You've definitly touched a nerve here. I was shown "Pixote" by accident in spanish class back when I was 15, it made things I'd suspected and dreaded so real. (its pretty much what you saw on the news but in more horrific detail)
I didn't sleep properly for two weeks and went through days like a zombie wishing there was something I could do. It's terrible and hits me close to home, I used to hang out with a few underfed, neglected or beaten kids when living in less nice towns than now. I will definitly be giving money into street kid charities once I start earning again. Last year I gave 10% to a favela education and care organization when I was earning some dinero. I totally understand what you mean when you feel the world is selfish and blind and when your heart aches like it's going to die. Humanity can be awful.

On the other hand, lately I've been coming to terms with the fact that changing the world can start at home... fighting for small things encourages people to fight for the bigger things because it makes people more responsable for their area, city, country, then world. So in a way, this jark issue is teaching many who were previously ignorant of such things about fighting as a group for justice and transparency on behalf of our leaders.
Because jark being fired doesn't change much to the DA experience in practice, i don't think that in the short term anything would be different if he was here but there is a big lack of honest communication from the admin and serious suspicions of money laundering and a hostile takeover. It's not very important unless it's a sensibilation of these kids to the concept of injustice and people power (pacific protest)
A bit like liveaid, you know, with all that publicity actually getting people to realise they live on a planet: they have neighbours and responsability for them and the best way to fight is through buying clever (fairtrade and all) and putting pressure on our leaders to enforce justice... maybe it'll give people the taste for justice and the thought that what affects someone else might one day affect them too

I dunno, I'm torn about shouting about the many things on my heart cuz people listen but think it's foreign and far away and not their problem... you see apathy is apathy: people who don't care about the tramps and neglected kids in their own town won't care about dying africans and indian child prostitutes either.

Compassion is a gift from God. It means "to suffer with". It makes you aware of being an earthling who was left in care of the earth and having your part to play in history. I hope you find a way to change the world even a little bit. Bless ya Mazzie-chan.

Extra info: Amnesty international run campaigns against issues such as prisoners rights: on their website you'll be able to sign up for their updates (by snail mail) including postcard writing campaigns to put pressure on local or foreign ministers, bootsales they run and other ways of getting involved. Oxfam, Tearfund and Sel have sponsorship possibilties (sponsor a kid thru school for example). And organizations such as Smile international have trips where you can give your time directly and see things for your own eyes.

I said the same thing about the Jark business, mainly inspired by the death of a friend I knew online (which was absolutely horrible to begin with.. it was a really, really horrible way to go. Don't really wanna talk about it. All I can say is that it wasn't anything near her fault, or anyone elses). Everyone's been treating Jark as if he's honestly suffering. So what? Effectively, all he's really lost is his job. He's still here, alive, well. I mean, yes, there's a lot attached to it and it's unfair for such a thing to happen with such short notice, but it's really stupid how people are treating it. It's like he's the one who's dying here and it's seperating the entire community, which is unfair for everyone here. I don't see why we should continue to support whoever it is that runs the site after they've broken up so many friendships due to squabbling over whats right and what's wrong here.
Some users are even leaving as a "protest" against Jark being sacked - which is ridiculous - what good will come of it? Even if it makes a difference, you can never come back. That's just stupid and hypocritical. And who says he was sacked randomly? Surely, like in most jobs, there has to be some reason behind it. It's just sick how people can defend him because they claim it's unfair when we don't even know all of the details.

One of my friends on Livejournal posted and the news was on about the Phillipines thing.. It's horrible how they can do that. But, at the same time, I'm torn between two choices... Because while some people are trying to help this kind of thing which is what is morally correct, those in charge of what's happening aren't. And when 2 things collide, war usually begins, which ends up killing far more people in the world, innocent or guilty. So while I know the majority wants to help, it's too dangerous to even try it.

It's kind of like what's going on with charities.. if you leave things in the hands of the government (donations or otherwise), it all goes to waste. And if people try to go in to help them themselves, there's always problems somewhere along the road because other people don't like foreigners working to help those who are needy in their countries, so they claim they'll help instead - but completely ignore those in need and get everything for themselves. I don't understand it. People are only willing to get involved if it lines their own pockets or lets them buy another Ferrari for their growing collection. Nobody in charge cares about their country anymore - even here in the UK - Tony Blair's just as bad as everyone in these poor countries. He's only looking out for himself nowadays and ignoring the people of Britain to attend to other things.

It's a shame theres so much in this world we're limited to because of decisions and problems with personalities, issues and biased opinions.. Life really isn't fair at times. Then again, I guess that's what makes life "life". All of these things could be simple obstacles - just errors in the way of the world set as missions to work around - solve every problem and create more out of kindness towards those originally sufferring, or leave them be to avoid greater problems?
Such a fork in the road. I hate things like this.

Personally, rather than getting involved in what is a disgusting yet troublesome case, I'd prefer to work towards finding cures for diseases that kill millions every year, like cancer and such... or more specifically, secondary cancer or leukaemia. Science can only do so much, but science has helped massively so far, and this is something I do feel really, really strongly about. And while it's dangerous territory and many are against cloning cells or whatever else is needed to help because it's "inhuman", it saves lives all over the world and gives valuable information to hundreds of charities.

Sorry if I sound a little biased there, but this is my honest opinion, and it's hard to see it from different angles when you believe in one thing.
I do believe that everyone has a chance at life, yes - so while something has to be done to help, some things should be left alone; despite the current concequences. War is the only thing where nobody wins, and only causes more devastation between countries.

Sometimes it's best to let things pass until something can be done to help that is guaranteed to end in anything but war.

You're right about *foreign* problems not hitting home with the majority as those closer to themselves. Everyone has problems, I guess - I've been told that one of my own failings is that I look at other people's problems, which are undeniably greater, and play down my own. I've been told that by a few people, and I'm honestly not trying to seem like a hypocrite by saying that, well, you know me well enough to know that I'm not like that.

About fairtrade - I'm afraid it doesn't really put any pressure on governments, unless guilt is an applicable force. You know how fairtrade goods are more expensive? That's because the big companies give the payment due to the farmers and growers, but take exactly the same slice for themselves. It is helping the people, but it's not threatening the companies at all.

The sad thing about Live Aid was that the whole shebang did practically nothing. The leaders still sat there and refused to give the countries all the aid they needed. What really got under my skin though was George Bush talking after the London bombs - the first thing he said was that he was calling his *security folks back home* - how selfish is that? As if the White House security was the most important at that moment!

The thing I hate most of all is, everyone in the UK or in France could move and complain, like they did, and the leaders still won't do anything great to stop these problems. It's not fair. Why should they have the extreme power, no matter what we do? They say they listen, but they don't really. I don't know how they can be so apathetic. I mean, I try to do all I can, sending e-mails to leaders and PMs and stuff - but at the end of the day I feel so worn out and pointless because in reality, there is nothing I can do which would change things dramatically.

I'm sorry to hear about your friend *hugs*. I know - all this moaning and complaining going on, especially from him, is beginning to irk me. Yes, he should be upset, but to keep posting artwork and journal posts about how sad he is and how much he's been violated, well... I think it's pathetic to be honest. As far as I can see, everyone involved in this whole thing needs to grow up considerably.

It is hard to do something for these millions of poor people. You've hit the nail on the head when you say it could cause more problems by getting too deeply involved. I wish people would try more though. I'm not sure about cloning - a lot of life goes to waste.

Sometimes I wish God had made us all robots. We wouldn't be free, but there would be no pain.

Mazzie-chan, let me say I appreciate your honesty! I too fail to see what the big deal is over jark. So he got fired from here, big deal. Life still goes on & they are far more important things in this world to worry about than one person out of the millions who happens to get fired. It's liek he was the first person in history to do so. *sighs* The really sad thing is all the freindships here that are now strained due to being on different sides of thsi jark thing. I mean people don't usually get fired unless they did soemthing majorly wrong at work, oe the company has to downsize. In fact, if I was jark, I'd be embarrassed to know my private life has become so darned public. *sighs* Anywyas you're absolutely right; there are far more serious concerns in thi world that we should be fighting for, than about one person who lost a job most likely through some fault of his own.

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luv kira
"When one becomes fulfilled, you become enlightened. And when you are enlightened people are drawn to you." G. P. Rodriguez
I'm Sesshy in Hari-chan's DeviantART InuYasha Crew

Thanks *hugs back*
I kept myself out of the Jark thing.. its just petty, and in my opinion, attention seeking more than anything if people continue going on about it. x_x Everyone should grow up and get on with their daily lives rather than worrying over something that'll probably be resolved and forgotten about in a few weeks.

Yeah.. I'd like to see something happen to those people who are suffering, something positive. It's a shame theres so many problems along the road to help though. Maybe someday in the future people will stand up against the governments in charge and get them thrown out of charge, allowing something better to happen to the countries where all of these problems are taking place.. that would be a nice change.

Hmm.. cloning is a bad thing, but at the same time, I've got another opinion on this (do they ever end? @_@). Personally, I believe that cloning something isn't giving it life. It can't be classed as a human, a sheep, or anything else it was meant to be, because God didn't give it life. But I'm just strange with theories and opinions like that. ^_^;
But even so, I think that in cases where if a child has a disease that's life threatening, and the parents are willing to have the cells "cloned" to save it's life and then love the second child just as much as the first, I think it's fair to say that that kind of cloning, while it might seem wrong, should be allowed.. nobody actually loses in that kind of case.

It's a nice thought that life would've been better if God had made us robots.. life certainly would be easier, and there wouldn't be conflict.

Hmmm. Yes, I have a similar opinion on clones. I mean, every time someone has tried to produce a cloned animal they never live as long, they're sickly. I think that's a good indication that it's wrong and beyond our knowledge to try to clone someone, never mind the moral issue.

The issue does become a bit blurred around the example you mentioned - tweaking with an unborn child's genes to make them suitable for transplants to save their sibling's life. I kinda think that is OK too - I mean, it's saving a child's life, and bringing another into the world to be loved just as much. I don't agree with cosmetic genetic engineering though - eye colour, gender, hair colour, disabilities and all that. I say, if you're going to have a child, you should love that child no matter what they look like. Everyone is special and unique, and you never know what they may grow up to become.

Thanks Kira ^__^

You're welcome, Mazzie-chan!

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luv kira
"When one becomes fulfilled, you become enlightened. And when you are enlightened people are drawn to you." G. P. Rodriguez
I'm Sesshy in Hari-chan's DeviantART InuYasha Crew