Tag Archives: Human spirit

‘I Took the Helmet Off and Laid the Batons Down’: Michigan Sheriff and Police Didn’t Disperse Their Town’s Protest—They Joined It

“Do I think this has solved the issue between police and unarmed black, human beings? No. But I do believe that this type of leadership is a positive step in the right direction and gives me hope for black men and women around the world and for all of humanity.”

By Common Dreams. Published 5-31-2020

Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson joins protesters as they walk for George Floyd. Screenshot: YouTube

Amid a national wave of uprisings against police brutality in response to last week’s brutal murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota—but in contrast to a wave of aggressive and violent responses from law enforcement to those demonstrations—a scene in Flint, Michigan that played out Saturday evening offered an alternative to aggressive police tactics as a local sheriff and his fellow officers laid down their riot gear and joined with those members of the community who came out to voice their outrage and sorrow.

When Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson, his deputies, and local officers were confronted by community members who marched on the Flint Township police station, witnesses described how Swanson told the crowd he wanted their pleas to be heard and that the police wanted to be in service of their demands and the protest itself. Continue reading →

Restaurant Stunned After Customer Gives Entire $1,200 Stimulus Check as Tip for Struggling Staff

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The tip was large enough to distribute $100 to every single employee.

By El ias Marat Published 4-23-2020 by The Mind Unleashed

Small family-owned businesses have struggled mightily to remain open as the coronavirus pandemic rips across the country, with many struggling to pay employees’ sick pay or even continuing operating at limited capacity.

Such has been the case for one steakhouse in Arkansas which found itself receiving a tip its owners and staff will never forget. Continue reading →

Two Siblings Play Classical Music on the Porch for Their Self-Quarantined Neighbor

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“It was one of those moments where you feel like you’re a part of something incredible.”

By John Vibes Published 3-18-2020 by The Mind Unleashed

Over the past two months, people all over the world have been on lockdown due to the CoViD-19 pandemic. In Wuhan, China, the initial epicenter of the outbreak, residents of the city began singing and cheering from their windows and balconies as a way of comforting one another.

Videos from January that captured these moments were shared widely across the internet and people in other countries decided to continue this tradition as the quarantine reached their neighborhoods. Continue reading →

Australia is Dropping Vegetables From Choppers to Feed Wildlife Starved by Fires

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Helicopters are dropping thousands of pounds of food for animals starving to death amid Australia’s fires.

By Elias Marat, Published 1-12-2020 by The Mind Unleashed

As Australia’s bushfire crisis continues to impact wildlife, aircraft have been deployed to feed thousands of starving wild animals who have been stranded by the blazes.

The government of the hard-hit state of New South Wales (NSW) has begun a campaign of airdrops across scorched regions, delivering thousands of pounds of root veggies —like carrots and sweet potatoes —from choppers flying above in a bid to sate the appetites of hungry colonies of brush-trailed rock wallabies, reports Daily Mail. Continue reading →

What does ‘A Christmas Carol’ tell us about the meaning of charity?

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“Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business. Charity, mercy, forbearance and benevolence were all my business.”

By John Picton. Published 12-17-2019 by openDemocracy

Ebenezer Scrooge as illustrated by Ronald Searle in Life Magazine, 1960. | Flickr/Elizabeth. CC BY-NC 2.0.

New adaptations of Charles Dickens’ 1843 novella appear on our screens each time the holidays come around. From this year’s brand-new mini-series that’s due to be aired in the UK and the USA to the ever-popular Muppet Christmas Carol, this story is a staple of the season. In it, and after a series of visits from ghostly apparitions, Ebenezer Scrooge changes from a cold miser to a kind and gentle person, but some aspects of the role of charity in this change of heart are lost from modern adaptations.

In the 176-year-old text the call to charity is more demanding than just donating cash. Dickens focuses on personal charity as the assumption of social obligations. After his transformation, Scrooge faces up to his moral responsibilities. Famously, he buys an enormous Christmas turkey for the family of his clerk, Bob Cratchit. But his new-found concern for the Cratchit family goes much further than a single festive meal. He also gives Cratchit a pay-rise. And having been frightened by a premonition of the death of Tiny Tim – Cratchit’s son – Scrooge is said to become like “a second father” to the sickly child. Continue reading →

‘Because Business as Usual Is a Death Sentence’: Youth Climate Strikers in Their Own Words

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“If we don’t come together and create change now, future generations will remember us as the people who stood idly as our world burned.”

By Jessica Corbett, staff writer for Common Dreams. Published 9-20-2019

A sign (and costume from #ClimateStrike in Austin, Texas. Photo: Nicole Cobler/Twitter

As millions of people of all ages joined the first-ever global #ClimateStrike on Friday—answering a call from students of the school strike for climate movement—youth activists from around the world shared why they are compelled to take to the streets to demand more ambitions efforts to tackle the planetary crisis.

The youth-led strike comes ahead of the United Nations Climate Action Summit in New York City on Monday and launches a week of action that will culminate in another global strike on Sept. 27. Continue reading →

‘A Burning Indictment of Our Higher Ed System’: Commencement Speaker Pays Off $40 Million in Student Debt

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Billionaire’s gift to nearly 400 graduating seniors of Morehouse College earned him praise—but also sparked criticism of the cost of education

By Jessica Corbett, staff writer for Common Dreams. Published 5-19-2019

Morehouse College commencement speaker and billionaire Robert F. Smith announced Sunday he is wiping out an estimated $40 million in student debt for nearly 400 graduates. (Photo: Morehouse College/Twitter)

Commencement speaker Robert F. Smith garnered widespread praise Sunday when the billionaire investor announced he will wipe out an estimated $40 million in student debt for Morehouse College’s nearly 400 graduating seniors—but the move also sparked intense criticism of the cost of higher education in the United States.

“Two things are simultaneously true about this story: 1. This is a very cool thing to do,” tweeted Current Affairs editor Sparky Abraham. “2. That this is so cool and necessary and has such a huge impact on the students’ lives is a burning indictment of our higher ed system.” Continue reading →

Notre Dame: The World Weeps with France

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Photo: Madhurantakam [CC BY-SA 3.0]

For over 850 years, the Cathedral of Notre Dame has been a gift to humanity. The towering spires, stained glass windows and Gothic architecture inspired every visitor, set the stage for magnificent weddings and witnessed the history, culture and politics of France expressed throughout its inspiring past.

On April 15, 2019, the cathedral caught on fire and burned. The image of the spire collapsing will never leave the hearts and souls of the French people. We extend our deepest regrets and offer this video that captured just a touch of the glory Notre Dame was. Join us in remembrance.

The Story Of The Christmas Truce

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104 years ago, warring armies ceased their hostilities long enough to show each other their humanity. It is time we all be reminded of the lesson taught by these brave men and discover more ways to show humanity in our interactions with each other.

Our holiday gift for you; a very short but poignant depiction of a Christmas “Miracle” directly from the pages of history., courtesy of Sustainable Human.

Happy holidays from all of us at Occupy World Writes.