Speak, you have a voice!

"Be still when you have nothing to say; when genuine passion moves you, say what you've got to say, and say it hot." -- D.H. Lawrence (1885-1930)

It is shameful to be an intelligent human being and yet allow cynicism and apathy to keep one from making a difference. I've heard many sit back and mock, but seen few stand up and speak. But I believe with all my heart that we are able to do so much more for this world we live in, for the poor and needy, for the oppressed and muted. Social injustice cannot and should not be accepted with a mere shrug because they happen to real people. They are not just words on paper.

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Luke 6:31

Do not expect your governments to take action against horrific injustices in the world like genocides, torture and civil wars if you are not willing to do anything more than sitting in front of the tv and shake your ill-used head. Governments have to protect national interests, even if it means sitting on the fence with extreme diplomacy while the field is drenched with blood. But things can change if we speak up and demand action. If we open our eyes and ears and actually find out what is happening all over the world and be aware. Democratic governments are supposed to be representatives of the people. So if the people are united in pushing for a course of action, I believe governments will have to act.

So please, do not be ignorant of current affairs. Read up, find out, and do something! We seriously cannot afford to do nothing again. History is filled with the bloody shame of humans doing nothing in the face of great evil.

Right now, you have the chance to find out what is happening in Tibet and find out if there is something you can do. This is not a new issue. China has been illegally occupying Tibet since 1950. Tibet is a region with its own unique cultural identity, religion and ethnicity. But China has been conducting an insidious cultural genocide by moving large numbers of low-income Chinese into the region in an attempt to make the indigenous Tibetans a weak minority. The Tibetans have been denied equal rights and opportunities, had their resources exploited by the Chinese and treated as second class people in their own homeland. There has also been massacres and outrageous violations of human rights before. Moreover, because of the highly censored Chinese media, the information we get about casualties and the situation from China are deceptive.

Because of the impending Olympics, all eyes are on China. Use this chance to champion the Tibetan cause. Please. Ideas, words and people do have the power to effect change.

'Detained pro-Tibet protesters at risk of torture'