, reveals exactly what they believe themselves to be: “WikiLeaks is a multi-jurisdictional public service designed to protect whistleblowers, journalists and activists who have sensitive materials to communicate to the public. Since July 2007, we have worked across the globe to obtain, publish and defend such materials, and, also, to fight in the legal and political spheres for the broader principles on which our work is based: the integrity of our common historical record and the rights of all peoples to create new history.”

Any reader may look at this and, quite possibly, not understand why this could ever be a problem. But, as Everyday Injustice does, let us provide you with some facts on the matter.

• The original creator of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, was a previous member of a hacker group called “International Subversives,” and in 1992 pleaded guilty to 24 cases of hacking. He is now a journalist, mainly known as the editor in chief for WikiLeaks.
• An Army Pfc (Private), Bradley Manning, has been charged for leaking information to WikiLeaks. Information that has been leaked, whether by Manning himself, or by others, includes sensitive government documents and video footage containing army operations.
• One such video footage having been released, contained video of a military airstrike in which at least eighteen people were killed. Two of the people included in the airstrike that were killed were Reuters journalists, Saeed Chmagh and Namir Noor-Eldeen. (Everyday Injustice will not be providing a link, as the footage is very brutal and although Everyday Injustice wants people to see the facts for themselves, we do not feel right posting the link straight out. If the readers want to find the information, they can look for it under “Collateral Murder.”)

On the topic of the man himself, Julian Assange has recently been accused of rape and molestation in the country of Sweden. However, all charges were dropped. He continues to run WikiLeaks, and you can submit your own documents to them through their website. WikiLeaks also has a Twitter page, where there are updates on Assange’s status among many other updates each day.

Despite all that the man himself has done, Everyday Injustice has to wonder: is it right to be revealing classified information that the everyday reader would otherwise not be able to access? Is it right that this company is revealing information that, while some of it may incriminate the government itself, could possibly be used against the brave people who offer their help to the governments? Should we all not be happy knowing that things get done, when we see progress, instead of having to see every single document, piece of paper, and video footage behind it?

Is this an injustice? It may not seem like an obvious one, but we think it is. Use your judgement wisely: would you rather have the freedom to see into every nook and cranny of the governments and other countries at the risk of sacrificing the very people who may sacrifice their lives to provide that information?

Do you think it is an injustice? Tell us what you think.

A Mosque for All

I’m sure many of you have been following the news lately. Even if you have not, you would have heard from your friends about the Muslims wanting to build a mosque on Ground Zero.

If you have not been following this story, here are some facts for you:

• The Muslims believe now that Islam is an American religion as well as any. The executive director of the American Society for Muslim Advancement has said that “we need to take the tradgedy of 9/11 and turn it into something very positive.” 
• Obama has lended his support towards the Muslims, saying that “this is a place where you are supposed to be able to practice your religion without the government telling you you can’t.”
• Democrats are particularly divided on the subject, especially in New York. Representative John Hall has even said “”I think honoring those killed on Sept. 11 and showing sensitivity to their families, it would be best if the center were built at a different location.”  Meanwhile, Representative Mike McMahon has said, “I believe a new location is the right compromise so that Muslim Americans can worship without eliciting feelings that push us away from our country’s basic tenet of religious acceptance while the families of 9/11 victims obtain the peace of mind they deserve.” He also has said he hoped the site would be moved.
• Families of the victims have also been equally divided on the matter . One mother, whose son died on 9/11, has been very supportive of the mosque. She even goes as far to say that “America was founded on the grounds of religious freedom,” and opposition to such a thing “is un-American. It’s unethical. And it is wrong.”

 

On one end, it may be wrong to exclude a religion from constructing a religious building on any land. On the other end, is it anymore right to try building a religious structure on land that many Americans died on due to an attack by members of that religion?

Everyday Injustice does not  believe that it is wrong under these circumstances to tell them “No, you may not build your mosque on that ground.” While families do deserve closure, it will not come through a religious building. There had been news previously that construction plans would also include a performing-arts center, a swimming pool, and a gym. If we were to build any number of those on that ground and have called it a dedication towards those who died on 9/11, would anyone have issues with this? Most likely not. But because they involved a mosque in the construction plans, used it as a way to get a mosque built onto land that otherwise has been untouched for quite some time, many see this as a problem. Everyday Injustice included.

Is this another case of trying to keep the Muslims from practicing their religion? Not at all. Is this another case of trying to be “un-American” and “unethical”? Not at all.

Is this a case of injustice? Yes, it is. Tell us if you think this is an injustice as well.

Welcome to Injustice

Welcome everyone to Everyday Injustice. I’m sure many of you are asking what exactly this is that you’re reading.

Everyday Injustice is a call out to all the injustice in today’s society and our world. Whether it be political injustices, injustices against your own family, or injustices against the enviornment that may or may not be slowly crumbling beneath us, Everyday Injustice is here to share with you the opinion of the person behind the blog, and to hopefully hear the reader’s opinion as well.

Many readers may or may not agree with what is seen on here.. and that is alright. Everyday Injustice is merely meant to put that one foot forward, to present you with the information, the opinions, the stories – what you do with these is your own choice. And so, I welcome you to Everyday Injustice, hoping the reader will be able to sit down, read to their heart’s content, and then maybe get their own opinions on these matters.

Welcome, readers.