I just finished reading about the terrible happenings in Shaanxi Province in China when a man stabbed and beat a woman to death and the bystanders did nothing to intervene. In fact, some just walked on by like nothing was happening. CCTV captured everything on film. It's terrible to think that people could just stand by and do nothing in this intance. A woman's life was on the line and her death was tragic; perhaps it could have even been prevented. But to think of it, we stand by and do nothing every day. While we are wondering whether to order a mocha or latte at Gloria Jeans there are people around the world who don't have the luxury of making that decision. Many are just trying to survive daily life. People sell their blood for money to buy food for their family, children walk for hours in freezing weather to attend school, the elderly are being neglected in nursing homes that don't provide basic necessities. These are just a few of the stories that can be found on ministryoftofu.com.
One of my favourite documentaries is called 'Invisible Children'. It is a documentary by three American college students about the experiences of children in Uganda who go on a night commute to the cities so they will not be captured as child soldiers by the Lord's Resistance Army. One of the filmmakers makes a comment in this documentary about how some people resond to these experiences with 'It's Africa. You can't compare it with America.' But why can't we? Should the children in Uganda have to live through what they do just because 'It's Africa'? The idea that people are uncomfortable watching the type of footage seen in this documentary is a positive thing. Why? Because it means we understand that there is injustice and oppression occurring. The question is, what can we do to help?
LINKS:
http://www.invisiblechildren.com/
http://www.ministryoftofu.com/2011/03/photos-chinese-children-carry-burning-torches-to-school/
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