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Re: [RC] UAE Involvement in AERC Functions - heidiI am not speaking as to "ideaology" or "cultures", Heidi. In my life, I have done things of which I am not proud. In my life, I have done things of which I am very proud. Standing by and silently "protesting" the mistreatment of a child will not ever be something I do...regardless of where that child might be. Nor can I, Frank. But I cannot make a difference if I am not there. WE cannot make a difference if WE are not there. That is my point, and unfortunately, it is a difficult point. I submit that if we are not involved in those countries, we have no foothold from which to make a difference. A boycott will do nothing to alter the circumstances and conditions from which these children suffer, although it will make us "feel good" that we've protested. On the contrary, our indignation all too often does much to entrench the very way of life that we seek to alter. Involvement and setting a good example are the only ways of getting the sort of toehold in another culture from which one CAN make a difference. We are not in a position to pass laws there--it is not our country. So we have to be more subtle to effect a change. The difficult part is keeping one's perspective and using that toehold to do just that--instead of turning a blind eye and just enjoying what one does. Again, at the risk of offending those who are non-religious by holding up a religious group as an example, the Quakers who rolled up their sleeves and went to war in peaceful roles alleviated far more suffering than those protesters who stayed home in righteous indignation. Again, just another perspective to ponder, when one sets out to right wrongs. Heidi =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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