Personally I belong to my universities chapter of Amnesty.
I am wondering what you all think about the organization.
Personally I belong to my universities chapter of Amnesty.
I am wondering what you all think about the organization.
i'm member and donator for the 3rd year now and worked a few weeks for it
I think they have noble goals, but what have you done personally for them? Genuine question, not trolling.
I had to do a bit of research on them, since it's hard to keep track of the many similar organizations.
Years ago, I didn't like them. If I remember correctly, it was because they seemed like another organization that overpays their executives for inefficient jobs where they pat themselves on the back all day.
However, while looking them up just now to find out their policies, I came across this:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6750887.stm
That, in my opinion, deserves respect. Many organizations wouldn't dream of getting on the bad side of the RCC, out of fear of losing money. But they did the right thing, in spite of that possibility. If only more people would make decisions like this; we could get the agenda-fueled fingers of the RCC out of all charities. Then some progress regarding Women's health can truly be made.
Sell the Vatican, Feed the World
1 thing i never understood about groups like ai. they are very quick to criticise law enforcement and government when they get heavy handed against rebels, insurgents overseas. but they never make any statements to condemn when the same rebels or insurgents carry out indiscriminate attacks like suicide attacks. ai jumps very quick to defend the rights of insurgents hiding among civilians but they never make any condemnation towards stuff like suicide bombings.
LOVE IT. I think it's needed. I even love it for the fact folks try to do what they do but differently/better.
Many a light has been shown on some truly fucked up human actions ( where is your white phos going Isreal?)
Much good as been done by them.
^_^
"If you want to control people, if you want to feed them a pack of lies and dominate them, keep them ignorant. For me, literacy means freedom." - LaVar Burton.
IMHO AI's coverage of Israeli-Palestinian issues is quite slanted. Without going into the fairness/veracity of their criticism of Israel, it is the absence of corresponding criticism of Hamas/Hezbollah that I object to. If both sides are behaving poorly, fine, expose both -- don't give one side a pass.
I will agree with you there but from where I live, in Northern New Jersey the impression I get is that you cannot speak of Isreal being an aggressor, it's not something that you even toss out in public conversaton. So reading that by them dispels what would other wise be an almost enforced acceptance that they are innocent of ANYTHING in that ages old conflict. So for me It's like poking the king in the eye, which I appreciate someone doing.
"If you want to control people, if you want to feed them a pack of lies and dominate them, keep them ignorant. For me, literacy means freedom." - LaVar Burton.
well, i guess you got something wrong.
ai is not intended to be a general allmighty "we-make-the-world-better"-organisation.
ai is intended to support human rights and ensure they are adhered to (mainly, but not only, in countries and situations where no one else seems to ensure that).
suicide bombing has nothing to do with breaking human rights in general, it's an openly ommited crime that gets persucated by goverments and other organisations.
the capture, torture and/or murder of political enemies (for example) often goes unnoticed without help from ai and similar organisations.
They're doing an ok job I suppose but I've had bad experiences with their members.
When I was in Afghanistan we had to protect them and clear the way of talibans for them to reach a village. After we escorted them to do their job they questioned our methods and telled us off for beeing violent. If you asks soldiers for help and someone starts shooting at you soldiers will shoot back.
My experience is that they arent greatfull at all.
Nice concept, but I disagree with a lot of things.
Mainly, it seems to suffer strongly from a selection bias. I don't think they're a bad organization, but there is room for cleaning up(like anything, that said)
I had a very weird and annoying experience last Friday.
I left work in central London and cut down a small little-used alley because it's a quick way to the main road...I had my headphones on, the place was deserted...I saw someone in my peripheral view quickly approaching me from a little behind and just to my right - about 10 feet ahead a guy emerges in to the alley and starts striding towards me, square on, he'd been lurking off to the side and I hadn't seen him. I'd not been paying much attention, with my thoughts more on how I was going to spend the weekend...now I was like "WTF?" and my heart starts beating faster.
The figure coming from behind is less than an arm length off to my right...the guy, fast approaching ahead of me.
The person off to my right starts talking, but I can't hear properly...I spin 'round and take my headphones out...it's a Lady, all in black...the guy is now directly in my path about an arms length ahead of me.
"Amnesty International" the Lady says...and holds a clipboard up.
"For fucks sake! I'm not interested!" - she looks at me like I'm made out of raw sewage and waves for the guy to get out of my path.
For a few brief moments there I seriously thought they were gonna try and mug me. I was pissed off about it for my entire walk home.
In general it's seemed that the organisation has worthwhile goals...and I don't tell this story to be be representative of the organisation at all...but the whole incident has done nothing to thaw my already frosty view of these pavement, clipboard, charity types.
amnesty international simply supports human rights and exposes human rights violations
I don't really support any human supporting organisation. I have a lot of respect for the ideas, and the people who are in them. But never, ever will I support it myself since often they money is wasted. (often not always)
I might get hate for thinking for that, but once I start working (student atm) I will prob become a supporter for an animal organisation. Don't really know wich, but my idea is just that animals can't defend themselves while humans can. (talking about humans in general, I know well enough there are people out there who can't help having the shit life that they do)