Speaking of protests

(picture found at www.time.com)

A peaceful but daring march was undertaken by monks , nuns and the people of Burma. After years under military dictatorship the march is on for change. Quietly challenging the regime, that killed hundreds last time they marched, the people want change.

Unfortunatly only hours ago, violence between police and protesters began, "They are not humans. We were praying peacefully and they beat us. They beat the monks, even the old ones." An 80-year-old monk stood with the student, bleeding from a baton gash on his shaven head.

Police have locked down parts of the city, and are using tear gas and other weapons to deter peaceful protest.

How do i support the people of burma?

Sign the petition to support the citizens of Burma, in asking the president of China, to not display violence in reaction to the protests and to listen to the people.

Go here to sign your support

Protest

Very often people object that nonviolence seems to imply passive acceptance of injustice and evil and therefore that it is a kind of cooperation with evil. Not at all. The genuine concept of nonviolence implies not only active and effective resistance to evil but in fact a more effective resistance... But the resistance which is taught in the Gospel is aimed not at the evil-doer but at evil in its source.

- Thomas Merton
from Passion For Peace

Sweatshops

Sweat shops in Australia?? surely not?! but this article on ACTNOW.co.au, explains some shocking truths.

47% of outworkers work more than 12 hours a day.
73% of outworkers have one or more chronic injuries.
75% of clothing companies have most of their clothes made by outworkers.

Outworkers are mainly first generation migrant women who cant speak english well and are unaware of
laws surrounding employment. There are laws in Australia to prevent This type of labour, however this article
suggests those laws are hard to enforce.

Things are starting to turn around with public awareness and thus, pressure. Also the introduction of codes of practices
are sending a message to manufactures.

For more on this see the article (at the bottom are a list of references for more reading)

Oi Government! A roof over my head Please!

If New Zealand governments invest up to $1 billion annually for the next 10 years to build and provide mortgages for affordable houses, it would have a significant and far-reaching positive impact on the social, health and income support structure of this country, according to a Salvation Army report

.

The New housing report from the Salvation Army 'Rebuilding the kiwi Dream' is out now. Its a topical issue for NZ at the mo, and deeply affects the future for many, check it out Here

Getting to the heart of the issues

I read this and was absolutly stoked... enjoy:)I also could have put a pic that would have broken your heart... but i just couldnt... but if we look into this photo, there are bony, paralysed children, despiration, no clean water, or band aids for war wounds... its bad.

UK primeminister, Gordon Brown Speaking at the United Nations headquarters in New York, the PM said that "today is an important decision day for Darfur - and for change". (31 july 2007)

At the heart of his speech was global poverty and the challenge of meeting the Millennium Development Goals. In the text of his speech, Brown said that after seven years "it is already clear that our pace is too slow; our direction too uncertain; our vision at risk. ... We cannot allow our promises that became pledges to descend into just aspirations, and then wishful thinking, and then only words that symbolize broken promises."

To find that common purpose, he said:

Our objectives cannot be achieved by governments alone, however well-intentioned; or private sector alone, however generous; or NGOs or faith groups alone, however well-meaning or determined—it can only be achieved in a genuine partnership together.

After addressing governments and businesses, the prime minister went on:

Let me say to faith groups and NGOs—your moral outrage at avoidable poverty has led you to work for the greatest of causes, the highest of ideals, and become the leaders of the campaign to make poverty history. Imagine what more you can accomplish if the energy to oppose and expose harnessed to the energy to propose and inspire is given more support by the rest of us—businesses, citizens, and governments.

(taken from blog.beliefnet.com and number-10.gov.uk)

Soap Powder

I was doing a late night shop last night, mainly for one item that went under the radar when making our flat shopping list- Soap Powder (for the washing machine).

I strolled down the isles, and found what i was looking for. I m a massive save the environment supporter (apart from the fact that i use an extraordinary amount of gas in my car each week, besides the point), so i saw the environmentally friendly stuff and immediately began to examine prices and read the 'we are environmentally friendly' blurb. So i chose the 'next generation' stuff cause it was cheapest out the lot (defiantly not the coolest packaging) and made my way to the counter. As i passed the 'specials' and the top of the isle, i noticed something that made me stop and stare... Surf soap powder was $1.89 a box!

Now I also love a bargain, and i was blown away. I actually stopped and stared. Then i looked at the hippy stuff i was holding, looked back at the gleaming surf boxes, then looked back at the one i was holding. I was at a real decision point.. all i knew, my western consumerism wanted to grab four boxes of surf for $1.89 and ditch the $5.49 stuff. But i was challenged, there is a cost, to doing the right thing, to do my part. That cost was significant, I could have brought 4 weeks worth of soap powder for the price of one. But Its that stuff that brings us to those points (the real forks in the road) is where the rubber hits the road in our beliefs, convictions and our faith. The old saying 'practice what you preach' is harder than it seems but is what we are called to do when we know what the right thing is.

I did end up paying the $5.49. And when i do my washing, i will feel better that i brought that one over the other. Life lessons in Soap Powder aye!?

Gridiron Gang

Every now and again you watch a movie that challenges the status quo. Check out “Gridiron Gang”, based on a true story of juvenile probation officer Sean Porter, who takes a group of youth that society has given up on and gives them a second chance.

The movie starts with some sobering statistics 75% of youth who are released from jail end up back in jail, or killed in drive by shootings. After the “programme” which was basically playing football and being part of a team, the stats are turned around. Many including a so called Christian School wrote off these young men and said they didn’t deserve the chance to play.

Sounds a little like NZ? Ok without the drive by shootings, but similar rates of reoffending exist. We hear the same sort of things, those offending deserve to be in jail, “how dear they have under floor heating in jail, they don’t deserve it”, “lock ‘m up and throw away the key”, I am sure you’ve heard it all and more.

It’s amazing how we accept a Justice system that is not working. Surely our response should be to give hope, to believe in those who have got into trouble, and give them a second chance. If Justice is about restoration, then we need to be a part of it. Weather its working with those in jail, or just those who we connect with everyday at work and school, we need to give people, a second, third, forth, etc…. chance. What made a difference was someone who gave the youth time, and believed in them, and helped them to work towards a common purpose. It wasn’t the game that saved the youth; it was the purpose they found in it.

So get down to the video shop, and get it out, if it doesn’t speak to you, check your heart rate to make sure you are not dead.

Darren