Well I'm at day 7 of my Darfur awareness champaing and it's really been going better than expected! Sadly today, my idiot self forgot to bring the sign! But I stil passed out the flyer's, which I took advantage of sticking them in locker's. One of the assistant principles, whom I like, said that he was told about ''a girl wearing a huge sign'' and had a feeling that it was me. Teacher's have continued to congratulate me on my stance. My geometry teacher invited me to join the African/Hatian American club, since they might be able to help me with Darfur awarness, which the members totally agree on! Sometimes, my mind drifts and trying to contemplate the massive human suffering in Darfur: women and girls getting raped, whole families murdered, children starving and that's just the tip of the iceburg! I can feel my heart sinking with despair because the world is witnessing a sequel of Rwanda. It's like I said, ''Those who don't remember history, are doomed to repeat it.'' Obiously the world hasn't learned it's lesson of Rwanda and other genocides in the past, which doesn't surprize me the least bit sad to say. I will say this again and again if I have too: I will be DAMNED if I'm going to stay silent while genocide is occuring. If and when my children and grandchildren will ask me If I did anything about Darfur, I'll be proud to sat that I did do something to wake up my classmates into doing something for Darfur.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Individual Responsibility to Protect
LONDON: Never Again London's contribution to International Peace Day was a conversation which bought forward thinking from the Kivu retreat in February 2006 on the individual Responsibility to Protect (iR2P). This report is my perspective on the discussion and doesn't by any means encompass everything.
Fred introduced the background to Never Again and the traditional set of problems surrounding intervention on genocide. He outlined some of the ways that individuals could be involved in crisis response and ways that individuals working in spheres where they have to be neutral might also be able to follow their own consciences.
There is no doubt that the Responsibility to Protect agenda presents many problems, but iR2P presents the opportunity to engage with those problems and finding concepts that everybody agrees with. This might mean stepping away from the problems themselves initially and simply engaging in dialogue, avoiding making assumptions or demanding commitments that individuals may be unable to make.
What emerged from this strand of conversation was the vision of a rich, complex discussion going on around a crisis in which the level of interest and ideas makes it impossible for policy makers to say that there is no interest or political will to do anything. It doesn't necessarily mean needing to sign up to simplistic analyses, but listening to every actor and every solution suggested in order to find a way forward.
The Responsibility to Protect agenda, by its nature as a state responsibility, brings a level of disconnect between the victims of a crisis and the heroes with the answers. It is impossible for refugees, youth or armed militias to have a voice in the security council unless they can somehow be represented by a channel of communication. Without the input of the people most centrally involved in a crisis, it is very difficult to propose solutions that will be any more nuanced than just 'send in the troops'.
The international responsibility does of course include challenging the culture of inpunity and states must hold each other accountable. Unless citizens of countries vocalise their wish for heads of countries to uphold acceptable standards of care towards citizens in other countries then they are very unlikely to engage in criticism of one another.
Given the level of academic research around the failures to protect populations from genocide, the steps to prevention are now fairly clear.
First is monitoring risk factors. If risks are identified, there isn't a need to over-react but there has to be in-depth research on the ground, links built up with groups on the ground and diaspora groups. Making these contacts in a time of calm makes them easier to pick up in times of chaos and confusion and you are more likely to know who to trust. These functions should be carried out by the new UN Special Adviser on Genocide, but groups like Never Again have a role in gathering youth contacts and information and channeling this to the adviser if appropriate.
Although this monitoring can make its own contribution to genocide prevention, the time may come when the risk factors of genocide and violence escalates. This is the time for individual mobilisation. Campaigns in support of simple messages are often the most effective in gathering massive support, but we discussed how this might be disempowering to all parties. A more complex individualised approach would be able to take in all ideas and allow for more flexible approaches to each conflict. We discussed how questions might be formulated to bring the most useful answers and thought that the approach of questioning would serve a variety of purposes: resources would be put into finding out the answers from the individual's own countries and politicians and the media would realise there was interest in an issue and be more likely to give it attention. The collection of answers from different countries can be easily shared in projects like the Never Again wiki, allowing for cross reference and the asking of further questions.
Following on from this mass mobilisation, the iR2P framework sees individuals who are well placed in policy circles starting to make recommendations that should be more reactive and sophisticated with the involvement of their individual involvement, rather than being constrained by the institutional bars to individual conscience.
Fred's vision, which was well received by everyone in the group, was that this approach has the potential to use the exisiting architecture of diplomacy and policy-making and that nobody should be excluded from the process: genocide prevention should not be the preserve of any specific group. We were working with the assumption that all people condemn crimes against humanity and genocide and that they wouldn't put their self interest before the protection of a group. That assumption needs examining; perhaps it is appropriate to use any levers to persuade people that it is appropriate to intervene and perhaps it is inappropriate.
There is another assumption that awareness, and the demonstration that people care, will lead to action by heads of states. As we have seen, this is not necessarily the case. A much more reactive process is needed to ensure action is appropriate, swift and correctly resourced. People using their critical faculties and engaging with the realities of politics but still demanding action, might make it more likely to happen.
There is already a great deal of expertise in many of these fields. iR2P offers a chance to 'join the dots' and piece together complex situations, while recognising that they are complex. It takes the improved communication opportunities available to us to fundamentally change the basis of activism and democratic participation and, perhaps, succeed in preventing genocide where previous generations have failed.
Fred introduced the background to Never Again and the traditional set of problems surrounding intervention on genocide. He outlined some of the ways that individuals could be involved in crisis response and ways that individuals working in spheres where they have to be neutral might also be able to follow their own consciences.
There is no doubt that the Responsibility to Protect agenda presents many problems, but iR2P presents the opportunity to engage with those problems and finding concepts that everybody agrees with. This might mean stepping away from the problems themselves initially and simply engaging in dialogue, avoiding making assumptions or demanding commitments that individuals may be unable to make.
What emerged from this strand of conversation was the vision of a rich, complex discussion going on around a crisis in which the level of interest and ideas makes it impossible for policy makers to say that there is no interest or political will to do anything. It doesn't necessarily mean needing to sign up to simplistic analyses, but listening to every actor and every solution suggested in order to find a way forward.
The Responsibility to Protect agenda, by its nature as a state responsibility, brings a level of disconnect between the victims of a crisis and the heroes with the answers. It is impossible for refugees, youth or armed militias to have a voice in the security council unless they can somehow be represented by a channel of communication. Without the input of the people most centrally involved in a crisis, it is very difficult to propose solutions that will be any more nuanced than just 'send in the troops'.
The international responsibility does of course include challenging the culture of inpunity and states must hold each other accountable. Unless citizens of countries vocalise their wish for heads of countries to uphold acceptable standards of care towards citizens in other countries then they are very unlikely to engage in criticism of one another.
Given the level of academic research around the failures to protect populations from genocide, the steps to prevention are now fairly clear.
First is monitoring risk factors. If risks are identified, there isn't a need to over-react but there has to be in-depth research on the ground, links built up with groups on the ground and diaspora groups. Making these contacts in a time of calm makes them easier to pick up in times of chaos and confusion and you are more likely to know who to trust. These functions should be carried out by the new UN Special Adviser on Genocide, but groups like Never Again have a role in gathering youth contacts and information and channeling this to the adviser if appropriate.
Although this monitoring can make its own contribution to genocide prevention, the time may come when the risk factors of genocide and violence escalates. This is the time for individual mobilisation. Campaigns in support of simple messages are often the most effective in gathering massive support, but we discussed how this might be disempowering to all parties. A more complex individualised approach would be able to take in all ideas and allow for more flexible approaches to each conflict. We discussed how questions might be formulated to bring the most useful answers and thought that the approach of questioning would serve a variety of purposes: resources would be put into finding out the answers from the individual's own countries and politicians and the media would realise there was interest in an issue and be more likely to give it attention. The collection of answers from different countries can be easily shared in projects like the Never Again wiki, allowing for cross reference and the asking of further questions.
Following on from this mass mobilisation, the iR2P framework sees individuals who are well placed in policy circles starting to make recommendations that should be more reactive and sophisticated with the involvement of their individual involvement, rather than being constrained by the institutional bars to individual conscience.
Fred's vision, which was well received by everyone in the group, was that this approach has the potential to use the exisiting architecture of diplomacy and policy-making and that nobody should be excluded from the process: genocide prevention should not be the preserve of any specific group. We were working with the assumption that all people condemn crimes against humanity and genocide and that they wouldn't put their self interest before the protection of a group. That assumption needs examining; perhaps it is appropriate to use any levers to persuade people that it is appropriate to intervene and perhaps it is inappropriate.
There is another assumption that awareness, and the demonstration that people care, will lead to action by heads of states. As we have seen, this is not necessarily the case. A much more reactive process is needed to ensure action is appropriate, swift and correctly resourced. People using their critical faculties and engaging with the realities of politics but still demanding action, might make it more likely to happen.
There is already a great deal of expertise in many of these fields. iR2P offers a chance to 'join the dots' and piece together complex situations, while recognising that they are complex. It takes the improved communication opportunities available to us to fundamentally change the basis of activism and democratic participation and, perhaps, succeed in preventing genocide where previous generations have failed.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
A activist's prespective
With the impending crisis happening in Darfur and the looming disater that was about to unfold if the AU withdraws, I decided that now is the time to make my voice be heard by any means necessary. On Monday during class, I was looking for something when I saw some poster boards and suddently an idea struck my mind that would help me spread the word on Darfur. And so I made a poster that read ''Save Darfur'' on the front and ''400,000 dead and counting. Get up! Stand up! Never stay silent!'' The night before, I flet a bit anxious of what would be the reactions of people when I would wear the sign. But I knew I had to do it. So I went to school on Tuesday and added some photos to better make the point (graphic photos) As soon as I walked out of the library wearing the sign, people stared at me reading the sign which I felt it was working. At PE, i walked around the court with the sign, nervous as anything. As I was walking, I thought about those children in Darfur whom watched their parents be killed and are all alone with no one to love or care for them. I thought about Rwanda and the bodies rotting in the sun and of Senator Dallaire trying to warn the world of the genocide. That's what kept me going. Some students asked me about Darfur and I told them in which I had to make an example of the Holocaust and ''Hotel Rwanda'' but they seemed quite interested about Darfur. For the rest of the day my teachers were really impressed with me on Darfur and students came up and asked me about it.
On Day 2 of my campainge, I needed to speak with the teacher in charge of the school's newspaper. I had sent him a letter before and wanted to send another letter. As I handed it to him, he explained that he thought that anyone with a heart and a brain like mine, would care for such an issue and that was admirable. But, unfortunatly, he couldn't publish anything about Darfur because the newspaper only dealt with what's happening around the school. I understood completly, but as I walked out of the room, tears came streaming down my face. My heart was so full of sorrow for Darfur and I thought that it seemed so hopeless to be speak out on something that was happening millions of miles away. I quickly deleted that thought from my head because my voice was ten times stronger than those in Darfur and I HAD to speak out, or I would be guilty of the worst crime of all: Staying silent in the face of genocide.
Day 3 went really well. More students asked me about Darfur and I explained to them and told them to spread the word and do some research of there own. Teachers also came up to me and told me on what a great thing I was doing and I also told them to spread the word with there students. My creative writing teacher even invited me to address one of her classes since they were learning on the Holocaust.
I'll continue wearing the sign up until next week. I know what I'm doing is not much, but to me, it's sure beats the hell out of not doing anything. I just hope that the Darfurians know that the world and myself won't rest this genocide is stopped!
On Day 2 of my campainge, I needed to speak with the teacher in charge of the school's newspaper. I had sent him a letter before and wanted to send another letter. As I handed it to him, he explained that he thought that anyone with a heart and a brain like mine, would care for such an issue and that was admirable. But, unfortunatly, he couldn't publish anything about Darfur because the newspaper only dealt with what's happening around the school. I understood completly, but as I walked out of the room, tears came streaming down my face. My heart was so full of sorrow for Darfur and I thought that it seemed so hopeless to be speak out on something that was happening millions of miles away. I quickly deleted that thought from my head because my voice was ten times stronger than those in Darfur and I HAD to speak out, or I would be guilty of the worst crime of all: Staying silent in the face of genocide.
Day 3 went really well. More students asked me about Darfur and I explained to them and told them to spread the word and do some research of there own. Teachers also came up to me and told me on what a great thing I was doing and I also told them to spread the word with there students. My creative writing teacher even invited me to address one of her classes since they were learning on the Holocaust.
I'll continue wearing the sign up until next week. I know what I'm doing is not much, but to me, it's sure beats the hell out of not doing anything. I just hope that the Darfurians know that the world and myself won't rest this genocide is stopped!
Reflections on the International Day of Peace
NEW YORK- Today, 21 September, is the International Day of Peace - a day to celebrate the ideals of peace, observe global ceasefire and practice non-violence. To celebrate, we at Never Again International have organized a series of globally connected local events in 5 countries- Britain, Canada, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and the United States.
At Speak Out for Peace, the New York City event I'm involved in organizing, there will be a diverse lineup of poets and musicians all performing on works around the theme of peace. I really wish we could share what we are doing with the global Never Again community. Every single piece of the event was donated- from volunteer planning time, to the venue space, to the free performances, to physical materials (donated drinks, paper for programs, etc). It's wonderful to see what inspired labor and generosity in our communities are able to achieve and produce without funding from institutions or rich individuals. It's incredibly inspirational to think about- and I feel tremendously blessed to be inspired by individuals like my friends, family, colleagues and community members whom I can admire from a close distance.
I'm writing to practice a bit what it is I'm going to say to open the event, which is most of the text of this blog. I want to inspire attendees to really take part in this symbolic day heart, mind, spirit and body because it can only become a reality if everyone on our planet embraces its meaning and breathes life into it. World peace does not come from grandiose declarations from podiums at press conferences, but out of convictions born in each of our minds and hearts that guide our speech and actions. The fact that this day is being celebrated is in itself a testament to the fact that a personal decision made by an ordinary individual has far reaching global effects. Jeremy Gilley's decision to found Peace One Day, launching a global campaign to get a fixed calendar date for one day where there would be no violence or killing, was both a personal one about his career and an altruistic one with the intent of improving the world. As with all things in life, our creative ideas have a gravitational force of their own- and voila! 7 years after he began his campaign, hundreds of celebrations of peace are occuring in all 192 member states of the United Nations on the day he worked so hard to get established.
This power that we all possess as individuals - the fact that our thoughts and beliefs give birth to the shared reality we and those around us live in - is incredibly empowering and emboldening but not something that we are often encourage to think about and use. A powerful example of the connection between the local and the global is what the United States did with the understandable pain, anguish, sadness, confusion and outrage resulting from experiencing the horrific and criminal acts of September 11, 2001. Those emotions have given birth to a global "War on Terror" that has unleashed pain and destruction on many more lives- instead of helping us evolve into a more just society that is able to avoid crimes against humanity. So what we think and feel as well as how we react to the world around us on any given day does make a difference in the way that the world turns- more than we realize.
But of course, I'm preaching to the choir here. We at Never Again believe and value the individual and the personal- and this belief lies at the heart of our mission of connecting young people and individuals around the world to dialogue and collaborate with each other for peace. That's why the NY team is bringing together the talented lineup of poets to inspire attendees- we want to make them think, laugh, cry, feel good. That's why we're setting up the Peace Wall because we want to get people to think and we want to hear those thoughts. And of course, we ultimately want to involve attendees in our work in the future.
So today, 21 September, let's renew our personal commitment our mission, to a more peaceful world. Let's celebrate our achievements as a movement. And let's challenge ourselve by doing one thing- big or small- to make that inner commitment and belief a reality. I'm sure you can all think of one thing you can do!
Remember: "Another world is not only possible, she is on her way." -Arundhati Roy
At Speak Out for Peace, the New York City event I'm involved in organizing, there will be a diverse lineup of poets and musicians all performing on works around the theme of peace. I really wish we could share what we are doing with the global Never Again community. Every single piece of the event was donated- from volunteer planning time, to the venue space, to the free performances, to physical materials (donated drinks, paper for programs, etc). It's wonderful to see what inspired labor and generosity in our communities are able to achieve and produce without funding from institutions or rich individuals. It's incredibly inspirational to think about- and I feel tremendously blessed to be inspired by individuals like my friends, family, colleagues and community members whom I can admire from a close distance.
I'm writing to practice a bit what it is I'm going to say to open the event, which is most of the text of this blog. I want to inspire attendees to really take part in this symbolic day heart, mind, spirit and body because it can only become a reality if everyone on our planet embraces its meaning and breathes life into it. World peace does not come from grandiose declarations from podiums at press conferences, but out of convictions born in each of our minds and hearts that guide our speech and actions. The fact that this day is being celebrated is in itself a testament to the fact that a personal decision made by an ordinary individual has far reaching global effects. Jeremy Gilley's decision to found Peace One Day, launching a global campaign to get a fixed calendar date for one day where there would be no violence or killing, was both a personal one about his career and an altruistic one with the intent of improving the world. As with all things in life, our creative ideas have a gravitational force of their own- and voila! 7 years after he began his campaign, hundreds of celebrations of peace are occuring in all 192 member states of the United Nations on the day he worked so hard to get established.
This power that we all possess as individuals - the fact that our thoughts and beliefs give birth to the shared reality we and those around us live in - is incredibly empowering and emboldening but not something that we are often encourage to think about and use. A powerful example of the connection between the local and the global is what the United States did with the understandable pain, anguish, sadness, confusion and outrage resulting from experiencing the horrific and criminal acts of September 11, 2001. Those emotions have given birth to a global "War on Terror" that has unleashed pain and destruction on many more lives- instead of helping us evolve into a more just society that is able to avoid crimes against humanity. So what we think and feel as well as how we react to the world around us on any given day does make a difference in the way that the world turns- more than we realize.
But of course, I'm preaching to the choir here. We at Never Again believe and value the individual and the personal- and this belief lies at the heart of our mission of connecting young people and individuals around the world to dialogue and collaborate with each other for peace. That's why the NY team is bringing together the talented lineup of poets to inspire attendees- we want to make them think, laugh, cry, feel good. That's why we're setting up the Peace Wall because we want to get people to think and we want to hear those thoughts. And of course, we ultimately want to involve attendees in our work in the future.
So today, 21 September, let's renew our personal commitment our mission, to a more peaceful world. Let's celebrate our achievements as a movement. And let's challenge ourselve by doing one thing- big or small- to make that inner commitment and belief a reality. I'm sure you can all think of one thing you can do!
Remember: "Another world is not only possible, she is on her way." -Arundhati Roy
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Countdown for Darfur
"In many ways it is unfair but it is nevertheless true that this genocide will be on your watch. How you deal with it will be your legacy,Your Rwanda, Your Cambodia, your Auschwitz."
Oscar winning actor George Clooney and Noble peace prize winner and Holocaust survivor Eile Wiesel, adressed the UN Security Council on Thursday about the already devastating three year genocide in Sudan's Darfur region, which has claimed over 400,000 lives. George and his father, Nick a journalist, went to Darfur a couple of months back to interview victims and see for themselfs the conditions that Darfurians were living in.
Currently, some 7,000 African Union soldiers are in the region but is running out of manpower, finances and equipment. Its mandate expires on September 30 which is less than three weeks away.
So far the Sudanese government have flat out refused to let a UN peacekeeping force in Darfur, in which the UN passed a resolution for a robust UN force. Sudan's president Omar al-Basher has even went as far as saying that government troops will fight off UN peacekeepers.
Secertary General Kofi Annan is stepping up the pressure towards the Sudanese government to stop the killings and let peacekeepers enter the region. It would certaintly do go for Annan since he has until December when he steps down for his reputation is pretty much still tainted with Rwandan blood. I'm sure he doesn't want Darfurian blood etheir.
Several celebrities have been speaking out against the genocide, like actress Mia Farrow, Don Cheadle(Hotel Rwanda) Samantha Power among others.
This genocide is very simalar to Rwanda but the one difference I think is the media attention and how so many people aroung the world are protesting to stop the slaughter. If nothing is done within the next three weeks, millions will die and Darfur will go down in history as the genocide that could be stoped but no one did. Thus another tainted legacy for the UN.
It's time for the upsatnder's to take there places and scream for Darfur and hopefully with a little help from Hollywood, millions of lives can be saved.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Innocence for sale: The human trafficing problem
MIAMI: In 1865, the thirteenth Amendement was passed in which it states that slavery and involentary servitude were banned. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the UN in 1948, also states in Article 4 that no one is to be forced to slavery and also banning the slave trade. But now around the world, children and people are being sold and bought in the new era of modern day slave trade. People are being lured into trafficing for many reasons which includes in some cases physical force, false promises of a job oppotunity, and marriges in foreign countries. According to the US State Department, approximatly 600,000 to 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders every year. Millions are in other countries. Trafficing victims suffer physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, threats against themselfs and family, Passport theft, health problems, and even death. But it not only effects victims it also underminds the health, safety, and security of all nation where trafficing is taking place. Child sex tourism is another common problem in which foriegners take part in sexual acts with children whom could be as young as 8 or 9 years old. Predators come from all over the world and most cases hold prominate positions. Previous cases include an retired US Army general, a dentist, teachers, and a University Professor. Children in these conditions suffer almost the same as trafficing victims but they also suffer drug addiction, diseases like HIV/AIDS, unwanted pregnancy, and maluntrition. The United States are taking some steps into stopping human trafficing. For example, they passed several bills one of which helps convict trafficers for as much as 30 years in prison. The Department of Health now cerrtifiying victims so they may qualify for the same assistance as refuges. The US is helping and contributing funding for other countries to prevent human trafficing which includes special housing and work training centers for victims, training Custom official to reconizing trafficing victims and so many other things. Now more than ever, it;s important that all of us learn more about this devastating international crime of human trafficing because it's quickly becoming the crime buisness of the future.
Monday, September 04, 2006
All falls down: Reflections on 9/11
MIAMI: It's been 5 years since the devastating attacks on September 11 occured and I can still remember where I was when it happened: I was in the seventh grade and I was in my Homeroom class, when my teacher's son came in told him to turn on the television. The first thing I saw was two twin towers and a plane went straight through the north tower. I, and along all my other classmates were shocked and confiused of what was happening but as the news report went on, we found out that terrorists highjacked comercial planes and one of them went through the World Trade Center. Another two planes crashed on the Pentagon and one was headed to Washington D.C. but was diverted to a field in Virginia. My eyes were locked on the t.v. set watching the events unfloding. Some time later another plane hit the South tower in which I was begining to think was just an earlier footage of the North tower being hit. But I knew I was sadly mistaken. Then at 10:28AM when I was in my Math class trying to do my work but couldn't because the television was on, the North tower(Or the South tower. I can't remember) collapsed. As I watched, CBS reporter Dan Rather said in a weary voice I'll never forget, "The World Trade Center has collaped."
Since then, I've been trying to come to terms with what happened and why. Even though I didn't know anyone of the over three thousand people whom lost there lives on that day, these people were our neighbors, friends, people whom were just at the wrong place at the wrong time. Many times, I've(along with every other American) have asked, why would terrorist do this to us? What did we do to them? Through the years, I thought that terrorist were inhuman, whom just wanted to destroy and kill all Americans for the hell of it, but recently, in the Conclution of the book "Shake Hands with the Devil" and of reading "A Problem from Hell: America and the age of Genocide" now I've started to see things in a totally different light. Senator Dallaire writes that people in the First world have the tendancy of thinking there more human than people in the Third world, which might be one of the contributing factors why the world was so passive to respond to the Rwandan genocide. When he went to Sierra Loene in 2001 for CIDA, he describes a rage he saw in the eyes of the children that were suffering under the brutal regiem of Charles Taylor (whom is currently being held in the Hague for crimes against humanity) He explaines that because the youth in contries like Chechnia and Middle Eastern contries are suffering under curruption, war, genocide, famine, and other worldly disasters, they grow up under extreme violence and feel anger towards the world and resort towards violence in order to survive and warns that if this isn't solved, then the world will be nothing but a repeat of Rwanda, 9/11, the Congo, Siera Leone and the Middle East. And in "A Problem from Hell" Samantha Power explains why the UN and the United States are wary of responding to genocide and which survivors of such crimes don't make good neighbors and they too resort to taking out their rage against the world. To me it makes so much sence. If were going to win the "War on Terror" the US can't be in this self-intrest bubble, we shouldn't be able to move mountians to protect just our own sovergnty, we as humans have to help out one another because NO human is more human than the other no matter where they live or who they are. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a terrorist smpathyzer. What they did on 9/11 was very wrong and cruel, but the fact of the matter is that the world has turned a blind eye on the suffering and the plight of millions of people whom suffer so much in places like Rwanda, Darfur, and other place around the world. Now more than ever, this generation have to rise above race, color, religion and say in a loud voice "Enough is enought!" in reaching out a hand of humanity to those whom need it the most.
September 11 is another date in American history which will live in infamimy. A date which we saw the best and worse of human play out in front of the world. A warning and a lesson to the world of the consecuenses of self-intrest. We must be able to spill our blood for humanity and put the good of it above everything else. For the sake of the future and of the children.
Blogger's note: I would appreciate if you all let me know your opinions and thoughts. Thanks!
Since then, I've been trying to come to terms with what happened and why. Even though I didn't know anyone of the over three thousand people whom lost there lives on that day, these people were our neighbors, friends, people whom were just at the wrong place at the wrong time. Many times, I've(along with every other American) have asked, why would terrorist do this to us? What did we do to them? Through the years, I thought that terrorist were inhuman, whom just wanted to destroy and kill all Americans for the hell of it, but recently, in the Conclution of the book "Shake Hands with the Devil" and of reading "A Problem from Hell: America and the age of Genocide" now I've started to see things in a totally different light. Senator Dallaire writes that people in the First world have the tendancy of thinking there more human than people in the Third world, which might be one of the contributing factors why the world was so passive to respond to the Rwandan genocide. When he went to Sierra Loene in 2001 for CIDA, he describes a rage he saw in the eyes of the children that were suffering under the brutal regiem of Charles Taylor (whom is currently being held in the Hague for crimes against humanity) He explaines that because the youth in contries like Chechnia and Middle Eastern contries are suffering under curruption, war, genocide, famine, and other worldly disasters, they grow up under extreme violence and feel anger towards the world and resort towards violence in order to survive and warns that if this isn't solved, then the world will be nothing but a repeat of Rwanda, 9/11, the Congo, Siera Leone and the Middle East. And in "A Problem from Hell" Samantha Power explains why the UN and the United States are wary of responding to genocide and which survivors of such crimes don't make good neighbors and they too resort to taking out their rage against the world. To me it makes so much sence. If were going to win the "War on Terror" the US can't be in this self-intrest bubble, we shouldn't be able to move mountians to protect just our own sovergnty, we as humans have to help out one another because NO human is more human than the other no matter where they live or who they are. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a terrorist smpathyzer. What they did on 9/11 was very wrong and cruel, but the fact of the matter is that the world has turned a blind eye on the suffering and the plight of millions of people whom suffer so much in places like Rwanda, Darfur, and other place around the world. Now more than ever, this generation have to rise above race, color, religion and say in a loud voice "Enough is enought!" in reaching out a hand of humanity to those whom need it the most.
September 11 is another date in American history which will live in infamimy. A date which we saw the best and worse of human play out in front of the world. A warning and a lesson to the world of the consecuenses of self-intrest. We must be able to spill our blood for humanity and put the good of it above everything else. For the sake of the future and of the children.
Blogger's note: I would appreciate if you all let me know your opinions and thoughts. Thanks!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
