About Le Anne Clausen Expertise I can answer questions about human rights work as a vocation, human rights as they pertain to the Middle East and/or Muslim world, particularly Palestine/Israel, Iraq, and Afghanistan. While in Iraq, I helped to investigate prisoner abuses, including those at Abu Ghraib. I can also answer questions on women's rights in the Middle East. I cannot give you legal advice.
Experience I was a human rights worker for four years in the Middle East, including Palestine, Israel, and Iraq. I also participated in a human rights delegation to Afghanistan in summer 2005. I have an MA in Christian-Muslim relations, with special study on women's issues; I also worked one year for an Arab women's grassroots human rights organization. I am currently working to build an interfaith peace-teams based human rights organization
Publications "Be the Healers" (considering next steps for addressing the Abu Ghraib scandal), July 2004 edition, "The Lutheran" magazine.
Also: www.christian-muslim.net; www.young-activist.blogspot.com; additional interviews and articles about me are available via Google search.
My name is Paul Rowe; I am currently studying at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand.
As part of an assignment, I have been asked to complete a research project via email on racial discrimination in sport.
My question is, in your view, should the current South African rugby team (Springboks) change their team line up because of the lack of coloured players in the team. Keeping in mind the current team has recently won the 2007 Rugby World Cup and is the best team in the world.
Your time and prompt response on this matter would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Paul Rowe
student
University of Canterbury
christchurch
New Zealand
email: pcr41@student.canterbury.ac.nz
Answer Greetings Paul, and thanks for your question. My initial thought was that I don't follow sport closely enough to be very helpful to this question; however, I realized that there is more at work in this situation. One is the question of whether a team is 'the best in the world' apparently because they have no players of color in their lineup. Could a reasonable person say that a player of color could not be as well suited to contribute to such a high-quality team? Another factor is the history of South Africa and the connotation that an all-white team from the country would have for the public.
It's true that most sports teams these days are constructed to make money for their owners, but for the sake of representing a country and broadening the participation, I think it would be wise for this team to consider opening its doors. It may find just as prizewinning a team with a somewhat different lineup.
