Re: growing activism

salam,

i think it is something that we do for our own peace of mind. whatever i do, i do honestly. at the end of the day, that is all that matters to me because i know the divine knows my heart. we are all going to encounter those who will tell us "your approach is wrong" and we are all going to wonder "is it enough?" "does it matter?" or what have you but it is important to remember that first and for most, it is for ourselves; our humanity, our world, our peace.

in somali, we say "thorns, whether you pick them up or drag them, they get home" (i.e, it doesn't matter how it gets there.) the point is-- if you help one person, you help the world. it may not seem 'noticable' but it definitely matters. and the same is true for collective help. for example, the millions of people around the world who protested the war on iraq, it may seem their voice did not matter but it certainly matters to the iraqi people who feel at least the world didn't go along with their occupation. sometimes, i think, the best help one can offer is to say "i feel your pain."

afdhere

Afdhere Jama
Editorial Director
HURIYAH Publications
S A N F R A N C I S C O
[email protected]
http://www.huriyahmag.com

>From: "Vana Lopez" >To: >Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2004 11:55 AM >Subject: [Progressivemuslimsnetwork] growing activism > > > > Salaam, > > > > I am wondering how those of you who are activists on a > > large(r) level know when what you are doing is > > useful/working? I'm coming at this from the > > perspective of the smallest. Give 1 person some food > > & he is not hungry for a day, shelter and not out in > > the elements for the night. It is very clear what is > > working at that level. it is easy to see if someone > > stops drinking or stops using drugs. it is easy to see > > if someone hasn't killed themself. > > > > As the target of the activist increases past the very > > small, how do you know if yo
ur meetings, speeches, > > protests, etc., are doing any good? How do you > > measure it? Is it a "feeling" thing? Is it a level of > > opposing intensity measurement? Is it the > > acknowledgment of others like yourself? > > > > I see this as somewhat separate from the "do the right > > thing" need that we probably all have in that I think > > that the "right thing" is irrespective of > > outcome--more of us having a whiff maybe of what God > > has put us here on earth to do. > > wondering, Vana > > > > _______________________________________________ > > ProgressiveMuslims mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://willo.nitric.co.za/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/progressivemuslims > > > >_______________________________________________ >ProgressiveMuslim
s mailing list >[email protected] >http://willo.nitric.co.za/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/progressivemuslims

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