Amnesty International Club brings world issues to forefront for Penn students

By COLE POLLYEA

Penn High School student reporter

 

All over the world and even here at Penn High School, there are organizations, committees, and clubs dedicated to improving the lives of those deprived of civil rights. One such organization exists under the name of Amnesty International, a worldwide club that is aimed at combatting human rights abuses all over the globe and pressuring governments into obeying said international laws.

 

At Penn, one of Amnesty’s largest goals is simply to raise awareness. In many cases, high school students aren’t aware of the worldly issues that Amnesty tries to bring to the forefront. What’s going on elsewhere in the world can easily and understandably take a backseat to studies, athletics, and prom dates.

 

One notable member, Penn senior Julia Clauss, proudly indicated that, in addition to the importance of being involved in a club with the impact that Amnesty has, it is equally important to talk over human rights violations going on in the world. Conversation about these issues also considers the implications of said violations and possible solutions. She also claimed that she intends to continue participation in Amnesty well into her future, starting first by applying for internships as soon as she is eligible.

 

Amnesty was founded in 1961 by an English lawyer, Peter Benenson, who was provoked by the jailing of two young boys expressing gratitude for their freedom. He wrote about this injustice and eventually rallied a group of people for the recurring cause. The group was later named Amnesty International, and continued expanding in an effort to protect people from persecution for their political, social, and religious ideologies.

 

Amnesty has grown ever since. Currently, it consists of more than seven million people who have been inspired by the Englishman’s belief in justice along with the realization that they shared it with him.

 

It’s also important to consider, according to Clauss, that Penn’s club decides what topics/issues are to be dealt with based on the impact that Penn could actually have. In addition to having “participated in the Write for Rights campaign, where we wrote to 12 different world leaders asking them to take action on human rights violations in their countries”, having “raised money for the United Nations Refugee Agency to help people fleeing Syria”, and having “started with a campaign fighting for due process under the law and against police using lethal force”, one of Penn Amnesty’s most notable achievements can be seen below.

 

“Last semester, we wrote letters to the Attorney General of Louisiana on behalf of Albert Woodfox, who had been in solitary confinement for over 40 years. He was originally imprisoned with two other men and was the last one to be released. We wrote over 60 letters in support of his release and, along with thousands of other letters from many other Amnesty members, he was finally released in February of this year.”