Drug-Free Tennessee Deals Truth and Positivity

 Drug-Free Tennessee helps people, especially young people, learn the disastrous effects of drugs before it’s too late.  

Drug-Free Tennessee (DFT) has been helping people learn the truth about drugs since 2009 with events, seminars, online media and directly contacting people with informational materials. In response to the increase of drug overdoses in Tennessee every year since 2015, DFT has been active in spreading awareness of the deadly consequences of taking drugs. 

Drug-Free Tennessee hosted virtual resources throughout 2020 and 2021 online at drugfreetn.org with audio-visual messages and videos aimed at helping people steer clear of drug abuse and addiction. The organization has also long offered virtual learning resources and free materials to all educators wanting to help people learn the truth about drugs. Resources are available free of charge through drugfreeworld.org. 

In addition to the virtual resources, DFT was able to start reaching people again in person with Truth About Drugs booklet distribution events and seminars. 

Julie Brinker, Drug-Free Tennessee spokesperson, said, “Now more than ever is the time to help our friends and neighbors learn the truth about drugs. They are deadly, and people have a right to know what they are getting into before it’s too late.”

Drug-Free Tennessee distributes the Truth About Drugs booklet, which cover all basic side effects of drugs, common street names, and how to recognize when you are being persuaded by a dealer. DFT also has a range of award winning Public Service Announcements and an award winning feature length documentary detailing the dangers of drugs and addiction. To learn more or to order booklets or view the videos, visit drugfreetn.org and drugfreeworld.org.

Church of Scientology Nashville to Hold Event for World Civil Defense Day 2022

 The Church of Scientology Nashville regularly hosts events to bring attention to vitally important issues affecting the community. With COVID-19, in-person gatherings continue to look different, but still bring people together for important discussions of current issues.

 

World Civil Defense Day, which was created by decision of the International Civil Defense Organization (ICDO) General Assembly in 1990, and is celebrated every year on the 1st of March. According to ICDO, “This Day… has two main purposes: that of bringing to the attention of the world public the vital importance of Civil Protection and of raising awareness of the preparedness for, and prevention and self-protection measures in the event of accidents or disasters; and that of paying tribute to the efforts, sacrifices and accomplishments of all the national services responsible for the fight against disasters.”

 

Julie Brinker, who oversees community affairs for the Nashville Church of Scientology, explained how it becomes involved during times of disaster. “We have a program called Volunteer Ministers. Anyone of any culture or creed may train as a Volunteer Minister and use these tools to help their families and communities, and all are welcome to do so,” she said. Brinker said volunteerministers.org contains resources one would need to become trained in this technology.  

 

Equipped with effective technology to resolve virtually any difficulty, Volunteer Ministers live by the motto: “No matter the problem, something can be done about it.” Transcending all ethnic, cultural and religious boundaries, the Volunteer Ministers program is there for anyone in need of help.

 

In creating the Volunteer Ministers program, L. Ron Hubbard wrote, “If one does not like the crime, cruelty, injustice and violence of this society, he can do something about it. He can become a Volunteer Minister and help civilize it, bring it conscience and kindness and love and freedom from travail by instilling into it trust, decency, honesty and tolerance.”

 

To learn more about the Scientology Volunteer Ministers, visit scientology-ccnashville.org. 

MLK 2022 Virtual Event Uplifts Human Rights Work in the Community

 Human Rights group forwards the dream of Martin Luther King Jr. through its award-winning education campaign

 

On the King Center website, Coretta Scott King describes the significance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a day to honor the legacy of "a man who brought hope and healing to America ... The King Holiday honors the life and contributions of America's greatest champion of racial justice and equality, the leader who not only dreamed of a color-blind society but who also led a movement that achieved historic reforms to help make it a reality." In Nashville, Tennessee United for Human Rights (TnUHR) joined the MLK Day virtual event in Nashville to honor Dr. King's legacy.

 

On the MLKDayNashville.com website, Tennessee United for Human Rights is listed on the table sponsors page, with the description: “Tennessee United for Human Rights provides human rights educational resources and activities that inform, assist and unite individuals, educators, organizations and governmental bodies in the area of Human Rights.” There is also a link to the website tnuhr.org and email info@tnuhr.org.

 

TnUHR was formed as a nonprofit public benefit corporation in 2015 to educate Tennesseans on the basic principles and foundations of human rights. It is the local chapter of United for Human Rights, an international, not-for-profit organization dedicated to implementing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Its membership is comprised of individuals, educators and groups throughout the world who actively forward the knowledge and protection of human rights by and for all mankind.

 

The theme of the 2022 MLK Virtual Event is "The Legacy Continues: Lifting the Next Generation of Dreamers," and took place online. It aired on Facebook Live (facebook.com/MLKDayNashville) with keynote speaker, Ilyasah Shabazz, an American author, most notably of a memoir, Growing Up X, as the third daughter of Malcolm X and Betty Shabazz.

 

Brian Fesler, regional coordinator of TnUHR and pastor of the Church of Scientology Nashville, says, "Dr. King is a human rights legend and we are always going to honor his legacy by working to make his dream a reality."

 

United for Human Rights was founded on the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the first such document ever ratified by the community of nations. Then as now, continued worldwide human rights abuses violate the spirit, intent and articles of this charter. United for Human Rights is committed to advancing human rights through education. An understanding of the 30 rights enshrined in the document is the first step to bringing about their broad implementation.

 

The Church of Scientology and Scientologists support United for Human Rights, the world's largest nongovernmental human rights education campaign, active in 192 countries and partnering with 1,500 groups and organizations. The initiative is inspired by humanitarian and Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard who said: "It is vital that all thinking men urge upon their governments sweeping reforms in the field of human rights."

The Way to Happiness Association of Tennessee Helps Bring Hope

 The Way to Happiness Association of Tennessee has been spreading positive messages since 2009 to residents through distribution of the common sense moral code.

The Way to Happiness, a book written by humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard in the early 1980s, is comprised of 21 precepts, each one predicated on the fact that one’s survival depends on the survival of others—and that without the survival of others, neither joy nor happiness are attainable. 

In the three decades since it was authored, more than 115 million copies of the book passed hand to hand, thus inspiring the international movement which is spreading throughout Tennessee and the southern United States. 

The Way to Happiness Association of Tennessee (TWTH-TN) remained active virtually since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, spreading positive audio-visual messages. And, once it was safe, volunteers took to the streets and parks of Nashville and surrounding communities to continue distributing booklets to help people learn the concepts contained within the common-sense moral code and uplift those in need.

Volunteers found that “people gravitate toward the booklet which creates positivity in a world so often filled with hate.” 

TWTH-TN is making a true impact across Tennessee and reaching other parts of the world. To learn more about the program, or to order copies of The Way to Happiness booklet, visit twthtn.org. 

Nashville Religion Communicators to Learn Key for Success with Action

 The Nashville Chapter of the Religion Communicators Council (RCC) meets monthly to talk about topics of interest and hear from professionals in religious communications.  

The Religion Communicators Council (RCC) is an interfaith association of religion communicators at work in print and electronic communication, marketing, and public relations. The Nashville Chapter meets monthly to learn about other faith traditions, learn from fellow communicators and gain professional development opportunities. 

The March meeting will be virtual, with guest speaker John Thalheimer on “how to communicate so others take action, drawing from his recent book, The Truth About Selling,” according to religioncommunicators.org/Nashville-chapter. 

Thalheimer is an award-winning management consultant, speaker, and author, and has helped hundreds of businesses and thousands of professionals transform their potential into extraordinary performance. “The secret is in learning the ability to make the right behavioral decision in the moment to reach the desired outcomes,” he says. He works with executives, managers, and coworkers to help them reach their full potential.

The RCC has members from every faith group and walk of life including Baha’is, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Scientologists, Sikhs, Hindus, and more. The RCC, founded in 1929, is an association of communications professionals who work for and with a diverse group of faith-based organizations in the areas of communications, public relations, advertising, and development. 

The RCC provides opportunities for communicators to learn from each other. Together, RCC members promote excellence in the communication of faith and values in the public arena. For more information about the Religion Communicators Council, visit religioncommunicators.org/nashville-chapter. 

Citizens Commission on Human Rights Educates Community on Antisemitism

 The Citizens Commission on Human Rights of Nashville (CCHR Nashville) held a special open house at the end of January to educate the community on antisemitism and its continued existence throughout the world.

The Nashville Chapter of Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR Nashville) had a special discussion in late January to confront a serious topic: antisemitism. 

CCHR is known as an advocate for human rights, especially as relates to patients’ rights in the field of mental health. Per the international CCHR website, cchr.org, “CCHR has long fought to restore basic inalienable human rights to the field of mental health, including, but not limited to, full informed consent regarding the medical legitimacy of psychiatric diagnosis, the risks of psychiatric treatments, the right to all available medical alternatives and the right to refuse any treatment considered harmful.”

During this open house, attendees heard from a special guest with the Jewish community on the topic “Holocaust Remembrance: Why Here? Why Now?” He spoke with real-world examples he’s experienced and seen in the news of hatred toward Jewish people. His message was simple: be kind to all people.  

CCHR Nashville regularly hosts events and meetings with local leaders who give insight into patients’ rights, parents’ rights and more. 

CCHR is a non-profit, non-political, non-religious mental health watchdog. Its mission is to eradicate abuses committed under the guise of mental health and enact patient and consumer protections. CCHR receives reports about abuses in the field of mental health and is especially interested in situations where persons experienced abuse or damage due to a false diagnosis or unwanted and harmful psychiatric treatments, such as psychiatric drugs, electroshock (ECT) and electronic or magnetic brain stimulation (TMS). CCHR is often able to assist with filing complaints, and can work with a person’s attorney to further investigate the case. 

For more information on the open house or to contact CCHR Nashville, visit cchrnashville.org.