Proof Positivity: What inspires you?

I want to start a once a week series here on Proof Positivity called “What inspires you?” What I want to know is Who inspires you the most? What have they done to be so inspirational? When in your life did they influence you the most? Give as much detail as possible . If you have a blog link leave that as well.

Blogger’s Unite

On November 1oth will be the next Blogger’s Unite initiative. “Bloggers Unite is an attempt to harness the power of the blogosphere to make the world a better place. By asking bloggers to write about a particular subject on 1 day of the month, a single voice can be joined with thousands to help make a difference; from raising awareness for cancer, to an effort to better education systems or supporting 3rd world countries. Read More“

We will be tackling the subject of refugees and we will be linking to Refugee’s United “About Refugees United
Refugees United is a non-profit organization that helps refugees relocate family and friends through the use of the Internet.
Refugees United provides refugees with an anonymous forum to reconnect with missing family. By registering with nick- names, scars, former locations and other markers only identifiable to family and close friends, everyone can remain ‘invisible’ to all but relatives.
All refugees are welcome, regardless of conflict, place or time.
Refugees United is an independent, non-political, non-religious NGO.
No third party is involved. No official papers need to be filled in.
The service is free of charge, easy and safe.
The Refugees United search engine is the first of it’s kind. Visit Refugees United to see how it works and to learn more about the work that Refugees United is doing. “

You can check out the Blogger’s Unite site where there is much more information than I have given you.

Speaking of Uniting to make a difference, so will the networks. They are uniting to Stand Up to Cancer. Friday at 8:00 EDT on ABC, NBC, CBS, and cable’s E Entertainment Channel will spend an hour on discussing research, raising awareness, and fundraising. Be on the lookout for that.

Bloggers Unite Is Over

http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/bloggers-unite-for-human-rights-may-15th-2008 – This is a list of bloggers who participated

Bloggers Unite is over. This doesn’t mean it is the end of human rights on the internet this is only the beginning. There are so many things in the world that need attention not just the things happening in other countries but right in our own back yard. Homelessness, domestic violence, drug addictions, rights for those with mental retardation all of the places connected to these issues accepts money for funding or volunteers. Helping someone out doesn’t have to be about money. So, just go out and do something. http://www.volunteermatch.org/ Volunteer Match is a place to start.

World Slavery

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

http://www.un.org/Overview?rights.html

Article 1

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act toward one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Article 3

Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security of person.

Article 4

No one shall be held in slavery or servitude: slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.

Article 5

No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Article 6

Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.

As an American I take for granted the freedoms we have. We are free to choose whatever religion we want. Freedom of speech, and press, the right to bear arms to take these things away would be deemed unconstitututional and our constitutuion is followed through fairly well. The same cannot be said for every country.

In the 1700s Haiti escaped a French rule of slavery. One of the first countries in the Americas to win this battle. Due to poverty the idea of slavery was reintroduced this time by its own people. A child is sold to a well to do family with the promise of education and all the things a child needs. The promise is then taken away. The restavek “slave” is ordered to take the “master’s ” children to school but the restsvek will not be attending. The slave is forced to watch the family eat but no food is given to him/her. This child can be beaten to the death and thrown on the streets to rot.

In Africa ” …a ship carrying hundreds of people was recently turned away from Benin, Africa, officials suspected that the children on board were human slaves. ” http://www.infoplease.com/spot/slavery1.html These slaves are held in bondage.

In in isolated parts of India they hold auctions selling children and their virginity. A devadasis is a servant of God. These children are dedicated to their God at puberty.

“At the age of 12, Lashmi became a concubine for a 60-year-old man. Her friends say she was relatively lucky. Her master was a good person – not too demanding, never violent, and seldom drunk.” When he died her status changed. She and her son had an uncertain future.

As a devadasis her main occupation was in the flesh trade. She basically ended up as a prostitute. This happens to feed her child. The girl passed away due to AIDS. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/2071612.stm

Even though these places have passed laws banning this activity slavery is still in existance. They are not following their laws or the rules set forth by the United Nations. This activity is cruel and unjust. The people of Haiti, Africa, and India don’t know any other way.

There are organizations that help fight against slavery such as Amnesty International http://www.amnesty.org/

Haitian born Wyclef Jean, former member of the Fugee’s created The Yele Haiti Foundation http://www.yele.org/

Other sites to visit: iAbolish Amercan Anti-Slavery Group http://www.iabolish.org/

Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (CAST) http://www.castla.org/facts.html

You can sign a petition to to abolish the Transatlantic Slave Trade. http://www.antislavery.org/2007/actionsign.php

The positive news is there are organizations to help rid the world of the atrocity of slavery.

Blogger’s Unite

These are videos from December. I though you might enjoy a look back.

Bloggers Unite

On May 15th I’m going to have a special post about slavery but since this is Proof Positivity I am going to look for some solutions to the problem. This will be a post that I actually will be doing a lot of research on because it’s important. I probably will post a different one on My Thoughts as well. I know it doesn’t seem like it but I actually did get A’s and B’s in English. Most of the time I just try to write quick because I’m chasing kids and all. I’ve got nearly a month so, that should be plenty of time.