Rhode Island: An Immigrant Jail in an Immigrant Town

So many of you were moved by the last Conformity & Conflict chapter we read on immigrants vs. refugees. Happened upon this video from NYTimes this week on immigrants in Rhode Island. One of the things I am concerned about relative to illegal immigrants is creating a culture where the institution of the family is not at all respected among those whom we deem "illegal". They are still human beings and creating a capitalistic culture of wealth on top of family's misery seems unethical no matter what circumstances led to that plight.

NYTIMES: U.S.
An Immigrant Jail in an Immigrant Town

Locking up unauthorized immigrants for deportation is a growth industry. The jail in Central Falls, R.I., tried to cash in, but in a town full of immigrants, one result is a community living in fear.

A Refugee Crisis in Afghanistan - NYTIMES Video

Connecticut Ruling Overturns Ban on Same-Sex Marriage

For the groups doing their presentations on Families, Marriage and Kinship, make sure you pay attention to what's happening in the news. Current affairs are great topics for conversation.

Breaking News Alert
The New York Times
Friday, October 10, 2008 -- 12:17 PM ET
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Connecticut Ruling Overturns Ban on Same-Sex Marriage

Connecticut's Supreme Court ruled Friday that same-sex couples have the right to marry, making the state the third to legalize such unions.

Read More: http://www.nytimes.com/?emc=na

Go to the link to see the Text of the Ruling, which in part read:

We conclude that, in light of the history of pernicious discrimination faced by gay men and lesbians,1 and because the institution of marriage carries with it a status and significance that the newly created classification of civil unions does not embody, the segregation of heterosexual and homosexual couples into separate institutions constitutes a cognizable harm. We also conclude that (1) our state scheme discriminates on the basis of sexual orientation, (2) for the same reasons that classifications predicated on gender are considered quasi-suspect for purposes of the equal protection provisions of the United States constitution, sexual orientation constitutes a quasi-suspect classification for purposes of the equal protection provisions of the state constitution, and, therefore, our statutes discriminating against gay persons are subject to heightened or intermediate judicial scrutiny, and (3) the state has failed to provide sufficient justification for excluding same sex couples from the institution of
marriage.

Article on Dying Languages in NYTimes Sep 19, 2007

Languages Die, but Not Their Last Words

Chris Rainier/National Geographic

Charlie Muldunga, right, the last known speaker of Amurdag, with two researchers who are making a record of dying languages, K. David Harrison, left, and Gregory D. S. Anderson.

By JOHN NOBLE WILFORD

Published in NYTimes: September 19, 2007

Of the estimated 7,000 languages spoken in the world today, linguists say, nearly half are in danger of extinction and likely to disappear in this century. In fact, one falls out of use about every two weeks.