Hillary Rodham Clinton will accept the post of Secretary of State in the incoming Obama Administration, reports the New York Times. The Junior Senator from New York will give up her seat in the United States Senate in order to take the position. A confidant of Mrs. Clinton told the New York TImes she had decided to head the State Department after ongoing discussions with President-elect Obama regarding her role within the administration and his foreign policy objectives over the next fours years.

I had my doubts about this appointment, but now that it seems all but set in stone - unless The Times has it all wrong and is forced to eat humble pie, which is always fun too - it’s time to wish Senator Clinton congratulations on her new job. She’s no doubt worked incredibly hard to get where she is today and put up with a lot of crap, so it’s nice to see all that effort pay off.

I shook hands with Hillary Clinton during a campaign stop on her husband’s 1992 Presidential campaign in York, Pennsylvania. I’ve met other politicians before and since, but none with the energy and enthusiasm of Hillary Clinton. The woman grabbed at my hand as though it had food in it and she was starving, and she did the same thing all the way up a line of hundreds of people. Let’s hope she brings that same kind of gusto to the State Department.

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In my final blog for National Hunger and Homelessness Week, I want to highlight homelessness where I live-Los Angeles. Not only is Los Angeles famous for Hollywood, smog, traffic and sunshine, it also holds the dubious distinction of having the highest rate of homelessness in the US. While there are about 750,000 homeless people across the country, there are about 74,000 homeless people scattered throughout this sprawling megalopolis. The situation is further compounded by the limp resources and attention devoted to this issue by the city’s politicians. The majority of homeless and at-risk services are provided by exemplary groups such as Lamp Community, located near Los Angeles’ Skid Row (and featured in our upcoming film, the Soloist).

Lamp Community is addressing homelessness by providing permanent housing for homeless with a mental illness because they are the most most alienated and ignored population. The organization believes that enabling people to transition from the streets to safe, welcoming housing will help them to become fully participating members of society. They also provide a variety of support services to help people become fully engaged citizens such as mental and physical health care, drug rehabilitation, job training and employment, money management and apartment maintenance. Their housing-first motto has successfully enabled over 1,200 individuals to transition from the streets to a real home. takepart to learn more about the Lamp Community and how you can get involved.

(photo by St Stev)

Today is the International Children’s Rights Day, a United Nations holiday that celebrates the creation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989.  Unfortunately millions of children lack the most basic rights such as access to education, food, water and lives free from war.  According to UNESCO, 77 million kids worldwide do not attend school. School is one of the best ways to improve all aspects of kids lives, including creating better economic opportunities, improved health outcomes and empowering girls.

In honor of this important holiday, I am highlighting the work of Jewish World Watch, an instrumental organization for the Social Action campaign for our film, Darfur Now.  While the organization is only three years old, it has quickly become a leader in humanitarian relief, advocacy and education for Darfur.  One of their critical programs–backpacks– extends well-beyond providing immediate humanitarian relief to millions of refugees. It helps to build long-term infrastructure and educational opportunities to thousands of Darfurian refugee children.  Their backpack program will provide school supplies to 14,000 children in  the Oure Cassoni refugee camp.  The contents of the backpacks provides more than just learning tools; these children will be given educational opportunties and safe-spaces in their otherwise chaotic, war-ridden lives.  As victims of war and violence, these children lack the most basic rights as children and human beings.  takepart today to support the backpack program which will give these Darfurian kids resources and hope for a better future.

(photo: vonbergen.net)

Being a teenager is already really tough. It’s filled with lots of angst, peer pressure and trying to grasp one’s identity and role in the world. But, can you imagine going through those difficult years while homeless? Unfortunately, there are thousands of teens across our nation who are homeless. And, the dangers they already experience on the streets is worsened by the fast approaching, freezing winter temperatures which are a threat to their health and survival.

Covenant House offers warm, safe places for thousands of teens across the country. Since this is National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, be a part of the solution to helping homeless teens. takepart and support Covenant House’s Bed and Blanket program to ensure teens have a bed at a Covenant House and receive medical care, clothes and meals. Just imagine how the basic services of Covenant House could transform a teen’s life.

In a story that can only make one shake their head, a pro-Iranian blogger, Hossein Derakhshan,  was detained because he tried to show Iranians “a realistic” side of Israel while he was there for a blogging conference. (via Gawker)

The dual Iranian-Canadian citizen blogs in both English and Farsi and generally tries to help people understand his home country. PR win for Iran and its blogger-in-chief Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, right? Actually no, because Derakhshan visited Israel last year for a blogging conference, and blogged there to “show the Iranians a more realistic image of this country,” so he’s been thrown in jail during a visit home.

It is sad to think that Derakhshan admitted to spying for Israel - I imagine under pretty horrible conditions - especially considering what he said about his Israel project before the arrest.

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Ben Affleck is in the Congo speaking in refugee camps to try and raise awareness of the conflict that has displaced nearly 300,000 people. Affleck has visited the Congo several times and has made a documentary about this crisis facing this war-torn area. Read the whole story on The Huffington Post. And takepart and click here
and Help Congo by sign the ONE Declaration

The ‘don’t ask, don’t tell” policy was instituted in 1993, stopping the military from asking potential members if they are gay. However the policy requires openly gay service members to be discharged from service. Now, according to the lead sponsor of a bill that would repeal the law, the “don’t ask-don’t tell” policy could be overturned when Barack Obama’s administration takes over the White House.

Obama told Philadelphia Gay News “Although I have consistently said I would repeal ‘don’t ask-don’t tell,’ I believe that the way to do it is to make sure that we are working through processes, getting the Joint Chiefs of Staff clear in terms of what our priorities are going to be.”-CNN.com

A Washington Post/ABC News poll this summer found 75 percent of Americans support allowing gays to serve openly, compared to only 45 percent in 1993.

So basically what we’re saying is-it’s cool for gays to fight and possibly die for America’s freedom BUT it’s not cool for gays in America to have the freedom to marry. Oh okay. gothca.
takepart and visit the Human Rights Campaign at http://www.hrc.org/ to join the fight for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality.

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past eight years, it’s hard to ignore the dismal human rights record of George W. Bush. Where can one begin when you reflect on the human rights abuses, violations of international agreements and government-sanctified torture policies of the Bush Administration? By intimately exploring the stories attached to the infamous photos from Abu Ghraib, our film, Standard Operating Procedure, helped to give us a clearer understanding of the prison which cemented our country’s anti-human rights record and image to the world. Human rights were systematically violated and our global leadership was marginalized because of our policies during the past eight years.

However, since the election, the tide has turned and things are finally looking brighter. President-elect Obama has already indicated a desire to reshape our human rights policies, including closing Guantanamo.

However, for many of the policies changes to occur, the new president and Congress needs to hear from citizens like you and me.  Human Rights First is has made the following a priority for the Obama Administration : the closure of Guantanamo, protection for Iraqi refugees, stop the flow of arms to Darfur and end torture of prisoners in US custody.  Help to make these important goals a reality by signing their letter which will be published in newspapers worldwide.  We voted against torture on November 4th. Let’s help to show the world that we can help to change our policies and have our country return to being the visionary beacon for human rights that we once were. takepart today to sign Human Rights First’s letter.

(photo by habacuc_1988)

So the Tim Robbins election drama continues on.. Robbins has now written a somewhat scathing letter to Gregory C. Soumas at the Board of Elections:

______

Mr. Gregory C. Soumas
Board of Elections in the City of New York
Executive Office
32 Broadway
New York, NY 10004-1609

November 17, 2008

Dear Mr. Soumas:

I would like to publicly apologize for being such a dim-witted dilettante on Election Day. I was under the naïve assumption that I could vote where I voted in the last two elections. Your thoughtful letter pointed out that if I had voted in the recent primary election in September I would have discovered that I was no longer registered in the polling place I have voted in since 2004. Considering your position at the Board of Elections and your deep respect for the democratic process I must assume that my local 14th St. poll worker, Betty J. Williamson’s assertion that my name was on the active voter rolls for the primary in September of this year was erroneous and that she must be as confused and wrongheaded as I am.

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As you probably know by now, this is National Homeless and Hunger Awareness week which gives me many opportunities to highlight the fantastic work of some of the organizations were working with on the Social Action campaign for The Soloist. Have you ever imagined walking without shoes? I’m not talking about the luxury barefoot option of some select shoeless hikers and marathoners or people (like me) who like to walk around their homes sans shoes. I’m referring to the thousands of people throughout the US and millions of people around the globe who do not have proper footwear or any shoes at all. How many pairs of shoes do you have in your closet? Yes, shoes can be beautiful and an art piece. But, that doesn’t mean we need a zillion pairs while millions of people walk around every day without anything on their feet.

There’s a really simple way to help bridge the gap between those of us fortunate enough to have lots of shoes (guys-this includes you too!) and people who need shoes. Soles 4 Souls is “changing the world one pair at a time” with the simple goal of trying to distribute as many pairs of shoes worldwide as possible. This is an impressive, achievable goal that you can help them reach by donating new and gently used shoes. The process is simple! takepart to find a drop box in your community or set one up at your school, house of worship or community center today. Your donation is more than just a pair of shoes—you will help someone move forward in the world-literally.

(photo by asleeponasunbeam)