Remember that from the Soprano's? I often think in terms of song lyrics. It is a quirk of mine; to think of the best song that captures my emotions. I will often sing it rather than try to explain my feelings. Pretty much no one understands this. (lol) Everyone thinks I'm just crazy and sing way too much. Gradually, friends that see me daily, start to notice the relationship between the song or tune I'm singing and maybe how they might be feeling. Then they start to get it a little.
That song is on my mind because I awoke with a definate purpose. That doesn't happen alot. Mostly I awake and start to worry or just mindlessly go about my morning routine. But this morning, I woke up with my fire.
I got on the internet and decieded to cut and paste the contact information of Muslim groups and interfaith organizations located in the city of Los Angeles. You don't know this, but my primary obsession has been peace in the Middle East and America's war on terrorism. Most days, I spend sometime thinking about this subject on and off.
To what end? I am convinced that the way to combat terror or religous extermeism is through education: building privately funded schools open to all children, especially girls. After that, I realize that so few people are making a concerted effort to accomplish this goal.
Links to American Individuals and Organizations doing humanitarian work in Afghanistan and Pakistan
http://www.roomtoread.org/ http://www.ikat.org/ and http://www.spiritofamerica.net/
You may not know this, but I do. There are literally hundreds of individual Americans working to build schools, libraries, and other educational facilities in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India. But what gets to me is that they are not working together. And they are not promoting the idea that educational opportunities can transform lives the way I would like to see it done: i.e. as the only honest answer to extermist muslim terror groups.
Remember the Peace Corp? An organization founded by the President of the United States with the mission to do good work on an international scale. Remember CARE packages? CARE packages were sent to European families after WWII so that people wouldn't starve. The humble Care package solidified the international reputation that America has for doing humanitarian good. Where are the CARE packages to Iraq?
Why are we not empowered to work as a large-scale, grassroots, human rights movement to fight for peace, change, and equality? When are we going to start making friends and being friends to all the people that are left at the mercy of angry, power grabbers with an ax to grind?
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