Category: Social Action

Social Action

Forget Foreign Aid

Impower You

It is time to stop just giving aid, except in immediate situations like trauma, famine and war. We need to teach people how to be self sustainable. Otherwise we just encourage people to wait for someone else to help them. We are all capable of being strong and bettering not only ourselves, but our communities. I have seen enough positive change in this world to know that is possible.

I am glad the world is waking up to this idea of investing in people and countries instead of just giving. It is a sign that we can make this world a better place. Not perfect, but better.

Thank you Helping Women Helps The World for this post:  http://hwhtw.wordpress.com/2012/07/09/forget-foreign-aid-focus-on-foreign-investment-in-women-entrepreneurs-by-startupbiztalk-in-forbeswoman-myawd

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT AID VS. INVESTING?

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Social Action

Empowerment Photos

Impower You

Here are two photos and a cartoon that I found on the web today.  Remember that as an empowered individual, it is up to you make your own choices and be personally responsible.  So go forth and speak your mind on important matters that effect you, your community and the world. Create a positive difference peacefully and non judgmentally.

Social Action

Violence Against Women Equals a Fat Paycheck

Impower You

I saw this article and wanted to throw my computer out the window. It’s just so offensive to me. It’s promoting a ignorant view of women as weaklings who need to be sexual before we become real people.   What the heck is wrong with people?  Do the men who create video games think that women are not worthy of our attention until a man has tried to break us or rape us?  Should we just die if we cannot fend off a rapist?

Were they just sitting around discussing how to boost sales and some ignoramus said, “Let’s make Lara seem like a real person by sexually assaulting and objectifying her.”? Was there a round of applause for such a genius idea?  Score one for men. They know that violence against women sells. Someone is getting a bonus.

This is the point in the article where my aggravation level hit a all new high. “She literally goes from zero to hero… we’re sort of building her up and just when she gets confident, we break her down again. . .  She is literally turned into a cornered animal. It’s a huge step in her evolution: she’s forced to either fight back or die.” -Ron Rosenberg the executive producer of the Tombraider video game.

Hey Ron, you are an ignorant person who needs to take a course on the reality of domestic violence and sexual assault.

http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/media/2012/06/hey-lets-evolve-lara-croft-having-people-try-rape-her

I feel like everyday of my life I have to stand up and tell someone to stop putting me down or stop taking away my rights. It is exhausting being a female.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT MARKETING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN TO BOOST SALES?

 

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Social Action

Call to Action: Mr. Hateful

Impower You

This is really sick stuff from Mr. Charles Worley, who is a nasty, hateful man. He hates people whose sexual orientation is different than his. He wants to put anyone who identifies as lesbian, gay or trans in a giant fenced off area, drop food in there and wait for them to die since they cannot reproduce. It’s not quite the holocaust, but pretty close. His parish supports him. I would love to see this church close down from all the pressure from all of us who are tolerant.

You can call or send an email or letter to Providence Church in Maiden, NC and tell them how offended you are. Heck, the crazy people do it all the time to abortion clinics and the KKK used to do it to our dark skinned neighbors. Call them up until they close down and stop spreading their hate. You can also flood their email with letters to have them stop spouting hate an violence.

Write: Mr. Charles Worley (AKA Mr. Hateful)
3283 Providence Mill Road Maiden, NC 28650
Call: (828) 428-2518 Email: preacherworley@charter.net

Read the article here:  http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/05/21/pasto/

Pass it on.

Social Action

The Root of the Problem

Impower You

After going back and forth in a conversation about the death penalty I though about the root problem. Prevention is a key component in eradicating violence (and unhappiness).

How about if our world was less focused on war or justice and more on peace and prevention. For example after working in a domestic violence/ sexual assault center I saw just how much pain and death could be avoided if women were taught to be strong, be aware of warning signs, and to know better than to return to their abuser. It’s harder to kill your wife or girlfriend if she knows enough to leave your sorry ass and or can fight back.

Another example are programs that pull kids off the streets and teach meditation, anger and stress management, and mediation techniques. They are less likely to use violence to solve their problems, but only if they KNOW they have a choice. That is prevention.

If we can eradicate violence as a solution, we can end crappy ideas like the death penalty and reduce our need for prisons.  Then we would have even more tax dollars to spend on education, health care and building sustainable energy. That’s what I have learned in all my different community work.

Empowering Discussions, Social Action

What Is Your Intent?

Impower You

Throughout the years my intent has changed so much.  As a child I intended to play with my friends, snuggle with my mom, read book, go on adventures and have lots of toys. As a teenager I intended to have fun, be popular, be treated like an adult and be rich.  In my early twenties I intended to finish school, get a career where I made lots of money,  become a world traveler and fall in love. In my late twenties I intended to  change the world, fight injustice, show people how I was right and they were wrong, and start a family. Now in my early thirties my intent has changed course once again.  I am the same person and a lot of the intents I had still hold sway with me. I still want to have lots of money, but I want to earn it on my own terms. I no longer wish to be famous. Thanks to our celebrity obsessed culture fame now seems like a game with far to many traps and haters to seem fun.  I no longer vie to have the coolest toys and gadgets because I see how all our waste eventually becomes all our pollution and all our crippling health problems.

My main intent these days is inner peace. I am no longer looking for fights where I can be the victor and prove others wrong. I wish to be for peace, love, personal responsibility, tolerance, respect and acceptance for everyone and everything in our world. I do not intend to be against anything. Negativity holds no interest to me anymore. Gone is the drama entertainment, gone is the judgement of right and wrong, gone is wasting time hating and changing others. The world is way too many shades of dazzling colors to be only this or that. So as you fight against the pain, the media influence, the governmental control, and any injustice you face, I will fight for your right to be intelligent, compassionate, a critical thinker and an individual. I believe in you.

What is your intent?

Social Action

Say What?

Impower You

I do, I don’t, I will, I won’t, Yes, No….. This contradiction is a major reason people are not interested in politics. There is no trust in politics when our leaders act this way. So many politicians say one thing and then destroy what they said by saying something completely different. Yes people are allowed to change thier mind, but not at this rate and not on such important issues.

Telling women they are second class citizens hurts men as well. We all suffer when some of us are oppressed. Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan is doing just this. By trying to make peace he is going down a road that will only cause more inequality, more violence, more unhappiness, more wars. It is time for our politicians to stick to what they promise and stop caving in to those who wish to oppress condemn and put down. We will not have peace until we can accept everyone as equal of love and respect.

Read the article in the Telegraph about how equal rights are being belittled in Afghanistan: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/9130508/Hamid-Karzai-under-fire-on-Afghan-womens-rights.html

 

How do you feel about politicians that create such contradictions?

Social Action

Education Vs.Conformation

Impower You

This story was reported by Liz Dwyer at Good Education.

A young woman, age 13, was harassed so much her parents pulled her out of school. It wasn’t sutdent on student bullying, but teachers who could not handle criticism.

http://www.good.is/post/a-13-year-old-s-slavery-analogy-raises-some-uncomfortable-truths-in-school/

The girl in question wrote an essay for a contest and compared her school system to slavery. I have to agree with her.  Our public school system was not set up to create critical thinking and dissent. It was set up to create worker bees and patriots. What I learned in school was how to memorize facts. I excelled at school, even though it was challenging to finish all my work and I was bored.

It’s a shame that instead of taking her criticism and fixing the school they simply harassed her so much she left. This reminds me of the saying that “pride causes many falls”.

I have long been a proponent of Montessori, Charter and Home study education. I was able to spend a year in home study and if my mother could afford it I would have stayed that route until graduation. I may have even wanted to attend college right away instead of waiting so long. I was challenged to do more than memorize. I had a wonderful teacher to contact for help and I could work at mt own schedule. Obviously these methods do not work for everyone,but there has to be a better answer. We have millions of students and thousands teachers. We need a system that works for students not for the teachers, principles and superintendents.

It is time for a revolution in education. I believe we need a new curriculum based on critical thinking skills, basic accounting, tax and common sense life skills. We need less History and more Science, less Physical education and more Practical Math skills.

What do you think we need more of in schools?

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Book Reviews, Social Action

Meet Phyllis Chesler

Impower You

If you haven’t heard of Phyllis Chesler, than you are missing out. In my opinion she is one of those amazing women that more people should know of so they can expand their thoughts on what it is to be human. I don’t agree with everything she preaches of course, but she has a lot of valuable information and is an activist for human rights.  She gives a voice to common sense on serious issues. She writes about everything from art and culture to honor killings. If you want sugar coated news and opinions than steer clear. Phyllis is for people who can think for themselves, make their own opinions and take action.

My favorite book she wrote is Letters to a Young Feminist. http://www.phyllis-chesler.com/120/letters-to-a-young-feminist. If you want a heartfelt book on what feminism really is than this is an inspiring and  informative book. It is also not very long. I finished it in 2 days.

Check her out here: http://www.phyllis-chesler.com

It is important to not just express our own opinions but to learn about others. We can learn so much more when we look through another persons eyes because they often have very different experiences than our own. No matter what certain people believe different is good. Different makes this world go round and round. If we all saw everything the same what would be the fun?

Who is someone you admire? Who makes you think, inspires you and encourages you to take positive action? Please leave a comment and if possible a link to where we can learn about that person.

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Social Action

Protect, Respect, Remedy.

Impower You

Professor John Ruggie was appointed to write about business and human rights for the UN. He created a framework for how businesses should act in our global economy. The outline states that businesses should adhere to three rules. These are to protect human rights, respect human rights and remedy human right violations.

It’s about time! When I buy a pair of shoes I want to know that the person who made it was given a fair wage and safe, happy work conditions. I do not want to buy merchandise that was made in a sweat shop by a 12 year old or anyone. Age does not matter, the people who make what I buy should not be forced to work or put in dangerous situation. I do not want to support a business that makes money by using people and creating misery.

I want to know that if people are treated badly they have someone who will stand up for them and remedy the situation. We live in a world with so much, there is no reason for any one to be treated inhumane just so another can have something. It is not worth it to me. I would rather walk barefoot and wear rags than violate another person’s human rights.

Read that here: http://198.170.85.29/RuggTHeie-protect-respect-remedy-framework.pdf

You can find how a business is rated based on human rights, the environment, animal protection, community involvement and social justice in the Better World Shopping Guide, http://www.betterworldshopper.com

How do you feel about human rights in business?

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