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Violence is for Cowards: Part 1 of 2

© Shawn Nicholls

I am an activist because I believe in speaking out on the issues that I feel strongly about, and then acting on them. There are many things wrong with the world today, with a lot of them taking place right around us. Change is a necessity for survival, and in some instances, change doesn’t take place until those in leadership positions are made aware of the severity of the situation by the people living them.

I am passionate about many issues, perhaps even too many sometimes for my own good. But as you have witnessed over the past few months, Third World development is right up there on my list. In my mind the situation is not a complex one by any means. 1/5 of the world’s population controls 4/5’s of the wealth. Come on. 4/5 of the world’s population lives in underdeveloped areas, meaning they don’t have enough water, education, food, clothing or resources to do much of anything with their lives. Do you get it now? The numbers don’t lie-the income gap is enormous. Yet for some reason, the trend continues. Powerful countries like the United States want to help, but they also don’t want to risk dropping their per capita GDP from $30,000 to $29,900. But at least they try…

So everyday I scan the newspapers and the Web, hoping to find good articles about countries helping countries, and people helping people. I know these stories are out there somewhere, they have to be. I know that people are not as selfish as they seem. I know that this world can be a better place. All it takes is dedication to an issue and moving the focus away from money and away from this global market, and move it to the needs of the people that could use a little help. Education, food, hospitals, birth control, clothes, houses. Simple things. Not cars, computers, and stereos. Not everyone has the luxury of combining luxuries and necessities. Many just need. So why aren’t more people giving?

I don’t know. The newspapers aren’t telling me.

Instead, what dominates the headlines is greed, violence and the American dream gone global. So as an activist I am disappointed.

Switching gears, I am also a pacifist because I don't believe in violent acts by individuals or countries intended to injure or kill a human being. So when I hear about violence in Somalia, which will be the subject of next week’s article, or when I read accounts of the brutal murder of innocent Vietnamese ordered by former Nebraska senator Bob Kerrey, which earned him a Bronze Star of course, I become depressed. I guess I just don’t understand how one person can undervalue the life of another person. I probably will never understand. To me war is silly, the death penalty is a mighty contradiction, and abortion is wasteful. Human life is an amazing and completely unique entity if you stop and think about it. Why would you want to kill an amazing and unique thing? Can anyone tell me?