The Edge

I have not been able to write in a while, but believe me I've been itching to... I'm about to start a large battle with all sorts of papers and such though so I have been trying to get ahead with the reading aspect of my homework so I have ample time to write them. Thus, no time for writing. But as soon as I can, or at least can't stand not writing any longer, I'll let it all spill out, for I've been planning what to say for quite a while :) Preview of what is to come: spring break at Anathoth, reflections on non-violence, nuclear weapons, political activism, natural human rebellion, my educational experience and oppression, the meaning of freedom in society and government, the ethics of aid, and a few other things that have been on my mind :) But, I did write something tonight that I kind of liked... I wrote it for Campus Ministry's The Edge. It's like an email newsletter that goes out every week or so and our SSJ staff takes turns writing for it. This time, the section I wrote for is called Stand Aware and I had to write about human rights. Here it is: Human rights. Human rights. Human rights. Human rights. It is easy to look past this phrase: to look past the real meaning these two powerful words hold. Why? Because it is difficult to imagine the HUMANITY in every single other human being on the planet. I mean, there are more than 6 BILLION other humans out there. It is hard to grasp the concept that every single other human being is just like you: they have similar needs, thoughts, experiences, dreams, and aspirations that you do. Every single human, no matter what they look like or where they live; each person contains this common element of being human and being created by God. The enormity of the number of other human beings out there kind of takes your breath away doesn’t it? It’s easy to just remain in the ‘statistics’ mindset where people are just a numbers and figures. But move past that. See the people that make up the numbers. God created every single one, just like He created you and me. Whether they are people in China, France, Australia, Botswana, Guatemala, or here, in the United States, we all share at least one thing in common: our humanity.

With our humanity come certain needs; basic rights should be guaranteed to every single human being. On a basic level these basic needs are things like: access to clean water, food, shelter, clothing, an education, personal security, etc. These things are secondary and taken for granted by people like you and me. We easily forget that a huge portion of the human beings in our world are not getting these basic things. Things like poverty, disease, war, abuse, torture, the degradation of the environment, genocide, poor education systems, etc. run rampant in our world today. It is easy to let the humanity of the people suffering through these atrocities slip away when we hear the statistics. We must not do this any longer! Every single human being on this planet, all 6 billion of us, have the right to clean water, food, shelter, clothing, an education, the ability to feel safe, to not be tortured, to live in a world free of conflict, genocide, and hatred.

God calls us to: “Speak out for those who cannot speak, for the rights of all the destitute. Speak out, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy” (Proverbs 31:8-9).

What are you doing to speak out for human rights? What will you start doing to speak out for the rights that all humans should be guaranteed?

Take this week dedicated to the rights of human beings everywhere to learn about an issue related to human rights and to educate others around you about it. Have a conversation, write a letter, make a phone call, come to an Amnesty International meeting, participate in a protest for the betterment of the human condition, BE the change you wish to see in the world. Do it because it could have easily been you without these basic rights. Do it because if you were in their shoes, you would pray for someone somewhere else to speak out for you. Do it because God calls us to action. Just do it.

It's not much, just my need to awaken the fire for justice in people. Hopefully it opens someone's eyes...

Have a good week everyone! I'll write again when I get a chance or need a break :)