Category: civil rights

Posted on

Bias is a part of life that can be difficult to exclude or even to recognize

Words can mean different things to people of different backgrounds. Many words have a variety of meanings or have slightly different meanings depending on how the word is used in conversation. Research teams may seek feedback from a focus group of the target population before proceeding with a planned research study or survey.

The most traditional forms of social science try rigorously to weed out bias. But when studies are consistently designed by one population to use
on a very different population, all the conditions of research become biased. The very words chosen to question people may have quite different meanings to researchers and to people living in extreme poverty.

-Diane Farjour Skelton, p 80, Artisans for Overcoming Poverty [link]

The word bias is also a sewing term used to describe fabric sewn on the bias, or at an angle to the crisscrossing weave of the threads. Fabric sewn on the bias allows for a little more freedom of movement or natural stretch along the seam without the use of elastic. [1] A biased opinion has less freedom of movement, it is skewed by our personal history. Bias reflects our life long expectations of what life is like and it is based on our life experiences. Reading and experiencing a wider variety of things may help combat our tendency to expect everyone to think and react the same as ourselves.

Burlap fabric showing the criss crossing weave of the thread.
Burlap fabric showing the crisscrossing weave of the thread. A typical seam follows the lines of the thread, a seam sewn on the bias is sewn at an angle to the weave.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of Fair Use.

Posted on

October 17 is World Day for Overcoming Poverty

I learned of an international day for overcoming poverty, “October 17, the World Day for Overcoming Poverty,” from a free ebook “Artisans of Peace Overcoming Poverty,” by Diana Faujour Skelton, published by the non-profit organization the International Movement ATD Fourth World. One way that the country of Guatemala celebrates the World Day for Overcoming Poverty is by choosing a citizen to take part in their national White Rose of Peace ceremony. [1] The daily ceremony was begun at the end of the country’s 36 year long civil war to show the country’s hope for ongoing peace. [p 20, 29-32, Artisans of Peace Overcoming Poverty]

A white rose for peace.

Visit the atd-fourthworld site for more info about the book “Artisans of Peace Overcoming Poverty,”and to download a free copy: [e-book.atd-fourthworld] Recognizing the value of all groups within society and increasing communication between the groups has helped communities in a variety of situations and locations. This book is the first edition of a three part series.

A rose for peace.
Maybe a peach rose can also be for peace. Peace is in many colors. (Note: I happened to have this image when I first wrote this post, but later went and bought the only white rose at the florist and took images that didn’t turn out great but – peace is worth it.)

 

Disclaimer: Opinions are my own and the information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes.

  1. George & Eve DeLange, Guatemala National Palace
    Of Culture. White Rose of Peace Ceremony    , images and description on a travel website, Guatemala, https://delange.org/Guat1/Guat1.htm
  2. Diana Faujour Skelton, “Artisans of Peace Overcoming Poverty,” atd-fourthworld, http://ebook.atd-fourthworld.org/
Posted on

Good news, we’re smoking fewer cigarettes

Bad news, some states and territories arranged very expensive loans against the promise of a percentage of the profit from cigarette sales. The cigarette money was a settlement promised to states from a lawsuit against the tobacco industry regarding the health risks of smoking. Ideally the settlement could have been used for public health programs that provided education about the risks of smoking and promoted smoking cessation but the settlement money was provided to states without stipulations about how the money could be used. Higher taxes on the individual purchase of cigarettes may have done more to promote smoking cessation. There was no requirement that the settlement money be used public health programs. [1]

Ironically less purchase of cigarettes has resulted in smaller than expected payments of the settlement money. Lower cigarette profit has left the communities with high interest loans owing more than they receive from the settlement agreement. So should we smoke more cigarettes to help out the places that made bad financial arrangements? – probably not if we care about the health risks of tobacco. The Centers for Disease Control website has links to a variety of resources for smoking cessation both for individuals and for states and health professionals (CDC).

/Disclaimer: Opinions are my own and  the information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes./

Posted on

Trust in love, World Humanitarian Day

The little girl carrying a big poster in the photo at this link is not a typical Humanitarian Relief worker but she carries a powerful message, “Hate breeds hate.” The exact quote from the poster was not found in an online search, but the search engine did lead to a quote by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a similar concept, “Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” The passage also includes the phrase “violence multiplies violence,” read the rest of the passage here : [http://www.drmartinlutherkingjr.com/mlkquotes.htm]

Photo via [https://plus.google.com/+HejabRasheed/posts/Cj1hrRSQcpd?pid=6043546049590014930&oid=106349152975484773573]

World Humanitarian Day 2014, remembering the relief workers who place themselves at risk in order to help others. [http://ec.europa.eu/echo/en/resources-campaigns/campaigns/world-humanitarian-day-2014]