Who's in power today?
A few years ago someone said to me: "
The three greatest powers in this world are God, Love and Money.
In that order."
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An anonymous person left a very long comment yesterday. What they left is something that has been circulating as a 'forward' since the wear-black-turn-on-your-lights Friday in response to Sean Luke's killing.
Whilst what the content of the e-mail suggests is positive and makes an effort to motivate people, the line that strikes me is "We wore black yesterday. What are we supposed to do today?" To whom is that question directed? The next person who's going to plan a march or tell the nation what colour t-shirt to wear? I don't mean to pick on words, but that word "supposed" jumped out at me. What does "supposed" really mean? To me, it indicates a level of powerlessness and a level of you-just-lay-down-the-rules-and-I-will-obey-them-because-that's-how-you-say-it-should-be. I can envision a herd of sheep asking the sheepdog "Where are we supposed to go in this wide open field the shepherd has placed us into?" It is a word that indicates a sense of being lost, confused, unsure. "Am I supposed to be here .. or there?" It is a word that asks for answers and reaches out for guidance ... a word that expects a leader (or someone who 'knows') to be at the end of it ... a word that gives up a sense of having your own opinion and your own answers. Are today's Trinidadians powerless, lost, confused, unsure, lacking an opinion?
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This brings me back to the point I was making in the project I embarked upon some months ago: STEPS. Someone had asked me what steps I would take to deal with the issues affecting our nation (if I were Prime Minister). The fact is, unless Patrick M is reading this, no-one reading this is PM and, I'm sure, none of you wish to be. Why wait for someone else to tell us what we are supposed to do if we are longing for 'the right thing'? The forwarded e-mail suggests: (1) STOP DOING ONE THING THAT'S NOT GOOD (2) START DOING ONE THING THAT'S GOOD. Very simple ... or is it?
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It is sad that we (humans in general) must be reminded to be good. Am I supposed to be good today or am I supposed to be bad?
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Elspeth
posted by Elspeth at Friday, April 07, 2006
3 Comments:
you're supposed to beCome.
I think I understand what you're saying. It reminds me of those people who become super-activists for cancer after their child dies of the disease. If they hadn't experienced the loss, they would have lived out their lives never really thinking about cancer.
A deep loss can cause people to re-evaluate their lives, their values and can cultivate their compassion.
I suppose the question is, how can we cultivate our own compassion about issues that affect our community, our country, our world? And how can we inspire others to understand the issues and act?
As I wrote this, I realised that I chose the word 'cultivate.' This word choice implies that the compassion is there inside of each one of us - it just needs to be harvested.
I propose that 'wearing a colour of a t-shirt' or 'going to a rally' is really only the first step...
I disagree… the rallies and t-shirt wearing has done nothing...what really came out from the rallies?
The problems can be solved but in a society where drugs and racism control the land we are left in a world where the media is afraid to truthfully speak
Where the Syrians are the real people running the country
Where people with money never are accountable...
Where children of a certain stature use their parent’s position to get out of trouble
Where u are judged by where u live or your last name
What school you attend or
How light your skin is.
Drugs, Drugs, Drugs..... Roam my land ….its getting worst each day
Yes the government is to blame but we voted them in... So who is really at fault?
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