This month’s issue focuses on the personal experiences of six writers whose dynamic interactions with culture, religion, and the media inspired them to question the nature of these institutions and their role within each. It is our duty as active members of our communities to probe, to question, and to seek to comprehend what is happening in the world and the way in which it is presented to us. There is a Chinese proverb that translates: Tell me and I may forget. Show me and I may remember. Involve me and I may understand. Don’t wait for others to invite you - engage yourself in your surroundings and never satisfy yourself with blind acceptance. If you are not in a privileged position in the world where opportunities are handed to you, seize them, for only in this way may we incite change, the most powerful expression of hope.

                Salaam Aleikum,
                                   Hannah Renglich
                                   Editor-in-Chief

	Progressive Women in the United Arab Emirates               (by Hannah Renglich) The March 2006 Women as Global Leaders conference that took place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, was a magnificent event hosted by Zayed University, which had far-reaching effects on the lives of over 1,000 women from 87 countries. As Five Minutes to Midnight's representative at the conference, Hannah Renglich relates her findings with regard to the event and the advancement of women in the host community. Read more...
	Pesticide Use Under Attack in Northern Hemisphere               (by Kaley Kennedy) Under corporate farming practises, widespread use of pesticides and other chemicals has become common and even expected. Yet growing concern for the adverse health effects these plant-stimulants have on humans is causing many farm workers to approach the legal framework that is exposing them to toxins in their work environments. Read more...
	A Broad Abroad - An Indian Discovery (by Natasha Menon)                From her struggle with parental expectations and individual needs and desires, a personal journey to India opened Natasha Menon's eyes to the value of her heritage and reinforced a strong belief in the value of a voice. Read more...
	Situating Haiti's Recent Elections: Sorting Through               The Misinformation (by Corinne Segura) In an attempt to understand the February elections in Haiti, Corinne Segura deconstructs the story of the country by comparing journalistic accounts of its political history. Haiti's subjection to foreign intervention must not be overlooked. Read more...
	The Insignificance of Holocaust Denial               (by Arash Rowshanzamir) With the power of the press, it is impossible to censor difficult ideas today, no matter how cruel or offensive they may be. This has led many to defend their insensitivities by way of citing 'free speech' as their cause. In order to understand this paradox, Arash Rowshanzamir examines the issue of Holocaust denial, in contrast with the cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. Read more...
	Comment: China's One-Child Policy – Dated and Done               (by Anita Li) Anita Li examines the relevancy of China's one-child policy, pointing out the unforeseen consequences of such a strict rule that are manifest in today's evolving society. With an abundance of only-child families and a high propensity for female infanticide, the nearly thirty-year old policy seems to have created new problems in China today. Read more...

If you wish to respond to an article or contribute to a future issue, please contact Hannah Renglich at editor@fiveminutestomidnight.org.

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