We are all mere humans capable of good deeds, bad deeds and some very ugly deeds. 

 

How many of us have really been tested to see just how ugly we can become. 

 

It seems it is all too easy to judge others from our rather cosy existence.

 

How easy it seems to impose our moral judgements on people who we have no real understanding of. 

 

We do not know their daily struggles, but we still pass judgements based on our own biased perceptions of the world. 

 

Why is it so difficult to even try to take the time to understand?  We are all guilty. 

 

All of us are perpetrators of what is deemed to be bad, but in reality we are all just striving to find love and happiness. 

 

Unfortunately sometimes people get hurt along the way, sometimes intentionally, but quite often unintentionally.  

 

We all make mistakes, we make decisions we regret and sometimes for whatever reasons we strike out in anger. 

 

We are just humans trying to do the best we can with our current circumstances.  All too often some of us have horrific circumstances thrust upon us, and the best we can do is to try and survive, in the hope of a better life.

 

 

For me personally it is difficult not to strike out in anger, when I see and hear how other people are so badly treated throughout the world.  Anger does not help the situation,  but sometimes through utter frustration anger can be  a difficult emotion to control.

 

No one knows what its like
To be the bad man
To be the sad man
Behind blue eyes

No one knows what its like
To be hated
To be fated
To telling only lies

But my dreams
They aren't as empty
As my conscience seems to be

I have hours, only lonely
My love is vengeance
That's never free

No one knows what its like
To feel these feelings
Like I do
And I blame you

No one bites back as hard
On their anger
None of my pain and woe
Can show through

But my dreams
They aren't as empty
As my conscience seems to be

I have hours, only lonely
My love is vengeance
That's never free

When my fist clenches, crack it open
Before I use it and lose my cool
When I smile, tell me some bad news
Before I laugh and act like a fool

If I swallow anything evil
Put your finger down my throat
If I shiver, please give me a blanket
Keep me warm, let me wear your coat

No one knows what its like
To be the bad man
To be the sad man
Behind blue eyes

 

Behind Blue Eyes – The Who.

 

My God is love, inspiration, compassion, empathy, wonder, inner beauty, peace, understanding, humility, kindness, equality and strength.  Through my God I am to do what I feel is right.

 

My God tells me not to kill, lie, or steal.  My God also tells me not to use divisive or hurtful speech or not to wish that harm comes to others.  My God tells me not to be greedy or want what does not belong to me.

 

My God tells me to love and accept all without discrimination.

 

My God lives in my heart and I am free to talk to my God in person.  My God tells me I do not need others to tell me what my God thinks, as my God lets me know.

 

My God tells me to never stop learning and always broaden my views, so that I have a greater understanding of people who are different to me.

 

My God tells me I am a human who makes many mistakes.  My God tells me to learn from my mistakes and openly admit them.

 

My God tells me to look for the inspirational people from this world and learn from them.

 

My God tells me that it is okay to be happy, but never at the expense of another.

 

My God tells me to protect those that cannot protect themselves and to do so in such a way that does not cause them any further harm.

 

My God tells me I am free to choose how best to acknowledge my God.

 

My God tells me to enjoy the wonder of the world that surrounds me and also the cosmos that surrounds my world.

 

My God tells me to look after this world, because it is the only world that we have got.

 

My God tells me to live in the present, learn from the past, move forward to the future and not worry about the afterlife, as that is currently not my concern.

 

My God is the life that I aspire to and I hope one day I will get it right.

 

- ChezzaG

But hell I am happy to be called all of those things if it means:

I have love in my heart,

I have compassion for others,

I want the best for mankind as a whole,

I want true and lasting peace,

I believe there is good in most people,

I want freedom and equal rights for all,

I want to do what is right the best way I can.

I know that to live like this means that sometimes I will be taken advantage of, but the alternative that is continually presented to me is so full of hate, resentment, bigotry, oppression, violence, segregation and a lack of humanity that goes beyond words - I think I would rather die with love in my heart than die with the stain of hatred on my hands.

I am not totally stupid, some crazy people in this world need to be stood up to, Osama Bin Laden and Hitler are classic examples, even though they believe/d they are/were doing what is good for this world in their twisted sense of what is right.  So yes I wish it wasn't so that sometimes we have to take action we would rather not, but in most cases I think diplomacy and open and honest communication is the right way to go for the benefit of all.  I think many have forgotten how to communicate and that is sad. - ChezzaG

A 10-Step Plan for Antiwar Activists

By Bruce K. Gagnon

06/13/07 "ICH" -- - I often hear from people asking me, "What should we do about all this? How can we stop Bush?"

I would first say that we must move beyond blaming Bush. The fact of U.S. empire is bigger than Bush. Hopefully by now, all of us are clearer how the Democrats have been, and are now, involved in enabling the whole U.S. military empire building plan. It is about corporate domination. Bush is just the front man for the big money.

So to me that is step #1.

Step #2 is to openly acknowledge that as a nation, and we as citizens, benefit from this U.S. military and economic empire. By keeping our collective military boot on the necks of the people of the world we get control of a higher percentage of the world's resources. We, 5% of the global population in the U.S., use 25% of the global resource base. This reality creates serious moral questions that cannot be ignored.

Step #3 is to recognize that we are addicted to war and to violence. The very weaving together of our nation was predicated on violence when we began the extermination of the Native populations and introduced the institution of slavery. A veteran of George Washington's Army, in 1779, said, "I really felt guilty as I applied the torch to huts that were homes of content until we ravagers came spreading desolation everywhere....Our mission here is ostensibly to destroy but may it not transpire, that we pillagers are carelessly sowing the seed of Empire." The soldier wrote this as Washington's Army set out to remove the Iroquois civilization from New York state so that the U.S. government could expand its borders westward toward the Mississippi River. The creation of the American empire was underway.

Our history since then has been endless war. Two-Time Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient Major General Smedley D. Butler, U.S. Marine Corps, told the story in his book War is a Racket. Butler recalls in his book, "I spent 33 years and 4 months in active military service....And during that period I spent most of my time as a high-class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism....Thus I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street....I helped purify Nicaragua for the international banking house of Brown Brothers in 1902-1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras right for American fruit companies in 1903. In China in 1927, I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested."

Step # 4 We have to begin to change how we think about our country. We have to learn to understand what oligarchy means. I'll save you the trouble of having to look up the definition - A government in which power is in the hands of a few. When you have lost your democracy then what do the citizens do? They must fight (non-violently) to take it back. This of course means direct action and sometimes civil disobedience. Virtually everything good in our nation (abolition of slavery movement, women's suffrage, civil rights movement, anti-war movements, etc) have come from people stepping up when they were needed. Calling for impeachment by the Congress becomes imperative today. Are you in or out?

Step #5 Forget the "every man for himself" mythology. We are all brainwashed in this country to believe in the rugged individualism story. But movement for change can only happen in community - working with others. So forget the ego centric notion that "one great man" is going to come save us. It's going to take a village - in fact all the villages. Just like an addict goes to a group to seek help for addiction, knowing they can't do it themselves, so we must form community to work for the needed change if we are to protect our children's future.

Step # 6 What about my job? Another smothering myth in America is success. Keep your nose clean and don't rock the boat. Don't get involved in politics, especially calling for a revolution of values (like Martin Luther King Jr. did) or you will get labeled and then you can forget about owning that castle on the hill you've always dreamed of. In a way we become controlled by our own subservience to the success mythology. We keep ourselves in line because success and upward mobility become more important than protecting free speech, clean water, clean air, and ending an out of control government bent on world domination. Free our minds, free our bodies and we free the nation.

Step #7 Learn to work well with others. Sure we all want to be stars. But in the end we have to learn to set aside our egos if we want to be able to work with others to bring about the needed changes. Cindy Sheehan should not be hammered just for telling the truth about the Democrats playing footsie with Bush on the war.

Step # 8 It's the money. How can I do this peace work when I have to work full-time just to pay the mortgage? I'd like to help but I've got bills to pay! Maybe we can begin to look at the consumerist life we lead and see that our addiction to the rat race keeps us from being fully engaged in the most important issue of our time - which is protecting the future generations. How can we begin to explore cooperative living arrangements, by building community, that free us up economically to be able to get more involved?

Step # 9 Learn to read again. Many of us don't read enough. We spend our time in front of the TV, which is a primary tool that the power structure uses to brainwash us. We've got to become independent thinkers again and teach our kids to think for themselves. Reading and talking to others is a key. Read more history. All the answers and lessons can be found there.

Step #10 Learn to trust again and have fun. Some of the nicest people in the world are doing political work. Meet them and become friends with them and your life will change for the better.

  

 

The theory of interdependence allows us to develop a wider perspective. With wider mind, there is less attachment to destructive emotions like anger, therefore more forgiveness. In today's world, every nation is heavily interdependent, interconnected. Under these circumstances, destroying your enemy--your neighbour--means destroying yourself in the long run. You need your neighbour. More prosperity in your neighbour, you'll get the benefit.

Now, we're not talking about the complete removal of feelings like anger, attachment, or pride. Just reduction. Interdependence is important because it is not a mere concept; it can actually help reduce the suffering caused by these destructive emotions.

We can say the theory of interdependence is an understanding of reality. We understand that our future depends on global well-being. Having this viewpoint reduces narrow-mindedness. With narrow mind, one is more likely to develop attachment, hatred. I think this is the best thing about the theory of interdependence--it is an explanation of the law of nature. It affects profoundly, for example, the environment.

--from The Wisdom of Forgiveness: Intimate Conversations and urneys by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Victor Chan

A simple example of how interdependent our society is:

Imagine purchasing a pair of prescription glasses.  The glasses are made up of the metal frame; the protective coating over the metal frame where it sits on our ears; screws to keep the frame together; silicone pads to cushion the frames on our noses; the glass lenses.  Now think of all of the people it has taken to make those one pair of glasses.  Really think about it. 

The people who mined the raw materials and then refined them into a usable form. 

The people who were involved in the transportation of every component, throughout every stage of the manufacturing process. 

The designer of the frames, lenses, the screws and the pads. 

The optometrist who tested your eyes to determine the type of lens you required.

The staff at the optometrist who also served you. 

Then there is the builder of the building that the optometrist conducts his business in. 

The people who were involved in manufacturing the equipment that the optometrist uses.

The people who trained the people who did all of the prior things mentioned. 

I could go on, but I think you get the point that the number of people who have contributed to that one pair of prescription glasses is unimaginable and they come from all over the entire planet.

That was only one small example; now stretch it out to include everything you have around you and every service that you use.  The ultimate conclusion is that we depend on each other so we should respect each other.

Ninja left a comment on my blog in regards to Indigenous Australians and their substandard health.  He said, “Everybody is born equal - I believe that. It is what happens the next day that sets up the pattern for the child's life ahead.”

Ninja’s statement is so true.  I posted this video yesterday but I am posting it again today to make my point.  Watch this video and see how distressed the children are.  See how angry the girl in the green jumper is and she has every right to be angry.  How can she and other children growing up under these circumstances not grow up hateful and resentful.  How can peace occur with so many emotionally and physically wounded children growing up into adults that maybe full of revenge for how they and their family were treated by their oppressors.

A respected psychologist has completed a study on 1000 Palestinian children and found that many of these Palestinian children no longer have a will to live.  As they were so dehumanized and so affected by seeing their father’s in particular beaten by Israeli defense forces.  The psychological condition is one of the dimensions of the Palestinian/Israeli conflict that is not widely understood.  -  reference

If these children no longer have a will to live then they have nothing to loose if they do become suicide bombers or violent aggressors.  This must be stopped not with violence but with love and understanding and by giving these children something hopeful and promising to live for.

There is only one way to give these children hope and that is to stop the violence and move towards peace and that will never happen as long as the US feeds Israel massive funding.  Israel has the ability to stop the violence but it won’t. The only country that currently has the ability to change this situation is America and it can do that by placing suitable pressure on Israel . At present America is not placing the pressure it needs to on Israel, the only way to get America to put enough pressure on Israel is by educating all of those in the Western world what is really happening in Palestine and then the Western world and the American citizens placing pressure on the American government.

In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. - Martin Luther King Jnr - US black civil rights leader & clergyman (1929 - 1968)

One way to educate people in the Western world is through the release of the movie Occupation 101.  But due to lack of funds the makers are unable to release the movie for public screening and DVD distribution; it is possible to make donations towards the release of the documentary at their website.

Another way to educate people is just tell people and show people the footage that is freely available at the Occupation 101 website or at YouTube by doing a search for Occupation 101. 

But whatever you chose to do, I hope that you will take note of the footage that you have seen and start to put pressure on governments around the world so that this situation can be halted.  Many of the issues in the Middle East are related to the occupation of Palestine by Israel.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. - Martin Luther King Jnr - US black civil rights leader & clergyman (1929 - 1968)

I am not saying that the Jewish population should be thrown out of the area but ways must be made so that Palestinians can live safely, comfortably and in harmony alongside the Israeli population.  As it stands now due to the ill treatment of the Palestinian community, that will never be possible and there will NEVER be peace in the Middle East.

Now before I am accused as being anti-Semitic, I am not.  But I am not pro-Zionism at the cost of all other peoples.

He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself. - Thomas Paine. patriot & political philosopher (1737 - 1809).

To be continued.....

I don’t condone terrorism or violence but I certainly understand why there is terrorism on this planet we call home.  It is very simple really.  Imagine a large invading force came into your country and destroyed your home, your livelihood and even killed some of your family and friends.  You tried peaceful means to try and make the world pay attention and help you and they ignored you, not only did they ignore you, but some of the upstanding countries of the world may actually be helping your oppressor. What would you do?  You have no army at your disposal and no-one even cares what is happening.  What would you do? Ask yourself what would you do?  Seriously what would you do?  Unless you have actually been in that situation then I don’t believe anyone can criticise some of the terrorism that is occurring on this planet we call our home.

The question we should be asking is why is terrorism occurring and how can we reduce it by other means than by declaring a never ending “War on Terrorism”?

Every suicide terrorist campaign has had a clear goal that is secular and political: to compel a modern democracy to withdraw military forces from the territory that the terrorists view as their homeland.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is an example of one such situation and finally I have the means to voice my opinion regarding this conflict.  Finally the truth behind what is happening to Palestinians is being told.  What many people are not aware of is that Palestinians are not made up of just Muslims (not that it should make any difference) but also  Christians and other religious groups. There are refugee camps in Lebabon overflowing with Palestinian refugees made up of Muslim, Christian and other groups.  Some of these refugees have been in these camps for over 40 years.

'Occupation 101' presents a comprehensive analysis of the facts and hidden truths surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; and dispels many of its long-perceived myths and misconceptions. The film also details life under Israeli military rule, the United States' role, and sheds light on the major obstacles which stand in the way of a lasting and viable peace. Unlike any other film ever produced on the conflict --- 'Occupation 101' explains the situation in a comprehensive manner and gives audiences a complete context in which to better understand the Israeli-Palestinian encounter. The film depicts the root causes of the conflict through Israeli, Jewish, Christian, Muslim, American, and Palestinian voices that are rarely ever heard through mainstream media outlets.   The film covers a wide range of topics -- which include -- the first wave of Jewish immigration from Europe of the 1880's, the 1920 tensions, the 1948 war, the 1967 war, the first Intifada of 1987, the Oslo Peace Process, Settlement expansion, the role of the United States Government, the second Intifada of 2000, and also covers the recent Gaza Disengagement of August 2005.

Below are some extracts from the film.  The first clip is a long 26 minute clip.  If this is too long to download I have included links to smaller extracts of the film.  Another alternative especially for those with a slow internet speed is to go to http://www.occupation101.com/multimedia_movclips.html where small parts can be downloaded using Quicktime.

To add one more voice:

To the call for Peace

To the call for Compassion

To the call for Humanity

To the call for Harmony

To the call for Reconciliation

To the call for Freedom

To the call for Equality

To the call for Human Rights

To the call for Love

To the call for Justice

To the call for the Welfare of our Environment

To the call for the Welfare of all Living Creatures

To the call for the Betterment of ALL whom live on this planet we call our home.

"Much of life can never be explained but only witnessed."

(AFP) - A baby hippopotamus that survived the tsunami waves on the Kenyan coast has formed a strong bond with a giant male century-old tortoise, in an animal facility in the port city of Mombassa, officials said.

The hippopotamus, nicknamed Owen and weighing about 300 kilograms (650 pounds), was swept down the Sabaki River into the Indian Ocean, then forced back to shore when tsunami waves struck the Kenyan coast on December 26th 2004 before wildlife rangers rescued him.

"It is incredible. A-less-than-a-year-old hippo has adopted a male tortoise, about a century old, and the tortoise seems to be very happy with being a 'mother'," ecologist Paula Kahumbu, who is in charge of Lafarge Park , told AFP.

"After it was swept and lost its mother, the hippo was traumatized. It had to look for something to be a surrogate mother. Fortunately, it landed on the tortoise and established a strong bond. They swim, eat and sleep together," the ecologist added. "The hippo follows the tortoise exactly the way it follows its mother. If somebody approaches the tortoise, the hippo becomes aggressive, as if protecting its biological mother," Kahumbu added.

"The hippo is a young baby, he was left at a very tender age and by nature, hippos are social animals that like to stay with their mothers for four years," he explained.

This is a real story that shows that our differences don't matter much when we need the comfort of another. We could all learn a lesson from these two creatures of God. Look beyond the differences and find a way to walk the path together.

Add your name to the Sea of Hands

Put your name on a hand in the Sea of Hands and add your voice to the growing number of Australians calling for justice for Indigenous peoples.

So far 2.5 million people have planted hands in hundreds of locations from Bondi to Broome. The target is 4 million hands (people) the equivalent of 1 in 5 Australians a number which cannot be ignored by the Australian Government.

Genuine reconciliation must be based on justice for Indigenous peoples; for the right to be themselves, to enjoy their cultures, languages, laws and traditions; to have their rights to land and cultural heritage respected and protected; and to enjoy the same opportunities as other Australians.

For this to occur there needs to be genuine dialogue between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians to achieve agreement on the outcomes of reconciliation.

To put your name on a hand in the Sea of Hands simply go to http://www.antar.org.au  and paint your hand and agree with the following statement.

Statement: Respect, Negotiation and Coexistence

"I believe that genuine Reconciliation can only be achieved by seeking agreement between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians about its outcomes. This will require genuine, good faith negotiations between Indigenous Australians and the Federal Government to achieve reforms that recognise and protect the rights of Indigenous Australians, including native title rights recognised in the High Court Mabo and Wik decisions.

Negotiations will strengthen a sense of national unity, reduce conflict and increase certainty - benefits which can only be obtained by respecting the legitimate rights of Indigenous Australians. Negotiation is fundamental to coexistence and the achievement of Reconciliation for our country."

This is an issue that I do feel very strongly about and as Australians we should feel ashamed that it is even an issue in our affluent country. 

Don't believe that the Australian Government is already putting enough money into the welfare of Indigenous Australians, because they are not. 

Don't get drawn into that racial crap that gets bantered around all too often. 

Indigenous Australian's are disadvantaged through racism and therefore lack of opportunities in the work force and the education system.

We as White Australians also have a lack of understanding of their culture and then in turn a lack of understanding of what their actual needs are, as distinct from what we as White Australians believe their needs are. 

Below is an email from GetUp. Please take the time to read it and take action.

Dear friends,

Today, an Indigenous baby born in is statistically likely to have a shorter life than a child born in remote rural or Bangladesh or Nigeria. We can take a real step towards ending this disgrace at next Tuesday's federal budget by demanding the Treasurer commit just a small portion of our bumper $16 billion surplus to ending this preventable injustice. The budget decisions are being made right now, so put your name to the petition and together we will end the inequality within a generation.

www.getup.org.au/campaign/CloseTheGap

The solution to this problem is within our grasp - all that is lacking now is the political will to fund and implement it. A fully costed health strategy has already been approved by the health experts, including the Australian Medical Association. We have the support of Cathy Freeman and Ian Thorpe. Given the surplus, it would be inexcusable not to use next Tuesday's budget announcement to make the plan a reality.

Working together with the Close the Gap Coalition, GetUp is presenting our politicians with a plan to achieve health equality for Indigenous Australians. For an additional $460 million a year, coupled with targeted housing, education and nutrition policies, we can relegate third-world levels of diabetes, heart disease and pneumonia to the history books. The money is needed for doctors, clinics and a national roll-out of Indigenous health professionals - just a drop in the ocean when compared to last budget's tax cuts.

The challenge is great but the solutions exist. Success stories in Indigenous health are blooming around the country, but are largely small in scale due to lack of resources. The power, understanding and strategies are within our community to rise above complacency, disadvantage and despair. We can't afford to let another fat budget come and go. Tell the Treasurer today to put our money where the need is great and we'll deliver your urgent petition to Treasury before final decisions are made.

www.getup.org.au/campaign/CloseTheGap

We're swimming in surplus - all that we need now is to show our politicians that Australians want to use this historic opportunity and end the inequality forever. Tell them, on the eve of the budget, and before they begin to congratulate each other over another great year, that we can begin this journey to close the health gap right now. 

www.getup.org.au/campaign/CloseTheGap

Thanks for taking action,

The GetUp Team

PS Please donate to this crucial campaign here or join the discussion on our blog