From human rights to animal rights, from politics to education and health, Care2 bloggers are never at a loss for words.

Here are a few things that got our keyboards humming this week:

The United States recently celebrated Independence Day, our annual salute to freedom and independence from… Well this is embarrassing. A Marist poll conducted recently discovered that 26 percent of U.S. residents don’t know from which country we gained our independence! Judy Molland breaks down those results and asks, “Are history teachers to blame?” in Shocking Percentage of Americans Don’t Know Where U.S. Gained Independence From.

Speaking of education, charter schools are not always “equal opportunity.” In New York, they matriculate less Hispanic students and English learners than their public and catholic school counterparts. The nature of the lottery system means that children of unaware or negligent parents, homeless, etc. will never have a chance of getting in, further marginalizing these populations and pushing them back to failing public schools. Fiona O’sullivan explains why Charter School Lotteries Leave Many Kids Behind.

New York legislators in Albany passed a bill that, if signed by Governor David Patterson, would make New York the 22nd state in the union to offer health insurance coverage for the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of autism. Both the NY Assembly and the State Senate passed the bill unanimously. The bill is far more comprehensive than insurance legislation in other states, with no dollar cap or age cap. Insurers point out that the bill could prove more costly for consumers. Kristina Chew addresses the issue with a personal perspective in New York Passes Autism Insurance Bill; Cheers and Caveats.

Hawaii’s outgoing Republican governor Linda Lingle chose to veto HB 444 a civil unions bill that had been hailed by supporters as historic in that it would have granted same-sex couples essentially the same state level rights, benefits and responsibilities as marriage. Her reason? Because she thought the bill was too much like same-sex marriage. Steve Williams writes that gay rights advocates are viewing this as a “clear discriminatory blow” in Lingle Vetoes Hawaii’s Civil Unions Bill: It’s “Same-Sex Marriage by Another Name”

So far this year about 126 people in Iran have been executed. At any moment Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, a mother of two, could be the next. Her crime? Adultery – a crime she only confessed to after being lashed 99 times. Ximena Ramirez explains the horrifying reality of stoning, and the disproportionate number of women who suffer this cruel fate. Stop the Stoning: International Effort to Ban Practice of Stoning Needed Now More Than Ever.

Children were among the hundreds of dead and injured when an oil tanker truck overturned and exploded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Many were killed trying to siphon the spilled oil. Tragically, these accidents are distressingly common in areas where poverty, poor roads, and desperation come together. Nancy Roberts included a video in her informative post Dying for Oil: Dangers Ignored As Poor Scramble for Fuel.

Earlier this year, Mercy for Animals released a video showing cows being violently beaten and horribly abused at Conklin Dairy Farms in Ohio. Now investigators have announced that the owner of the farm will face no charges, concluding that Conklin “acted appropriately.” Angel Flinn writes, “Consumers have the choice either to participate in it or to refuse the products of exploitation and opt out of the demand-supply cycle altogether,” and asks “Should humans really consume the milk of another species?” in her post Ohio Dairy Farmer Escapes Cruelty Charges.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society had a lot to say about the politically charged verdict of their former captain. Peter Bethune was found guilty in a Japanese court this week, but received a two-year suspended sentence. Bethune was arrested after he boarded a Japanese whaling ship that rammed and sunk his anti-whaling speedboat – the Ady Gil. You will want to watch the video and check out the poll in Sharon Seltzer’s post Arrested Sea Shepherd Captain Pete Bethune Gets To Go Home.

If you want to get a good discussion going on a controversial subject, just say the word “aspartame.” Aspartame has been blamed for causing everything from multiple sclerosis to cancer. A viral email warning of aspartame’s dangers has been circulating online for years. I’ve been the recipient of these emails dozens of times. With so many conflicting reports, what’s a layperson to do? That’s the question I put to readers in my post Aspartame’s Sickeningly Sweet Controversy. There are some interesting points in the comments section.

If you’re feeling in need of inspiration, Trailblazer’s For Good highlights people and businesses who positively impact the world and deserve a moment in the spotlight. And read about how you are making a difference with butterfly rewards!

So, have a look around at this week’s posts and, as always, don’t be shy with your comments. Your participation keeps us on our toes!