How do we change something so beyond us?
When the summer started I decided to create a new goal for myself. I felt that it was important for me to become more knowledgeable about the world around me. I feel like too many people our age get caught up in the changes in our lifes without regard to the changes in the world around us. For the last month I've made it a point to read the BBC's international news web page just about everyday. The thing is that I don't know if that has been such a good move.
If anything I think I've become less naive but more disenchanted with the world. I don't know if I've become more knowledgeable or just more angered.
With all that I've learned we have been through in the United States over the last 100 years including the Civil and Women's rights movements, how can so must injustice, racism, classism and utter disrespect for human beings and human life still be present worldwide. The point that I'm getting at is not that the US is so far ahead of everyone else but how is so much still going on with those historic events present as learning experiences.
I had to go for a drive and get out of the house today for the last 2 hours. That's how sick to my stomach and hurt down to my soul I felt today after reading and seeing the news. How is it that in Europe, a country with so many different nationalities present, African soccer players have to deal with fans calling them monkeys, throwing bananas onto the field, spitting on them and waving nazi flags yet governments and those in charge do nothing about it. How do political parties based on hate and fear still flourish. In Africa how can genocides still take place, hunger and Aids have a strong hold and politicians and those in power be so corrupt. How can people in the Middle East pull women, children and the elderly out of their cars and shoot them execution style on the sides of streets in countries that we are "sending democracy" to. How the hell can the United States president try to defend the act of writing a constitutional amendment to outlaw gay marriage? Amendments aren't created to deny equal rights. They are created to assure them.
I guess what it comes down to is that I feel like it is my responsibility to help make a changes to the world. But how do I as one person change things so much larger than my own power? But I also know that there is no way I can just sit back and watch all of this occurring just shaking my head in disbelief.
If anything I think I've become less naive but more disenchanted with the world. I don't know if I've become more knowledgeable or just more angered.
With all that I've learned we have been through in the United States over the last 100 years including the Civil and Women's rights movements, how can so must injustice, racism, classism and utter disrespect for human beings and human life still be present worldwide. The point that I'm getting at is not that the US is so far ahead of everyone else but how is so much still going on with those historic events present as learning experiences.
I had to go for a drive and get out of the house today for the last 2 hours. That's how sick to my stomach and hurt down to my soul I felt today after reading and seeing the news. How is it that in Europe, a country with so many different nationalities present, African soccer players have to deal with fans calling them monkeys, throwing bananas onto the field, spitting on them and waving nazi flags yet governments and those in charge do nothing about it. How do political parties based on hate and fear still flourish. In Africa how can genocides still take place, hunger and Aids have a strong hold and politicians and those in power be so corrupt. How can people in the Middle East pull women, children and the elderly out of their cars and shoot them execution style on the sides of streets in countries that we are "sending democracy" to. How the hell can the United States president try to defend the act of writing a constitutional amendment to outlaw gay marriage? Amendments aren't created to deny equal rights. They are created to assure them.
I guess what it comes down to is that I feel like it is my responsibility to help make a changes to the world. But how do I as one person change things so much larger than my own power? But I also know that there is no way I can just sit back and watch all of this occurring just shaking my head in disbelief.