 For Give To Live - Shazi :) And with these eyes awakened, she searches the heart, within she finds the pearls, glistening through love. Humbles as she receives this honor. Blessed is the heart that is blessed with love. The truth is I wanted to take the time to think and reflect upon the bloodshed's, the fires, the floods, the earthquakes, the heat wave. Through these turbulent times our humanity continues to suffer. Suffering through and gaining strength, as hearts and hands reach out to hold and help each other. I particularly wanted to to the time to reflect upon the fire that took place in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. For Muslims, this land is considered the holiest of lands. Millions of Muslims visit these lands to perform the pilgrimage of Hajj and Umrah. When I heard of this fire and the fact that it was carried out as an act of terror. I was actually quite disgraced. It just does not make sense. It is senseless. Why would a Muslim terrorist purposely invoke terror upon the holiest of lands? It just does not make sense. It is actually a sharp hypocrisy and insanity. This act brought out feelings of anger, but also deep hurt. I began to take the time to think about my grandmother who would visit these lands every single year. She would come home, she would kiss our hands. We would make flowers necklaces and give them to her. She would share her stories. I was angry, so angry about this act of hypocrisy.  Then I began to take the time to think of my own reaction, and reactions from family, friends, and news media. I thought about the Prophet Muhammad Peace Be Upon Him PBUH. Similar to Jesus and Moses too, the Prophet PBUH was ridiculed most of his life. Most of the times from his own kind of people. He flew away from his home because he feared his safety from the kings and their clans, because they did not agree with His teachings. He was interested to bring morality back to the lands. Instead of concerning Himself with riches, he was interested to help others. When someone was mean to him, instead of responding with anger, He would forgive and not hold anything against anyone.  If we take the above example and take out the religious contexts so it appeals to a diverse audience. Let us think about this example as a teaching for life. We can ask can we as humans forgive those who have knowingly or unknowingly hurt us? Do we contain this kind of capacity? I think that after an initial reactionary period, we can and we should forgive. Forgiveness is a liberation, it liberates the soul. It frees us from carrying a baggage that is heavy.
We live in societies that are concerned with " I want this" Or "I want that" Or "She / He is better than" etc. We sometimes loose sight of the fact that human beings are compassionate beings. This is our natural order. It is our natural essence. We want to help and heal others. Sometimes we get lost in the everyday mundane, we forget this and loose ourselves in what we are doing, or has to get done. It is easier to cut someone off and say "you said this" or "you did this" and get rid of the problem, rather than work through a problem to find common ground or even a solution. This could be called Love in the works, or Love in Progress. Too many relationships fail or break because we are not willing to forgive. As mentioned earlier when we forgive we liberate the self, we grow. Instead of saying. "He did this" or "She did this" What if we said "What did we learn from this?" or "How can we move forward?" There will always be much more of a positive outlook when we simply begin to re-phrase our word, and sentence choices. A thought to ponder: Let us take a moment to think about the word forgive. This verb is actually not just a word. It is an action word. In this word is the secret to the pending action to help us heal and grow.  Further Reading: Huge Fire at Hotel in Makkah - The Khaleej Times Pilgrimage: A 21st Century Journey To Mecca And Medina - The New York Times Dedication: The words of this being are dedicated to all beings for give, to live. My thoughts to share with love & kindness :) Notes: These words were originally hand - written on July 27th 2016. Image 1 - Web link Image 2 - Web link Image 3 - Web Link Image 4 - Web Link Image 5 - Web Link
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 With these eyes that are opened, there is love, health, peace and blessings. I wanted to take a moment to think and reflect. The truth is that it is easy to fall into this hate trap because of our human instinct of survival. When we feel that our survival is being threatened or the survival of our species ie: specific populations, we will naturally sway towards the population of interest because of our need to protect the survival of our species. It is instinctual. It is natural. We feel fearful. Having said this or even coming into an awareness of this knowing, we gain an upper hand, because it serves as a reminder. When this instinct taps in and we begin to hate, feel fearful or think negatively - It reminds us that this is a natural instinct and we have to surpass this to continue to love, to continue to believe that every single life is worthy of being protected. Withdraw When we feel a sense of negativity, hate or fear towards populations or people, we don't want this to overcome us at the individual or the level of service to other. We may decide to use this time simply to withdraw and engage in a self - check. Self - Check Find a quiet space Close your eyes Place your hand on your heart Affirm "I Am Love" Say this out loud or just silently in your mind If you feel a pain in your heart or a sensation in any bodily organ or part, this is an indicator . Your body is telling you to heal this space. If you feel a sensation it is time to engage in self - care. No matter how busy you are or your life style we must take this time to actively take steps to heal the self. Suggestions Exercise Exercise Exercise - Get those energies moving it is the fastest way to move energy in our body pending your strength at the psychological / emotional level, this would be my first recommendation. Nutritious foods - Eat healthy - You are what you eat Keep a journal - Journal how you are feeling allows the emotions to come out, instead of the constant ruminating that takes place within the brain Begin to write creatively - Turn your grief into a creative outlet, express yourself in the form of poetry, this will allow you to explore your emotions. Become an artist - Buy some canvas and some paints, paint with colours, paint what you feel. Take warm baths - Engage in self - care, use essential oils, try Lavender or Eucalyptus Take walks - Go in to spaces of nature, touch trees, breath deeply in these spaces Exercise - When you feel that you have gained some emotional and physical strength begin to exercise, down load an app from your smart phone, exercise daily for about 10 minutes. Compile a gratitude list - List all the people, things, your hopes, all the things that make you happy. When we begin to hope, we give life to ourself once more. Personal Experience So we are all human beings. And human beings are imperfect beings. It is our own imperfections which makes us beautiful. I did the above exercise. I felt pain right at the very center of my heart. It was horrible. I cried because I did not want to feel this way. I was not going to let it. I immediately took time to withdraw and take actions to engage in self - care. We can only truly give love when we love ourselves. It may sound selfish, but it is not. How can we expect to give love or serve others when we ourselves are not feeling great? We have to take care for the self. Our body is our greatest possession. Love and heal. "Please Don't Let Hate Infect Your Heart." - Officer Montrell Jackson  Dedication: The words of this being are dedicated to the fallen heroes of the recent shootings in Dallas and Baton Rouge. No words can replace the hurt. May you rest with love, in a knowing that you served America.
Further reading Slain Baton Rouge Cops Facebook Plea Slain Officer Had Written About The Turmoil Of The Recent Events - The New York Times Notes: These thoughts were originally hand - written on July 17th 2016. These thoughts could also be used as we think about children and students. Please share with anyone who feels distressed. This exercise has been adapted from the teachings of Dr. Wayne Dyer. Image 1 Web link Image 2 Web Link  As I close my eyes and drift away to a land where there is love, health, peace and blessings. I wanted to take the time to think and reflect. I have always loved horses. There is something so majestic, their beauty - magnificent. Just looking at these beauties is so healing. What fascinates me even more is the relationship of a human form with the horse. I really don't know much more to speak in depth, but I do remember watching the show Cavalia. The artistic dancers and the horses working together with the use of music, symphony, costumes, colour etc. They worked together as a symphony. This idea of the symphony and working together reminded me of the concept of grooming. Where the teacher / lead learner / educator sets an example for the students to follow. This could be through how he / she dresses, communicates verbally or non - verbally. It is also how the teacher leader shows respect and dignity through the interactions with students. This concept goes further by stating that a teacher leader must treat students fairly and equally. For example: In a classroom setting a teacher must not favor one student above another student. Or if the teacher / leader is of a certain ethnicity to favor students of the same ethnicity and purposely set specific students up for success than other, this is a form of mal - practice. As mean as it does sound, it does happen. There is a fine line between meeting the needs of students, to exceeding these needs so that they are favored. Thoughts To Share
When students see that you care for all and are genuinely interested in their work, their needs equally, this will foster an environment of trust. When trust is put into place students will automatically open up and use their voices. Almost as the symphony, creating a harmonious environment, groomed together for growth and success.   A thought to ponder:
What if we took this concept of grooming and applied it to our daily interactions with individuals, groups, societies and populations. Thinking that what I desire for myself is exactly what I desire for other. What if we operated from this stance, would there be more or less suffering? Dedication: The words of this being are dedicated to the students, the ones who peer into the eyes of our educators where they seek to find the truths of knowledge. My thoughts to share with love and kindness. :) Notes: These words were originally hand - written on July 13th 2016 Image 1 - Web Link Image 2 - Web Link Image 3 - Web Link I wrote the following poem when I heard of the Paris Attacks on November 13th, 2015. Which I have decided to share today. The words, the prayers, the moments of silence continue and so does this violence. Global Citizen The tears simply sting as she stares The Human form, beauty, such Beautiful innocence, mourning - her heart. She simply doesn't understand Why such hate? Why such harm? Why such hate? Why such harm? God Is Love. Love Is God. Love Is God. God Is Love. Killing in the name of what? "Killing in the name of God??" Why such a fight Why such a plight When all will simply become out of sight? Stand with her tears, stand with her heart Stand for love, stand for peace Stand for harmony Universal harmony. Global Citizen. These words were written just under 1 year ago. The irony is that there was no need to write new words, because nothing has changed. The cycle continues to repeat itself over and over again. Thoughts of love to all of the families who are hurting through this horrific attack in France. July 14th 2016. Dear Cony & Brown I love you teddy bears so much. You teach me love You teach me laughter You teach me joy You teach me happiness You teach me memories I miss you so much When i cried you were there When i hurt you were there When i was angry you were there I love you teddy bears so much. So cute So cuddly You are truly a part of my life journey As you fly remember remember to return to me There is always a special place in my heart awaiting Fly Teach love Cony & Brown Forever Line App
 Dedication: This words of this being are dedicated to Cony and Brown. I love you, cute and cuddly. Congratulations as you debut trading. Cony & Brown Forever! :)
Dear Educators: I hope that you are well and in the best of health. I wanted to take the time to thank you for taking the time to write this post. It is absolutely true the worldly events that have been taking place during a short period of time are points to reflect upon. And it is true that when these do happen in our own back yards, these stir feelings and questions of why? Kicking in a sense of hopelessness and at points despair. However when events like these do take place, I think that as educators / parents / or any human being who desires to care. We are placed with a shoulder of responsibility. As we live in this global economy and especially as we have access to a global audience we too can ask ourselves what can we do. I think that creating an awareness as you have done, shows that we do not accept the status quo. We do not want this cycle of violence from carrying on. How long is this going to keep on going until we can breath a fresh breath and believe in a hopeful, prosperous world. United. As we take the time to reflect, particularly through the lens of an educator, I would ask can we as educators ignore what is happening in the world, especially in America? Can we ignore the bloodshed, the guns, the killings and simply be passive observers? Can we? If we as educators know a truth, can we ignore these? As educators who are active in the field, you all have a window of opportunity, as leaders as teachers. You have access to our future. Whilst conversations about the violence that is taking place may be difficult, I think that engaging in a critical discussions with students, with children is so necessary. It is the students, the children that will inherit the lands, they will be the leaders of tomorrow. Ask them what kind of world they imagine? Is this cycle of violence acceptable to them? Do they not deserve a community, a nation, a world, that is free from the violence of guns and bloodshed's? Loving Recklessly Thank you for sharing your thoughts here. The truth is that loving recklessly will sometimes be difficult because the capacity for human judgement will always be there. It is simply a point of surpassing what others will think and remind ourselves of the purpose. Why are we doing what we are doing? This requires courage from all parties. Sometimes it is easy to love others, accepting the love is sometimes more difficult. May your words spark the hearts of many. I wish you all love and peace. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Shazia These thoughts were written to honor the blog post by Todd Nesloney @TechNinjaTodd and Jeff Veal @heffrey of the #LeadUpChat for the #KidsDeserveit Please read Loving Recklessly Hope Within Reach   This art works is still in the works, it began to take form in January, 2016. With the use of Aviary App to enhance. It is shared to honor those that we have lost in the Dallas Shootings. These shootings have hurt and harmed this community. The ones that served and protected this community have lost their lives for their people, their country. These shootings were simply enacted to create hate amongst groups, to stir division and divides. As we begin to reflect and take the time to heal, let us hope and share a sense of unity amongst our people and those that protect us. Let us heal in a knowing that love is greater than hate. Love unites, love unites. Dallas we love you, we honor you.    As I close my eyes and drift away to a land where there is love, health, peace and blessings. I wanted to take the time to reflect upon my previous thoughts. The truth is that I was particularly focusing on my thoughts which referred to the Colonial histories. After taking the time to reflect. I wondered how would readers of the Caucasian European origin feel when they read my thoughts? Would they feel like this was an attack against them? Would these invoke anger? Or would my thoughts act as a mechanism to engage in critical thinking? I think that our histories are harsh. It does not matter the origins. There is so much beauty to be found within our histories. We can see these through the preservation's of historical sites that are existing today. Yet, our histories are harsh, it does not matter the origins, the struggles of our human histories can't be ignored. I remember taking an English Literature course that focused upon Post - Colonial studies. This course was very interesting. It was often a bit depressing as well, especially when we were discussing British Colonization. Yes, I remember sitting right at the front of the lecture hall. Thinking and often times when I did decide to contribute to the discussion, of course I noticed the glares around the room because of my British accent. Did I dare to speak? Yes I did dare because if there is a point of discussion or a question that arrived it must be attended to. After all this is what the institution of Education is about. To be able to think, ponder, question, learn and grow etc. I was sad to learn about the brutal histories. In the same sense I remember taking a human rights course. In this course we were talking about "race" and "racial identity". It was interesting because the Professor was "White" She herself talked about how it felt as a white woman to learn about the brutal experiences of people of colour. And similar to my experience sitting in the lecture hall she too felt this sadness. In the case of the Professor it was about coming to terms with racist ancestors. It was an type of "unpacking" of these histories that she had to go thorough at the psychological / emotional level. She did not want to be a contributing member of her own racist past histories. She was successful because she would not teach a human rights if these histories did not unsettle her. When we think of harsh histories it is easy to become defensive, it is. We must think of these as learning mechanisms and simply say "yes OK" these histories have happened. I am not happy about these. Now what can we do to prevent these from happening or re - occurring in the same sense as they have done? If we think through this lens there is no offense from the perspective of the reader and the writer. It is a process of learning together. As much as these histories have passed, It does not mean that issues of race don't continue to crop up. Today we see these in the form of terror attacks. Or we can see these almost everyday in the form of shootings. Who are the victims? Primarily we see these to be persons of colour/, "Black" men. And what happens? These shootings are justified over and over again by the police officers who are "White" These shootings are more than just killings. These are revelations of deeper systemic issues that concern "race". These could in a sense be a simple modern day type of genocide. When innocent individuals of colour are shot. It is not just the 1 person who suffers it is an entire generation. A family, a wife, a sister, a brother, a son. Deeper questions arise, especially for those who are people of colour. Racism hurts. It hurts. It is debilitating. Populations and societies suffer. Everyone is left to ponder and wonder about the force of police who is opening fire so frequently to kill and shoot, should this be the last resolution, to shoot to kill? To the degree of the seriousness of the situation, yes maybe so. But the recent shootings have simply left societies openly questioning the shootings in Falcon Heights and the killing of Alton Sterling. These are just two cases that have left societies questioning, pondering and openly thinking. Who are they protecting? Whose interests are being protected? Were these shots necessary? And again we think about the weapon of the gun that is being used as though it is a reality T.V game show or a video game come to life. Stop The Violence  
Amended Thoughts I wrote the above thoughts on July 7th 2016. Since then we have witnessed more shootings. The killings of police officers in Dallas Texas. These were officers who were present during a protest of the shootings of Alton Sterling and Falcon Heights. These were 5 "white" police officers who were killed in the line of duty. These shootings too have left communities wondering and pondering again. Just because these were Police officers it does not mean that they did not have family. They too had family, once again, a generation has suffered. A mother, a brother, a sister, a wife, friends, family. These killings have stirred up thoughts as if they were a pay back for the killings of "black" lives. Maybe yes, maybe no. But we have to take a moment and think. If as a society we are saying that All lives Matter then why were the killings of Alton Sterling or those of Falcon Heights left as pondering's whilst there were moments of silence, lowering of flags for the officers. We may say because these were police officer. Yes they were but they were also human beings just as the "black" men. These cultural conditioning's are simply a lens to show how in this modern day how we value one life over another based on skin colour does and still happens. This is a sad truth for the year of 2016. Further Reading Alton Sterling Shooting In Baton Rouge - The New York Times A Killing A Pointed Gun, And Two Black Lives, Witnessing - The New York Times Five Dallas Officers Were Killed As Pay - Back Police Chief Says - The New York Times Thoughts to reflect As much as we have learned these harsh histories and also the brutal killings that continue. Ask yourself what kind of world do you want your children to grow up in? What is everyone trying to prove. In the insanity of proving what - Everyone is loosing sanity. Think for a moment of the homeless, the one that does not have much, but still lives a life in gratitude. What are we trying to prove, when we have issues such as poverty and illness that should be tended to. Lets focus on the issues that really matter. Dedication: The words of this being are dedicated to the lives lost. All lives matter. All lives matter. And to the ones who have suffered through our histories. Let us pledge to use these as learning mechanisms to create a better today and tomorrow for the future generations. My thoughts to share with love and kindness. Notes: These thoughts were originally hand - written on July 7th 2016 and amended on July 10th 2016.  The Souls Desire Is Expansion - Shazia As I close my eyes and drift away to a land where there is love, health, peace and blessings. I wanted to take the time to think and reflect. The truth is the other day daughter asked me "Mama, how do you get a mentor? Where do they come from?" My son was quick to respond: he said "They just come, they find you." He said this with so much confidence. His words resonated. When I first started out on twitter, It was and still is a mission to inspire and share my learning and experiences as a teacher candidate. As teachers / educators this is what we strive to do. To share learning, inspire others, it is about continuous learning and finding mechanisms and solutions for improvement. This journey has evolved from reflecting at the micro - cosm level of the classroom environment to the global level, reflecting at the global scale. To discuss complex issues, inviting a narrative where many would stay away from, this requires risk - taking and courage. Whilst trying to remain on the periphery of the issue, but still be able to discuss with detail and depth is quite the balancing act, at times tilted. Thinking and discussing these issues is quite simple, to voice them on a global front is risky yet, what is better? To remain silent about something you care about, knowing full well your words may have a capacity to invite an inquiry. Or live in regret. Whilst we must be selective to decipher the battles of the hearts. Doing nothing and living with a regret may even be more harmful. Issues that are sensitive and topical are difficult to discuss. Sometimes it is an audacious someone who believes in you, who never gave up on you, who never stopped to care, who saw you in the most rawest and ugliest of times and still was there. Who was there through the positives and negatives. That person believed in you, the one who was able to push you to take risks. This is the calling of a mentor. A mentor remains committed. However, a mentor / mentee relationship is not always going to be rosy, because remember it is like any other relationship. In this case of two people who decide to commit to each other. This relationship is a learning process. It could be metaphorically assimilated to that of the horse rider and jockey. They work together, a taming of one another, a journey into a knowing. It is a journey of growth from both perspectives. It is a moulding. The mentor / leader possess a state of higher consciousness, in other words has a greater life experience. Has been there, done that, made mistakes, learned. Yet still pushes through the journey of life. The mentor is there for you. Whilst not offering an answer through the struggles or issues of the mentee, is a simple guide. A guide allowing the room to stretch his / her thinking, to find the constructive solutions through trial and error. This is what makes the mentor / mentee relationship a beautifier.  Some points to consider if you are trying to find a mentor
Personal Connection As A Mentor 2015 I also had the opportunity to mentor undergraduate students. This was a very rewarding experience, because I was able to pass on my own learning as a mentee to other students who were grappling with academic and life struggles. This experience raised my own awareness, it made me think about how important it is to have caring individuals who really do authentically care about making an impact, helping others to make a difference in the life of another. School Transitions Transitions from any level of schooling, whether it be from Junior to High School, to High School to University, to University to Work, entrepreneur, higher ed or just creating a loving family, it is key to have individuals in your life that help, assist or simply listen at these crucial stages. Any stage or changes in life are sometimes stressful and at times capsulated with fear. As humans we fear change. It is a natural instinct. We like routine, the familiar because it doesn't threaten our survival. With the assistance of caring individuals, it does not mean that we are not strong enough to do anything alone. It simply means that we are strong enough to realize that we need help. A guide, a friend, who we can share the joys and upsets of life through the process of a collective evolution. From The Perspectives Of A School Setting In a classroom where there are students who are struggling we could have buddy programs where students assist other students. This could be part of a year long program. The mentor / mentee would receive a reward of some sort at the end to symbolize their commmitent to each other. This could also serve to promote character education traits as well. This strategy could be worth investigating for the students who excel in subject areas to assist students who need help with the same subjects. It does encompass the idea of tutor, but with the additional aspects of building character. A training component would be needed as well. It could be targeted as part of a leadership program. At the university level it is key to have students from Upper Years to be available for new incoming students. Of course this is prevalent in most if not all universities. It is crucial to communicate with new students that help / assistance of various types is available for them. So that they know they can reach out. Sometimes a mentee may not be responsive even though a mentor knows they need help. Follow - up is crucial. This is a preventative measure. It will allow the mentee to realize that there is a loving and caring individual who does care. Their willingness to open up and converse with the mentor will increase. A great mentor / mentee relationship acts like an anchor. It strives to be there through the positives and negatives, whilst allowing a growth. As the sail boat, journeying to return to the anchor.  MacArthur Fellow's Characteristics The MacArthur Awards are given to individuals who have made contributions to humanity. Below are a list of characteristics that could enhance the potential of character education programs, or simply the individual.
Dedication: The words of this being are dedicated to Fred Cuellar, a truly inspiring, humble and kind human being. Who I believe in, thank you always for your love! And to all mentors the ones who appear and the ones that are found, know that what you do makes a difference, and know that you are loved. Thoughts to inspire with love and kindness! :)
Notes: Originally hand written on July 6th 2016 Image 1 - Web Link Image 2 - Web Link Image 3 - Web Link  As I close my eyes and drift away to a land where there is love, health, peace and blessings. I wanted to take the time to think and reflect. The truth is that the violence and the bloodiness continues. As much as we offer condolences, minutes of silence and take the time to comfort one another. It helps to heal the wounded hearts. It does not stop the terror, the aftermath, and more endless bloodshed. It does not stop, its like a vicious cycle of violence, a vicious cycle for greed, for power, for the harms upon the dignity of humanity because of religious affiliation or the colour of a skin. I have always considered myself a spiritual person who does not favor one religion or another. I am happy about this, I am happy that I have the capacity within myself to surpass the bounds and view all as integral to our humanity. However, it is with sadness that I write about the recent attacks in Turkey, where there was a mass murder that claimed 42 lives and injuring 239 civilians (CNN News). Sources say that these attacks were planned by ISIS. Then we saw the brutal attack in Afghanistan that wounded dozens and claimed 30 lives. This bombing was claimed by the Taliban which took place on 30th June, 2016. Then of course we can remember the deadly attack in Orlando that took place on June 12th, 2016. A gunman killed 49 people and wounded about 53 individuals (CNN News). The shooter pledged allegiance to ISIL. However, since this attack occurred Wikipedia has removed this attack from the Islamist Terror Attack list because it cant agree if this was indeed as "Islamist attack." Summary
From the above summary we can see how many lives have been lost, this loss of human life is horrific. These mass murders are simply horrifying.
On the same day as the attack in Kabul, Afghanistan we learned of and American Israeli girl who was 13 years old shot by a 16 year old Palestinian in Israel. She was shot dead whilst she was sleeping. This happened on the same day as the deadly bombings in Afghanistan. From the above reading we are probably feeling tired, tired of hearing about the losses, the horrors that are claiming lives. Nothing can replace human life. Nothing can. As I take a moment to pause and reflect upon the Prime Minister of Israels tweet after this young teenager was shot he said "You don't murder a sleeping child for peace" He was absolutely right in saying this. So I decided to re-tweet this tweet on my timeline. However, throughout the day feelings of horror, hurt, just looking at the posted video, well it made me feel scared. So scared. I undid this tweet. As much as it is painful to hear, I couldn't bear the pain of a Palestinian killing an innocent child, it made me feel like a murderer. Then as the day went on we see tweets with #'s saying "I Stand With Israel" It made me think. What is Israel? Who's is Israel? Israel belongs to everyone. Yes, Israel belongs to everyone. It is this sacred land, this region that is holy to the three major religions of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. And what are these mass murders and killings causing and continuously digging? They are deepening the separations, deepening the divides. This is a land that should be loved greatly by all. The killings are staged to cause and infer more and more hatred towards groups and religious affiliations. Why would I say staged? I would like to offer the word staged because these are exactly what these groups are. They are the actors of the stage. "ISIL, ISIS, Taliban" and whatever else there is! I don't think these groups should ever be associated with Islam, or even be associated with the name Islam itself. What a term "Radical Islam" Who made this one up? It is absurdity to associate any of these groups with Islam. These are murderous plots that are the result of a stage and actors. These plots should not be associated with a faith of Islam. The very translation of this word it Peace. I continue to think and wonder: "Why would the "Taliban shoot people who they consider to be of the same faith as they are" in the holy month of Ramadan? Why would they? If the "Taliban" group claims to be associated with Islam - then why kill in this holy month when you know how important this month is for Muslims who are fasting? The ironies and contradictions astound me. Can we place the loss of one human life above the other? Is the loss of one life more important than another? Isn't all life precious? No loss of life is more important than another loss of life. The killings, the group formations, the constructions of these murderous plots are efforts to divide and stray humankind from one another. The aftermath The true victims of these murderous terrorist plots are Muslims. There are victims because these "senseless acts" simply evolve to surface a disgust. According to the US National Counter Terrorism Center, over the past five years where the religious affiliation was known, Muslims were victims 82% - 97% of the time. This is why as much as stereotypes and a macro - reflection may intimidate, remember that you are you, this is for all, for everyone regardless of religious affiliation or not.
Thoughts to ponder:
 A Historical Connection After taking the time to think and reflect upon the above writing, I was thinking about the concept of Positivism, or what we can also call Scientific racism. This was a concept that was derived from the French Philosopher Auguste Comte, who was considered the father of Positivism. This concept was used in Southern America, Mexico, and regions where there were trades of imports and exports for Gold, Rubber, Mahogany, Bananas, Coffee as a control mechanism during the colonial periods. These concepts were used as a tool, the darkest side of this tool was Scientific Racism, which means favoring one "race" over another because of the selective differences within the races, postulating that the European, Caucasian race to be more superior than others. This indeed did take place as the indigenous peoples of these lands were treated worse than slaves. If we take a moment to think about the above concept. How can we connect this to what is happening in the world today through acts of terror? As much as concepts of human rights and equality have progressed, can we say that concepts as these do not exist today?
Dedication: These thoughts are dedicated to all the lives that have been lost. We see, we watch, we learn. At this time all I can offer you are my words to create an awareness. My thoughts to share with love and kindness. Notes: These thoughts were originally hand - written on July 1st 2016 and amended on July 2nd 2016. Since the time of writing there has also been and attack in Bangladesh with 20 hostages dead and 13 rescued. |
