This excessive reentry experts. Say the prison system is designed to break ties to separate. The person who is incarcerated from their community says tara liberte co founder and executive director of free minds. She says that peer support does the opposite they repair restore and create new community connections which are essential to successful reentry for mr watson. The dream is simply to do right by young man. It's just rewarding. The story was reported by erica. Page in washington for the monitor. What's the best way to stay. Buoyant in the face of challenges like climate change are declining. Towns for musician and author dr williams. The key is a social contract. She calls haase's proximity folks singer. Dr williams literary lyrics lauded by the likes of joan baez and judy collins often explore how contrasting individuals meet heart to heart. Her characters find common ground across religion and gender her latest album. I'll meet you here. Stay abused october first. Posits that social connections can empower individuals to tackle global issues such as climate change. If you have what. I call positive proximity which is the most basic contract of social trust. You recognize that. Living side by side with other people is beneficial says ms williams and a phone interview. You don't have the like them. You don't have to understand them all the time the somehow you can find your dovetailing interests. The new album's lead single today and every day features stop motion animation music video in which individuals unite to tackle climate change. Ms williams says the message is a counterpoint. To the dumi tenor of many environmental stories in the news that puts us in the place of not doing anything because it feels so futile says the songwriter. Optimism is a revolutionary posture. Right now the story was reported by. Stephen humphries for the monitor now commentary from the monitor's editorial board on democracy in the middle east. It says something about progress in the middle east that top islamist leaders in iraq. Tunisia are crying out for democracy and they're muslim countries. Their public faith in individual liberties and rights is a timely counterpoint. To the hardening of islamist rule in iran and afghanistan in iraq grand ayatollah ali al sistani a highly influential. Religious authority has called on voters to participate in crucial parliamentary elections october tenth. He advised voters to select a candidate in their districts. Who is the most honest who is interested in the sovereignty security and prosperity of iraq in tunisia where democracy sprang up during the two thousand eleven arab spring the leading islamist party enough the has led calls to reverse a power grab by president kaisei in july. The former law professor sees near-total power on september. Twenty ninth enough. The called on all political and civil society groups to defend representative democracy. Many people in the mideast who live under authoritarian or strict. Islamic ruler are probably aware of these hopeful calls for democracy by islamist leaders reconciling democracy and sharia islamic law is not always easy but at least two countries are showing signs of hope that bear watching. That's a wrap for the news. You can find the full length versions of these stories. Today's issue or at cs monitor dot com slash daily. Thanks for ending your week with us. Come back on monday when we'll be looking at the start of the supreme court's term including a case that could define the courts legs. Today's christian science spiritual perspective contributor shares are went forgiveness. Seems impossible task. We can let god's love to spell hurt redeem wrongs and appel peace grace and even sweet reunite. You can find that poem in today's issue or a cs monitor dot com slash. We want to give thanks to our staff including today's audio production team. Jeff churton tara adhikari and tomasz gonzalez. This podcast is produced by the christian. Science monitor copyright. Twenty.