Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, 03/08/12

U.S. Senator from New York

I can't think of a better way to celebrate International Women's Day than to pick up Half The Sky, be inspired by the women profiled in the book and take action for all the women and girls around the world who aren't yet empowered to do so for themselves.

Dan Froomkin, 03/08/12

Senior Washington Correspondent, Huffington Post

As the economic and social costs of mass incarceration mount, many criminal justice professionals and officials are now calling on the U.S. to abandon these policies and replace them with more constructive approaches.

Robert Scheer, 03/08/12

Editor, Truthdig.com; Author, 'The Great American Stickup'

He has been a national symbol of resistance to excessive government power and waste. He has been a champion of social justice. His has been a rare voice, and one way or another it must continue to be heard. When it came to the struggle for peace over war, Dennis was the conscience of the Congress.

Bill McKibben, 03/08/12

Author of a dozen books, including 'The End of Nature' and 'Deep Economy'

A year ago almost no one had heard of the pipeline. Even four months ago, a poll of 300 "energy insiders" still found 97 percent predicting it would get its permit. But it didn't -- TransCanada can of course re-apply, but that will be another battle, down the road.

Sen. Chris Coons, 03/08/12

U.S. Senator from Delaware

Let's harness the power of the massive groundswell of interest created online this week and use it to do the right thing: support the Obama Administration's decision to deploy military advisors and do everything in our power to ensure their mission succeeds.

Tony Blair, 03/08/12

Former Prime Minister of Britain

The women who have inspired me most recently are the Catholic Sisters who are dealing with sexual trafficking. They work together, across continents, in networks, and most often at the grassroots, where it is demanding and sometimes dangerous.

Shannon Bradley-Colleary, 03/08/12

Author, screenwriter, wife dominatrix, mom butler

Every child deserves to be wanted, safe and loved. I don't deny there are damaged women out there who use abortion as a means of birth control. A former friend had five abortions. Those pregnancies were her cry for help. But I can't help thinking those babies were better off not being in her care.

Mark Siegel, 03/08/12

Partner, Locke Lord Strategies; Former Executive Director, DNC

If the Republican Convention determines not to enforce its party's rules on its constituent state parties, the Party will find itself with no rules left to enforce in the future.

Ahmed Shihab-Eldin, 03/08/12

Host/Producer, HuffPost Streaming Network

In an election year beset by economic and geopolitical turmoil, it would serve Obama well to remind the world of the two very words that landed him in the White House. Give us "hope" and act boldly, and in doing so, bring about real "change" for those suffering in Syria.

Michael Tucker, 03/08/12

Filmmaker

When I first heard that the Weinstein Company had lost its appeal to overturn the R rating that the MPAA had given to Lee Hirsch's film Bully, I was taken back to 2005 when we opted for an appeal for our Iraq War film Gunner Palace after it also received an R for language.

Ayesha Mattu and Nura Maznavi, 03/08/12

As Muslim women born and raised in America, we are tired of hearing everyone talk about Muslim women without ever stopping to listen to what we have to say about our lives.

Cara Santa Maria, 03/07/12

Science correspondent, Huffington Post; editor, Talk Nerdy to Me

Rush Limbaugh made some comments this past week that raised more than a few eyebrows. In addition to being anti-woman, what he said is fundamentally anti-science.

Lisa Belkin, 03/08/12

Senior Columnist on Life/Work/Family, Huffington Post

What happened next is a tale that is becoming increasingly familiar in the YouTube age -- although the plot has not gone exactly like this before. When the Ellen Show called "I thought 'there's no way that Sophia will walk out there and perform'," her father says. "But then they also asked for Rosie, and I knew that would make her more confident."

Sec. Kathleen Sebelius, 03/08/12

Secretary of Health and Human Services

Over the last three years, we've made significant strides in our fight against tobacco, and our efforts are paying off. But today's report is an important reminder to our nation that we have a lot more work to do to make tobacco death and disease part of our past.

Brian Frederick, 03/08/12

Executive Director, SportsFans.org

It may seem absurd that a collection of teams that generated at least $9 billion in revenue last season would be given tax-exempt status, but the NFL is technically classified as a 501(c)6 organization.

Michael Shaw, 03/08/12

Publisher of BagNewsNotes, topping LIFE.com's 2011 Best Photo Blogs

All this "Derrick Bell equals Jeremiah Wright," suppressed video, "Obama the closet radical" talk might have heightened the fear-mongering back in '08, but just watch how fast it disappears now.

David Cameron, 03/07/12

Prime Minister of Great Britain

Violence against women is an iceberg under the surface of society. Every day millions around the world live in fear.

Josh Fleet, 03/08/12

Associate Editor, HuffPost Religion

Later, after the dust settles, God speaks to Moses: "Uplift the people. Let each give one half Shekel as soul atonement. Twenty years and older. Rich and poor. All give the same."

Regina Weinreich, 03/08/12

Co-producer and director, 'Paul Bowles: The Complete Outsider'

For the same reasons that Sarah Palin is a riveting figure in American politics, the HBO movie Game Change is an astonishingly smart look at her and the world that put her in the position of John McCain's running mate in the 2008 presidential election.

William Lucas Walker, 03/08/12

Writer/producer

Not too long ago, our little clan took a road trip from Los Angeles to Portland, Ore. I predict in the end it won't be gay marriage that brings about the destruction of the American family. It will be the road trip.

Gregory C. Pappas, 03/08/12

President, The Pappas Group; Publisher, Greek America Magazine; Founder, Greek America Foundation

Greece may not presently be one of our "cool" friends at the moment in light of all of its problems -- but as a nation, we would be turning our back on our own ideals if we forgot her loyalty to the United States.

David Isenberg, 03/08/12

Author, 'Shadow Force: Private Security Contractors in Iraq'

Given that some of the people the Koch brothers want to put on CATO's board are firmly in the neocon camp, one doesn't have to be a rocket scientist to see that a Koch-controlled CATO Institute is one big win for unbridled militarism and one big setback for those advocating small government and individual liberty.

Hilde Johnson, 03/08/12

Special Representative of the U.N. Secretary-General in South Sudan

South Sudan is the world's newest nation, and while we celebrate the first International Women's Day in independent South Sudan, we must look at how we can address the great challenges faced by women and girls in one of the world's least developed countries.

Jincey Lumpkin, 03/08/12

Founder and Chief Sexy Officer, Juicy Pink Box

I've written about how the pressure to live up to my mother's expectations led me to struggle with suicide after I came out. What I have not talked about is the link I see between the overzealous reprimands I received as a child and my adult choices of violent, co-dependent partners.