Paul Crowley (
ciphergoth) wrote2005-07-14 12:05 pm
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
Two minute silence
At 12:00 BST today, London and many around the world observed a two minute silence for the 48 people who died in the terrorist attacks on London on 7 July.
During those two minutes, approximately 42 children worldwide died due to poverty.
We are not going to let terrorists cause us to lose perspective.
During those two minutes, approximately 42 children worldwide died due to poverty.
We are not going to let terrorists cause us to lose perspective.
no subject
There are far worse things being perpectuated around the world that people forget about.
People so often use such silences as this to reflect on things that have closely touched themselves and then give themselves a little pat on the back for giving up their time to think, then forget about everything and go back to their starbucks and their SUVs.
no subject
no subject
I think that is far worse. What happened in london atleast had a reason behind it, a message they were trying to convey. The reasoning was insane, the message stupid and the delivery barbaric, but to let children die because we as a whole just cant be bothered to fix it?
No there are far worse things that can and do happen in this world and our hands are dirty from them.
no subject
I think we should fight poverty and terrorism. Death from neither is 'better' than the other.
no subject
Deffinatly.
But I think the billions being put in to add new liberty infringing anti terrorist messures could have far far better uses.
The scales of the problems are confused in politics and the responses disproportionate to the actuality
no subject
You dont think its worse that 42 children died because we in the west couldn't be bothered to give them the money instead of spending it on an over priced coffee of a fuel guzzling lump of metal?
This isn't the way I see it, actually. I don't think it's possible to fix poverty by just giving people money. That might seem counterintuitive, but I genuinely believe it. I certainly don't think we are ignoring poverty. I understand and share your frustrations that poverty can't be cured with the click of a finger; the fight goes on to address the underlying problems and I think we are actually beginning to tackle them effectively. It will take time, but I am an optimist. I genuinely believe we will get there in the end.
no subject
I believe this too.
If not in their lifetimes, hopefully within ours.
no subject
Things like wiping out the debt of poorer countries, setting up fair trade laws and sorting out farming subsidies
no subject
I've enjoyed the discussion in this entry, and agreed with a lot of contrasting things people have said. I've got to say, I think it reflects very poorly on you that you've disabled comments in the entry in your journal that it inspired. There are people on my friends list who have the courage of their convictions enough to do things like go to Uganda to try and make a difference. I can't match that, but at least I have enough courage in my convictions to allow people to challenge them here.
no subject
The main problem with this kind of discussion on LJ is that you are preaching to the choir, the people already doing something and that what you say doesnt reach those that really need to hear it, but then would they listen?
no subject
no subject
I dont open my LJ space for online flame wars, but then I dont put opinions on there that I wont hold up in public.
I'm going to drop the matter there since I certainly dont want to get into the kind of flames on someone else's LJ that I avoid in mine.
no subject
no subject
(I don't have a problem, in this context, with 'perhaps you should consider deleting the entry altogether', but I think 'you should retract them' is going too far.)
no subject
:o)
no subject
no subject
In this case I haven't deleted the entry as that would be a denial, which is worse than a retraction, I've made it a private post - which is mostly what my LJ is, a private place for my thoughts
no subject
no subject
'...if you're not prepared to stand by them yourself you should retract them.'
I too believe people should retract statements that they're not prepared to stand by, although it's a feeling of mine that they're at liberty to ignore. I also don't think that posting something with comments disabled is the same as making a post that you're not prepared to stand by, and I suspect that this is where
no subject
In hindsight the place where it is now is perhaps more appropriate given prevailing thoughts and emotions.
Since you obviously disagree with the content and context I apologise for linking your name in there wihtout permission.
no subject
no subject
no subject