i'm getting sicker. i started running a fever this afternoon, and can't stop coughing (even though my throat is really sore). I don't have any classes until Saturday, though, so hopefully I can sleep this sickness off between now and then. i'm worried about colie, because we've been together nonstop for the past week or so (they cut her hours at work, and she is only working one day now). I don't want her to get what I've got. I would feel bad.
For drawing, we are working on a new project now (one I mentioned before-- an autobiographical trompe l'oeil). I spent a good hour or so trying to figure out what to put in my drawing-- what describes me? It's a tough question to answer at any age, but especially this one. I finally rested on what drives me-- my passions, these are what form my personality more than anything else. Where I am right now, and why I continue to work hard to get somewhere new, is because of a passionate belief that I can actually accomplish something with my education and my talents. It can be easy to forget that in the midst of all these distractions.
I went back in my journal to the date where I attended the AIDS conference that basically changed my life. I remember feeling so emotionally driven back then, and frustrated by the fact that I was only a senior in high school and couldn't actually make a dent in this huge problem. It was encouraging to me to read what I wrote because even though I don't feel as actively involved, I'm still working towards this goal. Slowly but surely. 3 years to go.
Here is what I wrote:
Thursday, October 21, 2004
I went and heard Bono speak at the World Affairs Convention last night. His topic was the AIDS crisis in Africa, and it was one of the most important things I've ever heard.
After hearing all of the statistics (6 thousand people die A DAY from AIDS, that Europeans spend 11 million dollars a year on ice cream and that same amount could end the AIDS problem in Africa, almost an entire generation has been wiped out by this disease) I walked out of the arena IRATE that we don't talk about this in our history classes. That we don't discuss this as a major point of our election. More people die because of AIDS than terrorism, yet we discuss, daily, our war on terrorism and not the continent going down in flames. Why do we do this? Why do high school students not know what is happening? I mean, we've been told, but has it really sunk into our brains the extent of the damage we are witnessing? If it had, we would be doing a lot more to help.
Bono mentioned the fact that what we are allowing to happen in Africa makes a mockery of our government, and I believe that's true. If we really believe in equality, why are we valuing our ice cream, our stereo, our expensive new car, over the lives of our brothers and sisters in Africa? Are their lives not as important as ours?
Moreover, do we not realize our actions toward Africa and other oppressed nations are what started terrorism in the first place? On a list of the 22 most wealthy nations in the world, America is the #1 nation for wealth, and the #22 nation for charity. Why? WHY? Don't we realize that other nations that need our help can look at our wealth and begin to despise us for our selfishness? This hate leads to terrorism... this desperate state of affairs leads to hate for our nation and then to destruction. And how do we respond to this problem? Instead of going back to the root of the issue and helping to relieve the suffering nations, we send in our troops to seek out and destroy these terrorists, and people hate us more. INSTEAD OF SAVING LIVES, WE END THEM AT A FASTER RATE BECAUSE OF OUR STUPIDITY. INSTEAD OF RELIEVING THE HATRED THAT LEADS TO TERRORISM, WE ATTACK AND MAKE MORE PEOPLE HATE US.
Why? WHY?
And the thing that bothers me the most, is that people don't know. Which I believe is the real reason that we're not helping Africa out more. Bono brought up the point that if this type of crisis were happening on any other continent than Africa, we'd be on it right away. But because we are used to suffering in Africa, the problem is simply ignored. When is the last time you really discussed it in a class? Do you even remember? Do you even know the extent of the damage?
And this is not a major deciding point in our election, either. Who even knows what Bush has done to aid Africa? Who know's Kerry's plans?
Not that I am blaming any of our generation. I feel shafted because I think high school students should know this and our parents and teachers have neglected in educating us on world events. We spend all this time focusing on our own damn election and our stupid war against terrorism that is really our own fault. This is all pointless when you compare it to the loss of life that we ignore.
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2 comments:
this is often the pickle i find myself in. it is so tough and disheartening to try and fail at something that you KNOW has to be done. do you give up? no, but it never gets any better. do you think we will see a dent in the problem before you die? do you thin we (america) can really care aboutone other than ourselves? how much do you buy into the whole "let them kill themselves off" theory?
ps how could the aids problem be solved with $11m dollars a year?
The more time I spend and relationships I make in Africa, the more I am upset about the AIDS issue. The answer the Western world gives is "let's send money!" Money alone is NOT what Africa needs, though. They need training and resources! Africa needs people to come in and partner with the locals, chiefs, villages. They need tests to see who has HIV/AIDS and education on what causes it and cures it (NOT RAPING A -CHILD- VIRGIN!!!). In the eight preschools my mom sponsors and supports in Malawi, we are confident that many of the students have HIV/AIDS, but we don't know who and there is no way to test them. So, we work with the locals in an attempt to train the teachers in an understanding of how AIDS is caused and the importance of being careful with bodily fluids. We can stand and preach it in our American English, but understanding is best when heard in a person's mother tongue.
AIDS is an overwhelming disturbing overlooked problem. Thanks for speaking out about it- not enough people do. Raising the awareness even in your own small community is taking a step towards people caring enough to be willing to sacrifice for those affected by AIDS around the world.
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