25/11/10
Fighting For Understanding
Eboo Patel wrote a This I Believe and gave a speech on "Religious Pluralism in a Democracy". Patel believes in taking action and not sitting on the sidelines. In his view, watching is the worst thing to do because the embarrassment and shame sticks with you for the rest of your life. In Patel's speech he talks about Religious violence and heroism.
Fighting For Understanding
Eboo Patel wrote a This I Believe and gave a speech on "Religious Pluralism in a Democracy". Patel believes in taking action and not sitting on the sidelines. In his view, watching is the worst thing to do because the embarrassment and shame sticks with you for the rest of your life. In Patel's speech he talks about Religious violence and heroism.
Patel's 'This I believe' is a story from his days in high school. He ate lunch everyday with people from many religions and one day some people bullied his jewish friend while he sat and watched without a word. To this day he still regrets not standing up for his Jewish friend. Patel knows he can't change the past but he can prevent something like what happened to his Jewish friend happening in the future by saying something and having a voice. Patel's story relates to the poem 'No Man is an Island' by John Donne. In the poem there is one line, "any man's death diminishes me", even though Patel's friend didn't die the meaning behind the line also means any man's pain or suffering diminishes me. Patel got weaker, as we all do when you see suffering, and will get stronger when he prevents suffering of others.
In Patel's speech he tells a short story on diversity in every day aspects of life. On Patel's first day on campus at the University of Illinois he went to play basket ball and when he arrived at the court there was three games, a white game, a black game and an Asian game. He didn't know which game to play in. Then he realized that he had been playing the white game all his life he never learnt the Indian language or culture. He was just like all the Americans. A question crossed his mind as to why people feel separated because of their color or ethnic heritage?
One time Patel's dad asked him why does he always talk about diversity with the subject of race or color and not the things that blow up the world like religious violence. Patel started thinking about it, he realized there was religious conflict everywhere. In his speech Patel said that to him 1990's was the decade of religious violence because of many things happened associated with religious conflict. Patel stated some of his hero's being Dorothy Day, Jane Adams, Martin Luther King Junior ect. These people were the hero's of the 20th century, they were the people of faith in fact they were faith. Patel realized that the hero's were young in the last era when they started their journey and that this era religious violence has been caused by young people. Patel's hero's lead movement not only for there race or religion but for others to.
Patel believes that everyone is equal and that there should be no discrimination against other religions, races, or color's. He also thinks that if one man suffers you should help and have a voice.
In Patel's speech he tells a short story on diversity in every day aspects of life. On Patel's first day on campus at the University of Illinois he went to play basket ball and when he arrived at the court there was three games, a white game, a black game and an Asian game. He didn't know which game to play in. Then he realized that he had been playing the white game all his life he never learnt the Indian language or culture. He was just like all the Americans. A question crossed his mind as to why people feel separated because of their color or ethnic heritage?
One time Patel's dad asked him why does he always talk about diversity with the subject of race or color and not the things that blow up the world like religious violence. Patel started thinking about it, he realized there was religious conflict everywhere. In his speech Patel said that to him 1990's was the decade of religious violence because of many things happened associated with religious conflict. Patel stated some of his hero's being Dorothy Day, Jane Adams, Martin Luther King Junior ect. These people were the hero's of the 20th century, they were the people of faith in fact they were faith. Patel realized that the hero's were young in the last era when they started their journey and that this era religious violence has been caused by young people. Patel's hero's lead movement not only for there race or religion but for others to.
Patel believes that everyone is equal and that there should be no discrimination against other religions, races, or color's. He also thinks that if one man suffers you should help and have a voice.
12/11/10
Fatmire's Journey From war to Peace
Fatmire's Journey From war to Peace
Fatmire Feka has gone through many things that no one should ever have to. The way she bounced back from having nothing to working to make peace is amazing and I admire her courage. She is resilient.
Fatmire was a young girl when her town heard word of war coming. Her family had packed their belongings and waited until the war came. The second they heard gunshots they jumped into their tractor and drove away hearing screams and bombs behind them. They stayed in the woods for a few months. I that time one of Fatmire’s brothers and one of her sisters went missing and they still are to this day. During that time Fatmire met a Canadian worker and thought her about peace. Fatmire was inspired and started the Kids For Peace association now there are 16 clubs, which teach children about peace.
Fatmire’s courage is so strong because not many people can do what Famire has done and especially after what Fatmire has been through.