Submitted by russ on Fri, 10/03/2008 - 12:21am
"You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty. Where there is love there is life." Mahatma Gandhi
If there is a human rights events that you think emPower Music and Arts could have a positive impact on, please reply to this post and let us know.
Music has long been used as for anti-establishment purposes, but isn't it more empowering to see musicians lifting their voices to promote a positive cause? Rock Against Racism and Live 8 are shining examples of how music can become the rallying force for change.
Today I've run across several articles addressing the subject of political support: What will the "obsessive" supporters do now that their candidate has won - or lost?
The most remarkable thing happened with this election. People got involved. Some donated to campaigns for the first time; supporters who have never been to a rally in their entire life attended one with a sign in hand; people broke the silence. This wasn't an Obama thing or a McCain thing or an anti-Bush thing. It wasn't Democrats or Republicans, Christians or Muslims, blacks or whites, poor or rich. It was people, looking for a chance to make a difference. So, what do we do now that the campaign is done? The race is not finished! Look around at all the hurts that could be healed if we just applied that same fervor. Our government can only do so much for us; the true power to make a difference lies within each one of us.
You know, I think the fervor is going to hang in there, maybe even keep gaining momentum. Already, our president-elect has compiled a list of about 200 Bush administration actions and executive orders that may be reversed, including policies on climate change, reproductive rights, and that disastrous and baffling Bush "compromise" on stem cell research. (And, as Obama made such a point of including "gay Americans" whenever he listed all the groups he planned to serve, there is hopefully something within his executive power and included on this long list aimed at undoing the backward step for gay Americans which ironically occurred on the same night African Americans took such a huge step forward.)
That Obama is hitting the ground running at such breakneck speed makes me very optimistic that he's not going to allow any of us to fall back into the apathy we've felt for the last eight years.
It's been less than a year since 25-year-old Aussie Nic MacKay teamed with 26-year-old Dawn Miotshwa to create Key Change Music, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating positive social change through music. And last month, their inaugural tour Collaboration 4 Change brought together some of South Africa's finest young artists to spread their message of social justice throughout the KwaZulu-Natal province. In a country devastated by poverty, AIDS, and gender inequity, the group's powerful message was welcomed by the over-3000 students who attended the twelve-school tour. "Day-after-day we heard from kids whose lives had been changed by the sessions that we ran," says MacKay. "It was truly inspirational."
In November, the artists will take their music and message to the young people of Nic's homeland for the six-week Collaboration 4 Change: Australia, a prospect especially dear to the heart of the Melbourne-native. "Our aim is to educate young Australians about issues of social justice and encourage people of all ages to take action against poverty by lobbying the Australian government to deliver on its commitments under the MDGs." All money raised from the tour will be used to fund the continuing work of Key Change Music in educating and empowering young South Africans, notably C4C: South Africa 2009, which Nic hopes will pack an even stronger punch by drawing awareness to the South African election. "The focus this time will be encouraging young South Africans to vote and ensuring they know why they are voting and who they are voting for."
emPower MA and Harmonizing with Humanity are partnering to help sponsor an Interfaith rally to oppose the so called "marriage protection" amendment on Florida's ballot in November. Faith Rivera and Harold Payne will be performing at the Tampa event on October 26th.
In the meantime, please go to www.FairnessForAllFamilies.org to learn more about amendment 2!
It's wonderful to know that emPower MA is actively opposing this amendment. I received a robocall last week trying to muster support for Amendment 2 and felt downright violated that such hateful propaganda, masquerading as family values, was sent to into my home in such a way as to allow me no rebuttal. Just like the archaic laws which banned interracial marriages, a ban on gay marriage doesn't protect the institution of marriage. It just prolongs bigotry.
As with the national election, the greatest danger here is apathy, the idea that something so absurd couldn't possibly be passed into law, with or without our individual vote. Remember, passage of this amendment does not require that 60% of Floridians support it. It only requires that 60% of the Floridians who bother to vote support it. Sometimes that can be a critical distinction.