posted July 10, 2014 08:48 PM            

But I can say that I get the impression you are blissfully unaware of the constant tragedies going on in the world, including within a few miles/kilometers of you (quite possibly even next door without your knowing) if it's the the fighting in Gaza makes it seem inappropriate to speak of your own life. Which is probably a good thing in your case. I suggest you restrict yourself to news sites like this:
http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/

posted July 10, 2014 09:20 PM            

One becomes immune to small tragedies, bad news, even the sight of a suffering neighbour. And then something big like the miseries in the middle East shakes one out of one's amnesic state.

posted July 10, 2014 11:41 PM            

One of my favorite movies is Persepolis (I also have the comic) which makes me laugh and cry every single time I see it. It's an autobiography of a girl growing up, including in Iran, and she witnesses bombings and had to hide from them herself. And yet she rises above her circumstances, for all its horror and tragedy it's a feel good flick, IMO...though only if you accept that the world is filled with violence and injustice (as opposed to treating Gaza as some fluke when it's just more of the same) as otherwise the horrors that child endured growing up might be overwhelming.

And then there's your community. Given your reaction to Gaza I bet you'd puke if you know what your tax dollars help support, both in your community and in the rest of the world (come to think of it, that movie Persepolis describes the CIA helping in tortures of the imprisoned though it's only mentioned rather than shown). It's a sick, sad world we live in. Ironically, I read some like horror movies because it helps them forget the real horrors of the world.

posted July 11, 2014 01:46 AM            

Astro keen I'm so glad you opened this thread. I too have been feeling deeply affected by everything going on in the mid-east...

I feel more affected because I realize how we here at LL come from these different parts of the world. I think about the conversations here... what a Miracle it is to my mind and person that we get to commune as we do, to be able to exchange stories and know each other in unique ways.

Sometimes I think about people here and pray. I think about cities and regions and pray. But earlier yesterday I watched afternoon news and I felt so much hurt inside. Why? Why? Why do this? Stop it! Just stop it! We just want a better life.... Why can't we just rise, and get along?.... [I know]

I know the "usual" answers-- the failed politics, the entitled innerstates of aggressive ruthless groups.... I 'intellectually' am aware of how some have no conscience and want to encroach.

But for right now, I think about possible LL posters whose lives may be endangered. And I care so much!

Yes, and I care about all the other things too----- but for this thread, I weep for those people whose lives are at risk, on ALL sides and borders.

Peace! Tolerance... Healing....

posted July 11, 2014 03:30 AM            

I suppose if you have a vision--and you don't have others in your care that don't want to face the consequences of your actions--then by all means become a champion or crusader. But don't expect the world to thank you for it. More importantly, if you go in naive you'll be ineffective at best, and counterproductive at worst (and might just get yourself and your loved ones harmed in the process, be it from foolish expenditures to outright retaliation which can be indirect but still ruinous).

If you lack a workable vision then it's probably best to give to the appropriate charities, yet there are dangers even there, many charities are outright scams. Personally, I'd recommend Doctors Without Borders and Save the Children (note, those links are straight to Gaza, but they operate around the world, intense suffering isn't restricted to Gaza by any means).

DON'T GIVE ONLINE without confirming it's actually them (at the very least use the links I gave, not wait for the spam to start following you and you thinking "God is giving me a sign" rather than realizing a computer program tagged you as having visited and now trying to get your money with God having nothing to do with it). Just because someone wanting you to donate say they're Save the Children doesn't mean they really are. Make real sure your donations get to where they're supposed to go as if you don't then not only have you failed but you're rewarding some scumbags who should be drowned rather living the good life off the dollars of the charitable that these scam artists see as suckers to defraud (and unfortunately they're right about the gullibility of such people, at least some of the time).

posted July 11, 2014 05:17 AM            

Her emails to her mom were published in the UK Times, which is where I first learnt of her. Her writing was superb and inspiring.

posted July 11, 2014 04:13 PM            

I was personally paralyzed economically, socially, and emotionally, for 'that kind of' accidental-crusading 'alone.' Somehow it seemed to be only circumstantial. I'm usually a very cooperative person, (too cooperative, I've been told). I honor and try to follow the rules, not realizing that not all rules mean what they say. Some are cosmetic, and others have extremely serious consequences.

My "QB-1" type (asteroid trine my Sun) stands evolved out of situations. I didn't do it 'on purpose' (but realize also now that it involved part of my soul's purpose, and living to my highest ideals).

Golden Rule... I thought Others generally have the same kind of inner-core Values that I grew up with, and I knew a that a few did not. Based on unique error, I thought that Others would eventually come forward and reinforce me *if* I stood up to fraud and stayed strong-enough in the face of dishonest dealings. I thought that 'someone' 'somewhere' in Leadership would have a Conscience, and that virtue and Truth would save the day. I supplicated to the perpetrators privately, giving them room to escape 'shame' and to do the right thing. I put my faith in the thought that everyone is born with a Conscience. I am not a litigious person, and learned some 'crushing lessons' about persons in positions of Power-Over people.

I dealt openly, honestly, and concretely-- step by step, honoring those who were 'in Authority.' (My Father modeled this to me. He had been in the military all his life. Even when it seemed that he was clearly right, he accepted false guilt for things... which was maddening to my inner developing warrior.)

I "trusted" that Truth comes out in the end and that there's redemption. I trusted Leadership. Assumed they had the moral fiber and qualities it would take~~ Or that there was adequate 'supervision' (higher authority) who was monitoring their underling. *They* were 'Right-Leadership' (o alas~~, the very-naïve, idealistic-me).

You have to be "your own" Right-Leader inside. I dealt with these whom I'd honored (who were NOT honorable) with the Higher road senses and qualities inside my soul. Be Gentle as Doves..., Direct with Truth because Truth Rings a Bell. But I did not know the signs, I did not see the vipers and snakes hidden in the 'green grasses'....

I dealt with these Others with all honor and diplomacy as I could muster. They were sinister people, in a HIGHLY secretly politically motivated system-- one 'designed' to identify people with good motives, and to encapsulate and rendered these inert for their own 'hidden agendas' to remain unexposed.

Unknowingly and unconscious on my part, I gently and strongly stood in what I knew and understood were the rules. I didn't realize Consciously at all how Powerfully I was exposing the darkness in them (inside) with the light of simple facts, and the expectation of morality. They "pretended" to be that which I valued most (as was part of their 'organized branding'). The consequence was dire to me. I stood there not-knowing that I represented 'that' which they FAILED in their Public-Service to actually morally DO. I (innocently and uprightly) was a symbol and threat to them to them, and without prior mentoring (because 'girls' don't count), I didn't know how to 'handle' and recognize what I was ACTUALLY dealing with. (Part of my 8th House challenge in my chart!)

I was INCREDIBLY wounded by this experience. I have a lot of bravery within me, but I NEVER realized how 'deep' and dispersed the corruption root was, and still is to this day. I 'naively' believed in the power of the Individual, and had Uttermost Faith in the Collective to Be there, to have my back. Instead, I was screwed.

I have an Idealism in my Heart. One that knows there should be a compassionate active response of Right-Groups to collect around those in trouble, to support what (in my case and fact) was an issue unethical, supremely unfair, and immoral.

But the shallow 'groupings' were intimidated infiltrated and controlled by these unscrupulous (political) "helping" organizations. It was a Lie. The organized Charities (in name only) were there to 1) help themselves to self-perpetuated jobs and money, 2) be in the media lime-light as hero organizations, 3) help perpetuate discrimination, stigma, and to box people into that 'deathly self-identification' and lasting limitation made publicly-repulsive as branded 'stereotypes'... (*us* excludes the more inclusive and truthful identification as *we*), ... 3) attract public sympathy and donations that habitually loop back to item, number 1 (themselves, and those to whom they politically owe debts).

You don't know how VERY VERY strongly I would much like to be proven wrong on this, my views of these 'organized' collective-serving business-groups. I have jaded experience-- which is there to give me wisdom? I can 'believe' the shiny commercials and propagandas. Very hooking. But deep at the core of *them* my question is goes to the root, and I'm afraid that 'duality' will always be their fight. Perhaps that was born into our human experience, and takes extraordinary conscious awareness to harness Correctly, and make Higher use the default priority when things have gone badly. Correction is always a necessary part of the timeline in human experience. How can we ever REALLY know the consequences except to learn from history-- the backwards glances in eras and errors made in time past.... [Actually unanswerable question that can even be judged correctly or incorrectly as each Now-Moment passes. What is Right in one Experience can be Wrong in the Next.]

I feel grief and 'I'm-not-sure-what-else' I feel when I read the stories about various martyrs, in every faction of politics faith and religions... like Astro Keen's "Corrie" WHAT can we "do"?....

To remain anesthetized is very very very "human." We NEED to protect our integral self. It's completely understandable to require periodic escapes and to be able to REST ourselves. To want to escape 'feelings' about what happens to "others" is so completely reasonable and to be expected and honored.

But 'what is' the overall moral human thing to reconcile in those kinds of cases? To not-Feel?.... I'm afraid that this is one of those ways that perpetuate the on-going ills of this Society. Individually, we are shocked and overwhelmed by behaviors, or maybe not. To join an organized Cause can be a trick or terrible-deception we blindly lead our hearts to take, because some of these "use" Honest people, who then become *their* casualties-- We risk making love-blinded decisions, at personal cost of economic catastrophe, or EVEN the essential loss of physical life.

Like I think you were saying, P.J.? .... We need to be able to distinguish, and "balance" ourselves. We need discernment operating-- to allow ourselves to be moved in one's heart, and be sensitized with compassion by what we are deliberately exposing our minds to by commercial and entertainment-oriented media on the outside; YET, I know there is benefit to the education, teaching awareness to recognize needs (around our personal village/community) that perhaps we wouldn't have noticed existed there before.

Think globally AND act locally ~~ starting with that 'neighbor' who smiles and acts as though everything's fine and they're on top of the world? Or how about that aggressive mean callous isolative and uncaring family?

We can never really know?.... which one needs that touch~~ the 'help' or protection that connection can provide. What's going on behind that face, or locked social door? We live in objective subjectiveness? or Subjective objectiveness? How do we know 'which one'.... It's a level and state of suspense, for me.

I'm very sensitive and tend to override what my soul says to do, because I'm earthly confused. I have my own very deep needs, and I learned that one can wait forever for things that never seems to arrive. But that experience also sensitizes me to those who suffer around me-- If "I'm" suffering from this, then could 'they' be suffering in silence too? What can *I* do to help? What can I provide that will possibly help them? When I am in a limited position to help myself, then I want to "see" help come on others around me. I want to set free those others in traps I found my own self in life derailed me into. I may not be able to extricate my own self, but I will be watchful over others, and dedicate energy to Be the Blessings I can't get....

We can never know some of the horrors that exist behind some closed doors... People, families, can hide behind their soft happy masks and say 'oh, everything is fine' here. Is it? Gently, It is really?... Sometimes it's not. And it may not be safe for them to say.... Especially when others already know, and feel hostile to those with deep needs, and demand that happy-masks stay on.

*They* don't want to 'really and actually' be bothered by any social problem in their own private spheres, unless it were to touch and disturb their own space literally (family, personal, village catastrophe and violence, or sickness). Their media-influenced solution is to throw money at the "Organized" institutional systems (churches, charities).... but this action may never directly 'make the difference'.

Prayer AND Money helps.... Some can cast money into coffers while others can only throw out shallow or silent thoughts and prayers.

P.J. One of your urls showed a picture of a group holding up a sign that says "we" don't agree or feel the same way that our government and radical groups are representing the WHOLE of us to be. THAT is Powerful.

To the people of Gaza and all the mid-east and surround...... People CARE about you, and what's going on in your World. I feel so sorry that you experience such cataclysmic changes in your immediate surrounds. It shouldn't have to be like that. I care about your hurt. I care that your politicians and slave-reckless-soldiers think NOTHING of destroying your homes, and minds and health and security.

We need to collectively Lift up our perspectives. Join together from a more over-arching view. There are lines drawn, boundaries on the ground, and within our own belief systems--- but we must NOT disregard the fact that there really ARE no boundaries when it comes to the things that are Core to the existence of Human Beings upon this earth. Peace in the borders. Peace and the right to possess and hold-on to palpable Hopes that our Human Family will prosper, and that we each desire to exist unmolested in the Pleasant places (of states of mind, body, and spirit).

....

This POSTING went long, and I need to take a break, go for walk and get some food in me, as I feel a bit light-headed.

I may, or may not, change this post. Maybe I will leave it "as-is"... only 'minor' cleanup later. Maybe I tended to go too long on some paragraphs and interrupted the flow in my own writer's attempt to communicate-all, yet still try at first draft to remain as clear as possible. But my Expressions of all this I've posted includes isolated-perhaps elements of things not quite integrated~~ how I feel, and, what I think... Gently, I need now to go take care of my immediate needs, so that I can do the things I want.

Isn't 'that' the philosophy for existing in our day-to-day world? We need to pay attention to 'what's now', so that we can and may be able fulfill a Tomorrow?

posted July 11, 2014 06:22 PM            

Given how good he was with grants they put him in charge of the books. He's a preacher, so he can be trusted, right? (Sheesh, why are people so easily fooled?) In retrospect a few have found it unsurprising that the food bank got embezzled so that it was forced to be shut down after he couldn't get anything more out of it. As he was in charge of the books he was the most likely suspect and yet nothing could be proved (there was talk of hiring a PI but the rates were so ridiculous with other problems that it was dismissed). They decided that next time they'd have TWO people work the books instead of one to prevent that from happening again but they never reopened (though another charity organization has taken over the old building, but they no longer serve lunches or operate as a public food bank).

One reason I was worried about the homeless was because of my own time as a runaway where we kids couldn't access public services and some were seen as easy victims by adult homeless. In addition the adult homeless we tended to mix with the most (as we shared the same squats, etc) were also often unable to access public services (junkies, escaped convicts, parolees wanted by the law, schizos too lost to get help, etc) so that some were really bad news. But it was better at the food bank because they were able to access public services so weren't so incredibly desperate or insane, and furthermore hurting Girl Scouts wouldn't go over well as it would hurting runaways anyway. I ended up getting to like many of the homeless and they me (one even said hi to me 2 years after I hadn't seen him at all, which had been since the food bank shut down).

posted July 11, 2014 06:36 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by Astro keen:
The thought of people being killed in airstrikes is deeply depressing. It leaves me sick to the stomach. Discussing astrology or my personal issues seems trivial and inappropriate.

How can one help the situation? Surely prayers are not helping or this would not be happening. Can anyone explain these events in non-political terms?

---

posted July 12, 2014 03:30 AM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by teasel:
[] It's worrying me a bit, too, and I saw horrifying photos on facebook, of children with guns to their head, and some had already been shot. I wish people wouldn't just post them - I know they're trying to get the word out, but I can't get those images out of my head.

---

That is the point I was trying to generally make... The "real" fight is among the Leadership, and anesthetized politicians. *They* are the ones who need to be impacted by these graphic imageries. They need to have their Conscience called back out of the sleep they've been in, Teasel. If they don't respond, then it's up us-- Don't turn your back away for too long of a time. Being 'aware' of what's going on can make a difference because we'll treat people in a different way than before. We live in a 'real' world...

"Wars" become much more 'personal' when it's suddenly your own living flesh and blood involved; when it's not a video game or movie, but your own neighbor who is assaulted; when it's your troupe buddy who was on the receiving end of someone's "murder weapon." Those children get killed by a 'murder-weapon'! It's our own LL posters who may be in that harm's way...

Starvation, hunger, deprivation, loss of our beloved ones --- due to raging numb egomaniacs who have no 'real' idea what they're doing.

If there's going to be Tomorrow, it's got to start with actions Today!... Stop destroying our most valuable resources.

posted August 11, 2014 06:49 PM            

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/the-rt-hon-philip-hammond-mp-send -rfa-argus-hospital-ship-to-gaza