Hi! Welcome to the Artsytype blog. My original plan for this blog was to research and feature information about the creative mind and what makes it tick. This blog actually started in my Artfire studio which you can find here: Adamsarts For that post I interviewed one of my favorite artisans from Artfire. Her name is spiral and you can go read about her in my Artfire blog and visit her studio as well because she is a very talented and fascinating person.
For this post I am diverting my course a bit because I have things to say that I just have to get out. Please bear with me while I hop up on my soapbox.
It's all over the news: Another young life lost to intolerance and hatred.
In my nearly half century on the planet I am sad to say that I haven't seen much change in the world where hatred is concerned. Every day innocent people die because of it. Intolerance is just as rampant as it has ever been. With the advent of the internet and social media it is as widespread as ever. Every day, all over the planet, people die because they are "different". Children die because they are powerless. Women and girls are abused and killed because they are female. Lives are cut short because of a difference in sexual orientation, skin color or religion. It happens all the time in every nation. No country is exempt.
You may ask yourself, "well, what can I do? I am only one person. I can't change the hate mongers!"
You are infinitely more powerful than you think you are. Start by setting a positive example in your every day life. Show the world that you will not put up with ignorance and hatred. Stand up for what you believe in and DON'T BACK DOWN. Most importantly, teach your children that bullying is wrong and then repeat that lesson over and over, as if they were memorizing their multiplication tables. Because this IS the most important lesson that they will ever learn. Teach them that to hate a person based on their age, sex, skin color, religion, disability, sexual orientation or monetary worth is WRONG and that will never change.
Then teach them the power of love by your example, as well. Show the people that you care about how you feel, in both word and deed. Show your community that this issue is important to you and that you will make a difference.
Come on, people. We can DO this. Let love and sanity prevail.
The "soapbox" versions of this blog will be few and far between. I am grateful that you read this one. Oh, and I would appreciate it if you can pass this along.
On my next post we will be exploring what link, if any, there is between "handedness" and creativity.
'Til then, Peace!
Very well said!!
ReplyDeleteAs a mom, this really concerns me as a mom. Kids have alway been cruel to each other but now with technology, it's gone further. Their humilation is far more public. Well said. I want to follow your blog, but it won't let me. There is no button!
ReplyDeleteNever mind, it popped up after I left a comment.
ReplyDeleteYour post touches on something near and dear to my heart. It is a very important message that I wish more people would take to heart. Well said!
ReplyDeleteWELL SAID!
ReplyDeleteI have to do a certain number of substitute teaching days to satisfy my pension, and have seen dramatically less bullying of gays. However, what does disturb me is that kids are getting used to putting ALL their personal stuff out there for everyone to see, and don't respect other people's privacy either. The concept of privacy seems to be evaporating. That is the part of "social networking" that scares me.
There is a lot of very thoughtless stuff out there on Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace.....and most of it is used for the companies' personal gain.
I made a FB fan page after much coaching and angst, and am still afraid to friend anyone for fear it will bleed into my personal page which I use to keep in touch with friends and family that are spread out all over the world. If not for that connection, I would lose them altogether. I put as many privacy controls as I could on it, but it still freaks me out........
as you can see from this wordpress blog that has me hanging in space....