Sept. 30, 2010 -The aweful scourge of human trafficking is being addressed by a few brave souls who need your support. BY helping them, you can advance their mission, which is to prevent sexual violence and human traficking via the internet. The End Internet Trafficking Coalition (EITC) is a national coalition that provides a platform for links between nonprofit, governmental, law enforcement, faith-based, and student grassroots agencies and individuals to advocate an accessible worldwide web where children, youth, and adults are better protected from human trafficking in all its forms.

On Real Law Radio, members of the EITC explained that Ohio is a breeding ground for human trafficking. Why? Because Ohio's laws are weak. We learned that the Ohio House of Representatives, through the Committee on Criminal Justice, is now considering important legislation to combat human trafficking.

Take action to support HB493 and contact the Committee members to urge its passage. This law will criminalize human trafficking and punish criminals who exploit others for profit in Ohio. Ohio is one of only five states without human trafficking laws! Contact members from the Committee on Criminal Justice. One of them, Mark A. Schneider, is a colleague of Bob DiCello, host of Real Law Radio. Together they work at one of Ohio's best, most successful Civil Rights law firms, The DiCello Firm. Contact Bob DiCello or Mark A. Schneider by going to the Real Law Radio Contact Page - or contact Mark A. Schneider directly at The DiCello Firm. Either way, you can make your inetntions known - and help innocent lives in the process.

Sept. 20, 2010 -Every once in a while, I am moved by the power of our Constitution. I am moved by its ability to call us to embrace values that make our Nation a safe, decent place, even when we don't want to aknowledge those values because we simply feel like we can't or shouldn't.

The law is a curious thing. In the practice of it, we are urged to contain our emotion and focus only on the facts. And yet the facts often instill great emotion, which in turn often influences the application of the law. And so a paradox emerges: the law often calls us to act in ways that conflict with (or stand above) a person's emotional reaction to another's lawful right, privilege, or duty. This paradox was touched upon recently by Supreme Court Justice Steven Breyer when he recently said on CNN's Larry King, "We protect expression that we hate." This summarizes an aspect of our legal system that we must keep in mind when we discuss subjects like the Muslim Comunity Center in Manhattan.

Bryer always seems to communicate with remarkable clarity. And here, in this interview, he does it again.

 

Aug. 28, 2010 -In America today, men and women are assembling near the Lincoln Memorial. They are being lead by a talk show host who is gaining attention for the controversial statements he makes on his radio and T.V. programs. He has many fans in the Tea Party movement. His name is Glenn Beck.

Beck insists the event Saturday at the Lincoln Memorial is not about politics, even though Beck and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will attend. But the rally is drawing a strong reaction -- and several counter-rallies -- as the nation looks toward November's elections. Beck, a popular figure among tea party activists and a polarizing Fox News Channel personality, has said it is merely a coincidence that the event is taking place on the 47th anniversary of Martin Luther King's plea for racial equality. Let's not forget, Beck has called President Barack Obama a racist. Ah yes, this is the man who would lead a rally today to restore "honor."

The "Restoring Honor" rally is apparently being put together to pay tribute to America's military personnel and others "who embody our nation's founding principles of integrity, truth and honor." It urges citizens to attend and "help us restore the values that founded this great nation."

I want to be clear: the rally is fine. But its message stinks. It's like receiving an invitation to honor your vegetarian brother or sister at a party featuring an all-you-can-eat meat buffet. It's like trying to build a better world by "buying the world a Coke." It's just another example of a misplaced idea by people giving only lip service to honor and equality in America.

To accept the invitation to attend, one is implicitly asked to accept a fiction: that honor is lost, that it needs to be restored, and by attending the people there can actually restore that honor for us. Hogwash. We've never lived with honor as a nation. We can not restore what we have never achieved. And this event is nothing more than a pep rally for people who want to feel good about themselves. Okay. For what's it's worth, if it feels good, go. There's nothing wrong with hanging out with friends near the Capital. But don't be deluded into thinking that anything will change in America.

Honor is not born from rallies. It's born out of the accountability we all must live with in our daily lives. It's born out of how we treat each other. "Honor is as honor does," to rephrase a well-known saying.

Listen to and watch the original Martin Luther King speech. Remember the cause that he died for. Live up to his ideals if you dare in your effort to bring honor to our country. And Think Before You Fear.

Aug. 23, 2010 -Today my father e-mailed me something he received from my aunt. Just two days after I spoke against fear and prejudice against muslims on the air, I found myself looking at some really disturbing images of muslims acting in ways that were, if anything, a perversion of what (little) I had come to know about Islam.

The first part my father's e-mail contained images of little girls in white dresses, holding flowers, and wearing makeup. The article talked about 450 little girls between 5 and 10 eyars old being married to grown men in Gaza.

The second part of his e-mail talked about demonstrations against at least one european government in the name of Islam. The pictures showed angry men holding profane, angry signs that spoke of destruction and war in the name of Islam.

But the saddest part of my father's e-mail wasn't the threats against government or the makeup covered faces of innocent little girls. The saddest part was that the e-mail was a hoax.

You see, my father and my aunt had been the victim of long-standing internet e-mail hoaxes. The hoax about the 450 little girls from Gaza can be read here. The hoax regarding the muslim men carrying protest signs can be read here.

For a balanced perspective on the muslim reaction to extremism and fear in the wake of September 11, 2001, check out this link from 60 Minutes. It features a transcript of an interview conducted by Ed Bradley. He talks about the fear that Americans have for muslims. And his guests address their disdain for extremism - and by the way, they happen to be muslims.

Now, more than ever, we must be aware of the fact that the internet is a lie-infested place. It is not sufficient to simply read e-mails from friends and family, especially where those e-mails play on your fear and prejudice. When you get something like that in your in-box from a family member or friend, as I did, please . . . please . . . "Think Before You Fear," and check into the e-mail when you have a chance. That way, you can protect your friends, family, and co-workers from unknowingly spreading ignorance, lies, and fear.

Aug. 14, 2010. "YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M DEALING WITH!!" Nick yelled. This was his way of starting a discussion about himself. He'd done it before. But by this time I understood he didn't like talking about how he felt. I also knew his outbursts happened because he just gives up on the idea that anyone really wants to understand him, So he holds his feelings inside until he can't take it anymore. Then he freaks out and starts yelling. I've known a lot of people who act like that.

And come to think of it ... I guess I do too.

Communication involves fear. There's fear of being weak or vulnerable. There's fear of being rejected. There's fear of losing what we really hope to gain or protect. Yet we need to be heard. And still, we often choose to be silent. It's silly, really. Little kids don't even do that. Then we get angry and confused.

So, the next time you feel like holding you thoughts or feelings inside, take a moment. Start every sentence with "I..." and avoid pointing fingers. Then speak about how you feel. Express basic feelings, like "I feel sad" or "I feel angry." That way others will know what you're dealing with. Just think before you fear.

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Aug. 14. 2010. Just found this today. It's a speech given by the guy who founded Amazon.com . You gotta check it out. Very good stuff. In the end, we are the choices we make.

Aug. 5, 2010. If you're going to talk about what happens in court, you should have experience there. But that's not how it necessarily is these days.

For example, a radio personality told me from my car strereo that our legal system is failing us and the President is out to ruin us. Another told me, "You must assume people are spying on your internet activities" (direct quote). A third host told me we are running out of money and my children will have terrible lives because the U.S. is getting more violent and full of illegal immigrants. But none of them had any answers. None offered any legal insights. So I turned the radio off, just to get away from their senseless negativity. The radio hosts tried to scare me into listening to them. It didn't work. And don't let them get you. Don't buy-in to the fear market.

Think before you fear. Listen to Real Law Radio.

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