She just doesn't do enough
The other day, while visiting a close friend of mine in Chicago, I rifled through a magazine left on the counter. An article in in it talked about James Foley, the American journalist who was recently murdered by ISIS by beheading. The opening line basically said how anyone who believed people had the capacity to be good needed only to look at history to have that belief shattered.
I have to admit, growing up really does make it harder to deal with all of the ugliness in the world. With each passing year, I learn more and more. It used to be so easy to happily eat the food put on my plate, gush with my friends about this GREAT deal I got at Wal-Mart on Black Friday, swing by Wendy's for a cheap burger and fries, and pick up a bottle of Herbal Essences Shampoo on clearance at Target.
But the problem is I'm learning more about how things become to exist here. I don't want to remain in the dark about so many things, yet the more I learn, the more helpless I feel.
Sometimes, as I am trying to decide what to eat at a restaurant, I laugh at myself. I gave up red meat and pork products years ago due to health reasons, and gradually cut out poultry and dairy. I haven't fully given up cheese or my coffee cream, but seriously, changing your diet is a long term thing so you have to do what works for you. I still eat fish, but that's about the extent of it. A few months ago, I read a story about the shrimp industry in Thailand which meant I'd have to give up something else from my already limited diet. But let me tell you. H.O.R.R.E.N.D.O.U.S. Stuff you see in movies, but stuff you can't imagine is still going on in an industrialized world.
And you know what? This is just the tip of the iceberg. From child slavery in the textile, clothing and sex industries to the utter lack of compassion we show for our poor, the lack of compassion we have for our immigrants who want better lives of children to how we treat our animals, it is only a fraction of what's going on out there. And the more I learn, the more there is to fight against.
What is worse is I don't have any answers (and that might be rather presumptuous of me to assume I did - if I actually did)...but hopefully, awareness is the first step. I do everything I can to use my purchasing power responsibly. Sadly, as I was doing research for this blog, I learned P&G owned Hugo Boss's fragrance line which is my husband's FAVORITE brand - and I really need to remember not to by Crest brand anymore.
There's a verse in Matthew which I think is really beautiful and applicable here - no matter your religious beliefs (or lack there of), I think we can all agree on the sentiment.
Want to start to your own journey into awareness? Try this quiz. It will give you an idea of how many slaves you have supprting you. http://slaveryfootprint.org/
"A foolish optimism about human nature can’t withstand even a nodding acquaintance with history."A picture of Australian commando Leonard Siffleet sitting on his knees with a blindfold on awaiting his own decapitation by a Japanese soldier, Yasuno Chikao was prominently displayed to help drive the point in.
I have to admit, growing up really does make it harder to deal with all of the ugliness in the world. With each passing year, I learn more and more. It used to be so easy to happily eat the food put on my plate, gush with my friends about this GREAT deal I got at Wal-Mart on Black Friday, swing by Wendy's for a cheap burger and fries, and pick up a bottle of Herbal Essences Shampoo on clearance at Target.
But the problem is I'm learning more about how things become to exist here. I don't want to remain in the dark about so many things, yet the more I learn, the more helpless I feel.Sometimes, as I am trying to decide what to eat at a restaurant, I laugh at myself. I gave up red meat and pork products years ago due to health reasons, and gradually cut out poultry and dairy. I haven't fully given up cheese or my coffee cream, but seriously, changing your diet is a long term thing so you have to do what works for you. I still eat fish, but that's about the extent of it. A few months ago, I read a story about the shrimp industry in Thailand which meant I'd have to give up something else from my already limited diet. But let me tell you. H.O.R.R.E.N.D.O.U.S. Stuff you see in movies, but stuff you can't imagine is still going on in an industrialized world.
"Another trafficking victim said he had seen as many as 20 fellow slaves killed in front of him, one of whom was tied, limb by limb, to the bows of four boats and pulled apart at sea."Limb by limb? A man strung up to 4 boats and PULLED APART? So now, eating that shrimp skewer is actually really pretty much a mind f*ck for me (pardon the language, but there isn't anything that adequately describes the depth of how much this messed with me) now. The four biggest grocery retailers in the world buy shrimp that are sourced by slaves. These slaves are bought and sold and held against their will for what? For me to buy at a dirt cheap price at my local Wal-Mart or Costco.
And you know what? This is just the tip of the iceberg. From child slavery in the textile, clothing and sex industries to the utter lack of compassion we show for our poor, the lack of compassion we have for our immigrants who want better lives of children to how we treat our animals, it is only a fraction of what's going on out there. And the more I learn, the more there is to fight against.
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| 8 yr old immigrant from Guatemala |
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| Yimi - 14 yr old |
There's a verse in Matthew which I think is really beautiful and applicable here - no matter your religious beliefs (or lack there of), I think we can all agree on the sentiment.
Get it? You are only as good as how you treat the least among us. And now, for my own little pep talk, I will end this with Mother Teresa's challenge to us."Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." Matthew 25:40b
Want to start to your own journey into awareness? Try this quiz. It will give you an idea of how many slaves you have supprting you. http://slaveryfootprint.org/
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