Georgetown's Prison Outreach Program

For the past two semesters I have tutored with Georgetown’s Prison Outreach program, an organization within the Center For Social Justice. If selected from the relatively competitive application process, Georgetown students tutor inmates weekly at both Arlington Prison and the Alexandria Detention Facility. The goal is to work with inmates one on one to help them achieve either their GED or pass their ESL examination. With these qualifications, after being released from prison, individuals will be better equipped to successfully reintegrate into society and support themselves and their families.

While some classes are conducted in the detention facility, with only one teacher and a vast range of abilities and learning levels, few inmates get individual attention and it is difficult to cater to everyone’s educational needs. Therefore I feel that the one on one work that we do is invaluable in that it is the only time that inmates get individual attention. Many of the inmates are extremely gifted, but often have simply not had the opportunity to fulfill their potential in a poor school system and/or an impoverished upbringing. Many are immigrants, and have never learnt English properly, which is a major hindrance to their ability to succeed in America. Without a basic grasp of the English language or a high school diploma, I can understand why many of these individuals have made choices that may not have been the most beneficial for them at the time. Working with the program has given me a greater insight into what I see as a fundamentally vicious cycle of crime for many of America's under privileged youth and immigrants in particular.

Ultimately, my hope is that prison does not have to be the end of the incarcerated’s opportunities in life to better themselves and develop their life goals. Shouldn't prison give the condemned the opportunity to change their behaviors, enhance their skill sets and thus their lives? Working with the incarcerated has been endlessly rewarding, and I hope to continue to be involved with different types of outreach to prisons in the coming years.

Convention on Cluster Munitions

I recently read that the Dublin Diplomatic Conference on Cluster Munitions agreed in May to forbid the use or production of cluster munitions.  As many know, cluster bombs have been used in warfare for decades and have caused immense harm and suffering.  Now, on December 3, the Convention on Cluster Munitions will be signed in Oslo, Norway.  This is an incredibly exciting event as it puts human welfare and decency over the production of violent weapons.  The UN, Red Cross, and multiple other organizations have been involved in this treaty, which will be the first international treaty to prohibit a whole category of arms.

This is a great step for non-violence and many hope to continue this disarmament effort and include other types of weaponry in the ban.  Hopefully, in years to come, the push for disarmament will gain even more strength and follow the example of the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

Thailand Protesters Take Over Airport

The day before Thanksgiving, Thailand protesters took over Thailand's International Airport. By overrunning strategic areas of the airport, such as the control tower, the protesters halted airline traffic and its 16 billion dollar tourism industry. Consequently, Thailand has suffered a significant economic blow on top of the economic distress it, and the world, has already experienced this year. The protest was led by the People's Alliance for Democracy and their yellow shirts. A PAD leader announced to the press that he refuses to end the protests until Prime Minister Somachi Wongsawat has resigned, damaging Thailand's economy and reputation each day the protest continues.