1. Peter Fabian of Ottawa
Tens of thousands of deaths all occurred because one young business person who operated his
fruit cart protested and his protest caused his death. Do you remember what happened? What was
the catalyst that sparked and set off the Arab Spring?
It is not a suicide; it is the thought provoking choice to be a self-sacrificial lamb setting oneself
aflame in a hopeless desire for change. Facts are, that is what set off the Arab spring that selfless
act. The act that Gandhi chose not to fight back, as Buddha was crucified and Christ was impaled.
None of these are acts of suicide. They are protests making a statement and that statement costing
them their lives as recorded in history for us to remember.
But in this 21st century we are also short-sighted that we cannot see beyond the end of the week or
month and we cannot predict what can happen a year from now. The stability of the ground below
us is mired between mud and water and the foundation of societies, of politics or religions have
caused humankind to be in fear.
Arab Spring is not isolated. Some call it the phenomenon that overwhelmed Europe and North
America last year as the ‘Occupied Protest’ is only the tip of the iceberg of the underlying
condition that will engulf western societies. Can we trust our bankers? Can we trust business
leaders? What about our politicians? Trust is not a granted gift. It is an earn quality. While
bankers, politicians, and business leaders capture the headlines of our newspapers none of those
headlines are complimentary.
So what is the solution? The solution is to recognize that our home which we call ‘earth’ is
fragile. We who live on it have a finite existence. During our short period of 70 or 80 years on
earth are we constantly taking without giving back? What about religion? The gods must be crazy
for despite the tens or thousands of religions in the world, none of them have the answer.
So what is the solution?
I believe the solution is to be a worldwide event that doesn’t have to be catastrophic, end of world
scenario or an Armageddon. I believe it has to be awareness that this is our entire problem. That
we all need to contribute to making it right.
Setting oneself on fire in an extreme. Walking to one’s death to be impaled on a stake is also an
extreme. Perhaps through the use of the internet and social media and dialogue can occur
whereby the overall agenda for the betterment of humankind will take place. It is not like we can
go somewhere else to live. We all live on earth and we don’t have a multitude of choices out
there. We have one choice and that is to work together.
In conclusion, we have to stop the blame game, to stop complaining. Let’s put forward ideas and
suggestions for solutions. Let not to take in vain what others had given us on our behalf.
