The Annual No Right Turn Christmas Appeal

Christmas is supposed to the season for giving, so I'd like to take the opportunity to remind everyone to remember others at this time of year. Below are a couple of links to worthy causes. If you've enjoyed reading No Right Turn this year, or are simply naturally generous, please consider flicking them a few dollars to help them in the year ahead.

If you support human rights, then please consider donating to Amnesty International (online form here). They are a strong, consistent and impartial voice for human rights worldwide: for the release of prisoners of conscience, for fair trials, for an end to torture, disappearances and extrajudicial killings, and for the abolition of the death penalty. They do good work, and while the constant flood of stories about human rights abuses may make it seem like they're getting nowhere, they do get results. Amnesty's ability to focus international attention on individual cases has saved thousands of people from torture, imprisonment, and death.

(As an aside, their latest appeal is for funds to work against extraordinary rendition and the US's use of torture in the name of fighting terrorism - one of the chief subjects of this blog...)

If you would prefer to be "non-political", I suggest the Auckland SPCA (online form here, or you can call 0900 99 SPCA to make a one-off, $25 donation). This is their busiest time of year, and they need all the help they can get to deal with the post-Christmas rush from morons who abandon their animals when they go on holiday, or buy a pet for Christmas but balk at the long-term commitment.

There are countless other worthy causes equally deserving (and in need of) assistance; these are just two which I think will have sufficiently wide appeal. Please remember them this Christmas, and give generously.