Promise rings
Work's busy, so here are just a couple of interesting blurbs which I thought were worth highlighting:
1) I read this article last month and kept meaning to mention it--better late than never I suppose. BBC World News reports that the ACLU is suing the US federal government on the grounds that its 'Silver Ring Thing' project (now there's a name generated by committee if I ever heard one) "violates the principle that the state budget cannot be used to promote religion."
What is this 'Silver Ring Thing' thing? Glad you asked. Apparently the Federal Department of Health and Human Services is funding a program which distributes silver rings (inscribed with a typically foreboding biblical verse) to teenagers in a bid to curb premarital sex. Wearing the ring is supposed to be a sign of chastity and moral purity.
Let's see... illegal? Check. Unconstitutional? Check. Morally presumptuous? Checkaroo. Unrealistic? Double check. Premised on archaic, obsolete, irrelevant dogma? Triple-dog check.
Glad to see the christian right is sticking to their priorities.
2) On a more positive note, have you heard of the Pledge Bank? If not, go take a look at it right now. A hundred blessed thanks to Pacanukeha for linking to this wonderful project--it's a brilliant idea and one of the most unique, innovative and strategic attempts at promoting community engagement I've ever seen.
Basically it's a forum where people make pledges to engage in some kind of socially-relevant endeavour, like starting a compost in their backyard or volunteering at their local school, but only if X number of other people will join in. It's premised on, and gains traction from, the astute observation that an individual is more likely to commit to a project if they don't think they'll be alone. Genius.
1) I read this article last month and kept meaning to mention it--better late than never I suppose. BBC World News reports that the ACLU is suing the US federal government on the grounds that its 'Silver Ring Thing' project (now there's a name generated by committee if I ever heard one) "violates the principle that the state budget cannot be used to promote religion."
What is this 'Silver Ring Thing' thing? Glad you asked. Apparently the Federal Department of Health and Human Services is funding a program which distributes silver rings (inscribed with a typically foreboding biblical verse) to teenagers in a bid to curb premarital sex. Wearing the ring is supposed to be a sign of chastity and moral purity.
Let's see... illegal? Check. Unconstitutional? Check. Morally presumptuous? Checkaroo. Unrealistic? Double check. Premised on archaic, obsolete, irrelevant dogma? Triple-dog check.
Glad to see the christian right is sticking to their priorities.
2) On a more positive note, have you heard of the Pledge Bank? If not, go take a look at it right now. A hundred blessed thanks to Pacanukeha for linking to this wonderful project--it's a brilliant idea and one of the most unique, innovative and strategic attempts at promoting community engagement I've ever seen.
Basically it's a forum where people make pledges to engage in some kind of socially-relevant endeavour, like starting a compost in their backyard or volunteering at their local school, but only if X number of other people will join in. It's premised on, and gains traction from, the astute observation that an individual is more likely to commit to a project if they don't think they'll be alone. Genius.
posted by Labris @ 12:37 p.m.
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