September 18, 2006

WASHINGTON, DC – Three distinguished Americans were honored by Freedom

Magazine Monday evening on Capitol Hill. Lisa Thompson of the Salvation Army, Points of Light CEO Bob Goodwin, and Congressman Dan Burton received the Freedom Magazine Human Rights Award, joining the ranks of honorees which have included Queens Federation of Churches Executive Director Rev. N. J. L'Heureux.

Rev. L'Heureux was on hand as veteran actress and activist Anne Archer (featured in Fatal Attraction, Patriot Games, The Ghost Whisperer) presented the awards at the dinner ceremony. Ms. Archer recently founded Artists for Human Rights to use the arts to promote human rights.

Awardee Lisa Thompson heads the Initiative Against Sexual Trafficking, a distinctive partnership of organizations (spearheaded by The Salvation Army National Headquarters) united in their desire to abolish the sexual trafficking of women and children – one of the largest and most destructive routes into slavery in the world today. Ms. Thompson has valiantly led the effort to eradicate sexual trafficking while protecting survivors and pushing for prosecution of traffickers. She works tirelessly to bring about increased awareness of the international nature of trafficking and the fact that every country in the world, including the United States, has victims trafficked to or from its borders.

Congressman Dan Burton (R-IN) is Vice-Chairman of the House Committee on Government Reform, Chairman of the House International Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, and a member of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus.

Congressman Burton was honored for his advocacy on behalf of families' rights in medical issues. He helped to expose the hidden dangers of mercury in vaccines as well as calling Congressional hearings into dangerous psychiatric drugs used on children. As a result of Congressman Burton's leadership, hearings were held at the FDA into the links between suicide and certain psychiatric drugs. Those hearings resulted in a black box warning label on most drugs used to for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) so that parents are aware of the dangers of these drugs.

Mr. Bob Goodwin, CEO of the Points of Light Foundation, is constantly working to encourage volunteerism and is taking personal responsibility to help improve our society globally. Mr. Goodwin also created Connect America, a collaborative effort led by the Points of Light Foundation and a diverse group of national and local organizations – nonprofits, civic associations, local governments, businesses, labor unions, fraternal organizations, news media, etc. – to engage every American in helping to solve serious social and community problems through volunteering.

Freedom Magazine, an international publication of the Church of Scientology, has focused on hard-hitting investigative journalism in the public interest since 1968.

Articles in the magazine focus on human rights issues and areas in need of social reform. The Human Rights Leadership awards are given to individuals who exemplify the positive actions being taken by dedicated people who are taking a stand and are improving society.

Tom Whittle, Senior Editor of Freedom Magazine commented, "Repressive governments only come to power when the population is kept ignorant and uninformed. Through our publication, and through the annual Human Rights Leadership Awards, Freedom Magazine is doing everything possible internationally to expose abuses of human rights and to support the teaching of those same rights. "

Freedom Magazine