Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
• Us I UL-A I I VOAM• ,, <br />INTRODUCTION <br />In the -past decade, "social justice" has become a "buzz- word" for politicians, <br />activists and organizations across the country. During the 2004 presidential election, <br />one of the candidates talked about achieving social justice in his bid for the Vice <br />Presidency. The Green Party has set a ten point social justice agenda and advocacy <br />organizations continue to call for its achievement. However, prior to its adoption by <br />United States politicians, religious organizations and non-governmental organizations <br />across the world have named it as a primary objective. Other national governments of <br />industrialized and developing countries have ministries of social justice (i.e. Australia - <br />and India). Advocacy organizations have developed action agendas that include social <br />government. Now, government in the United States is beginning to pursue it. And <br />while everyone wants "it" few have agreed what '"it" is. <br />As of February 10, 2005 Jackie Byers, Director of Research, for the National <br />Association of Counties (NACO) was unable to find any County that had adopted a <br />"Social Justice Goal." However, she did find information on three (3) counties that had <br />incorporated social justice as a component of another goal or as part of a work plan for <br />the county; Santa Barbara, Marin and Santa Cruz counties. All of these Counties are <br />located in California. Like these counties, Orange County is considered a highly <br />desirable place to live, it has great schools, beautiful parks and open spaces, it has <br />quaint shops and a top notch university, it has a high cost of living in relation to its <br />neighbors, housing prices are high, development is limited and, as time passes, it is <br />............................................................................................................................................. ........................................................................................................... <br />ORANGE COUNTY SOCIAL JusncE GOAL REPORT <br />...... .. ... . .. <br />ORANGE Page 1.0 59 <br />