Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Riots!

The riots in France got me thinking on how worse off some people truly are, even in wealthy countries, for instance America.
According to the Census Beauru, a family of five, a Mother and Father, two children, and an Aunt, cannot apply for government aid if they earn a total annual income of $25,000 or more(the government poverty line). $25,000 dollars a year - If you do the math, that allots for $9.92 per person a day. I am not trying to make anyone guilty or remorseful, I just feel that if people start looking at others with more compassion and love in their heart - then alot of these problems can be averted.
So, I have another challenge for my readers today: In-stead of being angry or disdainful towards a person/s(whether it be your teacher, a festered relationship between you and a family member, etc), just remember that they're only two emotions from which everything else spawns - That being -
Love(1) and Fear(2)

with that being said a person can approach life with Love(which snowballs into > Peace > Joy > Calamity > etc) or Fear( Timidity > Aggression > Anger > etc); either of those two emotions can determine the whole outcome of the day and eventually the path of your life.
So, I have one last writing to post: A letter, which I am now going to send to the French president in finalization of this blog. You may continue reading if you like - But if not I close, as-all-ways, with peace & blessings.
Mocha

Mr. French President,
How about you put yourself in the rioters’ shoes, instead of making their life ever-more seem like hell. Mr. French President, Picture living with all of your countries minorities, without any opportunity for a better life(guessing that most of the commercial stores are long gone, due to violence, and public education is limited, if even an option). Mr. French President, your country men don't hate you or your police force, they only lash out at a society that gives no opportunities or love. Mr. French President, I close my letter hoping that no more bombs have to be blown or guns have to shot, only that this letter must be read for you to truly understand their situation.
Mocha
P.s And the only thing that is "absolutely unacceptable", is acting out of the emotion of fear.

1 comment:

Gill said...

Hi Ryan, You made some Great statements; Check out our own "Dear Mr President" video on Youtube..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nG9TsTCfLec.

It is amazingly poignant as was your letter to the French President, Ryan.

And check out my friends, Ashley Casale & Mike Israel, the peace activists who walked cross country for peace this summer.
A letter from Ashley:
November 13, 2007

Dear Not in Our Name Supporter:

My name is Ashley, and I marched from San Francisco. to Washington D.C. this summer as part of the 2007 cross-country March for Peace. What propelled my fellow marchers and I through the desert, the mountains, the cities and the cornfields – was not only our own drive to end this war, but that common desire for peace in all of us. Hundreds of people supported us – by coming out to march with us for a day, offering up their homes and showers, sending a note or making a call to thank us, donating to our trek, and telling others about the march – we could not have done this march without all of you – and Not In Our Name.

From the moment we began in San Francisco, Not In Our Name supported the march beyond what we could ever calculate. Oakland organizers Max Diorio and Maya Jones took on the role of media point-people and provided constant moral support throughout the entire march. When Mike Israel and I were alone on the march and struggling to continue with our 40-lb. backpacks, Not In Our Name’s National Co-Coordinator Peter Cobb put his entire life on hold, drove out to Iowa and provided vehicle support for the rest of the march to D.C.!

One comment we often heard when connecting with local peace groups was that our walk brought a spark back to their efforts, and inspired them to continue demonstrating and holding events with a renewed sense of enthusiasm and ambition. People said they’d been feeling apathetic because of the state of our country and the seeming futility of our actions – but saw as we marched on that individuals can make a difference, and we do need to keep rallying and stay in the streets.

Hearing this from people was enormously inspiring. Let’s work together and bring this war to an end! What our government is doing is not in our name! We know another world is possible!

Arriving in Washington, D.C. on September 10th with holes in our shoes was not an end, but a beginning. We may not be marching 25 miles a day now, but we are all still marching on towards an end to the war in Iraq and towards the beginning of a time when humans will rely on nonviolence and creativity to peacefully resolve conflicts. As one of the marchers on the March for Peace, I am honored to have shared in this struggle for peace with you over the summer of 2007, and I am honored to continue in our struggle! Thanks for all you do to support Not in Our Name and the peace movement as a whole!

In Peace and Solidarity,
Ashley Casale
March for Peace Initiator and Cross-Country Marcher
acasale@wesleyan.