Category Archives: Social Issues

Social causes, activism, and projects

Podcasts, Social Issues

Leonard Sipes – Crime, Justice & the Media

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sipesSipes has 35 years of national & state experience as media affairs & social media manager. He served as the Sr. Public Affairs Specialist for a federal justice agency and has over 50 awards for his media relations work.     – http://leonardsipes.com

A former police officer, Sipes managed America’s most popular audio & video podcasting site for crime & justice issues. He was the primary spokesperson on crime prevention for the federal government for 10 years, advised presidential & gubernatorial campaigns, and owns/writes for Crime in America: http://crimeinamerica.net.

A graduate of Johns Hopkins University, Sipes is a former Associate Professor for criminology & public affairs and the author of Success With the Media: Everything You Need To Survive Reporters and Your Organization (Available at Amazon: https://amzn.com/151948965X)

CLICK to hear Leonard’s Podcast Interview

Authors A-H, Race & Ethnicity, Social Issues

Consider the Iceberg: Untold Challenges of the Boys in Blue – by Terry Howard

Readers, you’ll need to rely on your imagination to read this narrative.
Let’s start with a few actual “voices from the ranks.”

First Donnie, a middle age white police officer who got out of his hospital bed after recovering from a brutal beating by a drug dealer and returned to street duty, to the profession he still loves.

Continue reading Consider the Iceberg: Untold Challenges of the Boys in Blue – by Terry Howard →

Artists, Levine articles, Of Women, Social Issues, Southern Culture, USA Culture

The Art and Civics of Publisher Ruth Holmberg: Making History — by Deborah Levine

Publisher Ruth HolmbergLong before The New York Times had its first woman Executive Editor, Ruth Holmberg was the Editor of The Chattanooga Times. Holmberg is a member of the family that founded both newspapers and she has shared her compelling life story as friends and admirers gathered to hear her speak. Holmberg is a former director of The Associated Press and of The New York Times Company, a former president of the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce and of the Southern Newspaper Publisher Association and a member of the Board of Directors of the Public Education Network (PEN). 

The petite, soft-voiced woman is also a member of one of the nation’s most prominent publishing families.

Editor’s note: Publishing icon and Chattanooga civic leader Ruth Holmberg passed away at age 96. In her honor, here is the ADR interview with Ms. Holmberg several years ago.

Continue reading The Art and Civics of Publisher Ruth Holmberg: Making History — by Deborah Levine →

Authors A-H, Race & Ethnicity, Social Issues

What to Do About Upticks in Hate! – by Terry Howard

On a balmy recent Sunday afternoon, the KKK visited Douglasville, Georgia. Throngs of us decided to pay a visit to our visitors. Many gathered along the road, some with their families and lounge chairs as if they were about to watch a Christmas parade. Some brought Bibles, others protest placards bearing words unprintable in this space. As expected the police turnout was large as was the media.

You see, the KKK came to protest the sentences of a local man and woman who received long prison terms for yelling racial slurs and pointing guns at participants at a 10 year-old’s black kid’s birthday party.

Continue reading What to Do About Upticks in Hate! – by Terry Howard →

Authors A-H, Religious Diversity, Social Issues

Unity in Diversity: A Model for Advancement of Civilization – by Vahid Alavian

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Today’s political and social climate in the world and in the United States seems to accentuates disagreement in thoughts and ideologies, give rise to disunity, create a sense of fear and insecurity, and in some cases even loss of human life and destruction. Chaos and confusion are reaching such intensity that they are affecting the fundamental structure of society; uprooting its time-honored constitutions and institutions; destroying the bonds of human relationships; and driving its inhabitants away from their homes as refugees. To counter these forces, significant productive and constructive energy will be required to sustain human societies. One way to look at our community, country, and the world for a path forward is to practice the concept of Unity in Diversity. The American Diversity Report provides an effective avenue for meaningful discourse on the subject.

Continue reading Unity in Diversity: A Model for Advancement of Civilization – by Vahid Alavian →

Authors A-H, Social Issues

The Perils of PC (Political Correctness) – by Terry Howard

Okay class, listen up.

What’s the biggest problem facing the United States today?

No Tim, not the economy,

Sorry Juan, not ISIS!

Nice try Sarah, but not our crumbling national infrastructure!

No, the biggest problem facing our nation in 2017, so sayeth the pundits, is political correctness or, to put it in their words, PC run amuck.

Continue reading The Perils of PC (Political Correctness) – by Terry Howard →

Levine articles, Politics, Social Issues

The Politics of Political Correctness – by Deborah Levine

I sat in the audience of a university theater and listened to elected officials and professors ruminate on inclusion in the upcoming political election. It was Chicago in the 1990s and as in-your-face then as it is now. The discussion over race was loud and raucous as the candidates, Caucasian and African American, went toe to toe. As the debate turned to women, the all-male stage veered into the surreal. It turned into a shouting match as to who was more popular with the ladies. They gestured wildly about the numbers of women who called them, trying to prove that who was the more politically correct and more popular among the ladies.

Continue reading The Politics of Political Correctness – by Deborah Levine →

Authors A-H, Race & Ethnicity, Social Issues

Observing National African-American History Month – by David Grinberg

7 critical issues for the USA to thrive

As the USA observes National African American History Month in February, it’s an opportune time to examine several critically important issues confronting the black community. That’s because for America to truly thrive as “one nation undivided” then all citizens must be afforded equal opportunities to rise as high as their God-given talents and abilities allow — without discriminatory barriers.
This is the only way we can effectuate “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” for all, as articulated in the Declaration of Independence. But, first, some background:

Continue reading Observing National African-American History Month – by David Grinberg →

Authors A-H, Social Issues

The danger of jumping to conclusions!- by Terry Howard

I could kick myself in the rear end. And still might.

You see, having not heard from “Bob” and “Kerry” for a long time left me feeling ignored and disrespected, especially since I had them and their families over for dinner where they both made valuable, profitable business connections. I really felt good about that and expected nothing in return, not even a thanks. For me, there’re few things more gratifying than connecting folks.

Continue reading The danger of jumping to conclusions!- by Terry Howard →