By Steve Ahlquist on September 13, 2017
“You can’t force people to love and sometimes when you force you actually create the very issues that you say you are trying to prevent,” said Education Commissioner Ken Wagner.
Posted in Civil Rights, Education, Featured, LGBTQ, News, Religion, Rhode Island, Video, Youth | Tagged Alexander Hoffman, Beth Capron, Council on Postsecondary Education, Donald Anderson, Family Services Rhode Island, Kayla David, ken wagner, Marcela Betancur, Marta V Martínez, Rhode Island Department of Education, Rhode Island State Council of Churches, ride |
By Steve Ahlquist on August 10, 2017
“Simply put, Municipal ID cards affirm your residency in out city, regardless of immigration status, regardless of housing status or criminal history,” said Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza
Posted in Civil Rights, Domestic Violence, Featured, Homelessness, Immigration, Infrastructure, LGBTQ, National News, News, Providence, Race & Racism, Religion, Rhode Island, Video, Women, Youth | Tagged A Sweet Creation, ACLU of Rhode Island, Crossroads Rhode Island, Dean Isabella, Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island, Higher Ground International, Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence, jorge elorza, Lucas Hawthorne, Mary Kay Harris, Muslim-American Advisory Board, NAACP Providence Branch, New Bridges for Haitian Success, OpenDoors, Providence Human Relations Commission, Providence Municipal ID Cards, Providence Police Department, Refugee Dream Center, Rodrigo Pimental, Southside Cultural Center, Steven Brown, TGI Network, Theresa Agonia, Year Up, Youth Pride Inc |
By Steve Ahlquist on July 21, 2017
The delay in passing a budget has “real and mounting human costs”…
Posted in Activism, Civil Rights, Economics, Featured, Justice, Minimum Wage, National News, Religion, Rhode Island, State House | Tagged American Baptist Churches of Rhode Island, Center for Prisoner Health and Human Rights, DARE, direct action for rights and equality, Dominick Ruggerio, Economic Progress Institute, fuerza laboral, Georgia Hollister-Isman, Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Mental Health Association of RI, Ministers Alliance of Rhode Island, Nicholas Mattiello, Planned Parenthood of Southern New England, Progreso Latino, Rachel Flum, Religious Coalition for a Violence-Free Rhode Island, Rhode Island Chapter, Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Rhode Island General Assembly, Rhode Island Public Radio, Rhode Island State House, RI Community Action Association, RI Council of Churches, RI Jobs with Justice, RI NOW, RI Racial Justice Coalition, RI Regional Adult Learning, RI Working Families, RIRAL, sierra club, Step Up Center International, UNAP, United Nurses and Allied Professionals |
By Steve Ahlquist on June 24, 2017
“Police enforce criminal law, but immigration law is civil. Using police to enforce civil law is unconstitutional,” said Jim Cowan, speaking for the Standing on the Side of Love Committee at First Unitarian Church in Providence.
Posted in Activism, Featured, Immigration, LGBTQ, Religion, Rhode Island | Tagged ACLU, CBP, Customs and Border Protection, donald trump, First Unitarian Church of Providence, ice, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Immigration Protection Ordinance, Jim Cowan, Law Enforcement Agency, LEA, RI Pride, Standing on the Side of Love Committee |
By Steve Ahlquist on May 30, 2017
Whitehouse asked Sessions, “A secular person has just as good a claim to understanding the truth as a person who is religious. Correct?”
Posted in Civil Rights, Featured, National News, Religion, Rhode Island, Washington DC | Tagged Heritage Foundation, Jeff Sessions, Newseum's Religious Freedom Center, Roger Williams, SCA, Secular Awards Dinner, Secular Coalition for America, Sheldon Whitehouse |
By Steve Ahlquist on May 5, 2017
President Donald Trump‘s definition of religious freedom was rebuked Thursday by 8 Rhode Island faith leaders representing Muslim, Christian and Jewish traditions. They stood on the steps of the First Baptist Church in America, founded by Roger Williams, who established Rhode Island as the first government, anywhere on earth, to protect the rights of freedom […]
Posted in Civil Rights, Featured, History, National News, Providence, Religion, Rhode Island | Tagged ACLU, Board of Rabbis of Greater Rhode Island, Chontell Nelson Washington, don anderson, donald trump, Duane Clinker, Eugene Dyszlewski, first amendment, First Baptist Church in America, Jamie Washam, Johnson Amendment, Rhode Island Council for Muslim Advancement, Rhode Island State Council of Churches, RICMA, Roger Williams, Sarah Mack, Tom Wiles, Wendy Manchester Ibrahim |
By Steve Ahlquist on April 29, 2017
“Donald Trump is a threat to the future of our planet, the safety of our communities, and the health of our families.”
Posted in Activism, Civil Rights, Class Warfare, Climate, Corporate Greed, Energy, Environmental Racism, Featured, Indigenous Americans, Inequality, Infrastructure, LGBTQ, Massachusetts, National News, Newport, News, Photos, Providence, Race & Racism, Religion, Rhode Island, State House, Video, Washington DC, Water | Tagged aaron regunberg, Adnan Adrian Wood-Smith, Brown University, citizens bank, Dakota Access Pipeline, DAPL, donald trump, Elizabeth Hoover, General Assembly, islam, Kaylynn Polley, Lincoln School, Marcia Ranglin-Vassell, Michael Araujo, Mother Earth, People's Climate March, People’s Power and Light, Phoebe Roberts, Priscilla De La Cruz, Rhode Island State House, Rhode Island Student Climate Coalition, RI Jobs with Justice, Timmons Roberts, university of rhode island |
By Duane Clinker on April 6, 2017
We are asking for their solidarity with panhandlers who are now prohibited from asking for help at key intersections in Cranston. Today, by our actions we are ourselves violating that law…
Posted in Cranston, Criminal Justice, Featured, Homelessness, Poverty, Religion, Rhode Island | Tagged Alan Fung, Cranston City Hall, donald trump, Jesus, panhandling, pope francis, Thomas Tobin |
By Steve Ahlquist on March 27, 2017
RISE UP! Rhode Island held a rally on Saturday to honor and celebrate Women’s History Month and the work of multiple human rights organizations in RI.
Posted in Activism, Civil Rights, Events, Featured, Health Care, LGBTQ, Photos, Politics, Race & Racism, Religion, Sex Work, Social Services, Video, Women, Youth | Tagged AHOPE, Becky Chace, Bella Robinson, Celia Contreras, COYOTE RI, Deb Perry, Diane Cocozza Martins, Dorcas International Institute, Emeline, gayle goldin, Georgia Hollister‐Isman, Gloria Crist, Karen Malcolm, Kate Montiero, Kathleen Cloutier, Kelly Nevins, Kim Baker, Laurie Bradburn, Loren Spears, McAuley House Don Rhodes, Michele Matot, Planned Parenthood, Protect Our Healthcare Coalition, Rebecca Kislak, Resist Hate RI, RI Chapter of Women's March Network, RI Council for Muslim Advancement, RI Democratic Party, RI NOW, RICMA, RIPTA Riders Alliance, RISE UP! Rhode Island, Roger Williams National Memorial, Sandra McEvoy, Solid Rock Women, Sterk Zaza, The Strattones, Tomaquag Museum, Wendy Manchester Ibrahim, Women's Fund of Rhode Island, Women's History Month, Working Families of Rhode Island, Yassah Flowers, YWCA |
By Steve Ahlquist on March 10, 2017
“When you tell a radical Christian, when you tell a humanist – it’s not just a Christian thing but it is a Christian thing and I’m a Christian pastor – when you make a law telling me I can’t help somebody, as God is my witness I’m going to violate that law.”
Posted in Activism, Civil Rights, Class Warfare, Featured, Homelessness, Inequality, Photos, Poverty, Religion, State House, Video | Tagged Charlene Lima, DARE, direct action for rights and equality, Duane Clinker, Edie Ajello, Jane Young, Jason Knight, Jeremiah O’Grady, Justin price, LeeAnn Byrne, Malcus Mills, Megan Smith, Michael Araujo, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Randall Rose, Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless, RI ACLU, RI Jobs with Justice, Robert Nardolillo, Steven Brown |
By Steve Ahlquist on March 9, 2017
To be clear, wrote SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice) when promoting their event, the new version of the Muslim Ban is no “upgrade.” It’s still a Muslim Ban and it’s still unjust.
Posted in Activism, Civil Rights, Featured, Immigration, International News, Photos, Race & Racism, Religion, Video | Tagged Aisha Manzoor, Rhode Island Council for Muslim Advancement, RICMA, Showing Up for Racial Justice, Sterk Zaza, SURJ, syria |
By Steve Ahlquist on March 6, 2017
“If the Holocaust has taught us anything it is that when regular folks go silent in the face of tyranny, bad things happen and their silence favors the oppressor,” said the organizers of Never Again Means Never Again, a multi-faith, multi-denominational gathering that took place at the Holocaust Memorial on The River Walk in Providence […]
Posted in Activism, Barrington, Civil Rights, Events, Featured, Immigration, LGBTQ, National News, Photos, Providence, Race & Racism, Religion, Video | Tagged Abraham's Tent, AHOPE, Aisha Manzoor, Americans Helping Others Prosper, Board of Rabbis of Greater Rhode Island, David Cicilline, donald trump, Ehsun Mirza, Gina Raimondo, Holocaust, Holocaust Memorial, Interbelief Club of Wheeler, Islamic School of Rhode Island, ISRI, jack reed, James Langevin, Jewish Community Center, MAE organization for the Homeless, More Than My Religion, Never Again Means Never Again, Refugee Dream Center, Rhode Island Council for Muslim Advancement, Rhode Island Council of Churches, Rhode Island School of Design, RICMA, Sarah Mack, Sisterhood of Salam Shalom, SOSS |
By Steve Ahlquist on March 1, 2017
“We are also here to say that we are here to fully defend the immigrant community and that we will put our resources, our commitment, our time and our bodies in the way of the machine that would split up families. We are fully committed to this and we are going to stay doing this until we win.”
Posted in Civil Rights, Class Warfare, Criminal Justice, Featured, Immigration, Johnston, Labor, Photos, Race & Racism, Religion, Video | Tagged Arthur Corvese, donald trump, fuerza laboral, Gina Raimondo, Heiney Maldonado, ice, Immigrants In Action, Immigration and Custom Enforcement, Jim Keller, Juan Garcia, Mike Araujo, Nicholas Mattiello, Omar Bah, Paolo Rivero, Public Safety and Protection Act, Refugee Dream Center, RI Jobs with Justice |
By Steve Ahlquist on February 22, 2017
The extreme, misleading histrionics of the anti-choice right are attempts to obfuscate the issue, and if they truly want to conduct “a respectful public debate” then perhaps they should start by being respectful.
Posted in Civil Rights, Featured, Health Care, Religion, Reproductive Rights, State House, Women | Tagged Bernard Healey, david bennett, Dinesh D'Souza, donald trump, Evan Shanley, Joseph McNamara, justin katz, Kermit Gosnell, Medicaid, mike stenhouse, Milo Yiannopoulos, Planned Parenthood, ri center for freedom and prosperity, RI Right to Life, Roe. v. Wade, Supreme Court, The RI Catholic, Warwick Beacon |
By Steve Ahlquist on February 19, 2017
It takes more than a single candlelight vigil to reassure and comfort children who feel ostracized and under attack. It takes a community dedicated to fostering a safe, welcoming environment in which children and grow and prosper. As a society, we seem a long way from that.
Posted in Featured, Photos, Religion, Smithfield, Youth | Tagged donald trump, islam, lauren niedel, Martha Yager, Masjid al-Islam |
By Steve Ahlquist on February 16, 2017
Dr. David Savitzky, MD said that conversion therapy is a “harmful treatment and Rhode Island should not be putting up with this practice against our youth.”
Posted in Civil Rights, Featured, Health Care, LGBTQ, News, Religion, State House, Youth | Tagged conversion therapy, Daniel Harrop, David Savitzky, edith ajello, House Health Education and Welfare Committee, Jared Goldstein, Joseph McNamara, Moira Walsh, outh Pride RI, riaclu, Roger Williams University, Wendy Becker |
By Steve Ahlquist on February 15, 2017
Immigration is complicated. Trump’s executive orders made it more complicated. Here’s what legal experts think, and where they don’t know what to think.
Posted in Civil Rights, Criminal Justice, Featured, Immigration, International News, Prison Reform, Race & Racism, Religion, Video | Tagged 9th District, Andrew Horwitz, Chinese Exclusion Act, Deborah Gonzalez, Department of Homeland Security, donald trump, Guantanamo Bay, Immigration Law Clinic, Immigration Nationality Act, INA, islam, Jared Goldstein, lawful permanent residents, LPR, Neil Gorsuch, Peter Margulies, refugees, Roger Williams University School of Law, Supreme Court, visa holders |
By Steve Ahlquist on February 7, 2017
“We’re in this fight because we are called by the faith that we have, whatever it might be, to fight for justice.”
Posted in Activism, Civil Rights, Class Warfare, Featured, Immigration, News, Photos, Race & Racism, Religion, Rhode Island, State House, Video | Tagged Arthur Corvese, Barack Obama, Betsy Garland, Charles Ortman, DACA, Donald Anderson, donald trump, Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island, executive order, First Unitarian Church in Providence, ice, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, John Edwards, Katherine Ahlquist, Kathleen Cloutier, Keith Brown, Rhode Island Council of Churches, Robert Phillips, Roberto Gonzalez, sanctuary, Sanctuary Meeting, Sharon Key, Standing on the Side of Love, Stephen Ucci, Syrian refugees, William O'Brien |
By Steve Ahlquist on February 3, 2017
As Friday prayers ended, those leaving the mosque were greeted with smiles, coffee and home made cookies.
Posted in Featured, Religion, Rhode Island | Tagged Islamic Center of Rhode Island, Jen McFadden, Masjid Al-Kareem, Quaker Friends Meeting House |
By Steve Ahlquist on January 30, 2017
I am scared to stand up for myself. I am afraid that some people that work for Trump are going to come to our house and arrest us for no reason like what they did in South Africa.
Posted in Activism, Civil Rights, Featured, National News, Race & Racism, Religion | Tagged donald trump, islam |
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