Volunteer Work
So I'm starting to write again. I am out there wondering how to spend my days. I have some part time work as an acupuncturist, but this still leaves me with a lot of time on my hands. I didn't mind at my home. I knew people. I need to get out and be part of this community.
I am wondering what sorts of charities there are that perhaps I could volunteer at. I'd love to do something with a peace group or peace activist but I don't really know where to start. If anyone has any ideas, that would be great. Links to websites where I can go out and check out the place are much appreciated.
I am wondering what sorts of charities there are that perhaps I could volunteer at. I'd love to do something with a peace group or peace activist but I don't really know where to start. If anyone has any ideas, that would be great. Links to websites where I can go out and check out the place are much appreciated.
posted by Bonnie at 12:49 PM
2 Comments:
Yes, we do need to help the victims of worldwide terrorism. There is no greater threat to world peace than Islamic terrorists. What kind of people deliberately TARGET innocent, non-combatant men, women and children with homicide bomb attacks as their PRIMARY, DELIBERATE strategy? There is no truer definition of pure evil.
You see, if I accidentally run someone over with my car, that's negligence at most. It may not even be a crime, depending on the circumstances, though of course it's tragic.
But if I deliberately drive through a crowd of people, killing many of them on purpose, that's a heinous crime, and I deserve to be punished severely. And that's true no matter what my excuse or supposed justification. I say I did it because I live in poverty? Not good enough. Plenty of people live in poverty and live honorable lives -- not finding a need to kill anyone. Somebody accidentally ran over my family? Not good enough. Many people suffer similar tragedies and still know the difference between right and wrong.
There is no excuse for deliberate, purposeful murder of innocent civilians. Again, we are not talking about collateral damage here. We are talking about setting out with the sole purpose of killing non-combatant civilians, and doing just that.
So any claim of moral equivalency between those who deliberately kill innocent civilians (terrorists) and those who accidentally kill in the process of fighting the terrorist murderers (the decent civilized nations of the world) is totally wrong. There is no moral comparison whatsoever. It's like treating the cops and robbers as one and the same just because they're "always fighting" and you can't remember who "started it."
And hiding and refusing to help the "cops" is wrong too. If enough good people do nothing, evil will prevail.
So I know who needs and deserves your help and support -- the cops in the war on terror. The ones fighting those who think it's a GOOD day's work to bomb a pizzaria in Israel and blow a 4-year old boy to bits. The ones who, instead of regretting it and trying even harder to AVOID civilian casualties, BRAG about it and say they fully intend to go ahead and do the same and worse again and again and again -- and then carry through on their promise.
Perhaps you could help American refugees from Iran or Iraq. You could "adopt" a family torn apart by terrorist bomb attacks in India or Lebanon or Israel. You could donate to a hospital that treats victims of terrorism. Do you know that the suicide bombers soak their shrapnel in rat poison to cause maximum possible bleeding in the victims?
You could write a blog post about one of the victims of the 9/11 attacks, honoring their memory. You could help send children of one of the 9/11 victims to college.
You could join your neighborhood watch and make emergency preparations in case, heaven forbid, terrorism visits your neighborhood.
You could send care packages to the U.S. troops, or the Israeli troops or their families. If they aren't waging war "cleanly" enough for you -- with as few accidental civilian casualties as possible -- perhaps you could identify one nation on earth that is actively fighting terrorism without ANY civilian casualties and give them your support, in writing or in dollars. Mind you, it only counts if you support a country that is actively fighting terror. If you point to a country that is hiding from the whole issue and hoping that the decent civilized nations will stop the terrorists before they get to the rest of the world, I submit that they don't deserve your support. Not yet anyway.
I realize that this may not be exactly what you had in mind when you originally posted your call for volunteer opportunities, but I hope you will give some of these ideas your support. There are many victims in this world, including Americans. In addition to the thousands killed on 9/11, tens of thousands were injured or bereaved. Let us never forget.
I don't think I have done nothing. I have spoken out about my opposition to the US occupation of Iraq. I am not sure I want to get more involved than that. I do not believe in war, ever. It may be an idealistic stance, but if everyone took it, there would be no war. I do not believe there is ever a "clean" war, so don't think that I don't want to be reminded of the casualties. Those of us who oppose the war, know that people die.
I blog about the war regularly and so that's not the sort of service I wish to provide. I hope to help my community furthering their needs, which may sound selfish, but if my community is well served and happy, they are far less likely to start wars with other communities but rather help them also.
The people who deliberately target innocents are people in a corner. They see no other way out because no one has helped and no one has listened. They feel powerless. If they didn't they would target the powerful rather than the most powerless. When you understand this, you can condemn the action but offer compassion for the pain the soul on that path. They will be judged by those wiser than you or I. I refuse to do this.
I am sorry that you think the main way to help this country is through helping war efforts. I am sorry that you are so fearful. While I have signed up for a community emergency response training, it's more out of the possibility of an earthquake in my area that would be damaging than because I fear a terrorist attack.
Namaste
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