Argh I finally realised that I could change the stupid timezone! *sigh* so finally all my posts will be at the correct time - -" Sorry for not posting at accurate timings before...
(okay, this won't be very coherent cos i got someone b****ing to me now... ah well - -)
Yeah. So anyway. I just read National Geographic, and there were articles about Africa and it's national forests, the Rwandan genocide (between the minority Tutsis and the poorer, disadvantaged Hutus); the African Great Rift Valley, etc.
I looked at a map of the Rift Valley (near the Horn of Africa, northeastern boundary of the continent). And then I saw a few gigantic lakes... And the map legend, which showed me, by rough estimation, that one lake was more than 100km wide. You could fit God knows how many Singapores into those lakes. But of course African countries have problems (not to say that the developed world doesn't- they're just different. Just look at Europe and the US). They have such a huge, bountiful expanse of Nature, something I can only covet; yet how do you get starving, desperate people to not kill animals for bush meat; to exploit the forest for their needs? How do you change corrupt governments; and violence; and rape? Who would willingly rise up and sacrifice himself to take all this on? Why, oh why can't humans ever just get along? Is such a notion merely a utopia that is far out of our grasp, a castle in the air for now? The behaviour of a few errant black sheep has caused the suffering of millions more, needless to say other species, the land, the environment itself.
I may be foolish, but if I could just wave a magic wand and peace comes along, then that'll be great... but of course, real life doesn't work that way. Thankfully, there are people who are trying to change this. Trying to police the borders of national parks at risk of mortality, willingly entering and waging war against wrongdoers, trying to find better means to settle villagers.
And to get people to stop invading the land, why not give them jobs? I read somewhere that an experiment was successfully carried out elsewhere in Africa, that locals were educated about the forest, and ex-hunters were now tour guides to show foreigners around the place. Isn't this good? It raises their standards of living, gives them a better chance of education, and allows them to once more love and respect nature in all its glory. How fortunate they are to have such scenery in their own backyards! The world's so very bright and full of colours if you just observe, if you just open your eyes and look hard enough. There are miracles everywhere; every speck of life, every moving creature, every stream that laps playfully around your feet...
It is time for the African people to open their eyes.
And for the rest of the world to help them.
And for other pointless conflicts over pride and historic whatnots to disappear. Those are excuses. Free the Tibetans. Share resources. Embrace your fellow people. Let go of differences.
Because we are one people.
(okay, this won't be very coherent cos i got someone b****ing to me now... ah well - -)
Yeah. So anyway. I just read National Geographic, and there were articles about Africa and it's national forests, the Rwandan genocide (between the minority Tutsis and the poorer, disadvantaged Hutus); the African Great Rift Valley, etc.
I looked at a map of the Rift Valley (near the Horn of Africa, northeastern boundary of the continent). And then I saw a few gigantic lakes... And the map legend, which showed me, by rough estimation, that one lake was more than 100km wide. You could fit God knows how many Singapores into those lakes. But of course African countries have problems (not to say that the developed world doesn't- they're just different. Just look at Europe and the US). They have such a huge, bountiful expanse of Nature, something I can only covet; yet how do you get starving, desperate people to not kill animals for bush meat; to exploit the forest for their needs? How do you change corrupt governments; and violence; and rape? Who would willingly rise up and sacrifice himself to take all this on? Why, oh why can't humans ever just get along? Is such a notion merely a utopia that is far out of our grasp, a castle in the air for now? The behaviour of a few errant black sheep has caused the suffering of millions more, needless to say other species, the land, the environment itself.
I may be foolish, but if I could just wave a magic wand and peace comes along, then that'll be great... but of course, real life doesn't work that way. Thankfully, there are people who are trying to change this. Trying to police the borders of national parks at risk of mortality, willingly entering and waging war against wrongdoers, trying to find better means to settle villagers.
And to get people to stop invading the land, why not give them jobs? I read somewhere that an experiment was successfully carried out elsewhere in Africa, that locals were educated about the forest, and ex-hunters were now tour guides to show foreigners around the place. Isn't this good? It raises their standards of living, gives them a better chance of education, and allows them to once more love and respect nature in all its glory. How fortunate they are to have such scenery in their own backyards! The world's so very bright and full of colours if you just observe, if you just open your eyes and look hard enough. There are miracles everywhere; every speck of life, every moving creature, every stream that laps playfully around your feet...
It is time for the African people to open their eyes.
And for the rest of the world to help them.
And for other pointless conflicts over pride and historic whatnots to disappear. Those are excuses. Free the Tibetans. Share resources. Embrace your fellow people. Let go of differences.
Because we are one people.
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