All Perspectives
Nonprofits work to help legal immigrants become US citizensThe costly, lengthy, labyrinthine path to US citizenship can take two years to complete, dissuading many from trying. Nonprofits are jumping in to help.- Readers RespondReaders Write: Affirmative action is still needed in the USLetters to the Editor for the November 19, 2012 weekly print issue: Affirmative action helps eliminate the ignorance of racial bigotry and animosity. It is needed as much today as it was in 1968.聽The notion that the races are fighting over a scarce number of places is a shallow argument.
Philanthropy unboundPhilanthropy is a word often associated with top hats and tote bags. But its original and essential meaning -- going back to the ancient Greeks -- is even more generous: It is about helping humanity make progress.
Giving back: Eight innovative philanthropists around the world The global face of philanthropy is changing. Donors no longer just open their wallets. They're actively involved in causes, use savvy business practices, and leverage what they give to achieve more good. Meet eight innovators.
Volunteer Square matches willing helpers with charitable tasksA Connecticut website provides a place where people find volunteer opportunities, and nonprofits find new volunteers.
Len Stanmore mixes adventure with helping othersHe's about to set a world record by climbing the highest peaks on seven continents and crossing the four most inhospitable deserts. But when he added a charitable aspect to his quest he made it even more meaningful.
Confronting bullying, one drumbeat at a timePrograms that get junior high school students drumming together cut down on bullying in Utah and Australia.
A 'paper rain' of political ads doesn't discourage one young BrazilianThe author's host 'sister,' Luciana, hasn't given in to cynicism about the electoral system in Brazil. 'He won! He won!' she shouts as she learns her candidate is elected.
What happens in a news drought?Throughout the United States, newspapers are downsizing. Whether or not you shed a tear for journalists, it's worth considering what happens in communities where no one is keeping watch on politicians, public officials, or city streets.- Readers RespondReaders Write: US-NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan is complicated; Quran must be better understoodLetters to the Editor for the weekly print issue of November 11, 2012: The聽US military entered Afghanistan in 2001 in order to bring democracy, gender equality, and security to that nation, but many would argue that they have failed on all counts;聽The Quran must be discussed with reason and intelligence, as an International Quranic Studies Association would hopefully accomplish.
Difference MakerRuben Garcia sought his mission in life. He found it helping the 'poorest of the poor'Ruben Garcia founded Annunciation House in El Paso, Texas, which aids immigrants fleeing violence in Mexico and Central America.
Points of ProgressPoland takes top honors for 'most improved' in cutting red tapeIt's getting easier to do business in many countries, according to a World Bank report, with Eastern Europe and Central Asia making significant strides this year.
A second chance for Johnny Cash's childhood homeUnder the guidance of Arkansas State University, fund-raising and restoration is well under way with the ultimate goal of returning rundown Dyess, Ark., to some of its former glory.
One by one, Vietnam deals with unexploded bombsSince starting work in Vietnam in 1999, the Mines Advisory Group has destroyed an average of 15,000 unexploded bombs from the Vietnam War era each year that continue to kill or injure thousands of Vietnamese.- Readers RespondReaders Write: The real definition and drivers of povertyLetters to the Editor for the weekly print issue of November 5, 2012: Poverty is American hardly compares to poverty in Africa 鈥� in attitude and in hardship. The real cause of poverty in the US is job-killing free trade and oligarchic rule that widens the gap between rich and poor.
Election 2012: the beautiful momentPolitics is messy, expensive, comical, infuriating, and often dispiriting -- especially after an interminable US presidential campaign. But voting itself ... that's the real point of democracy.
Difference MakerKebedom Mengistu's little newspaper gives hope to Africans who've fled to IsraelUsing his laptop, Kebedom Mengistu publishes Hadush Zemen (New Century), a newspaper for refugees from Eritrea who've survived the perilous trip and settled in Israel.
Zimbabwe turns to drought-resistant cropsScientists are developing faster-maturing and drought-tolerant varieties of corn and cotton, holding out the hope of much-needed relief for thousands of farmers across Zimbabwe.
Incubating women's businesses in the Palestinian territoriesTomorrow鈥檚 Youth Organization based in Nablus, on the West Bank, helps promising new women's businesses survive.
Progress WatchNeither heat nor gloom ... Afghan post office deliversAs the Afghan government struggles to develop, the post office has quietly managed to become one of the nation's most efficient institutions - and with extremely limited international assistance.
