UNA-USA Members in the Media

UNA-USA members from across the country are actively engaging others in discussion about the UN by writing opinion pieces and letters to the editor for their local newspapers and publications. This section highlights the work of these members, and hopefully encourages others to do the same! Also included are tips on how to write opinion letters, letters to the editor, work with the media, and find your local media outlets.

We take great pride in our members, so if you've written something for your local paper, please contact the UNA-USA Washington Office at unadc@unausa.org and let us know!

January 17, 2010  A letter to the editor about UN efforts in Haiti by Monterey Bay (CA) Chapter president Larry Levine was published in the Monterey County Herald.

January 8, 2010  An opinion piece on the UN's nuclear nonproliferation efforts by Southern Oregon Chapter member Russy Sumariwalla was published in the Ashland Daily Tidings.

November 22, 2009  A letter to the editor about the UN's humanitarian and development work by Pikes Peak (CO) Chapter advocacy chair Jay Amato was published in the Colorado Springs Gazette. 

November 12, 2009  An op-ed on climate change by Southern Oregon Chapter president Russy Sumariwalla was printed in the Ashland Daily Tidings.

November 3, 2009  An article about the Greater Orlando Chapter's UN Day event was published by the West Orlando News.

October 31, 2009  A letter to the editor on U.S.-UN funding by Pikes Peak (CO) Chapter advocacy chair James J. Amato was published in the Denver Post.

October 22, 2009  A letter to the editor on climate change by Davis (CA) Chaper president Verena Borton was published in The Davis Enterprise.  

October 21, 2009  An op-ed on the important work of the United Nations by Russy D. Sumariwalla, president of the Southern Oregon Chapter of UNA-USA, was published in the Ashland Daily Tidings. 

October 18, 2009  A letter to the editor on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child by Northern Colorado Chapter membership co-chair Margaret S. Smith was printed in the Fort Collins Coloradoan.  

October 18, 2009  An op-ed on why the US should support the Convention on on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women by Pat Arnold, a member of the Santa County United Nations Association, was published in the Santa Cruz Sentinel.

September 30, 2009  An article in the Monterey County Herald covered a speech by UNA-USA President Thomas J. Miller at the Monterey Institute of International Studies organized by UNA's Monterey Bay Chapter.

September 23, 2009  An op-ed on international treaties by UNA-USA Co-Chairs William J. McDonough and Thomas R. Pickering and UNA-USA President Thomas J. Miller was published in the International Herald Tribune.

September 21, 2009  A letter to the editor on UN treaties by UNA-USA President Thomas J. Miller was published in the Washington Times.

August 1, 2009  A letter to the editor on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child by UNA Northern Colorado Chapter President Eleanor Dwight was published in the Fort Collins Coloradoan.

July 12, 2009  A letter to the editor on the International Criminal Court by UNA Linn County (IA) Chapter Membership Chair Marilyn Langhurst was published in the Cedar Rapids Gazette.

June 8, 2009  A letter to the editor on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea by UNA Northern Colorado Chapter President Eleanor Dwight was published in the Fort Collins Coloradoan.

June 4, 2009  A letter to the editor on World Environment Day by UNA Pikes Peak Chapter Advocacy Chair Jay Amato was published in the Colorado Springs Gazette.

April 29, 2009  A letter to the editor by UNA-Maine member Alfred M. Niese, entitled, "U.N. strong influence toward refugee recovery", was published in the Portland Press Herald (Maine) on April 29, 2009.

April 26, 2009  Article in Herald Tribune regarding UNA Sarasota-Manatee Chapter Event on evolving relations with Cuba. Click here to access the article.

April 12, 2009  A letter to the editor by UNA-Pasadena member, and 34 Million Friends of UNFPA co-founder, Jane Roberts entitled, "Multiplier Effect: Help Women First," was published in The New York Times on April 12, 2009.

February 13, 2009  A letter to the editor by UNA Pikes Peak Chapter Advocacy Chair Jay Amato entitled, "New Day for the U.N.," was published in the Colorado Springs Gazette on February 13, 2009.

January 30, 2009  A letter to the editor by UNA-Wisconsin activist Lee Brown entitled, "Military Spending is Counter to the Change We Want," was published in The Capital Times on January 30, 2009.

January 26, 2009  A letter to the editor by Wisconsin Division director Tom Brown entitled, "UN Ambassador Rice a Fine Choice," was published in the Wisconsin State Journal on January 26, 2009.

January 21, 2009  A letter to the editor by Bergen County (NJ) Chapter president Phyllis Ehrenfeld entitled, "Teaching Lesson in Universal Cooperation," was published in The Record on January 21, 2009.

January 18, 2009  A letter to the editor by UNA-Wisconsin activist Lee Brown entitled, "Obama Must Affirm Respect for Law, Support for UN," was published in The Capital Times on January 18, 2009.

UNA-USA Members in the Media Archives

January 17, 2010  A letter to the editor about UN efforts in Haiti by Monterey Bay (CA) Chapter president Larry Levine was published in the Monterey County Herald.

Please give generously to UN effort in Haiti

Like people throughout the world, the Monterey Bay Chapter of the United Nations Association is overwhelmed by the devastating impact of the earthquake in Haiti. There are critical immediate needs for rescue, emergency health care, drinking water, food and temporary housing. The long-term effort to clear and rebuild will go on for many years.

Fortunately there are many humanitarian agencies gearing up to provide these critical services, including U.N. agencies such as the World Food Program, World Health Organization, and UNICEF for children. With a major UN presence already in Haiti, dozens of UN staff and peacekeepers from Brazil and Jordan have perished and almost 200 are still unaccounted for, perhaps in the rubble of the local U.N. headquarters. This appears to be the largest loss of lives of U.N. personnel in any activity, ever.

We hope our UNA members and others in our community will donate generously to these U.N. agencies and other humanitarian organizations struggling to meet the immense need in Haiti.

Larry Levine
Carmel

January 8, 2010  An opinion piece on the UN's nuclear nonproliferation efforts by Southern Oregon Chapter member Russy Sumariwalla was published in the Ashland Daily Tidings.

To view the article, click here.

November 22, 2009  A letter to the editor about the UN's humanitarian and development work by Pikes Peak (CO) Chapter advocacy chair Jay Amato was published in the Colorado Springs Gazette.

Largest Humanitarian Agency

The article of Nov. 15th on expanded rice production in Kenya illustrates one of the many ways in which the United Nations has improved the lives of millions through its humanitarian and peacekeeping efforts. It is easy to blame the U.N. when negotiation fails to achieve its objectives. But notice is seldom taken of those unglamorous under-the-radar achievements that merely make peoples’ lives better.

Few realize that the World Food Program is the world’s largest humanitarian agency and reaches on average 90 million hungry people every year. The World Health Organization and UNICEF have saved countless lives by greatly increasing immunization rates against diseases like polio, tetanus, measles, whooping cough, diphtheria and tuberculosis. The U.N. refugee agency is currently helping about 20 million displaced people restart their lives with dignity. And other agencies of the U.N. clear mine fields, provide clean water supplies, improve literacy, promote maternal health, protect cultural and historical sites, help disaster victims, promote economic development, protect human rights, help to spread democracy, and do so much more.

No one claims that the U.N. is without its faults, but it is undeniable that the world is a better place because of it. Let’s give some credit where credit is due.

James J. Amato, Advocacy Chair, Pikes Peak Chapter, United Nations Association of the USA, Woodland Park

November 12, 2009  An op-ed on climate change by Southern Oregon Chapter president Russy Sumariwalla was printed in the Ashland Daily Tidings.

To view the article, click here.

November 3, 2009  An article about the Greater Orlando Chapter's UN Day event was published by the West Orlando News.

To read the article, click here.

October 31, 2009  A letter to the editor on U.S.-UN funding by Pikes Peak (CO) Chapter Advocacy Chair James J. Amato was published in the Denver Post.

U.S. Funding for U.N.

Leave it to Bruce Tinsley and his reactionary Mallard Fillmore comic strip to “celebrate” United Nations Day (Oct. 24) by propagating a big lie about the U.N. — that the U.S. pays for most of it. A quick check shows that the U.S. actually pays less than a quarter of the total U.N. budget. Though this may seem like a big chunk, it is only fair to scale contributions by population, or, even better, by gross domestic product. In either case the U.S. ranks far down the list of contributors. But then Mr. Tinsley is not one to let mere facts get in the way of a good rant.

James J. Amato, Woodland Park

October 22, 2009  A letter to the editor on climate change by Davis (CA) Chaper president Verena Borton was published in The Davis Enterprise.  

350 Effort Gains Global Traction

One year ago the program for United Nations Day (October 24) of the Davis chapter of the United Nations Association was a lively talk on environmental sustainability, with an emphasis on the role of youth, by May Boeve and Jamie Henn, youthful co-coordinators with Bill McKibben of 350.org. 350 signifies the safe upper limit of carbon dioxide parts per million in our atmosphere. At present we are well above that limit and it is imperative that we reduce our carbon footprint.

Next week Davis, as well as communities all around the world, will mark United Nations Day by celebrating International Climate Action Day (for local details see www.350.org/Davis). The remarkable momentum that the 350.org campaign has gained in just one year is a tribute to the power of grassroots efforts to put climate change concerns squarely up front and center. May and Jamie have been reporting on the amazing proliferation of “actions” (over 3000 as of today) taking place on October 24 in (so far) over 158 countries. This demonstration of widespread support will add pressure to the December meeting of world leaders in Copenhagen to craft a fair climate treaty that meets the science.

Join us on Saturday, October 24. for a parade from Community Park to Central Park starting at 10 a.m., with activities and an educational vendor fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Central Park. Be part of history by making sure that you are included in the 350 Davis picture that will be uploaded to 350.org and shown that evening on the huge screen at Times Square.

Verena Borton
President, Davis chapter of UNA-USA

To read the article, click here.

October 18, 2009  A letter to the editor on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child by Northern Colorado Chapter membership co-chair Margaret S. Smith was printed in the Fort Collins Coloradoan.

Letter-to-Editor:  U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child

A letter to the Coloradoan on October 12 expresses concern about the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). The writer states that "If this treaty is ratified, all children younger than 18 would not be allowed to participate in political activities," and that this would abridge their First Amendment rights.
     
I cannot find any place in the CRC where this is stated. To the contrary, articles 12-15, 17 and 29d spell out the rights of children to:

• express their views;
• receive and impart information;     
• freedom of thought, conscience and religion;
• freedom of association and peaceful assembly;
• access to information and material from a diversity of sources;
• prepare for a responsible life in a free society.

Political participation is implied here, not excluded. The rights spelled out for children in the CRC sound very similar to what the U.S. has in place. 

The October 12 letter supports a misunderstanding of the CRC by quoting Sheikh Hasina, prime minister of Bangladesh, who vowed to keep children out of political activities. Deploying children for political rallies etc. is fairly common in South Asia. Those sometimes get violent, and that may be Sheikh Hasina's concern. Her vow seems to go against the sense of the CRC, not support it.

I agree with the letter writer's opinion that "...political freedom does not have an age limit."  I don't think the CRC contradicts that.  Readers can find the CRC at: http://www2.ohchr.org/english.

Margaret S. Smith

October 18, 2009  An op-ed on why the US should support the Convention on on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women by Pat Arnold, a member of the Santa County United Nations Association, was published in the Santa Cruz Sentinel.

To read the article, click here.

September 30, 2009  An article in the Monterey County Herald covered a speech by UNA-USA President Thomas J. Miller at the Monterey Institute of International Studies organized by UNA's Monterey Bay Chapter.

To read the article, click here.

September 23, 2009   An op-ed on international treaties by UNA-USA Co-Chairs William J. McDonough and Thomas R. Pickering and UNA-USA President Thomas J. Miller was published in the International Herald Tribune.

To view, click here.

September 21, 2009 A letter to the editor on UN treaties by UNA-USA President Thomas J. Miller was published in the Washington Times.

LETTER TO EDITOR: Trick or treaty

In her column "Fumbling jobs issue will lose Reagan Democrats" (Nation, Wednesday), Phyllis Schlafly claims U.N. treaties such as the Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) invade U.S. sovereignty by establishing compliance-monitoring committees.

The fact is that the treaty-monitoring bodies set up under the CRC and CEDAW have no enforcement authority and can make only non-binding advisory recommendations. The United States aspires to be a global leader on human rights and holds others to high standards. We should be willing to accept recommendations on applying those standards to ourselves.

For UNCLOS, no committee is tasked with monitoring compliance. Far from undermining U.S. sovereignty, ratification actually would enhance it by strengthening and codifying U.S. jurisdiction over extensive marine areas and keeping straits and ocean passageways open to our Navy. As a leading maritime power, we stand to gain more from ratification than arguably any other nation.

The United States stands virtually alone in its failure to ratify these important treaties. This undercuts American interests because instead of constraining our freedom of action, ratifying these treaties would extend the influence of our values and increase the predictability and stability of international arrangements that serve our interests.

THOMAS J. MILLER
President and CEO
United Nations Association of the USA
Washington

August 1, 2009  A letter to the editor on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child by UNA Northern Colorado Chapter President Eleanor Dwight was published in the Fort Collins Coloradoan.

U.S. should be leader in respecting children

I wish to correct some misinformation in a recent Coloradoan Soapbox alleging threats to our children if the United States ratifies the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

U.S. sovereignty is not in any way compromised by this treaty, and neither are the rights of American parents. Article 41 in the convention says that if the laws of a country provide better protection for children's rights than the articles in this convention, those laws should apply.

Article 5 states that the convention does not take responsibility for children away from their parents. It does place on governments the responsibility to protect and assist families in fulfilling their essential role as nurturer of children. All that the treaty really does is commit state parties to work toward passing laws that improve the state of children in their countries.

Somalia and the United States are the only countries in the world that have yet to sign the convention. It is important for the United States to ratify the treaty as it affirms our commitment to respecting children as human beings with specific rights.

One would think that we would want to be a leader in respecting children and in seeing that these rights of a child are a guide for all nations. How can we expect other nations to use this guideline if we ourselves do not commit to it?

Eleanor Dwight,
Fort Collins

July 12, 2009 A letter to the editor on the International Criminal Court by UNA Linn County (IA) Chapter Membership Chair Marilyn Langhurst was published in the Cedar Rapids Gazette.

Why isn’t U.S. part of international court?

As U.S. citizens, we are accustomed to a society based on the rule of law, imperfect as it may be. We know there are consequences for breaking laws and some form of justice for the victims. We see the law as a source of civil stability. Therefore, we condemn leaders in other countries who violate what we see as the rules of decency, committing atrocities with impunity, and we call for their punishment. Yet, who is to punish the leaders of lawless countries and those of non-states? The International Criminal Court is one possible answer.

The Rome Statute, an international treaty since 2002, governs the ICC. There are 108 countries that stand as state parties to the statute. However, the United States is not one. Why?

For anyone genuinely concerned about achieving a more stable and just world, the role of the United States in relationship to the ICC is worth discussing. To learn more about the ICC, Iowa Public TV will be airing a documentary Wednesday and Sunday, July 19 (check local listings).

Marilyn Langhurst

June 8, 2009 A letter to the editor on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea by UNA Northern Colorado Chapter President Eleanor Dwight was published in the Fort Collins Coloradoan.

U.S. should sign on to law of sea treaty

The United Nations designated June 8 as World Oceans Day to raise awareness about the many important issues affecting our oceans and the need for a U.N. convention on the Law of the Sea. The United States is one of the few countries that has not yet signed the treaty even though we played a key role in drafting the treaty.

As a leading maritime nation with one of the world's longest coastlines and resource-rich waters, the United States stands to benefit more than any nation from the commercial, navigational, security and environmental provisions of the treaty. The Law of the Sea Treaty is endorsed by environmental, fishing, shipping, oil and gas, and telecommunications groups. By joining this treaty, we will demonstrate to other nations that the United States is truly committed to working within a global system based on international law and cooperation

A small group of senators has blocked action on the treaty. In commemoration of this inaugural World Oceans Day, help us break through the deadlock on the Law of the Sea Treaty by calling on President Barack Obama to push for a Senate vote on the treaty without further delay.

Eleanor Dwight, president,
United Nations Association/USA,
Northern Colorado Chapter, Fort Collins

June 4, 2009 A letter to the editor on World Environment Day by UNA Pikes Peak Chapter Advocacy Chair Jay Amato was published in the Colorado Springs Gazette.

A day to focus on environment

World Environment Day, held on June 5 each year, was established in 1972 by a resolution of the United Nations General Assembly. Its purpose is to stimulate worldwide awareness of the environment and to encourage political action.

The U.N. has a long history of environmental activism. It has served as the forum for the negotiation of more than 1,000 international environmental treaties. The subjects addressed have included trade in endangered species, depletion of the ozone layer, hazardous waste management, biological diversity, sustainable development and many others.

The many successes have been marred by one conspicuous failure, the Kyoto Protocol of 1997. The United States has dragged its feet on this issue, complaining that the treaty imposes restraints on industrialized countries but does not apply to the developing nations. There is an element of hypocrisy to this objection, since inclusion of the developing nations would preclude them from achieving prosperity the same way we did, by burning prodigious quantities of fossil fuels without concern for the consequences.

But now Mother Nature is making the argument for us, because the effects of global warming are becoming too obvious to ignore. Consider the Maldives, a collection of islands in the Indian Ocean whose very existence is threatened by rising sea levels. The president of that nation has begun looking into the possibility of purchasing land in another country to relocate the entire population of 300,000. That's how seriously he takes global warming.

Samuel Johnson once noted that nothing so wonderfully concentrates the mind as the knowledge that you will soon be hanged. Let's hope this aphorism applies to the nations of the world that will meet next December in Copenhagen to negotiate the successor to the Kyoto treaty. Everyone must understand that our present course is unsustainable.

Above all, this should not be a partisan issue. After all, conservatives as well as liberals have kids and grandkids to whom they would like to bequeath the benefits of a clean and healthful environment.

James J. Amato, Advocacy Chair, Pikes Peak Chapter, United Nations Association of the USA, Woodland Park

April 29, 2009 A letter to the editor by UNA-Maine member Alfred M. Niese, entitled, "U.N. strong influence toward refugee recovery", was published in the Portland Press Herald (Maine) on April 29, 2009.

Editorials & Letters to the Editor
U.N. strong influence toward refugee recovery

April 29, 2009

Your coverage of Ishmael Beah's spellbinding presentation at the University of Southern Maine was welcome ("Ex-child soldier shares his story 15 years later," April 15).

One element of your story deserves emphasis: the role of the United Nations.

Though regularly denigrated by the previous administration, the United Nations is consistently affirmed by President Obama's.

Beah's civil war trauma included the death of both parents, his coercion under threat of death to become a child soldier, and his exposure to the murder, rape and dismemberment of villagers, sometimes in the presence of their family members.

It was the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) that rescued Ishmael and nurtured him back to life – to sanity and humanity.

His speech at USM was followed by excerpts of a film introduced by Libby Hoffman, founder of Catalyst for Peace.

The film showed how Sierra Leone's post-war citizens have adapted South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission processes to village campfire ceremonies.

They recall the words of Desmund Tutu: "There is no future without forgiveness." Tutu has voiced that theme at the United Nations.

The U.N.'s global work and its innumerable humanitarian achievements (e.g., through UNICEF) are currently being studied by 500 high school students preparing with their history teachers to simulate U.N. deliberations at the 11th Maine Model U.N. Conference.

The model U.N. event will be held May 19-21 on USM's Gorham campus. Somehow one finds it easy to believe that, in spirit, Ishmael Beah will be there.

Alfred M. Niese
Woolwich, April 29, 2009

Multiplier Effect: Help Women First

January 30, 2009  A letter to the editor by UNA-Wisconsin activist Lee Brown entitled, "Military Spending is Counter to the Change We Want," was published in The Capital Times on January 30, 2009.


Dear Editor: John Nichols is correct, as he wrote in the column that ran Jan. 25 in the Wisconsin State Journal, that "It is important to communicate the seriousness with which the president and everyone else in Washington takes the Constitution." Or in this case the most flagrantly disregarded part of the Constitution: Article VI, paragraph 2, which states that every treaty ratified by the U.S. is the law of the land -- to be respected and obligations to be fulfilled.

The U.S. is an original members of the world's preeminent treaty, the Charter of the United Nations. The Charter's central purpose is to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war -- all members shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means. On July 28, 1945, the Senate ratified the treaty by a vote of 89 to 2. Now more than 190 nations are members.

In sharp contrast to this noble pledge, President Bush requested and Congress approved spending $612.5 billion for Defense in 2009. U.S. defense spending has risen 72 percent in eight years and presently amounts to more than 50 percent of all global spending on the military. The United States has long been the top arms supplier to the world.

Remember President Barack Obama's Jan. 20 pledge? "To all other peoples and governments who are watching today ... know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and we are ready to lead once more."

This is the change we want, but it will be quite difficult with a budget that spends 17 times on the military what is budgeted for diplomacy and economic foreign aid.

Lee Brown
Madison

 
January 26, 2009   A letter to the editor by Wisconsin Division director Tom Brown entitled "UN Ambassador Rice a Fine Choice" was published in the Wisconsin State Journal on January 26, 2009.


U.N. Ambassador Rice a fine choice

As President Barack Obama's term begins, it is clear he has chosen some talented, experienced and competent Americans to work with him. Many are women, such as Susan Rice.

It's ironic that Rice was chosen to be ambassador to the United Nations when it has not been our nation's policy to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women. Other nations will not need to convince Rice, but America will need to convince itself.

By returning the U.N. ambassador's position to membership in the president's cabinet, we have signaled to the world our intention to provide one more conduit for the voice of the world to reach the highest levels of U.S. government.

At the same time, the Obama administration has signaled deep U.S. concern about failed states, hunger in Africa, dependable U.N. peacekeeping operations in Darfur and other places, areas in which Rice has significant academic training and practical experience.

Are we sufficiently mature as a nation to want to lead the world with positions that emphasize community for all? Rice's appointment has significant implications for what we will support at the U.N. and for what the organization can expect of us. We can meet those high expectations, and set them for ourselves.

Tom Brown, Madison

January 21, 2009   A letter to the editor by Bergen County (NJ) Chapter president Phyllis Ehrenfeld entitled "Teaching Lesson in Universal Cooperation" was published in The Record on January 21, 2009.


Teaching lesson in universal cooperation

The extraordinary photograph of passengers standing upright on the wings of a floating Airbus is unforgettable (Page A-1, Jan. 16). This miracle is a visual metaphor for the fragility of our lives today, both as U.S. citizens and as residents of our planet.

But this miracle is also an example of cooperation and coordination: the pilot's training in investigating air disasters, the aircraft's design to be somewhat seaworthy and the dedicated public service of both government agencies and business.

I was deeply moved by this example of human effort. This was so much more than luck. The close coupling and complex interaction of all the factors that created this miracle is also an illustration of what the United Nations in all its myriad agencies tries to do in a complicated world. And this success of educated human cooperation between government and civil society illustrates that it can happen.

Thanks to The Record's valuable reporting, this inspiring event, if properly understood, can guide us for years to come.

Phyllis Ehrenfeld