reach out!

I could have written something, but instead, I'll display an excerpt of Stephen's blog, may his words touch your heart....

Friday, December 31, 2004

"Indian Ocean Tsunami"

....Now, I plead for you to feel guilty. I feel guilty. This is indirectly our fault. Yes, we didn’t create the earthquake or tsunami, but our social ideals have created the poverty and lack of environmental sustainability and safety, which has lead to the death of hundreds of thousands. Too often, we hide behind the borders of our nations and look towards the world with paranoia and mistrust; not seeing their beauty, but rather, fearing the worst from our neighbors. It takes horrific events like this for us to put down our defenses and reach out our hand.

Why can’t we do this sooner? I too forget to stretch out my hand to my fellow people, and I now wonder how many people suffered pointlessly because of this action. Imagine how much suffering could be prevented World Wide if we would simply stop caring so much about our high and mighty way of life and instead, give. Could we have done more to lessen the number of dead from the tsunami of the Indian Ocean? I don’t know. I fear that we could. I know that we could prevent more people from starving World Wide. I know we could do more to protect the environment for the future generations. I know we could do more to help reduce our staggering number of people, which is choking the world. Could we have done more to prevent the horror we are witnessing today? Does it matter? No. Do something now:

Links: (All links provide information and links to relief organizations)

(I suggest helping out)

AlterNet

CNN

Google

Guardian

UN

USAID

This Is Directed Mainly To Americans:

Americans are known as the nation of consumers, ever increasingly gobbling up the natural and not so natural resources of this world. I would rather be known as a nation of givers. I believe we need to change out lifestyle, but I understand this won’t happen anytime soon, and won’t be possible for any one man to do. So, instead, I offer you this: Take a small percentage out of your monthly income and put it away to donate. It doesn’t have to be a lot. I know I shall be hard pressed to get people out to actually donate their time, which is very precious in American society today, but this is something anyone could accomplish.

Also, I plead to you to make a good New Years Revolution. Usually, people try to do something that will better themselves. Yet, this year, I urge you to do something that will either help the world or others. I personally believe you learn more about yourself helping others than at any other time. Tell yourself you will no longer support a product that is known to oppress people across the globe. Recycle. Anything. Doing something small will not change your lifestyle, but whether you believe it or not, it will have an impact.