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A Step Too Far: A Way for Refugees and Deserving Immigrants
Nazi's rounded up my Grannies village in Napoli and threatened imprisonment and execution if they did not confess to aiding the Allied invasion. They refused to talk, and were released after 2 days.
Was this bravery?
My Nan and Pa met while working as doctors to the injured civilians and soldiers in the Pacific thaetre (primarliy PNG and Malaysia). During the bombing runs, they helped remove those with no ability to move themselves. Women, men, children; those under anaesthetic and those currently being operated on; housing them in there own bed at great risk of retribution.
Was this bravery?
My mothers Mother was taken from her family and raised in an orphanage because she was Australian Aboriginal. She remebered her family, and waited until she was old enough to return. She did, but her parents had died. This happened because they were from the Indigenous people of the Dungog area. She never allowed hatred to corrupt her Heart.
Was this bravery?
What will be your bravery? the exercise of words in the face of words; or the everyday action of a decent human doing just exactly what must be done in this moment?.
Remember that no-one will really remember what you are doing right now but yourself. So make sure you choose something that you can live with when your Grandkids ask.
Acting for an imagined version of ourselves in our vulnerable old age, or even some immaterial future "nationhood"; is IMO the fastest way to ensure skilful emotion is used for unskillful reasons.
I mean no disrespect, and hold that every human must reconcile with there actions in thereown Heart; and that no-one can possibly tell you who you are.
In this view; I can not see a seperation between "Me" and "politics". Everything is politics, ultimatly.
Nazi's rounded up my Grannies village in Napoli and threatened imprisonment and execution if they did not confess to aiding the Allied invasion. They refused to talk, and were released after 2 days.
Was this bravery?
My Nan and Pa met while working as doctors to the injured civilians and soldiers in the Pacific thaetre (primarliy PNG and Malaysia). During the bombing runs, they helped remove those with no ability to move themselves. Women, men, children; those under anaesthetic and those currently being operated on; housing them in there own bed at great risk of retribution.
Was this bravery?
My mothers Mother was taken from her family and raised in an orphanage because she was Australian Aboriginal. She remebered her family, and waited until she was old enough to return. She did, but her parents had died. This happened because they were from the Indigenous people of the Dungog area. She never allowed hatred to corrupt her Heart.
Was this bravery?
What will be your bravery? the exercise of words in the face of words; or the everyday action of a decent human doing just exactly what must be done in this moment?.
Remember that no-one will really remember what you are doing right now but yourself. So make sure you choose something that you can live with when your Grandkids ask.
Acting for an imagined version of ourselves in our vulnerable old age, or even some immaterial future "nationhood"; is IMO the fastest way to ensure skilful emotion is used for unskillful reasons.
I mean no disrespect, and hold that every human must reconcile with there actions in thereown Heart; and that no-one can possibly tell you who you are.
In this view; I can not see a seperation between "Me" and "politics". Everything is politics, ultimatly.
A Step Too Far: A Way for Refugees and Deserving Immigrants
1. Skillful means - don't tell people they are idiots, to go kill themselves, promote the assassination of Trump, etc. Believe me others will not be so kind so don't play unless you can handle it and have the ability to respond with a compassionate voice.
2. Be engaged - there are literally hundreds of organizations fighting for justice, equality, environmental science, our national parks, etc. I joined the Injustice Boycott lead by Shawn King. Find one you like. It really helps to remedy that helpless feeling of "I am just one person with no wealth or influence what I can do about any of this"
3. Vote and call your local representatives about issues you care about
4. Don't live in a bubble - listen to the views of others. Try to understand their views from their perspective. It does not mean you have to agree but at least try to understand before responding.
A Step Too Far: A Way for Refugees and Deserving Immigrants
Berlin===>Brazil===>USA.
Berlin===>Gassed/shot/baked/starved.
Some family # 1, some # 2.
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The MS St. Louis was a German ocean liner most notable for a single voyage in 1939, in which its captain, Gustav Schröder, tried to find homes for over 900 Jewish refugees from Germany. After they were denied entry to Cuba, the United States, and Canada, the refugees were finally accepted in various European countries, and historians have estimated that approximately a quarter of them died in death camps during World War II. The event was the subject of a 1974 book, Voyage of the Damned, by Gordon Thomas and Max Morgan-Witts. It was adapted for a 1976 U.S. film of the same title and a 1994 opera titled "St. Louis Blues" by Chiel Meijering.
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First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Muslims, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Muslim.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
We are all immigrants to this world. No where we're supposed to be, just passing thorough, no place to call home.
To hurt on another, to create meaningless separations of us and them... I mourn for the injured families, broken and torn by war and disease, trying to survive in any way they can.
Actions speak louder than words.
Gassho,
Seido
SatToday
The strength and beneficence of the soft and yielding.
Water achieves clarity through stillness.
Now, this is just wrong too. All such violence should be condemned by our leaders.
Trump quickly condemns Louvre attack, still quiet on Quebec
By Eric Levenson, CNN
Updated 1721 GMT (0121 HKT) February 3, 2017
Last Sunday night, a French-Canadian man allegedly killed six people and injured five others during a shooting at a mosque in Quebec City.
President Donald Trump has not tweeted about or publicly mentioned that incident.
Early Friday morning, a man at the Louvre museum in Paris yelled "Allahu Akbar" -- in Arabic, "God is greatest" -- and attacked a group of soldiers, police said. One soldier was slightly injured.
Within hours, Trump tweeted about the incident, calling the suspect a "radical Islamic terrorist" and imploring the US to "GET SMART."
Trumps contrasting reactions to the two attacks have raised questions about how the identities of the suspects and victims informs the President's response.
PS - Although hate is hate, interesting to note these statistics ...
Americans are almost seven times as likely to be killed by a white extremist than by an Islamic one, according to one study.
Citing a 2013 study, the New York Times notes: "Right-wing extremists averaged 337 attacks per year in the decade after 9/11, causing a total of 254 fatalities."
According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, there were 42 militia groups in 2008; today, there are 276. Meanwhile, anti-government groups grew to 998 in 2015, while the number of right-wing hate groups grew from 784 in 2014 to 892 in 2015.
According to the Anti-Defamation League, "domestic extremist killers" killed more people in 2015 than any other year since Oklahoma City in 1995 (In fact, here is a list of radical right wing terrorist plots, conspiracies and attacks since 1995).
Now, this is just wrong. All such violence should be condemned by our leaders.
Gassho, J
SatToday
Not surprising behavior from Trump because it does not fit his narrative of fear and hate towards Muslims. We must be engaged and speak out against it. Thank you for doing so.
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