This song continues to inspire me… Michael Heart’s "We Will Not Go Down" www.michaelheart.com
Posts Tagged ‘Activism’
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How Israeli’s are ‘Helping’ Iran
Everyone knows that Israel is most definitely NOT a friend of Iran in any way or form. Given the current circumstances in the country and the media coverage around Iran and Election, in our information age, it goes without say that there would be spin from either side regarding the coverage.
Case in point, from a social media perspective, is the website helpiranelection.com On the website it shows the man behind it all to be “Arik Fraimovich, friendly web-geek.”
and.. here’s the guy’s personal website…
Notice… Israeli Military Consultant… You can’t tell me this doesn’t tarnish the intentions behindthe websites intent on helping the Iranian people. This also makes me question all of the media surrounding this issue. This post is not about standing behind any particular side but it is an attempt to get people to look a bit deeper and bit further than what we get force-fed over News websites and TV journalism.
WE seem to slip back into complacency a lot when we see a lot of our friends following a trend on Twitter or wherever, and quell the urge to question the nature behind the source of all the information.
It’s not a great place to be when people’s rights are curtailed for the benefit of the few, but the lines which are drawn are far from black and white. The shades of grey behind the so-called good intentions of some people need to be made a bit clearer. Because, unfortunately, the one’s with the worst intentions know how to play the system and the shades of grey tend to spiral more toward darkness.
All I’m asking is that you question… question everything, don’t blindly believe.
Technorati Tags: Iran, Israel, Websites, Support
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Just how bad is the Cholera Situation in Zimbabwe
A reader, Abdoul, of this blog who works for Medecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders in London ad left comment on my previous blogpost on Blog Action Day, mentioned the deteriorating situation which they are facing in Zimbabwe with the Cholera situation.
The situation is even worse for the lack of sanitation and water. There are also concerns with the start of the rainy season and the shortage of drugs.
They are in desperate need of any help they can get, please contact him via their website which covers all their work in the area and the challenges they are facing. I feel this is really important from a humanitarian perspective, we all have a responsibility as human beings to at least contribute in some way. For anyone who is able to assist them in their endeavours, please visit their site and contact them urgently!
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You can’t afford it…SO DON’T BUY IT! You Idiot.
I think this is a pretty cool reminder from Consumer Reports to all credit card holders over the festive season. Especially in America… and especially given the trillions already tolled in American debt.IF YOU CAN’T AFFORD IT, DON’T BUY IT! YOU BLOODY IDIOT. I have this deep sadness for people who can’t see past their own short-term actions and then find themselves, over-weight, under-paid, swimming in debt and facing another mid-life crisis.
Big Up to Consumer Reports for the reminder… No Bailouts in the Credit Card Contract… you will be paying ALL OF IT back.
Technorati Tags:
Credit Cards, Consumer Report, Bailout, Holidays, Christmas, Spending, Debt, American -
Blog Action Day: Conquering Poverty in South Africa
Today is Blog Action Day: The Conversation on Poverty
With regards to the current context in South Africa, poverty is ,and always has been, a very big problem. Most people even point this out as the source of all the other problems which South Africans face on a day-to-day basis. Things like violent crime, lack of education, corruption, etc. are all rampant in South Africa at the moment.
But let’s not all this deter us from one simple fact: WE ARE DOING NOTHING! except, ofcourse, COMPLAINING. Right, get off your asses and high horses and do something concrete to uplift your communities. There are NGO’s and other institutions available and you also have your own God-given brain to figure something out to help out people who really do need helping out.
So if you never gave a 5cent piece to the guy at the traffic light begging for change, make a change and start with that. however, I do urge you to aim a little higher ;)
Here’s some South African Welfare organisations which are pretty active in helping out the indigent…
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Gift of the Givers Foundation – The Waqful Waqifin (Gift of the Givers) Foundation is a humanitarian relief organisation supporting the impoverished worldwide.
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Al Imdaad Foundation – The Al Imdaad Foundation is a non-profit humanitarian aid organisation, registered in South Africa.
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Muslim Hands (South Africa) – Muslim Hands is an international relief organisation. Website features reports from projects. Online donation system available.
- Islamic Relief – Islamic Relief provides you with an opportunity to support the poor locally and internationally, by assisting widows, orphans, disabled and the illiterate.
These are the Muslim organisations I could find off hand which are doing really good work in South Africa to alleviate poverty, not only from helping people out, but also from upgrading their skills and education to help them help themselves. Please send me links so I can add to this list of other organisations in South Africa so that we can get moving with uplifting communities out of Poverty!
The Conversation Agent site gives 3 things we can do to alleviate poverty in one way or another:
1) Volunteering
2) Mentoring
3) GivingLet’s try and do at least one of these things on an individual level to help those less fortunate than us.
Peace.
: Activism, South Africa, Blog Action Day, Volunteering, Giving, Mentoring -
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Duality of Humanity Exhibition
Obey has this cool new exhibition in the spirit of Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket i.e. the peace sign with “Born to Kill” next to it.The title of the show is the picture above called “Duality of Humanity” of a kid soldier with a flower in his hat.
Very interesting imagery and something I love… Artistic criticism and commentary, all in one. The website looks pretty cool too :)
: Art, Activism, Obey -
Real Hip-Hop: Immortal Technique’s “The 3rd World”
Immortal Technique just released his new album and it’s available for Pre-order from CDUniverse.com.This CD’s was supposed to have been released like in June 2007 under the title “The Middle Passage” I guess he title has since changed. I’ve been waiting for this one for ages, Immortal techniques lyrics are the most hard-core I’ve ever heard and he does it with passion and style. Definitely a wake up call to the blinged-out , instant self-gratification generation which commercial hip-hop culture has spawned. This is REAL Hip-Hop.
He has since also released 3 mp3’s to give you a taste.. and here they are…
1) “The 3rd World”
2) “The Payback”
3) “Reverse Pimpology”
Enjoy!
: Immortal Technique, 3rd World, New Album, The Middle Passage, MP3 -
Thoughts on Youth Day…
It seems unreal how far South Africa has come since the beginning of the fall of apartheid, that infamous day, June 16th, 1976. This day always serves to make me realise how important it is for us, as human beings and as South Africans, to remember our vibrant past with all its struggle and adversity as well as our progression and success. We cannot allow the same oppression to exist anywhere, let alone our own country.The xenophobic attacks were a shameful reminder of how close can come to reverting to the worst of ourselves. The thin line between Love and Hate. I understand there were many factors around these attacks but the fact remains, we had intolerance and discrimination vividly emblazoned on the screen around the world. How far a cry is it from the days when we seen the pictures of Hector Pietersen being carried away dead during the June 16th, 1976 uprising… and not forgetting the sacrifice of other youth across the world, Mohammed Al Dura in Palestine being shot while his father tried to protect him; or Victor Hugo Daza in Cochabamba, Bolivia who was killed by the military in protests against Bechtel trying to privatise Bolivia’s sources of water.
We need to also be aware of oppression around the world and either fight against it physically or by some action or at least to speak out against it. We owe it to ourselves as human beings and South Africans to do this at least. China’s oppression of Tibet and support of oppressive regimes in Africa, the conflict in Sudan, The oppression of the Palestinian people on a daily basis, the Middle East, etc. We can not sit back and idly nod as we read about these things in news papers and through our RSS feeds. We need to do something, say something.We are all too aware of chaos theory and how little things affect greater outcomes and events. We could be that little change.
Let’s hope for a greater world… and one in which we have played our part.
Peace.
Link: The Front Line
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Xenophobia in South Africa, How Could This Happen?
Residents at the Ramaphosa informal settlement try to salvage building material before the blaze overtakes them on May 20.- Paul Botes, M>his xenophobia problem is getting way out of hand. What the mainstream media has failed to give significant coverage to though, the climate of fear which is being created across the country. This is not only facilitated by the violence which is spreading from province to province and town to town. Just this weekend, one of my friends whose family is originally from Malawi couldn’t leave his house because his dad was getting death threats over the phone.
This aspect is very scary, so many expats from other countries who I work with and deal with on a daily basis are now forced to keep low profiles so that people won’t hurt them or their families. It’s even gone to the point where these “Xenophobics” are using the Zulu language to distinguish whether a person is a foreigner or not. Many South African citizens are now being attacked because they don’t speak Zulu and hence are regarded as immigrants.
Zapiro’s take on the Xenophobic Attacks and their effect on South Africa’s image.Various churches, mosques and other religious institutions are getting involved in order to help the immigrants who are fearing for their lives as various attacks occur around the country. For anyone reading this, please go and help out… apart from helping these people in need we need to spread education about this issue and stop all of this nonsense. This is South Africa! Why are we killing and destroying people’s lives? Is this what was fought for, for decades, and now in such a short time we’ve forgotten our own heritage?
Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another. – Nelson Mandela
UPDATE: UnitedforAfrica.co.za has a great webpage set up which uses Google Maps to track the events of the Xenophobia attacks in South Africa so that citizens can mobilise and help those who are affected by the scourge of xenophobia.
Technorati Tags: South Africa, Xenophobia, Violence
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Get Yourself Into The Propaganda Business
In an ad bluntly called “McCain, Fire Charlie Black,” MoveOn tries strong-arming John McCain into dismissing his lobbyist, whose firm allegedly made millions by aiding dictators, terrorists and sundry other villains.$25 helps get it on the air!
Technorati Tags: McCain, Propaganda, Charlie Black, Fire
Links and Aggregation
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