I went to go see Al Gore's movie, " The Inconvenient Truth". If you haven't seen or heard about it, it's bascally Al Gore talking about Global warming, and it's effects, and how the government doesnt want to do anything about it because it will" ruin the economy". it was interesting enough. I already knew a lot about global wamring, but it was okay. It reminded me of something that bugs me. Activists. Not all of them, don't get me wrong, activiasts can do a lot of good. what I can't stand are fake activists. Activists who are trying to do global good because the think that it will make them look like a good person. That person who like to talk about how AIDS is destroying the world, and how we should help, but then when there is a money collector sent around school to collect money to help orphans with AIDS in Thailand, they contribute no more than a few coins, when I know they have fifty dollars in their backpockets to spare. Or the Sierra Club, who sent out papers to our entire community of 100+ houses telling us to move and save the conservation land the community was wrecking, when they sent tou the letter on one-sided, bleached, non-recycled paper.
There's a girl at my school. We have had five out of eight classes together since grade 9, so, though we are not exactly friends, more like aquantances, we know each other very well. This year, she joined the amnesty international club at our school. Now, I am not particularly a supporter of amnesty;I would rather attack the problem rather than send it letters, but i still support the effort nontheless. I support amnesty's fundraisers, contribute funds, that sort of thing. I don't tell everyone I do these things; when they were collecting money for that orphanage, I waited until everyone was done, and were not paying atention to the envelope, and I quietly slipped in my 20 dollar bill. I figured they could use the money more than I could. Some people saw it , and it was funny. Those two people that saw the money I put in the envelope couldnt believe my generosity. I though 20 dollars was nothing, I wish I could have done more. It shamed me to think my generation was not willing to give away 20 dollars to someone who needs it.
There's this section in the Bible, in the New Testament, where Jesus was with his disciples in the synagogue ( I'm sorry if i didn't spell that right) and the pharisees ( The big guys in the church) were making a big display of ow much money they were giving to the church, even though to them, it was pennies. Jesus points out to the disciples an old lady, dressed in rags, who put 2 coins into the collection. He notes that that is almost all she has to give. He says to keep you're giving in secret.
I think thats a good message, whether you're a christian or not. Humility is something most dont have, and I'm definately not saying I'm humble. But I typically give money and things secretly, because I feel its more fun. It feels better. It's like this little secret I have with myself. It feels good to give.
Anyways this girl likes to show off how much of an activist she is and talk about her involvment in amnesty aaalllllll the time. Its tiring. and see through. She talks about the effects of HIV/AIDS, when she knows very little about it. I have an uncle with HIV. It's hard for my family, and we've resaerched it. I've learned a lot about it. And I've seen its effects first hand. It angers me to see her fake sympathy. She likes to show off her knowledge of tragedies around the world. I was in her Civics class. It was a nightmare. She kept trying to talk about all the bad stuff in the world. She knew nothing about politics, she just acted like she does.
I like activists, tree huggers, and all those earth loving people. All the power to them. But do me one favour. If you decide to go down the activism route, please don't be a hypocrite. Don't ask people to give their spare money to a cause and give none of your own. Don't tell people to keep down their energy emissions when you yourself dont. Don't tell people to hug trees, when you write large and don't double side your paper and then don't recycle.
If you're gonna live that way, all I ask is that you go all the way for your cause. Hypocrisy will get you nowhere.
There's a girl at my school. We have had five out of eight classes together since grade 9, so, though we are not exactly friends, more like aquantances, we know each other very well. This year, she joined the amnesty international club at our school. Now, I am not particularly a supporter of amnesty;I would rather attack the problem rather than send it letters, but i still support the effort nontheless. I support amnesty's fundraisers, contribute funds, that sort of thing. I don't tell everyone I do these things; when they were collecting money for that orphanage, I waited until everyone was done, and were not paying atention to the envelope, and I quietly slipped in my 20 dollar bill. I figured they could use the money more than I could. Some people saw it , and it was funny. Those two people that saw the money I put in the envelope couldnt believe my generosity. I though 20 dollars was nothing, I wish I could have done more. It shamed me to think my generation was not willing to give away 20 dollars to someone who needs it.
There's this section in the Bible, in the New Testament, where Jesus was with his disciples in the synagogue ( I'm sorry if i didn't spell that right) and the pharisees ( The big guys in the church) were making a big display of ow much money they were giving to the church, even though to them, it was pennies. Jesus points out to the disciples an old lady, dressed in rags, who put 2 coins into the collection. He notes that that is almost all she has to give. He says to keep you're giving in secret.
I think thats a good message, whether you're a christian or not. Humility is something most dont have, and I'm definately not saying I'm humble. But I typically give money and things secretly, because I feel its more fun. It feels better. It's like this little secret I have with myself. It feels good to give.
Anyways this girl likes to show off how much of an activist she is and talk about her involvment in amnesty aaalllllll the time. Its tiring. and see through. She talks about the effects of HIV/AIDS, when she knows very little about it. I have an uncle with HIV. It's hard for my family, and we've resaerched it. I've learned a lot about it. And I've seen its effects first hand. It angers me to see her fake sympathy. She likes to show off her knowledge of tragedies around the world. I was in her Civics class. It was a nightmare. She kept trying to talk about all the bad stuff in the world. She knew nothing about politics, she just acted like she does.
I like activists, tree huggers, and all those earth loving people. All the power to them. But do me one favour. If you decide to go down the activism route, please don't be a hypocrite. Don't ask people to give their spare money to a cause and give none of your own. Don't tell people to keep down their energy emissions when you yourself dont. Don't tell people to hug trees, when you write large and don't double side your paper and then don't recycle.
If you're gonna live that way, all I ask is that you go all the way for your cause. Hypocrisy will get you nowhere.
posted by Alaric at 8/19/2006 09:05:00 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home