The Green Brief for August 20, 2009
So I was taking a look at the results on the protest against Nokia, and one thing baffled me: these protesters are there, dedicated to raise awareness on this company's support of an oppressive regime...and no one even turns their heads. No one stops to look for a moment see why there's a bunch of people dressed in green and holding up signs. And it's just one of the things that's been bugging me lately as a supporter of human rights. Though there's many, many people supporting the Green Movement, there's still a lot of apathy going around. It's not just for the Green Movement, but for every issue, from the environment to poverty. No one ever stops and thinks about the suffering of others.
Most people who I regularly talk to online know I've been very upset for quite a while, over so many things. And one of the reasons is because I'm trying to raise awareness and support. I see a lot of it from strangers online, but as for the people I'd expect to show a little support, my friends (except for one friend and my cousin). I just don't see any. I've been thinking quite a lot on it. I wish I had politically active friends, we could gather on the weekends and get involved in some crazy shenanigans like posting stickers on the windows of a Nokia store like a group did at a bank in Paris. And gather enough people to release green balloons, just something to help with the cause. But I don't. Most people I know are far too wrapped up in their own little world of MTV, shitty tv shows, the latest video games, sparkling vampires, etc.
And I know I'm not the only one facing this little conflict. It really leaves me wondering: how do you yank people out of their own superficial worlds and make them see what's going on in the real world? I can never understand how people can blissfully ignore the suffering of others. It really pains me as a fellow human being. I can never live through one day and not think about how someone else might be suffering. It's like Charlie Chaplin said in the famous speech he gave in The Dictator: "we think too much, and feel too little."
When did we become so desensitized? We willingly trapped ourselves in a chamber of plastic and bright colors on a screen. Especially in America, where everyone is all for freedom but never seem willing to stand up and fight for it. If freedom is such an American value, why do we ignore those who are struggling for theirs? We don't stand up for freedom until we're the ones being directly affected. I'm not saying for the American government to blast right in and take the government down Rambo style, but I'd expect for people to be more supportive. Every freedom that we take for granted, the Iranians are stuggling for. Every blogger can criticize the goverment and nothing happens to them (unless you happen to cross Sarah Palin, she'll send ninjas from the "department of law" after you). There's protests going on right now against the current president, and nothing happens to these people. What's the point of hailing a national value when they're not put into use for the sake of others, even outside these borders? Freedom is a basic right for every man, woman, and child on this planet.
Nothing will change if we just ignore the pain of others. As a fellow human being, I refuse to live in blissful ignorance. I would rather be in sadness and aware of what's going on, at least I might be able to try to help some how and raise awareness. I really would like to see some more support from my own social circles. I'm sure others who also have alittle trouble getting people (that I know) see what's past what's in front of them. Regardess of how much trouble I have with it, I still know there's a lot of people that are in support of the Green Movement. And I know I will continue to support it until there's no more reason for the people to continue. I just wish those within my own personal social circles would. I know others are hoping for the same from theirs.
That's it for today's entry. I'll try to have a better one tomorrow, I think most of you will like it. Goodnight, all.
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