Wordless Wednesday 73 - Life Is Like A Song

Nice Choice for first dance, Mr. President =)



Political affiliations aside, all Americans should be proud we made it this far.

MLK - They Could Not Take Your Pride

Today marks the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King. Most people don't realize that Martin was branching out at the time of his death to dealing with an issue he considered key for equality for all people; poverty.


"The curse of poverty has no justification in our age. It is socially as cruel and blind as the practice of cannibalism at the dawn of civilization, when men ate each other because they had not yet learned to take food from the soil or to consume the abundant animal life around them. The time has come for us to civilize ourselves by the total, direct and immediate abolition of poverty."

Martin Luther King, Jr., Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?, 1967.


While I am sure Martin would be thrilled to see not only a black man, but a woman as a serious contender for the Presidency, I can't help but think how disappointed he would be at the state of poverty in this world. Particularly in Africa.

So today, I am asking you all to do something more than just get chills listening to his words as they will surely be replayed over and over on the news channels. Today, try BEING his words.

Further on down I have posted the call script and instruction for you to contact your House and Senate reps and ask them to vote for the Jubilee Act.

The Jubilee Act striving to overturn debts wracked up by corrupt governments. How fair is it to make current governments, and the people of these countries pay back debts that were wracked up by dictators and given by first world nations with dubious intent. The money was not used for the people, it was used for a select few. The principal of odious debt is that there are certain types of debt that are morally unjust. It is in fact a legal principal. Here is an excerpt from JubileeUsa.


"Odious debt is an established legal principle. Legally, debt is to be considered odious if the government used the money for personal purposes or to oppress the people. Moreover, in cases where borrowed money was used in ways contrary to the people’s interest, with the knowledge of the creditors, the creditors may be said to have committed a hostile act against the people. Creditors cannot legitimately expect repayment of such debts.

The United States set the first precedent of odious debt when it seized control of Cuba from Spain. Spain insisted that Cuba repay the loans made to them by Spain. The U.S. repudiated (refused to pay) that debt, arguing that the debt was imposed on Cuba by force of arms and served Spain’s interest rather than Cuba’s, and that the debt therefore ought not be repaid. This precedent was upheld by international law in Great Britain v. Costa Rica (1923) when money was put to use for illegitimate purposes with full knowledge of the lending institution; the resulting debt was annulled."

Here are further facts that detail what Debt Cancellation is really about, morally and monetarily. Please read and then further down you will find a call script and step by step easy to follow instructions (complete with phone numbers) for contacting your Senators and House Reps. Please call them today and ask that they support The Jubilee Act.

Why Drop The Debt?


"Must we starve our children to pay our debts?"
Julius Nyerere, former President of Tanzania

In the world's most impoverished nations, the majority of the populations do not have access to clean water, adequate housing or basic health care. These countries are paying debt service to wealthy nations and institutions at the expense of providing these basic services to their citizens. The United Nations Development Program estimated in 2003 that 30,000 children die each day due to preventable diseases. Debt service payments take resources that impoverished countries could use to cure preventable diseases. Debt cancellation frees up resources to reverse this devastating reality.

They Are Already Paid
These nations have already paid back their debts time and again. The debt crisis set in when interest rates skyrocketed and compound interest made repayment impossible.

FACT: From 1970-2002, Africa received some $540 billion in loans and paid back $550 billion in principal and interest. Yet Africa remains today with a debt stock of $295 billion.

Strings Attached
The conditions that come with new loans and debt relief hurt the poor. Debt relief under the current program keeps essential human services, like primary health and education and access to safe water, out of reach of the impoverished majority.

FACT: Debt relief is conditioned on requirements that countries limit government spending, private basic services, and/or change trade and investment rules.

Don't Owe

Much of the debt is a result of "bad faith" lending including:
-The practice of pushing loans on developing nations because banks had too much money and had to lend it
-Knowingly lending to corrupt governments for political purposes
-Lending with conditions ensuring profits return to the creditors

Some debt also resulted from stolen wealth or loans that served the purposes of the elite and not the people. Other debt resulted from irresponsible projects that failed to serve a greater purpose or caused harm to the people or the environment.

This is why debt campaigns from around the world say, "Don't Owe, Won't Pay!"


The Bible Tells Us So
Texts in both the Hebrew Scriptures and throughout the New Testament call for debt cancellation and the righting of relationships every seven years with a super Jubilee every 50th year.

The practice of debt cancellation can also be found in history among early Pagan kings. The Qu'ran also challenges debt by harshly criticizing usury.


"Proclaim liberty throughout the lands
and to all the inhabitants thereof,
it shall be a jubilee for you."
Leviticus 25:10

Debt Cancellation is Adding by Subtracting
Debt cancellation allows countries to access their own resources for poverty eradication. Savings from debt service can now be allocated for health care, education, fighting HIV/AIDS and more.

FACT: Experts estimate it would take an annual commitment of $18 billion a year to reverse the AIDS crisis in Africa that claims 7,000 lives a day. Sub-Saharan Africa pays almost $13 billion in debt service to the wealthy nations and institutions every year. Just do the math.

Debt Sucks
Debt sucks the natural resources out of a country, forcing countries to become dependent on international creditors for more aid and new loans.

"Debt is tearing down schools, clinics and hospitals and the effects are no less devastating than war."
Dr. Adabayo Adedeji, African Center for Development Strategy

Debt is a New Kind of Slavery
International debt slavery means that countries are caught in a debt trap that they can't escape. The debt trap is composed of economic conditions that take away a country’s sovereignty and freedom. When countries are enslaved by debt they can't improve the lives of their citizens nor gain control over their own futures.

"Every child in Africa is born with a financial burden which a lifetime's work cannot repay. The debt is a new form of slavery as vicious as the slave trade."
All Africa Council of Churches

Debt Relief Lessens Dependence on Foreign Aid
Currently, our foreign aid frees up money for countries to pay back their debts to other wealthy nations and international banks. Debt cancellation would help ensure that new funds can be used effectively for poverty eradication, ultimately lessening countries’ dependence on aid.

FACT: Africa pays more in debt service than it receives in aid, new loans and assistance.

Debt Cancellation Gets Results
The small amount of debt cancellation given so far has achieved startling results, including more than doubling school enrollment in Uganda, vaccinating five hundred thousand children in Mozambique and adding three more years of schooling for Honduran children. But much more must be done!

FACT: After debt relief and the elimination of school fees, 1.5 million children returned to school in Tanzania almost overnight.

You Have the Power
Ordinary Americans, working with partners around the world, can generate the political will needed to achieve full debt cancellation. The United States has the most influence of any nation over creditors and international banks. Our Congress could leverage full debt cancellation for impoverished countries. However, they won’t act unless they think you care.

FACT: The progress Jubilee USA has made so far toward debt cancellation could never have happened without the concern and action of people like you. You have the power to make freedom from debt a reality. Join us today!

The time to act is now: House vote expected in early April 2008!
CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE & SENATORS!Urge Your Rep to vote "YES" on the Jubilee Act (HR2634)

HOUSE CALL-IN: HR2634
1. Find out who your Representative is by entering your zip code at www.house.gov (upper left corner).

2. Call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121.

3. Ask to be connected to your Representative's office. The receptionist will answer. Introduce yourself as (your name) a constituent from (city, state).

4. I am calling today to urge Representative________ to vote yes on the Jubilee Act (HR2634), which will be considered on the House floor in early April. This bill would expand eligibility for debt cancellation to 67 impoverished countries. Without debt cancellation these 67 countries will not be able to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). (If you’d like, add an additional sentence about why this issue is important to you). Do you know how Representative _________ plans to vote on the Jubilee Act?

5. Be sure to thank the receptionist when you are finished.

6. Email Policy Fellow Danielle Pals at Jubilee with the results of your call at danielle@jubileeusa.org. This will enable us to register your Representative’s support/opposition and follow up with the office if necessary.


SENATE CALL-IN: S2166
1. Find out who your Senator is by selecting your state from the drop down menu at www.senate.gov (upper right corner).

2. Call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121.

3. Ask to be connected to your Senator's office. The receptionist will answer. Introduce yourself as (your name), a constituent from (city, state).

4. I am calling today to urge Senator________ to co-sponsor the Jubilee Act, S2166. This bill would expand eligibility for debt cancellation to 67 impoverished countries. I urge Senator __________ to co-sponsor this important legislation. Without debt cancellation these 67 countries will not be able to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). (You can stop there, or add an additional sentence about why this issue is important to you).

5. Be sure to thank the receptionist when you are finished.

6. Email Policy Fellow Danielle Pals at danielle(at)jubileeusa.org with the results of your call. You can reach Danielle. This will enable us to register your Senator’s support/opposition and follow up with the office if necessary.

Thank you for making the call against debt. Your call really does make a difference! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact Jubilee’s Advocacy Fellow Danielle Pals at danielle(at)jubileeusa.org or 202-783-0215.

One Man Came In The Name Of Love

**Note- I am keeping this post at the top through Monday. Scroll down for weekend posts**


Please check out Sparky Duck's Poetry Train today as he is featuring the "I have been to the mountaintop" speech. This was the last speech Martin gave.

We received the following email on Dr. King from our CEO here at work and I thought what he wrote was very well put and wanted to share a part of it that caught my attention.

"... like many of you, I find it very hard to find inspiration from our public leaders today. It seems that the caliber of our leaders and their intentions are not what I remember growing up in the sixties and seventies. But much of that hopelessness is admittedly a product of my own shortcomings and frailties. Dr. King often said that the arc of the universe bends toward justice - and it does, but not by itself. It bends toward justice because of caring people like all of you, who collectively seek to make the world a better place. Martin Luther King gave up his life for this cause. What I learned from his words was to believe in the righteousness of human beings and to have faith."

Well said and something to keep in mind.

Remember MLK

"We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord."

For a full Audio Version of Dr. King's last speech made the night before his assassination please visit This Site.