Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Speak Up

So here is another bit of chit chat

A more serious one though...



Well let me start by sharing a personal dilemma I faced and still face all the time

Friends and people who know me, usually accuse me of being: overly emotionally involved in defending various causes. They also say that I get so involved in other friends' problems as if they are my own.

They usually tell me, well yeah they asked for your help, but why do you care so much, what is in for you? It isn't your problem, stay neutral, its the smart way to stay out of problems and keep as much friends and connections.

Stupid me, never seem able to understand or listen to that advice.

It goes with little issues such as a friend being mistreated by another friend and standing up for her, all the way till the bigger issues that I seem to care deeply about such as war and violence against women.

It surprises me how people assume that if you are so involved in a cause or a problem you must have something personal to do with it.

So they start pyscho-analysis: maybe she has this disease, maybe she hates this person, maybe she is against this religion, maybe she is a lesbian, maybe he is gay, maybe she is not happy in her marriage, maybe she was beaten up by her family..etc

Next thing you know, if you speak for animals' rights they will say you have a secret fetish for animal
Or if you defend the enviromental rights, they will say you are secretly a tree!

So many issues go unspoken for: wars in the world, unjustice against different races, violence against women, discrimination against gay people, violence against home maids, inequality, and much more I can go on

and for some reason people wont speak up unless it somehow affects them personally, otherwise they will tell you

"ebi3d 3an el shar oo '3anylo"
"why make enemies for no reason"


A while back I was close with a friend and she introduced me and all of our group to a new girl, this girl started hanging around with us, going for dinners, parties etc.
We started to sort of like this girl and she was so nice.
One day my friend came and addressed the whole group saying that we no longer invite this girl over, and if we do she "my friend" wont be coming around.
When asked for the reason she said: my boyfriend/fiance/husband etc.. says she is I quote " a slut, with a very bad reputation, and a total whore"
Now I dont like girls calling other girls those names, call her stupid, call her ugly, anything, but not a slut!
and with no surprise they girls just followed along, and no one questioned as to how true all of this truly is.

I couldnt go along, I have never heard anything bad about the girl
I have never seen anything bad from her
and she was really FUN! and I dont like the "lets exclude people" highschool drama shit

So I start hanging around with the girl and we get close and over a long period of time the topic of this friend comes up, and this girl by chance brings up the topic of X boyfriends she has dated, and apparently this boyfriend/fiance/husband is one of them. She shows me a photo of them. and in that moment everythin makes sense to me. She excluded her not because she is a "slut" as she claims. She excluded herbecause she was her lover's X and she didnt want us finding out and she probably was just jealous from her.

I turned really sour on this "friend" and on her relationship with her guy, feeling that am so disappointed in a friend that I though a true girls' girl. The one who sticks up for her friends. A strong woman. But apparently I was wrong. I couldnt confront her because I promised that girl not to bring this topic up ever.

Needless to say, after time, this same "friend" for unknown reason turned against me and turned every1 else too.


My point is, sometimes when you someone being treated unfairly, dont just turn the other cheek and say, ahhh it isnt my problem. One day you will be in a similar situation.

The next time you see someone making racial jokes, speak up
Next time you hear about war, take a moment of silence and then speak up
Next time you see a friend being bullied, stand up even if it means they might bully you too
Next time there is walk for the mentally ill, walk along, even if you dont know anyone who is mentally ill
Next time you see someone discriminating based on religion, sexual orientation, race, gender, age SPEAK UP
Dont just stay quiet so that you FIT IN!



To sum it up, I just want to share a fave quote by Pastor Martin Niemoller regarding the Natzis

In Germany they came first for the Communists, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me, and by that time no one was left to speak up


XoXo
TaLyan's



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