Tennessee United for Human Rights to Commemorate Juneteenth

Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. This year, Tennessee United for Human Rights is observing the day with special messages online.



According to juneteenth.com, the Juneteenth celebrations date back to 1865, and it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Note that this was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation - which had become official January 1, 1863.

Today, Juneteenth is celebrated in African American communities across the country. In Nashville, the Music City Freedom Festival will commemorate the occasion at Hadley Park starting at noon. For those still avoiding large crowds due to COVID-19, Tennessee United for Human Rights (TnUHR) is sharing virtual messages that day about freedom and basic human rights.



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.



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.





For more information about Juneteenth and the celebrations around the country, visit www.juneteenth.com.

The Way to Happiness Association Honors Fathers

 

The Way to Happiness Association is observing Father’s Day with special virtual messages.

 

According to history.com, “The nation’s first Father’s Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910, in the state of Washington. However, it was not until 1972–58 years after President Woodrow Wilson made Mother’s Day official–that the day honoring fathers became a nationwide holiday in the United States.”  

 

The 1910 celebration started when a Spokane, Washington, woman named Sonora Smart Dodd, one of six children raised by a widower, tried to establish an official equivalent to Mother’s Day for male parents.

 

Father’s Day 2021 will occur on Sunday, June 20.

 

The Way to Happiness Association of Tennessee which was formed around the concepts presented in the book of the same name by humanitarian and author L. Ron Hubbard, is reminding us this Father’s Day to honor our parents with virtual messages on this theme.

 

The Way to Happiness is filled with twenty-one precepts based on the fact that one’s survival depends on the survival of others. One of these precepts is “Honor and Help Your Parents,” in which Mr. Hubbard wrote: “In spite of all, one must remember that they are the only parents one has. And as such, no matter what, one should honor them and help them. The way to happiness includes being on good terms with one’s parents or those who brought one up.”

 

The Way to Happiness Association wants to bring people together who care, so they can connect and do bigger things. The messages shared online from The Way to Happiness Association can be found here: facebook.com/twthtn. For more information on The Way to Happiness Association, visit twthtn.org.

Nashville Religion Communicators DayBreak Discussions in June

 

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 at rotating locations to learn about other faith traditions, learn from fellow communicators and gain professional development opportunities.

 

The upcoming June meeting will be a daybreak discussion held virtually. Nashville has now lifted all COVID-19 restrictions, but many are still cautious about returning to in-person.  DayBreak Discussions are a new meeting format for Nashville RCC which brings together members along with the broader community for organic conversations about worldly topics.

 

The June meeting will be led by Nashville Chapter President, Rev. Brian Fesler, who is also Pastor of the Church of Scientology.

 

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.

 

Drug-Free Tennessee Encourages Safe, Drug-Free Summer for Youth

 

Drug-Free Tennessee has a mission to educate people on the dangers of drug abuse.

 

The U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration interviewed more than 230,000 young adults from 2002 to 2012. It found that on an average June or July day, more than 11,000 teens try alcohol for the first time, while first-time alcohol use during the rest of the year is about 5,000-8,000.

 

Drug-Free Tennessee has long warned youth and adults alike on the dangers of drug abuse, including alcohol abuse. With summer approaching and school’s letting out soon, DFT is reminding parents to help their kids with drug-free activities so they stay safe and healthy.

 

There are infinite ideas for safe, healthy activities kids can do during summer from sports, swimming, biking, attending or hosting cookouts, hiking, and more. Some ideas can be found at kidshealth.org, including a breakdown for interests by grade level.

 

Drug-Free Tennessee has hosted virtual resources throughout 2020 at drugfreetn.org and has continued this year 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.

 

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.

Citizens Commission on Human Rights to Honor Past Heroes on Memorial Day

 

In honoring the nation’s veterans and service members, mental health watchdog, CCHR, questions potential roll of psychotropic drugs & electroshock in 20-per-day vet suicides and service member suicides.

 

Memorial Day honors the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. It also recognizes the shocking number of veterans and service members that have taken their own lives. Despite highly touted efforts to curb the suicide rate among these dedicated groups, suicides remain high and the mental health industry watchdog group Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) is calling on Congress to increase efforts to investigate this. CCHR’s Nashville chapter is sharing resources and virtual messages this Memorial Day to shed light on this subject.

 

CCHR wants the military and Veteran Affairs (VA) to disclose whether psychiatric drugs were tested for and present in suicide autopsies.

 

Suicide—not combat—is the leading killer of U.S. troops deployed to the Middle East to fight Islamic State militants, Pentagon statistics show. While an average of 4,200 veterans die by firearm suicide every year, it’s unknown how many of them were taking a psychiatric drug or withdrawing from one or cocktails of them—a vital correlation for families and governments to know. Potentially, psychotropic drugs induce the “mental trigger” that drives service members and vets to take their own lives.

 

International drug regulatory agency reports warn these drugs can cause suicide, violence, mania, psychosis, aggression, hallucinations, death and much more. Between 2005 and 2011, the military increased its prescriptions of psychoactive drugs (antipsychotics, sedatives, stimulants and mood stabilizers) by almost 700% according to a New York Times article by Richard Friedman titled “Wars on Drugs,” in April, 2013.

 

Hundreds of veterans are also given brain-damaging electroshock and this does not include those given it in private or non-contracting VA institutions. In 2015, 140 of the VA’s healthcare facilities—approximately 49%—delivered electroshock. The VA has spent more than $1 million on electroshock devices and related parts, despite the device manufacturers having never provided clinical trials proving safety and efficacy. CCHR’s online petition to ban ECT shows more than 120,000 people who would agree ECT should not be used on our vets and service members.

 

Memorial Day is this nation’s opportunity to remember those who have courageously served on the front lines and made profound sacrifices to ensure the freedoms we continue to enjoy. They deserve the very best services, which doesn’t include treatment that harms or kills in the name of mental health care.

 

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. To contact CCHR Nashville for more information, visit cchrnashville.org.  

The Way to Happiness Association to Observe World Environment Day Virtually

 

The Way to Happiness Association is observing World Environment Day with special virtual messages.

 

According to the Nashville Area Metro Planning Organization, “More and more transportation, and polices that guide the expansion of transportation infrastructure, are increasingly linked to a variety of environmental issues.” It’s no doubt that Nashville has been experiencing unprecedented growth, but what is happening to the natural environment as this growth occurs? That is what The Way to Happiness Association of Tennessee wants people to become more aware of and seek out solutions for.

 

The Way to Happiness Association of Tennessee which was formed around the concepts presented in the book of the same name by humanitarian and author L. Ron Hubbard, is reminding us this World Environment Day to safeguard and improve our environments with virtual messages on this theme.

 

The Way to Happiness is filled with twenty-one precepts based on the fact that one’s survival depends on the survival of others. One of these precepts is “Safeguard and Improve the Environment,” in which Mr. Hubbard wrote: “Man has gotten up to the potential of destroying the planet. He must be pushed on up to the capability and actions of saving it. It is, after all, what we’re standing on.”

 

World Environment Day occurs each year on June 5th and is celebrated by the United Nations. According to unep.org, World Environment Day “…has grown to be a broad, global platform for public outreach that is widely celebrated by stakeholders in over 100 countries. It also serves as the ‘people’s day’ for doing something positive for the environment, galvanizing individual actions into a collective power that generates an exponential positive impact on the planet.”

 

The Way to Happiness Association wants to bring people together who care, so they can connect and do bigger things. The messages shared online from The Way to Happiness Association can be found here: facebook.com/twthtn. For more information on The Way to Happiness Association, visit twthtn.org.

Nashville Religion Communicators Inspired by Meeting on Messaging

 

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 at rotating locations to learn about other faith traditions, learn from fellow communicators and gain professional development opportunities.

 

The May meeting was held virtually, as the city and the world are still slowly coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

RCC members heard from the Co-Founder & Partner of Leap + Pivot, a creative and strategic communications consulting firm. L+P’s vision of success is building partnerships to create transformation. During the RCC meeting, the topic of discussion was: The Momentum to Move Forward, and covered building a foundational message, how to engage well in the community, and navigating the world of leadership. But that’s not all RCC members took away from the meeting—the presentation also showcased a messaging strategy which highlighted ending racism and inspired all attending.

 

“We were so excited to have this presentation on messaging, to learn how to create a good, persistent message that engages communities and elicits conversation,” says Julie Brinker, communications coordinator for the RCC Nashville chapter and director of community affairs for the Church of Scientology Nashville.

 

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.