Sour Smell in the Snow Globe.
Hi All. It's been a couple of weeks since I blogged and the reason is I've been trying to reconcile the differences with what I'm trying to do with what is really going on in my part of the world.
You may or may not have seen the dreadful mining disaster in Soma, Turkey last week. This place is just 300-400 km from where I live, and the effect has been to add insult to injury to an already simmering situation. I'm not in the habit of talking politics, but I've never been reduced to tears by a political situation before in my life (except the funeral of Berkan Elvan in March, the 15 year old killed by a tear gas cannister). The unbelievable crassness, deflection of accountability and downright heartlessness over something that should never, ever have happened has stalled me in my tracks.
I have never felt so powerless and futile and the smell is basically repression. I began to wonder why the hell I was trying to develop a site on environmentally sound products and ideals, when the country I am living in behaves like it's a separate snow globe from the rest of the world. The mining disaster was in a coal mine, the most outdated method of energy production but more environmentally favourable methods are quashed by the refloating of the idea of nuclear power! Heaven help the world!
Anyway, all this has made me realise a few things. 1. Life has to go on. I can't sit around all day addicted to Twitter just absorbing every scrap of info that doesn't make it to the press.
2. I've gleaned some gems from Twitter that people aren't giving up and there have been some entrepreneurial types unheard of who I can blog about later.
3. I've been damn lucky so far in my life to have been able to speak my mind without fear.
Many, many others in this world live under the fear of being punished for speaking out against injustice. I guess where I'm from is just another snow globe too.
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Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Wherever we live it seems there are problems. I guess the main thing is to get through them. We have so much going on here in America too! But, nothing compared to some other countries.
Thank you Sherion. For me it's finding ways to speak up for those that can't, just doing what I can.
It was a truly dreadful disaster. I have always had a great deal of respect for miners because it is tough work anywhere in the world but particularly when there are poor safety practices. I'm glad you feel that you're ready to move on a bit and develop the things you're interested in. You're right - those of us that can speak our mind are very lucky. Good luck :) Beverley
Thank you. I've had a cry, some sleep, and got out and met others who feel the same. Picked myself up and figuring out ways to work with these people. :-)
I could/can never understand why people have such a hard time doing the right thing.
... I think for those in power, it's all about the "almighty dollar", and power itself - and they don't care who gets in their way.
I think effective change only really happens when the masses get involved.
.... but then again - there was Gandhi - the world needs another person like him!
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Hi Mel,
I answered your PM just now and then came across this blog, I am sorry for all the trouble in Turkey The News from all over the World is a bit depressing at the moment Trouble everywhere but don't let it get you down be positive and get on with life, there's not much you can do to change it just be positive with all those around you, overall the World is a better place than it was say 20 year ago the improvements are not always obvious, but they are there. So keep taking the tablets and remember there's good in everyone its up to us to bring it out in them.
Ray Bowley ( Merryman88 )