Shameful

I am the type of person that tends to say what's on her mind. It's not hard for me to tell a person they are being racist, sexist or xenophobic. I would even tell my close friends, coworkers or my own family members that their way of thinking is backwards and hateful. I wont spare their feelings by sugar coating it and the consequences of my actions wont even cross my mind. After the situation I come out questioning where this person's upbringing failed them and feel proud that I am not like them. I think to myself "If I let it go, they will never learn that it's not right to think that way". People rarely say negative things about Mexicans or women to me so it's not a personal attack that I am arguing against. I always think of the poem First they Came.

When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.

When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.

When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.

When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I was not a Jew.

When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.

I thought I was doing good just speaking out. This is something I can do in my day to day life to make a little difference in the world. If everyone spoke out against hate, the world could be a better place. Then the other day it hit me. I am not brave at all by speaking out. I have the luxury to speak out. Many women around the world don't have that luxury. They pay the price for voicing their opinion. Many women in the Middle East are getting acid poured on them for simply going to school. Women are getting assassinated for speaking about rights for women. Women are the most oppressed group in the world. So many admirable women are risking their lives for the hope of gaining knowledge, working, feeding their families or ending rape. Of course there are people who say nothing against hatred when they have absolutely NOTHING to lose.

I am feeling so furious and helpless knowing that women are in danger with no protection from their husbands, families, communities and government. It's the same with children around the world. Female children are getting raped daily in the Congo. Ages ranging from 4-80 this absolutely breaks my heart. I can't imagine living in those conditions seeing my children and elders get treated in such a manner. I am also furious that people chose to not speak out against hate when they have that luxury of speaking without repercussions.

The links below are to two articles about what women face in other parts of the world.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/30/opinion/30kristof.html
http://www.worldpress.org/Africa/1561.cfm