I eat stickers all the time, dude.: At first I didn’t want to talk about Lib...

 

 

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I eat stickers all the time, dude.: At first I didn’t want to talk about Libya; it is such a horrific...

via 道 on 2/21/11

I eat stickers all the time, dude.: At first I didn't want to talk about Libya; it is such a horrific...:

ieatstickersallthetimedude-:

At first I didn't want to talk about Libya; it is such a horrific situation and I didn't feel like this blog is a tactful enough environment to host the kind of sensitive discussion it deserves. But do you know what? Fuck this.

This isn't blogging about an event we have no control over.

This isn't a discussion about something "sad but unavoidable".

This is a situation created by the governments we have voted into power.

It is us, the so called "champions of democracy" that have created this and it is we the civilians that have let it happen. Every day we perpetuate genocide with our ignorance. Every day the simple mistake of "not knowing" allows people to be exploited, suppressed, tortured and killed. 

79% of Libyan oil is bought by the EU and 10% of the oil used in both America and the United Kingdom comes from Libya. It has been that way for years and very rarely has a western government wavered in it's financial support of Libya. Despite Saif's (Gadaffi's son and likely governmental predecessor) threats to kill thousands of people on national television, transactions continued without a hitch. Did you know that happened? Because I fucking didn't. Like most of the country I was more concerned about which party would help healthcare and education in my own back-garden. This kind of attitude makes me feel ashamed. This kind of attitude has to stop.

We need to keep this in our minds long after the revolution is over. We need to remind our leaders that we won't forget these events like we used to because now we can see it happening before our eyes. This is no longer orientalism. We don't watch from the sidelines at these people with "different cultures and different lives" before switching channels and continuing with our dinner. 
The internet has made us equal.

We see the words of tortured human beings written in real time and that kind of thing doesn't leave you easily. These people are us, born in different circumstances. 

I feel fucking ashamed for letting this happen. I feel fucking ashamed for not putting pressure on the right people before it was too late.

I just hope this is the beginning of a raised consciousness when it comes to helping those abroad. I just hope this is the start of us changing.

 

 

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