Global Discrimination

                                   
                                                           
                                      The issue is global:
  Inequality is a topic many people tend to overlook, or not think about daily. However, millions of people throughout the world face unequal treatment, even citizens of the "land of the free," the United States of America. Activist groups like Amnesty International as well as may bands and musicians are working to raise awareness of the issues of inequality and global discrimination.
                                           
                                    Progress and problems in the Middle East:
  Middle Eastern countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan are notorious for inequality, especially for the unequal treatment of women. Recently, progress has been made in the nation of Afghanistan due to its new government led by President Hamid Karzai. Women were given more freedoms such as the right to work and pursue an education following the liberation of the Taliban and other extremist groups
 These liberations have not been fully enforced, however. Today, only 30% of women can gain an education;  only 13% are literate; about 80% are forced into arranged marriages; and 1 and 3 women have been abused physically, mentally, or sexually. (http://newint.org/features/2008/11/01/afghanistan-facts/) The number of working women in Afghanistan has increased but more needs to be done to improve social equality and quality of life.

                                      Discrimination in the USA:
    Although the United States gives its citizens  freedoms not given in many nations (speech, religion, etc), many people face inequality and discrimination based on  factors such as gender and sexuality, among others.
  Wages are not equal for men and women. Although women have access to mostly the same jobs as men, women on average earn 80% of what men earn working a full time job. (http://www.stanford.edu/group/scspi/cgi-bin/facts.php) Also, women have only recently been given opportunities to serve in the military doing similar work as men, however given a lower salary.
   In addition to wage inequality, people who are in homosexual relationships are  being discriminated against. This situation has improved in the past few years with states allowing same-sex marriage. However, today only 15 states have legalized marriage between same- sex couples, whereas, countries such as Canada, France, and England allow same- sex marriage in every province.

                                      Amnesty International:
    Amnesty International is an organization attempting to promote human rights in every nation. The website: http://www.amnestyusa.org lists articles on topics concerning equality and gives interested viewers the chance to donate to the cause. The Amnesty International theme song, "Toast to Freedom" was covered by the punk- rock group, Anti-Flag, who stand for the same values and participate in human rights activism.. The video can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZ3VqR8xC34