::@:: Reality of Dreams ::@::

I’ve kept pretty quite about Make Poverty History and the recent development of Live8 and the upcoming march in Edinburgh. Why? Well I felt there was nothing else I could add, not much I could really say that was not already being said. I am 100% behind Make Poverty History, and even Live8 (although perhaps Geldof should learn to think before he speaks occasionally).

So what has changed, well, my old blogging main stay, Ron Ferguson’s column in the Herald today (read it, its quite challenging if you let it be). It got me thinking of those in this world who sit back and talk a good talk about poverty and changing the world but when an opportunity arises to be part of something amazing they don’t get involved because it interferes with their “normal” life. They would rather do what they always do, or just stay away because there may or may not be problems.

Well… wake up and smell the blood soaked coffee! This world is shafted, we have a chance to say to our politicians this is not good enough. But you won’t will you, your too obsessed with what is “yours” and “your” life, and “your” money, and “your” benefits you enjoy. Guess what, “your” stuff is pointless, immaterial, transitory, and will not do you any good when you eventually pop yer clogs and snuff it. We are one race, humanity and we have a chance to redress a hideous imbalance in this world where children die by the thousands every day because they can’t get medication.

Now of course this is not just the west’s fault, corrupt government in the third world do come into play here as well but that should not stop us. We in the west have the power to not just cancel debt and alleviate poverty but also turn round and tell these countries to get their governments in shape… what we would never do such a thing? Iraq, for one, we went in a changed the government (ok that’s a bad example but you see what I am trying to get at here).

Why is it that as soon as it something we agree with interferes with our plans, our normality, we suddenly get nervous? I tell you why and I make no apologies for this, we are a proud, arrogant, selfish people. Why are you not willing to sacrifice some of your wealth and plenty (and we have so much, never believe the media in this, we have SO MUCH) to help a starving child who is in naked, crying, and will die in the arms of a mother who cannot help, who is too weak to help… if you will not help, don’t believe it is right to help, to do more, then words fail me as to what you are, or at least they would not be pleasant words at the least.

30,000 people die ever day, 1 every 3 seconds. So while you have been at work over 9500 humans have died from preventable poverty, while you earn that rather good salary, 9500 have died. In your lunch hour over 1000 died while you eat your sandwiches, complaining about the cost or the lack of a decent bacon roll, 1000 preventable deaths because of poverty happen. Wake up and smell the stench of death for our wealth, inaction is as bad wrong action.

I am not saying that being well off is wrong and we need to be poor, or that buying things or enjoying our life is wrong and immoral what I am saying is that we have a responsibility as the better off siblings in this global family. We should help our poorer brothers and sisters, why? Just so they can get better, not just that but because if one part of our global family suffers then we will all suffer. I obviously look at this subject from a religious viewpoint one based on a belief in eternal ramifications for even the smallest act in this world. I try my best (and fail so often) to see past the materialist reprogramming of this western world, I can see that all will turn to dust eventually (even if you don’t believe in an afterlife, everything eventually falls apart, rusts, breaks, dies). This is a time where we could make something that changes this world, for the better, for ever.

“But none of this will work, you know what governments, corporations are like” and/or “those celebrities are just in it for the publicity”, I hear you retort to my enraged ramblings, foolishness, I reply, the governments and corporations that run this world are nothing without us allowing them to have this power over us. They are meant to work FOR us not INSPITE of us. So what of the celebrities are in for the fame, that is between them and their conscience, at least they are getting involved.

Rise up and march on July 2nd if you can. If you cannot march (be it ill health, fear, distance, age), support in other ways (if you believe in God then pray for the effectiveness of this march and that the politicians would listen, if you don’t pledge money to aid agencies, charities, writes to your MP). Remember that “All that is required for evil to triumph is that good men do nothing” (exact source unsure).

I have probably offended people today, even some friends. To be honest this is what I believe, perhaps too bluntly spoken, perhaps I could be nicer in the way I phrased something. But you know what, look into the eyes of those starving, diseased, poor children and tell them that you don’t care or that you, and your social life/material possessions/cars/houses matter more than they do, then well talk about being offensive.

So, if I have offended you I do apologise for the “how” of what I said, but I’ll NEVER say sorry for the “why” of what I said.