so the first week of fasting is over, three more weeks to go. i recorded an interview yesterday with the asian radio show, which is broadcast on radio live on friday's at 7.40pm. it was a light interview about ramadan, conducted by the wonderful dr sapna.
today i'd thought i'd consider intellect and creativity. by this i mean the ability to grasp concepts, to solve problems, to come up with ideas and to translate those ideas into something concrete.
i'm thankful that i've been able to use my intellect to get qualifications that have helped me to secure and keep a decent job. i'm able to contribute ideas to the various groups i'm involved with, and to help deal with problems that may arise. the intellect is a human treasure, with such limitless possibilities and i'm sure most of us don't even come close to our potential. but even so, i'm thankful there are people in the world who innovate, come up with new concepts that develop into products which make our lives easier in so many ways. this may be improvements to health, labour-saving devices, processes that are environmentally friendly or any number of other things.
one thing that bothers me is the commercial model that most of our innovation now comes out of . the problem is that under this model, unless an idea is likely to make money and unless it can be patented, it isn't likely to see light of day. my fear is that we lose out on many simple and easy solutions to various problems, because if we could solve the problem at low cost with a widely available substance, there would be no incentive for corporations to invest in the research and development required.
the only way around this is to have publicly funded research, but particularly in this country, investment in publicly funded research has been steadily decreasing, and even the funding that is still available often has a "commercial viability" component.
as to creativity, i'm not sure that i'm very good at it. i've never been interested in arts, drama, music, or craftwork. i don't like cooking, and am not really interested in science or research. the only really creative thing i do is write, which i enjoy as it gives me the ability to disseminate my thoughts to the world.
which is not to say that i can't appreciate the creativity of others and the beauty it brings to the world. i'm thankful for all the painters, the novelists, the architects who design beautiful structures, the film makers, and anyone who enriches the world with their creativity. creativity is often dependent on affluence though, as i find that the most beautiful poetry, music, architecture and the like comes from societies that are doing well. after all, many of our creative endeavours depend on patronage and the investment of time and money. unless there are finances up front to invest, the creative endeavour will not even begin.
there was an interesting discussion on radio nz yesterday (afternoons, 3.10pm) about a creativity crisis that is apparently hitting america. while intelligence levels are increasing, creativity levels are decreasing, though there is nothing conclusive which might tell us why. some theories were discussed, such as too much tv watching, schools teaching to standards rather than being able to develop creativity.
so, yes, i'm thankful today for the gifts of intellect and creativity, whether i benefit from them directly and indirectly. i wish i was able to contribute more than i do in this area. action points for today's topic: schedule some time in the near future to create something, anything. small or big, in whatever field of endeavour you feel comfortable with, and with whatever you can afford. it could be a poem, a cake, or a photograph. and when you're done, be proud of it, even if it doesn't turn out how you wanted. also, try to take some time to appreciate the creativity of others, whether it's via the internet or actually going on an outing to see something interesting or beautiful. possible to causes to support are alzheimers nz and the mental health foundation.
today i think about those who are not unable to use their intellect, perhaps because of a degenerative disease or for some other reason. my thoughts and prayers are with them.
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
Tuesday, 17 August 2010
day 7: ethics
one of the advantages of examining my privilege is that it makes me aware of issues, and helps me to be more inclusive. more inclusive in the language i use for example, or more inclusive when i organise an event - making sure there are interpreters if required, ensuring that there is a decent vegetarian option, making sure that we include a mihi or waiata at the beginning or a more formal maori welcome if that is appropriate. it's the little touches that make people feel welcome, and feel a part of what you're doing. it helps to build that sense of community and belonging, of shared values and respect.
of course i don't always get it right. there are some things i won't think of or won't understand because i haven't lived the experience of others so am not aware of what issues they face. what helps me at those times is to listen to what people tell me, to try to understand their valid criticisms and re-examine my own perspective, instead of getting defensive. and i'll only be able to truly listen and learn when i accept and own my privilege.
the topic for today is around issues of faith, morality and conscience. it has been a particularly difficult one to frame and to articulate with me. i went with the heading "ethics" because it seemed to be more inclusive than yesterday's attempt, and yet it doesn't quite cover some of the aspects i want to raise. nor do i think that these issues are necessarily ones of privilege, though i suppose they could be in some instances. i think they are things i'm just grateful for.
so let me start with faith. this isn't the practical aspect of religion that i discussed yesterday. rather, it's an internal belief system that no-one can take away from me. my faith gives me strength and resilience, through the practical act of prayer but also through the knowledge that there is a God, an entity out there who is on my side. God to me is full of mercy, compassion, forgiveness and understanding. what i know and understand of God gives me comfort and somewhere to turn when things get overwhelming.
having faith can certainly lead to an arrogance or smugness, and i've seen it with many people who are immersed in religion. the have an overwhelming sense of their own goodness and the unworthiness of others who don't measure up to their own high standards. the fact that they themselves don't often measure up to those standards seems to escape them. or the fact that so much of what they do, while seeming to be very good, is really just for show and so not sincere.
it can also mean that those with faith look at the "godless" or atheists with contempt or pity. obviously i follow my faith because i think it's the right one, and i'd love for other people to discover it and share it with me. but i believe i have to respect them even if they don't - i have to respect their humanity, their intelligence, their autonomy. that goes for everyone who doesn't believe exactly what i believe, even the wide range of diverse views within the muslim community. after all, if my way is the correct way, then i should be able to convince everyone of that. the fact that i haven't convinced them means there is a deficiency in me, not in other people.
my faith also provides me with boundaries and values which helps me make decisions in how to live my life. i find that really helpful, in the sense that it makes it easier for me to resist things. so i don't drink alcohol or take drugs or gamble, and i don't have to think about it in each instance when i'm presented with these things. it's just a simple and concrete notion in my mind that such and such a thing is against my religion so i'm not going to do it.
which is not to say that people can't have values or make moral judgements if they don't follow a religion or follow one that is different to mine. i believe that all humans have a natural tendency to behave well. all i'm saying is that my faith helps me in this regard.
i'm thankful for my sense of right and wrong, for the fact that i have a conscience and that i'm able to make moral judgements. possibly not a popular thing to say these days, seeing as how morality is often seen as a bad thing. but it's my morality, my ethics, that stop me from saying hurtful things, from stealing or cheating, and so on. it's ethics that makes me buy free-range eggs or support particular causes. and i'm grateful for all of that.
however, i do accept that making moral judgements about others can be quite dicey. until you know fully their motivations, their history, their current circumstances, you can't actually be sure that the thing you're judging is actually wrong. is it wrong for a destitute person to steal or for someone to kill in self-defence? circumstances are everything, and that's what we have a justice system for: so that all those circumstances are examined and the outcome reflects that.
it is my sense of ethics that prompts to me to be aware of social justice issues and to work on various causes, depending on the energy levels i have. it's what prompts me to blog, in order to raise awareness about various issues of importance to me. it's what ensures that i pass on values to my children and teach them the importance of assessing their own actions, ensuring that they behave in the best way possible. remembering also the importance of forgiving oneself for one's faults as well as forgiving others and seeking forgiveness when you've stuffed up.
i accept that my values and ethics need constant re-evaluation, particularly in light of information or ideas that i hadn't previously been exposed to or situations i hadn't thought of.
since all of these issues are pretty much personal to me and my own beliefs, i'm finding it hard to suggest any positive actions other than reading and discussion around ethics and ethical issues. but i will spare a thought for those who have been judged harshly and unfairly by others, and those who judge themselves harshly. my thoughts and prayers are with you.
of course i don't always get it right. there are some things i won't think of or won't understand because i haven't lived the experience of others so am not aware of what issues they face. what helps me at those times is to listen to what people tell me, to try to understand their valid criticisms and re-examine my own perspective, instead of getting defensive. and i'll only be able to truly listen and learn when i accept and own my privilege.
the topic for today is around issues of faith, morality and conscience. it has been a particularly difficult one to frame and to articulate with me. i went with the heading "ethics" because it seemed to be more inclusive than yesterday's attempt, and yet it doesn't quite cover some of the aspects i want to raise. nor do i think that these issues are necessarily ones of privilege, though i suppose they could be in some instances. i think they are things i'm just grateful for.
so let me start with faith. this isn't the practical aspect of religion that i discussed yesterday. rather, it's an internal belief system that no-one can take away from me. my faith gives me strength and resilience, through the practical act of prayer but also through the knowledge that there is a God, an entity out there who is on my side. God to me is full of mercy, compassion, forgiveness and understanding. what i know and understand of God gives me comfort and somewhere to turn when things get overwhelming.
having faith can certainly lead to an arrogance or smugness, and i've seen it with many people who are immersed in religion. the have an overwhelming sense of their own goodness and the unworthiness of others who don't measure up to their own high standards. the fact that they themselves don't often measure up to those standards seems to escape them. or the fact that so much of what they do, while seeming to be very good, is really just for show and so not sincere.
it can also mean that those with faith look at the "godless" or atheists with contempt or pity. obviously i follow my faith because i think it's the right one, and i'd love for other people to discover it and share it with me. but i believe i have to respect them even if they don't - i have to respect their humanity, their intelligence, their autonomy. that goes for everyone who doesn't believe exactly what i believe, even the wide range of diverse views within the muslim community. after all, if my way is the correct way, then i should be able to convince everyone of that. the fact that i haven't convinced them means there is a deficiency in me, not in other people.
my faith also provides me with boundaries and values which helps me make decisions in how to live my life. i find that really helpful, in the sense that it makes it easier for me to resist things. so i don't drink alcohol or take drugs or gamble, and i don't have to think about it in each instance when i'm presented with these things. it's just a simple and concrete notion in my mind that such and such a thing is against my religion so i'm not going to do it.
which is not to say that people can't have values or make moral judgements if they don't follow a religion or follow one that is different to mine. i believe that all humans have a natural tendency to behave well. all i'm saying is that my faith helps me in this regard.
i'm thankful for my sense of right and wrong, for the fact that i have a conscience and that i'm able to make moral judgements. possibly not a popular thing to say these days, seeing as how morality is often seen as a bad thing. but it's my morality, my ethics, that stop me from saying hurtful things, from stealing or cheating, and so on. it's ethics that makes me buy free-range eggs or support particular causes. and i'm grateful for all of that.
however, i do accept that making moral judgements about others can be quite dicey. until you know fully their motivations, their history, their current circumstances, you can't actually be sure that the thing you're judging is actually wrong. is it wrong for a destitute person to steal or for someone to kill in self-defence? circumstances are everything, and that's what we have a justice system for: so that all those circumstances are examined and the outcome reflects that.
it is my sense of ethics that prompts to me to be aware of social justice issues and to work on various causes, depending on the energy levels i have. it's what prompts me to blog, in order to raise awareness about various issues of importance to me. it's what ensures that i pass on values to my children and teach them the importance of assessing their own actions, ensuring that they behave in the best way possible. remembering also the importance of forgiving oneself for one's faults as well as forgiving others and seeking forgiveness when you've stuffed up.
i accept that my values and ethics need constant re-evaluation, particularly in light of information or ideas that i hadn't previously been exposed to or situations i hadn't thought of.
since all of these issues are pretty much personal to me and my own beliefs, i'm finding it hard to suggest any positive actions other than reading and discussion around ethics and ethical issues. but i will spare a thought for those who have been judged harshly and unfairly by others, and those who judge themselves harshly. my thoughts and prayers are with you.
Monday, 16 August 2010
day 6: religion
the thing with privilege, or with not recognising your privilege, is that you tend to believe that the things you have are things that you deserve. you fail to recognise that the main reason that you have these things is because of fate, because you were presented with opportunities that aren't available to many people.
ok, the fact that you took advantage of these opportunities and made the most of them is a positive action on your part that may allow you to below that you deserve the fruits of your efforts. but i see that effort as part of human responsibility, our duty as it were, and not something to particularly be proud of. after all, there are others who made similar efforts or even more effort that you did, but were unsuccessful. there were others who weren't able to take advantage of the opportunities presented to them for many reasons that aren't apparently obvious when you look at them. the fact that you judge them as being lesser than yourself shows that you are not even prepared to take the trouble to consider the possibilities, the barriers they may have faced. it means you are not prepared to empathise or understand. it seems to me a rather selfish way to be.
the topic for today is the freedom to practice religion, or to not practice any religion at all. yes, i know my title is not inclusive of the people who have no religion and i'm sorry about that - it's just that i have this theme of one word titles that couldn't think of a word that included both. it's extremely important that people a have the fundamental right to choose to follow whichever religion they want, or to abstain from following any religion. they should be able to make these choices without any kind of fear.
unfortunately, this is not the case in much of the world. persecution for religious beliefs is a constant thread throughout human history, regardless of country or faith tradition. there are those who believe that religion is the root cause of much of the conflict in the world, but i dispute that. i have a speech i wrote on this topic called "fighting for faith: religion as a motivational tool for war & peace", but it's not online anywhere & i'm not sure how to make it available. it's way too long for a blog post, but my conclusion is that most major conflicts that are presented as religious conflicts are actually about something else altogether. it's usually a fight for power and control of resources, but religion is used as a tool to encourage groups of people to fight.
however, i'm not trying to deny that much harm has been caused to people because of their religious beliefs. i'm lucky to live in a country where i can practice my religion freely. for example, there are no laws in place that prevent me from wearing a hijab, or even a burqa or niqab if i was that way inclined. this is in contrast to countries like france, turkey, tunisia, the sultanate of oman, syria, and belgium. there may be others that i'm not aware of. nor am i forced to wear religiously motivated clothing when i don't believe in it, as happens in saudi arabia, iran & parts of afghanistan.
i have not had to face violence because i wear a hijab, other than people shouting nasty things to me as they drive by. i haven't had my headscarf torn off my head, nor had to make the decision to not wear one due to fear of violence, like many american women did after the attacks in 2001. nor have i beaten with a stick or worse for failing to adhere to dress codes or for wearing make-up as happens in saudi arabia and iran.
i haven't yet had to face the prospect of a job loss or a demotion or even being constantly passed over for promotion because of my faith. i may have been considered an unsuitable candidate for a job because of my faith, but if that was the case, potential employers never said this to me because of the strong human rights laws in this country.
while this country has politicians that have incited hatred of migrants and religious minorities - for example, see here for rt hon winston peter's speech on the end of tolerance - at least we don't have to deal with this guy. or worse still, things like the inquisitions and witch-burnings of the past.
in my country, my community has been free to build places of worship and to visit those places whenever we want. compare this to the recent nastiness around the building of a mosque and cultural centre near "ground zero" in new york, which had lead to this. not only that, but people who visit mosques have been subjected to this and this. which is not to say that it has all been hostile - there has been this, this, and this, as well as support from president obama this week.
which is not to say that things have been perfect here in nz. our mosque in hamilton has been targetted, with people coming onto the section at night, pouring beer all around the place & leaving bottles with the result that we've had to put fences and gates around the place; with beer bottles being thrown at windows from people driving past with the result that we've had to put protective screens over the windows; with people breaking into the construction site when the mosque was being built and carving swastikas into the gib with the result that members of the community would sleep in the building shell to protect the place; and of course it was burnt down with the result that we now are required to have an extensive security system in place at the request of our insurers. we've had people get into the car park and chase people with their cars, and someone throw a plank of wood through a window with the aim of hitting worshippers (who look down when they pray so are unable to defend themselves) with the wood and broken glass.
thankfully we haven't had a significant event for a little while now, and i feel completely safe going to the mosque. nor in nz have we had to deal with incidents like this. we have two muslim schools in this country, and they have both been able to operate without severe harassment. any issues have been purely internal.
in this country, we are lucky that the prime minister and members of parliament are elected regardless of faith, or even if they profess no faith. our previous prime minister described herself as agnostic as does the current one. we do still have to put up with a parliamentary prayer each day that parliament is in session which is far from inclusive.
if you are interested in promoting religious freedom and harmony, i'd strongly recommend getting involved in interfaith activities. there are details here, and i'd also recommend attending the national interfaith forum (hosted by regional interfaith groups, see previous link for details) and the annual diversity forum organised by the human rights commission - the latest one is in christchurch in a couple of weeks. of course, i know such forums may not feel inclusive for people who don't follow a religion, or not something they would be interested in attending. i think this is an issue that does need to be addressed, the bridging of the gap between people who prescribe to a faith and those who don't.
on the whole, i have a lot of privilege when it comes to religious freedom, as compared to people all around the world. even though things are not ideal here, they are much better than they could be. if you are one of those who find it difficult to practice your religion, are subject to harassement because of your beliefs or lack of them, my thoughts and prayers are with you.
ok, the fact that you took advantage of these opportunities and made the most of them is a positive action on your part that may allow you to below that you deserve the fruits of your efforts. but i see that effort as part of human responsibility, our duty as it were, and not something to particularly be proud of. after all, there are others who made similar efforts or even more effort that you did, but were unsuccessful. there were others who weren't able to take advantage of the opportunities presented to them for many reasons that aren't apparently obvious when you look at them. the fact that you judge them as being lesser than yourself shows that you are not even prepared to take the trouble to consider the possibilities, the barriers they may have faced. it means you are not prepared to empathise or understand. it seems to me a rather selfish way to be.
the topic for today is the freedom to practice religion, or to not practice any religion at all. yes, i know my title is not inclusive of the people who have no religion and i'm sorry about that - it's just that i have this theme of one word titles that couldn't think of a word that included both. it's extremely important that people a have the fundamental right to choose to follow whichever religion they want, or to abstain from following any religion. they should be able to make these choices without any kind of fear.
unfortunately, this is not the case in much of the world. persecution for religious beliefs is a constant thread throughout human history, regardless of country or faith tradition. there are those who believe that religion is the root cause of much of the conflict in the world, but i dispute that. i have a speech i wrote on this topic called "fighting for faith: religion as a motivational tool for war & peace", but it's not online anywhere & i'm not sure how to make it available. it's way too long for a blog post, but my conclusion is that most major conflicts that are presented as religious conflicts are actually about something else altogether. it's usually a fight for power and control of resources, but religion is used as a tool to encourage groups of people to fight.
however, i'm not trying to deny that much harm has been caused to people because of their religious beliefs. i'm lucky to live in a country where i can practice my religion freely. for example, there are no laws in place that prevent me from wearing a hijab, or even a burqa or niqab if i was that way inclined. this is in contrast to countries like france, turkey, tunisia, the sultanate of oman, syria, and belgium. there may be others that i'm not aware of. nor am i forced to wear religiously motivated clothing when i don't believe in it, as happens in saudi arabia, iran & parts of afghanistan.
i have not had to face violence because i wear a hijab, other than people shouting nasty things to me as they drive by. i haven't had my headscarf torn off my head, nor had to make the decision to not wear one due to fear of violence, like many american women did after the attacks in 2001. nor have i beaten with a stick or worse for failing to adhere to dress codes or for wearing make-up as happens in saudi arabia and iran.
i haven't yet had to face the prospect of a job loss or a demotion or even being constantly passed over for promotion because of my faith. i may have been considered an unsuitable candidate for a job because of my faith, but if that was the case, potential employers never said this to me because of the strong human rights laws in this country.
while this country has politicians that have incited hatred of migrants and religious minorities - for example, see here for rt hon winston peter's speech on the end of tolerance - at least we don't have to deal with this guy. or worse still, things like the inquisitions and witch-burnings of the past.
in my country, my community has been free to build places of worship and to visit those places whenever we want. compare this to the recent nastiness around the building of a mosque and cultural centre near "ground zero" in new york, which had lead to this. not only that, but people who visit mosques have been subjected to this and this. which is not to say that it has all been hostile - there has been this, this, and this, as well as support from president obama this week.
which is not to say that things have been perfect here in nz. our mosque in hamilton has been targetted, with people coming onto the section at night, pouring beer all around the place & leaving bottles with the result that we've had to put fences and gates around the place; with beer bottles being thrown at windows from people driving past with the result that we've had to put protective screens over the windows; with people breaking into the construction site when the mosque was being built and carving swastikas into the gib with the result that members of the community would sleep in the building shell to protect the place; and of course it was burnt down with the result that we now are required to have an extensive security system in place at the request of our insurers. we've had people get into the car park and chase people with their cars, and someone throw a plank of wood through a window with the aim of hitting worshippers (who look down when they pray so are unable to defend themselves) with the wood and broken glass.
thankfully we haven't had a significant event for a little while now, and i feel completely safe going to the mosque. nor in nz have we had to deal with incidents like this. we have two muslim schools in this country, and they have both been able to operate without severe harassment. any issues have been purely internal.
in this country, we are lucky that the prime minister and members of parliament are elected regardless of faith, or even if they profess no faith. our previous prime minister described herself as agnostic as does the current one. we do still have to put up with a parliamentary prayer each day that parliament is in session which is far from inclusive.
if you are interested in promoting religious freedom and harmony, i'd strongly recommend getting involved in interfaith activities. there are details here, and i'd also recommend attending the national interfaith forum (hosted by regional interfaith groups, see previous link for details) and the annual diversity forum organised by the human rights commission - the latest one is in christchurch in a couple of weeks. of course, i know such forums may not feel inclusive for people who don't follow a religion, or not something they would be interested in attending. i think this is an issue that does need to be addressed, the bridging of the gap between people who prescribe to a faith and those who don't.
on the whole, i have a lot of privilege when it comes to religious freedom, as compared to people all around the world. even though things are not ideal here, they are much better than they could be. if you are one of those who find it difficult to practice your religion, are subject to harassement because of your beliefs or lack of them, my thoughts and prayers are with you.
Sunday, 15 August 2010
day 5: peace
many people think the way muslims fast is quite harsh. and compared to some other traditions, i guess it is. some take water when they fast, others take fruit juices. still others take a narrow range of food. the 40 hour famine used to allow glucose lollies, back when i was young. so compared to these, our way of fasting is much stricter and can be difficult for those in hot countries where the days are long.
it is for this reasons that fasting is only for healthy adults. the sick and the young don't have to fast. pregnant and breastfeeding women don't have to fast. anyone travelling a reasonable distance outside their city doesn't have to fast. it's up to each individual to determine what they can bear, depending on their personal circumstances.
today i'm going to consider issues related to peace, or more accurately the absence of war. i'm lucky enough to live in a country that is not at war. the last wars that happened in my country were back in the 1860s when the colonialists fought for domination over the indigenous people, and won. since then, nz'ers haven't had the country bombed or had armies moving through the country fighting with one another.
i haven't had to send my children out to fight. i haven't had to watch my loved ones be maimed or killed. i haven't had to lose my home. i haven't had to watch key infrastructure get decimated, so that i'm forced to live without electricity, running water, schools, transport systems, and so on.
i have never been subject to torture, nor have my loved ones. i haven't had to suffer from rape as a war crime, like the women of congo, bosnia and many other countries. i haven't had my limbs chopped off to disable me, as was the practice in sierra leone. i haven't had to take up arms to defend myself, nor kill other people in order to survive.
i haven't suffered from separation from my family nor displacement because of war. i haven't had to suffer the stress of not knowing where my children are, if they're even alive & how they are managing to survive. i haven't had to spend endless hours trying to find any information as to where they might be. ditto for other family members.
i haven't had my children stolen from me so that can be trained as child soldiers. i did a post about children as casualties of war last month, and if you have a strong constitution, i'd recommend you view the clip i've linked to (ie not the one i've embedded) in the post. also worth reading is this post at shakesville about the implications of a child soldier being tried by an american military commission. i'd also strongly recommend the film blood diamond, which was on tv a few weeks ago.
i live in a country far away from this type of violence, so i have avoided any experience of the horrors of war. the closest i have come, and it's not particularly close at all, is being in india during a period of communal violence. back in the late 1970s, i remember hearing the shouts of rioters out in street and the sound of gunshots while staying at a relative's house. it was the first time i'd ever felt fear from violence, but luckily they passed by and we were safe.
i was also in india on 6 december when the babri mosque was destroyed. the city i lived was put under marshall law, and no-one was allowed out of their houses for weeks. as it happened, we had to travel from where we were staying to delhi, by train. we needed special permission from the district commissioner of police, and we had a police escort to the station. it was the second time that i had felt the distinct fear of violence, but in the end was totally safe.
as i say, these experiences were such a small taste of what life can be like in a community not at peace. i'm incredibly thankful to be living in a place where i can move about freely, without fear, and i don't have to worry about the safety of my loved ones.
i'm lucky to not have to live in a country that is occupied by an outside power, which can make decisions about the way i live without the consent of myself or my people. i don't have to face the prospect of roads i'm not allowed to travel on, checkpoints to be traversed, an incredibly unequal distribution of water, alienation from my land and crops, arbitrary demolition of my home as part of a strategy of collective punishment, administrative detention where i have no access to a lawyer nor any idea of the amount of time i will be held or the charges against me, trial by secret military tribunals, random closure of schools and universities which i can do absolutely nothing about, random destruction of market places, an economic blockade that prevents food and medical supplies from entering the region, in fact this (pdf version here where you can also access an alternative view).
there is so much more i could say about this topic, but i've had a busy day and hope that some of the issues i've raised will cause some reflection. if you wish to be active in this area, i'd recommend amnesty international, the aotearoa peace & conflict studies centre trust which i've written about here, peace movement aotearoa, global peace & justice, and many other organisations i'm sure. something else i'd strongly recommend is to take some time talking to refugees, and listening to their experiences - if they are able and willing to share. i remember hearing a somalian woman speaking about how she held her husband's head in her lap as he died as a result of the on-going conflict in that country. some of these people have incredibly sad stories, and i think that if people took the trouble to hear these stories for themselves, perhaps our refugees would face a little less hostility and bigotry in this country.
if you are someone who has suffered or is suffering from the horrors of war, my thoughts and prayers are with you. i dearly hope that things will be better for you very soon.
it is for this reasons that fasting is only for healthy adults. the sick and the young don't have to fast. pregnant and breastfeeding women don't have to fast. anyone travelling a reasonable distance outside their city doesn't have to fast. it's up to each individual to determine what they can bear, depending on their personal circumstances.
today i'm going to consider issues related to peace, or more accurately the absence of war. i'm lucky enough to live in a country that is not at war. the last wars that happened in my country were back in the 1860s when the colonialists fought for domination over the indigenous people, and won. since then, nz'ers haven't had the country bombed or had armies moving through the country fighting with one another.
i haven't had to send my children out to fight. i haven't had to watch my loved ones be maimed or killed. i haven't had to lose my home. i haven't had to watch key infrastructure get decimated, so that i'm forced to live without electricity, running water, schools, transport systems, and so on.
i have never been subject to torture, nor have my loved ones. i haven't had to suffer from rape as a war crime, like the women of congo, bosnia and many other countries. i haven't had my limbs chopped off to disable me, as was the practice in sierra leone. i haven't had to take up arms to defend myself, nor kill other people in order to survive.
i haven't suffered from separation from my family nor displacement because of war. i haven't had to suffer the stress of not knowing where my children are, if they're even alive & how they are managing to survive. i haven't had to spend endless hours trying to find any information as to where they might be. ditto for other family members.
i haven't had my children stolen from me so that can be trained as child soldiers. i did a post about children as casualties of war last month, and if you have a strong constitution, i'd recommend you view the clip i've linked to (ie not the one i've embedded) in the post. also worth reading is this post at shakesville about the implications of a child soldier being tried by an american military commission. i'd also strongly recommend the film blood diamond, which was on tv a few weeks ago.
i live in a country far away from this type of violence, so i have avoided any experience of the horrors of war. the closest i have come, and it's not particularly close at all, is being in india during a period of communal violence. back in the late 1970s, i remember hearing the shouts of rioters out in street and the sound of gunshots while staying at a relative's house. it was the first time i'd ever felt fear from violence, but luckily they passed by and we were safe.
i was also in india on 6 december when the babri mosque was destroyed. the city i lived was put under marshall law, and no-one was allowed out of their houses for weeks. as it happened, we had to travel from where we were staying to delhi, by train. we needed special permission from the district commissioner of police, and we had a police escort to the station. it was the second time that i had felt the distinct fear of violence, but in the end was totally safe.
as i say, these experiences were such a small taste of what life can be like in a community not at peace. i'm incredibly thankful to be living in a place where i can move about freely, without fear, and i don't have to worry about the safety of my loved ones.
i'm lucky to not have to live in a country that is occupied by an outside power, which can make decisions about the way i live without the consent of myself or my people. i don't have to face the prospect of roads i'm not allowed to travel on, checkpoints to be traversed, an incredibly unequal distribution of water, alienation from my land and crops, arbitrary demolition of my home as part of a strategy of collective punishment, administrative detention where i have no access to a lawyer nor any idea of the amount of time i will be held or the charges against me, trial by secret military tribunals, random closure of schools and universities which i can do absolutely nothing about, random destruction of market places, an economic blockade that prevents food and medical supplies from entering the region, in fact this (pdf version here where you can also access an alternative view).
there is so much more i could say about this topic, but i've had a busy day and hope that some of the issues i've raised will cause some reflection. if you wish to be active in this area, i'd recommend amnesty international, the aotearoa peace & conflict studies centre trust which i've written about here, peace movement aotearoa, global peace & justice, and many other organisations i'm sure. something else i'd strongly recommend is to take some time talking to refugees, and listening to their experiences - if they are able and willing to share. i remember hearing a somalian woman speaking about how she held her husband's head in her lap as he died as a result of the on-going conflict in that country. some of these people have incredibly sad stories, and i think that if people took the trouble to hear these stories for themselves, perhaps our refugees would face a little less hostility and bigotry in this country.
if you are someone who has suffered or is suffering from the horrors of war, my thoughts and prayers are with you. i dearly hope that things will be better for you very soon.
Saturday, 14 August 2010
day 4: money
day four, and i'm managing well, alhamdolillah. i don't really feel the hunger or thirst at all, which is the beauty of getting to fast in the winter with no daylight savings. however, i do get very tired, especially by the end of the day.
now i know that many of the topics i've been writing about are actually rights rather than privileges. in other words, everyone has the right to decent education and a job that earns them enough to live comfortably. everyone has the right to decent healthcare and so on. but the reality is that though everyone has these rights, too many people don't have the things they should have. and most of this is entirely because we do not structure our societies and our world in a way that everyone can get what they deserve. it is our individual and collective choices that cause the imbalances.
i am framing these rights as privileges because i am one of the lucky ones who has opportunities and access to things that everyone should have. this reminds me that i should be working to ensure that others also have the same opportunities and access, in whatever way i can. one way is to do this is to raise consciousness through my writing, so i will continue with the topic for today.
the issues for today are around financial stability and wealth. the almighty dollar, which we worship far too much, which we chase after when often we would do better chasing after other things, but without which we face poverty, destitution and severely diminished choices.
i remember when i was changing jobs from one that was very flexible to one that was quite rigid in terms of the timing of the hours of work and the need to account for every minute of the day by charging out in units of 6 minutes each. i was talking to a colleague about the job i was going to, and said sadly "i'm losing my freedom". he replied to me "money is freedom".
it's a simple phrase but extremely powerful and totally true. having money gives a person a whole heap of choices. it means the ability to leave an unhappy marriage without wondering how you and your children are going to survive. it means that you can often afford better health care, better education, better housing (which also leads to better health). having money reduces stress, and we know that many marriages breakdown due to stresses around financial issues.
as i mentioned here at the hand mirror, i've never been a working class person. and i mentioned yesterday that i have never been out of employment so have always had my own income. there was the year of parental leave i took after the birth of my second child, but at least i had enough saved that i never had to depend financially on another person. that feeling of financial dependence is one i hate so much that i've never ever considered not working. i couldn't bear for someone else to be making choices of what i could or could not have.
the only time i've been on a benefit was for about 5 weeks one year during university holidays, when i was unable to find short-term employment due to an upcoming overseas trip. and i guess you could call the the universal student allowance i received while studying a benefit. but since it was universal, it carried no stigma.
i've never had to face the stigma of being a beneficiary, perpetuated by political parties and reflected by a large section of the population. i've never had to deal with people translating my need and my vulnerability as some kind of laziness. i haven't had to feel shame and humiliation (imposed on me by others) because i couldn't support myself, for whatever reason.
i'm in the very lucky position of having no debt. i don't have to watch interest rate movements carefully, because any significant rise might affect my carefully balanced budget. nor have i been in the unfortunate position of investing in finance companies that went bankrupt, or straight-out corrupt schemes like blue chip. i haven't had my life savings gambled away without my knowledge by an unscrupulous lawyer or financial advisor. i did lose money back in 1987, when i was foolish enough to believe all the hype and invest in shares like equiticorp, but on the scale of things, it wasn't too bad. and because i was young, i knew i was going to be able to recover financially.
i have never had to go through the process of bankruptcy, nor have i spent sleepless nights wondering how i would pay the bills (i have had many sleepless nights, but more on that another day). if i wanted to buy something, i've never had to worry about not affording it. which is not to say that i overspend - i have very rarely spent more than $100 on any item of clothing, i've never bought a big screen tv, i've never spent on state of the art technology or top of the line anything, i've only ever purchased second hand cars, i don't eat at fancy restaurants. but these are all my own choices, made because i don't believe in extravagance and showing off, not because i couldn't afford these things. i imagine how difficult it must for people who know they will never be able to afford extravagant or pretty things; who must always do with castoffs and second hand stuff and not by choice but by necessity.
i know my financial stability is helped by the fact that i don't spend any money on acohol or other drugs, nor on make-up and cosmetic procedures - although i have had laser eye surgery so i don't have to wear glasses any more. again, these are choices i make from conviction, not from necessity. and my financial stability is also helped by the fact that i just don't buy anything on credit. i only buy things when i know i have funds in the bank to pay for them. i'm able to do that, but i know that many, many people aren't. i know that many people are forced to go to loan sharks when some unexpected expenditure arises, or have to borrow just for food and rent.
i've been able to save for my retirement through a private scheme and through kiwisaver, the latter being one of the best policies of the previous government. retiring at age 65 seems too far away - i feel like i'm ready to retire today - and i know that by the time i get there, some government will have moved the goalposts and i'll have to work more years before i get my superannuation. but i feel for the elderly who have to live only off their superannuation. they may not have earned enough during their lives to have another source of retirement income, or maybe they had funds they lost due to investments going bad or unforeseen circumstances. it's terrible to watch people struggle at that stage of their lives, and to know that they have to go without things like adequate heating just so that they can pay the power bill.
which to wider considerations of poverty:
At least 80% of humanity lives on less than $10 a day (Source 1).
More than 80 percent of the world’s population lives in countries where income differentials are widening (Source 2).
The poorest 40 percent of the world’s population accounts for 5 percent of global income. The richest 20 percent accounts for three-quarters of world income (Source 3).
According to UNICEF, 24,000 children die each day due to poverty. And they “die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from the scrutiny and the conscience of the world. Being meek and weak in life makes these dying multitudes even more invisible in death.” (Source 4).
please take some time to go this website, read and reflect, cos there's plenty more information. i know it's depressing but it has to be faced, and should be faced on a regular basis. unless we begin to care about this reality, we won't be moved to do something about it.
one of the best ways to fight poverty is through political activism. the kinds of imbalances listed above won't be undone by individuals, they can only be undone by governments and by mass movements. join a cause and advocate for fair pay, fair trade, more aid - most countries haven't come near to the .07 percent of GDP that they've signed up to, and nz was around .03 the last time i looked. insist that aid doesn't have political or economic conditions, so that the majority of the aid money goes back to the country of origin because it's channeled to corporate providers who are resident in the country of origin. and if you have a surplus of funds, try to spend on those in need. (apologies, it's late and i'm tired, so haven't provided links to help you with any positive actions that might interest you).
when it comes to money, i'm extremely privileged. i'm one of the top 20%, i have more than i need and more than i deserve. i'm extremely thankful for the lack of stress in my life related to financial matters. if you are one of the people who suffer that stress, who struggle to survive, or have any issues related to money, then my thoughts and prayers are with you.
now i know that many of the topics i've been writing about are actually rights rather than privileges. in other words, everyone has the right to decent education and a job that earns them enough to live comfortably. everyone has the right to decent healthcare and so on. but the reality is that though everyone has these rights, too many people don't have the things they should have. and most of this is entirely because we do not structure our societies and our world in a way that everyone can get what they deserve. it is our individual and collective choices that cause the imbalances.
i am framing these rights as privileges because i am one of the lucky ones who has opportunities and access to things that everyone should have. this reminds me that i should be working to ensure that others also have the same opportunities and access, in whatever way i can. one way is to do this is to raise consciousness through my writing, so i will continue with the topic for today.
the issues for today are around financial stability and wealth. the almighty dollar, which we worship far too much, which we chase after when often we would do better chasing after other things, but without which we face poverty, destitution and severely diminished choices.
i remember when i was changing jobs from one that was very flexible to one that was quite rigid in terms of the timing of the hours of work and the need to account for every minute of the day by charging out in units of 6 minutes each. i was talking to a colleague about the job i was going to, and said sadly "i'm losing my freedom". he replied to me "money is freedom".
it's a simple phrase but extremely powerful and totally true. having money gives a person a whole heap of choices. it means the ability to leave an unhappy marriage without wondering how you and your children are going to survive. it means that you can often afford better health care, better education, better housing (which also leads to better health). having money reduces stress, and we know that many marriages breakdown due to stresses around financial issues.
as i mentioned here at the hand mirror, i've never been a working class person. and i mentioned yesterday that i have never been out of employment so have always had my own income. there was the year of parental leave i took after the birth of my second child, but at least i had enough saved that i never had to depend financially on another person. that feeling of financial dependence is one i hate so much that i've never ever considered not working. i couldn't bear for someone else to be making choices of what i could or could not have.
the only time i've been on a benefit was for about 5 weeks one year during university holidays, when i was unable to find short-term employment due to an upcoming overseas trip. and i guess you could call the the universal student allowance i received while studying a benefit. but since it was universal, it carried no stigma.
i've never had to face the stigma of being a beneficiary, perpetuated by political parties and reflected by a large section of the population. i've never had to deal with people translating my need and my vulnerability as some kind of laziness. i haven't had to feel shame and humiliation (imposed on me by others) because i couldn't support myself, for whatever reason.
i'm in the very lucky position of having no debt. i don't have to watch interest rate movements carefully, because any significant rise might affect my carefully balanced budget. nor have i been in the unfortunate position of investing in finance companies that went bankrupt, or straight-out corrupt schemes like blue chip. i haven't had my life savings gambled away without my knowledge by an unscrupulous lawyer or financial advisor. i did lose money back in 1987, when i was foolish enough to believe all the hype and invest in shares like equiticorp, but on the scale of things, it wasn't too bad. and because i was young, i knew i was going to be able to recover financially.
i have never had to go through the process of bankruptcy, nor have i spent sleepless nights wondering how i would pay the bills (i have had many sleepless nights, but more on that another day). if i wanted to buy something, i've never had to worry about not affording it. which is not to say that i overspend - i have very rarely spent more than $100 on any item of clothing, i've never bought a big screen tv, i've never spent on state of the art technology or top of the line anything, i've only ever purchased second hand cars, i don't eat at fancy restaurants. but these are all my own choices, made because i don't believe in extravagance and showing off, not because i couldn't afford these things. i imagine how difficult it must for people who know they will never be able to afford extravagant or pretty things; who must always do with castoffs and second hand stuff and not by choice but by necessity.
i know my financial stability is helped by the fact that i don't spend any money on acohol or other drugs, nor on make-up and cosmetic procedures - although i have had laser eye surgery so i don't have to wear glasses any more. again, these are choices i make from conviction, not from necessity. and my financial stability is also helped by the fact that i just don't buy anything on credit. i only buy things when i know i have funds in the bank to pay for them. i'm able to do that, but i know that many, many people aren't. i know that many people are forced to go to loan sharks when some unexpected expenditure arises, or have to borrow just for food and rent.
i've been able to save for my retirement through a private scheme and through kiwisaver, the latter being one of the best policies of the previous government. retiring at age 65 seems too far away - i feel like i'm ready to retire today - and i know that by the time i get there, some government will have moved the goalposts and i'll have to work more years before i get my superannuation. but i feel for the elderly who have to live only off their superannuation. they may not have earned enough during their lives to have another source of retirement income, or maybe they had funds they lost due to investments going bad or unforeseen circumstances. it's terrible to watch people struggle at that stage of their lives, and to know that they have to go without things like adequate heating just so that they can pay the power bill.
which to wider considerations of poverty:
At least 80% of humanity lives on less than $10 a day (Source 1).
More than 80 percent of the world’s population lives in countries where income differentials are widening (Source 2).
The poorest 40 percent of the world’s population accounts for 5 percent of global income. The richest 20 percent accounts for three-quarters of world income (Source 3).
According to UNICEF, 24,000 children die each day due to poverty. And they “die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from the scrutiny and the conscience of the world. Being meek and weak in life makes these dying multitudes even more invisible in death.” (Source 4).
please take some time to go this website, read and reflect, cos there's plenty more information. i know it's depressing but it has to be faced, and should be faced on a regular basis. unless we begin to care about this reality, we won't be moved to do something about it.
one of the best ways to fight poverty is through political activism. the kinds of imbalances listed above won't be undone by individuals, they can only be undone by governments and by mass movements. join a cause and advocate for fair pay, fair trade, more aid - most countries haven't come near to the .07 percent of GDP that they've signed up to, and nz was around .03 the last time i looked. insist that aid doesn't have political or economic conditions, so that the majority of the aid money goes back to the country of origin because it's channeled to corporate providers who are resident in the country of origin. and if you have a surplus of funds, try to spend on those in need. (apologies, it's late and i'm tired, so haven't provided links to help you with any positive actions that might interest you).
when it comes to money, i'm extremely privileged. i'm one of the top 20%, i have more than i need and more than i deserve. i'm extremely thankful for the lack of stress in my life related to financial matters. if you are one of the people who suffer that stress, who struggle to survive, or have any issues related to money, then my thoughts and prayers are with you.
Friday, 13 August 2010
day 3: employment
one of the benefits of examining privilege is that it teaches us humility. it's a chance to see how much of our lives is determined by good or bad luck, and how little control we have over outcomes. as a muslim, i'm taught to strive - i must make the effort and take the actions that need to be taken to achieve a desired result. but whether or not things go as planned, whether that effort leads to any positive results, well that is just not in my hands.
just a few links before i get into the main topic. i was on radio nz yesterday, discussing the burqa on the panel (about 10 or 15 minutes into the clip). i also put up a few posts at the hand mirror this week, one on the totally wrong perspective taken by the housing shareholders advisory group, another on the cruel decision by the government this week to not pay compensation to women who have suffered sexual violence and abuse at the hands of the police, and a third on a small bit of positive news in relation to ACC funding of counselling for victims of sexual abuse.
the topic for today is employment. i've been lucky enough to be in work from the time i left university. in fact, if you count holiday jobs, i've been working since the 5th form. i've had my own money, and financial independence is a strong tool of empowerment - but more about that another day.
i have had some experience of looking for work and being unsuccessful. luckily i was able to do this while i already had a job. i remember the blow to the ego that each rejection letter was. i remember how negative i began to feel about myself when no potential employer could see any value in me. i remember being told by phone not to bother applying for a job because they weren't interested in hiring a woman. they had made a change and hired the first ever woman in that position, and she had been terrible, so they weren't going to try that again.
i have not had to apply for work since i started wearing hijab. i've heard some sad stories from women who have that experience, one was so upset and frustrated that she ended up leaving the country. i know many migrants who have struggled to find work, and it is especially hard for refugees. this puts a lot of pressure on their families. one of my friends had found a job, but her husband was unable to find work for over 3 years. this meant not only that they had to adapt to a much lower standard of living than they had been used to, but also that she had to deal with someone at home who was depressed and negative. it lead to a lot of tension and arguments on a daily basis.
i'm lucky that i have a kiwi accent and good english. this helps massively when looking for work. it means that i would ring up potential employers before applying and talk to them about the job and my qualification & experience. this simple step would ensure that they wouldn't throw my CV in the bin without considering it.
i work in the field which i'm qualified for. i don't have the disheartening experience of spending many years (and a lot of money) studying a subject, only to find that it i can't find a job in that field. it would be even worse if i had to take a much lower paying or unskilled job, even though i knew i was qualified for a much better position.
i work in a place where there is very little stress. i have my own office, which i value a great deal. i love having my own little work space, where i don't get distracted by other people's phone calls or conversations or all the other noise of a busy workplace. i have a corner office, with windows on two walls which makes it light & pleasant. i can't explain the science of it, but the sun comes streaming in on winter mornings, warming my back and the whole office. yet in summer the sun hardly enters, so i don't have to worry about overheating. even if it did, i have an airconditioner so that i can ensure the temperature remains comfortable all year round.
i don't have to work out in the hot sun nor in the rain and cold. i don't have to work standing up all day, like some people have to do in factories and the like. i don't have to be constantly on the move, like health professionals or restaurant staff. i don't mean that people in these or other active professions don't enjoy their work and the level of activity involved. i'm thinking more of those people who work in a physically demanding job, and get home - mabybe after a long commute - totally exhausted. but they (and it's often but not exclusively women) then have to somehow find the energy to do the second shift at home - the cooking, cleaning, childrearing. i think also of those who are required to do shiftwork, with the resulting disruption to their sleep patterns adding an extra layer of stress.
i, on the other hand, get to sit in comfort with an ergonomically designed chair and a good quality computer close at hand. i have nice office furniture, and pretty pictures on the wall. i get to have the radio playing next to me, so i can listen radio nz all day long & keep up to date with the latest current events. my work place is clean and tidy, i don't have to deal with unpleasant smells or, well, icky stuff.
i get on well with my workmates and don't have to suffer any kind of harassment at work. all my colleagues are conscientious about their work and there is no maliciousness or nastiness in our workplace. we all get on really well and socialise often. i contrast this to a friend who has to deal with colleagues who deliberately try to undermine, who make nasty comments, and generally make her working life difficult.
i also remember a young woman who was significantly harassed at work. her workmates would do things that they knew would cause aggravation and even though each thing was not major in itself, they all added up to a very high level of stress. she would come home from work each day with major headaches and feeling distressed. because she was here on a work permit, she was afraid to complain. losing her job would mean being sent out of the country. she was specifically told that if she started wearing a headscarf to work that she would lose her job. fortunately things are a lot better for her now, but she lived with this for more than a year.
i also have experience of working in a place that was overstaffed, and everyone knew that jobs had to go. this led to a hostile environment where everyone protected their patch and tried to make others look bad. i know what it's like to be the subject of nasty gossip which, because it's always behind your back, you are never able to directly confront the accusations or the person(s) making them.
i know what it's like to be working at a job that you're not good at and not suited to. the constant failure is a drain on the soul, and is so demotivating that you fall into a vicious circle where you put in less effort and continue to fail.
i'm lucky to have an employer who is decent, caring and takes an interest in my welfare. my employer has stood by me in some distressing times, and that means a whole lot to me. i don't have to suffer from temper tantrums or nastiness because my employer is having a bad day. i don't have to deal with the humiliation of being bawled out in front of others. in a previous job, i had employers who were autocratic in the extreme and who watched and controlled every aspect of the job my co-workers and i did. it wasn't nice. my current employer is much more relaxed, and as long as the end product is of high quality and delivered in a timely manner, doesn't bother me much about process. my employer ensures that i receive the training required to keep myself up-to-date, and takes responsibility for ensuring that i am compensated well for the work i do.
i've never had to take a case against any employer, nor have i been unjustly dismissed or made redundant. i have been through a formal mediation process, but not as an employee, and i can assure you that it is extremely stressful. i've been the support person for another person who was suffering in her workplace, and know how difficult that was for her.
i don't have to work at a job where i am risk of accident and injury - although i did develop occupational overuse syndrome in a previous job. i live in a country that has good, strong health & safety laws, though work-related deaths and injuries are far too high. there are good accident investigation processes in place and employers do get held to account and prosecuted when they fail to take sufficient care.
if you are interested in employment and workers rights, my first suggestion would be to join a union and do some volunteer work. almost all unions are understaffed and need more membership and support. if you're not able or willing to do that, consider taking part in union campaigns, such as the fair pay rallies on 21 & 22 august. another way to support workers rights is to research the products you buy, and try to buy from those companies which have good work practices.
i know that i'm extremely privileged when it comes to matters of employment. i think of all the people for whom work is a burden, or who don't have access to employment, or who are under-employed. if you are one of the people who have to suffer from any of the issues i've listed in this post, or from other issues that i haven't recognised because of my privilege, then my thoughts and prayers are with you.
just a few links before i get into the main topic. i was on radio nz yesterday, discussing the burqa on the panel (about 10 or 15 minutes into the clip). i also put up a few posts at the hand mirror this week, one on the totally wrong perspective taken by the housing shareholders advisory group, another on the cruel decision by the government this week to not pay compensation to women who have suffered sexual violence and abuse at the hands of the police, and a third on a small bit of positive news in relation to ACC funding of counselling for victims of sexual abuse.
the topic for today is employment. i've been lucky enough to be in work from the time i left university. in fact, if you count holiday jobs, i've been working since the 5th form. i've had my own money, and financial independence is a strong tool of empowerment - but more about that another day.
i have had some experience of looking for work and being unsuccessful. luckily i was able to do this while i already had a job. i remember the blow to the ego that each rejection letter was. i remember how negative i began to feel about myself when no potential employer could see any value in me. i remember being told by phone not to bother applying for a job because they weren't interested in hiring a woman. they had made a change and hired the first ever woman in that position, and she had been terrible, so they weren't going to try that again.
i have not had to apply for work since i started wearing hijab. i've heard some sad stories from women who have that experience, one was so upset and frustrated that she ended up leaving the country. i know many migrants who have struggled to find work, and it is especially hard for refugees. this puts a lot of pressure on their families. one of my friends had found a job, but her husband was unable to find work for over 3 years. this meant not only that they had to adapt to a much lower standard of living than they had been used to, but also that she had to deal with someone at home who was depressed and negative. it lead to a lot of tension and arguments on a daily basis.
i'm lucky that i have a kiwi accent and good english. this helps massively when looking for work. it means that i would ring up potential employers before applying and talk to them about the job and my qualification & experience. this simple step would ensure that they wouldn't throw my CV in the bin without considering it.
i work in the field which i'm qualified for. i don't have the disheartening experience of spending many years (and a lot of money) studying a subject, only to find that it i can't find a job in that field. it would be even worse if i had to take a much lower paying or unskilled job, even though i knew i was qualified for a much better position.
i work in a place where there is very little stress. i have my own office, which i value a great deal. i love having my own little work space, where i don't get distracted by other people's phone calls or conversations or all the other noise of a busy workplace. i have a corner office, with windows on two walls which makes it light & pleasant. i can't explain the science of it, but the sun comes streaming in on winter mornings, warming my back and the whole office. yet in summer the sun hardly enters, so i don't have to worry about overheating. even if it did, i have an airconditioner so that i can ensure the temperature remains comfortable all year round.
i don't have to work out in the hot sun nor in the rain and cold. i don't have to work standing up all day, like some people have to do in factories and the like. i don't have to be constantly on the move, like health professionals or restaurant staff. i don't mean that people in these or other active professions don't enjoy their work and the level of activity involved. i'm thinking more of those people who work in a physically demanding job, and get home - mabybe after a long commute - totally exhausted. but they (and it's often but not exclusively women) then have to somehow find the energy to do the second shift at home - the cooking, cleaning, childrearing. i think also of those who are required to do shiftwork, with the resulting disruption to their sleep patterns adding an extra layer of stress.
i, on the other hand, get to sit in comfort with an ergonomically designed chair and a good quality computer close at hand. i have nice office furniture, and pretty pictures on the wall. i get to have the radio playing next to me, so i can listen radio nz all day long & keep up to date with the latest current events. my work place is clean and tidy, i don't have to deal with unpleasant smells or, well, icky stuff.
i get on well with my workmates and don't have to suffer any kind of harassment at work. all my colleagues are conscientious about their work and there is no maliciousness or nastiness in our workplace. we all get on really well and socialise often. i contrast this to a friend who has to deal with colleagues who deliberately try to undermine, who make nasty comments, and generally make her working life difficult.
i also remember a young woman who was significantly harassed at work. her workmates would do things that they knew would cause aggravation and even though each thing was not major in itself, they all added up to a very high level of stress. she would come home from work each day with major headaches and feeling distressed. because she was here on a work permit, she was afraid to complain. losing her job would mean being sent out of the country. she was specifically told that if she started wearing a headscarf to work that she would lose her job. fortunately things are a lot better for her now, but she lived with this for more than a year.
i also have experience of working in a place that was overstaffed, and everyone knew that jobs had to go. this led to a hostile environment where everyone protected their patch and tried to make others look bad. i know what it's like to be the subject of nasty gossip which, because it's always behind your back, you are never able to directly confront the accusations or the person(s) making them.
i know what it's like to be working at a job that you're not good at and not suited to. the constant failure is a drain on the soul, and is so demotivating that you fall into a vicious circle where you put in less effort and continue to fail.
i'm lucky to have an employer who is decent, caring and takes an interest in my welfare. my employer has stood by me in some distressing times, and that means a whole lot to me. i don't have to suffer from temper tantrums or nastiness because my employer is having a bad day. i don't have to deal with the humiliation of being bawled out in front of others. in a previous job, i had employers who were autocratic in the extreme and who watched and controlled every aspect of the job my co-workers and i did. it wasn't nice. my current employer is much more relaxed, and as long as the end product is of high quality and delivered in a timely manner, doesn't bother me much about process. my employer ensures that i receive the training required to keep myself up-to-date, and takes responsibility for ensuring that i am compensated well for the work i do.
i've never had to take a case against any employer, nor have i been unjustly dismissed or made redundant. i have been through a formal mediation process, but not as an employee, and i can assure you that it is extremely stressful. i've been the support person for another person who was suffering in her workplace, and know how difficult that was for her.
i don't have to work at a job where i am risk of accident and injury - although i did develop occupational overuse syndrome in a previous job. i live in a country that has good, strong health & safety laws, though work-related deaths and injuries are far too high. there are good accident investigation processes in place and employers do get held to account and prosecuted when they fail to take sufficient care.
if you are interested in employment and workers rights, my first suggestion would be to join a union and do some volunteer work. almost all unions are understaffed and need more membership and support. if you're not able or willing to do that, consider taking part in union campaigns, such as the fair pay rallies on 21 & 22 august. another way to support workers rights is to research the products you buy, and try to buy from those companies which have good work practices.
i know that i'm extremely privileged when it comes to matters of employment. i think of all the people for whom work is a burden, or who don't have access to employment, or who are under-employed. if you are one of the people who have to suffer from any of the issues i've listed in this post, or from other issues that i haven't recognised because of my privilege, then my thoughts and prayers are with you.
Thursday, 12 August 2010
day 2: birth
the first day of fasting was today. the first day is usually the hardest, after a few days i get into the rhythm of things and it's not so difficult. in case you're not familiar with the basics of fasting the way we do it, here's how it goes. we wake up before sunrise to eat breakfast. in the middle of winter it's not so bad, we can get up at around 5am and have a solid meal. after that we take no food or drink, not even water, until the sun sets - around 6pm at the moment. so it's basically all day without food.
that's just the basic part. it should also be a time when you avoid any kind of bad behaviour - lying, gossiping, cheating, arguments and so on. in our house, we also have the tv turned off for a month, but keeping away from youtube is going to be a real struggle! the point is that the fast is not just a physical abstinence but also an opportunity for mental purity and cleansing. actually, the physical abstinence is the easier part.
the topic of today is birth, but i mean to include pregnancy and the couple of months after birth as well. there are so many things i have to be grateful for around pregnancy and childbirth. the first is my ability to conceive. having a friend who has been having incredible difficulty in conceiving, and who has spent tens of thousands of dollars on fertility treatments without positive result, i know that's a huge blessing.
i had my own little experience of not being able to conceive when i was ready to have a second child. it took me around two years to get pregnant, which is not bad at all in the scheme of things. but it gave me a taste for what life is like for those who aren't able to conceive. not only is there the grief, the longing to have a child, the nosiness and thoughtless comments of friends and relatives, but also the fact that society places so little value on women who don't have children. best examples: helen clark and now julia gillard. it doesn't matter what else they've achieved nor how much they've contributed to the society they live in. there are so many people ready to put them down just for the fact that they don't have children.
i recall another friend telling me of how hurt she was by someone ringing her up and accusing her of lacking understanding because she didn't have children. it really cut her, because her childless state isn't from choice. i can't understand how people can be so thoughtless but there you go. she's an amazing woman, and i hope she carries that sense of her incredible value within her. maybe it's time for me to tell her again how wonderful she is.
i didn't have to deal with most of those things - only a couple of thoughtless but well-meaning comments from people who assured me that it was wrong to have an only child and that i should have another as soon as possible.
once i'd conceived, i was able to carry my children to term. i have never had the misfortune to suffer a miscarriage. i still remember the very moving post by stef about her experience, and a couple of subsequent ones which really helped to understand how difficult an experience this is. also useful is her advice of things not to say to someone who has had a miscarriage.
i had excellent healthcare during my pregnancy. for my first pregnancy, i chose to have a specialist as my lead maternity carer. for my second pregnancy, i had an independent midwife. i'm close to a good hospital, with the latest in facilities and technology. there were trained experts available when i needed them.
one thing i really appreciated was having control over the birthing process. this is something that is special for nz women, that we can discuss with our midwives how we want our birth experience to be, we are able to make informed choices without being dictated to. my birthing plan was really simple: i told my midwife that i wanted every possible drug available during labour, and i wanted those drugs at the earliest possible time. i don't believe all that crap about the nobility of suffering, especially if it's needless suffering and there is the means available to reduce it.
but back to pregnancy. i was lucky to not have any major medical issues like high blood pressure or low blood pressure. i have had similar experiences to julie, but again, in the scheme of things, not too bad (i shared my experience in comments there, just to emphasise that pregnancy is not some simple, quick & easy experience). but i didn't have to endure two months of bed rest like another friend. i was able to be mobile and active, and worked until i was 8 months for both pregnancies.
as to labour, well the less said the better. i certainly wasn't stoic and brave; i screamed and was a total mess. but i got through it safely, with only a few stitches each times. i didn't have to go through a cesearian section. i was so lucky that both my children were born healthy and arrived only a few days late. i didn't have to worry about a premature baby. i didn't have to watch my baby live in an incubator for days or weeks, like a little nephew of mine had to. i was able to have my child with me, and bond with it. i was lucky enough that the bond was instant and strong.
i was able to breastfeed both my children to the age of about 7 months. i did have a difficult time establishing breastfeeding both times, with the cracked and very sore nipples, and resorting to a breastpump. but after the first week, i was all set and my babies were fully breastfed. that was indeed a blessing, and i understand that many women aren't able to have that experience and are made to feel guilty about it, which is really not fair.
i had family members around me to support me through the process. i would not have survived without my mum, who offered me endless support, particularly after my children were born. she gave her time, her expertise, her love and attention. i can never repay just this one little aspect of the kindness i have received from her. she is a wonderful mother and i am lucky to have her, and to have her close by. i don't know how people manage without family support. i remember those first few weeks after birth, when going grocery shopping while leaving the baby with mum was such a valuable break. i remember leaving the baby to scream in the bedroom, and calling mum from the lounge because i couldn't cope that day. she walked to my house immediately and took the pressure off, giving me the break i needed.
i was lucky to be present for two births of other women. it was a rewarding but not exactly a pleasant experience. they chose me to be their support person, because they had no close family in the country. i stayed firmly at the head end of proceedings, even when the midwife said "i can see the baby's head! come and have a look!". no thanks, said i, i'm perfectly fine where i am and i would much rather not have a look.
after both births, two different midwives asked me if i worked in the health field. oh no, i said, i'm a chartered accountant. but you should totally become a midwife, they said enthusiastically. no thank you, was my reply, i'm perfectly happy being a chartered accountant. they disappointedly asked me why, and i said "well, it's probably because i don't like the sight of blood, and then there's all that other messy stuff with the placenta and afterbirth, and the vomitting and the poos. and having to watch someone else going through extreme pain is just not fun. the bit at the end where i get to see and hold the baby is really quite good, but i'd rather not be involved with the rest of it, if that's ok with you".
because i feel this way about the mechanics of giving birth, i appreciate even more the health professional who dedicate their lives to helping women deliver. given the unpredictability and the terrible hours involved, i think it's wonderful that people step up to take on this work.
i have not really had to deal with an unwanted pregnancy - not in the sense of worrying about how i'd manage, whether i could afford it, what consequences i would face if i got pregnant outside of marriage. none of these stresses were mine, and i never had to face the pressure to terminate, nor the pressure of being forced to carry a child i didn't want.
i think of all the women who have died in childbirth, and or have had their child die. i think of the women who have had to go through labour far away from medical care or any kind of pain-killing drugs. i think of the women who bring children in this world knowing that they don't have the means to feed them, or knowing they live in the midst of war and violence. i think of women who have the responsibilty of raising a child with disabilities, and of the particular pressures that brings. i think about the women who have been forced to adopt or to part with their child soon after birth.
if you would like to support women with breastfeeding, la leche league is one organisation you could volunteer with. offering to babysit for a new mother is really, really helpful thing to do, and here is a website for a mothers support organisation. again, most large charity organisations will have projects for providing health care for pregnancy and childbirth, and here is one example.
all in all, it is impossible to quantify the magnitude of my privilege when it comes to issues around pregnancy and childbirth and i am extremely grateful for each and every blessing. if you are a woman who has gone through any of the stressful situations i've mentioned above, my thoughts and prayers are with you.
that's just the basic part. it should also be a time when you avoid any kind of bad behaviour - lying, gossiping, cheating, arguments and so on. in our house, we also have the tv turned off for a month, but keeping away from youtube is going to be a real struggle! the point is that the fast is not just a physical abstinence but also an opportunity for mental purity and cleansing. actually, the physical abstinence is the easier part.
the topic of today is birth, but i mean to include pregnancy and the couple of months after birth as well. there are so many things i have to be grateful for around pregnancy and childbirth. the first is my ability to conceive. having a friend who has been having incredible difficulty in conceiving, and who has spent tens of thousands of dollars on fertility treatments without positive result, i know that's a huge blessing.
i had my own little experience of not being able to conceive when i was ready to have a second child. it took me around two years to get pregnant, which is not bad at all in the scheme of things. but it gave me a taste for what life is like for those who aren't able to conceive. not only is there the grief, the longing to have a child, the nosiness and thoughtless comments of friends and relatives, but also the fact that society places so little value on women who don't have children. best examples: helen clark and now julia gillard. it doesn't matter what else they've achieved nor how much they've contributed to the society they live in. there are so many people ready to put them down just for the fact that they don't have children.
i recall another friend telling me of how hurt she was by someone ringing her up and accusing her of lacking understanding because she didn't have children. it really cut her, because her childless state isn't from choice. i can't understand how people can be so thoughtless but there you go. she's an amazing woman, and i hope she carries that sense of her incredible value within her. maybe it's time for me to tell her again how wonderful she is.
i didn't have to deal with most of those things - only a couple of thoughtless but well-meaning comments from people who assured me that it was wrong to have an only child and that i should have another as soon as possible.
once i'd conceived, i was able to carry my children to term. i have never had the misfortune to suffer a miscarriage. i still remember the very moving post by stef about her experience, and a couple of subsequent ones which really helped to understand how difficult an experience this is. also useful is her advice of things not to say to someone who has had a miscarriage.
i had excellent healthcare during my pregnancy. for my first pregnancy, i chose to have a specialist as my lead maternity carer. for my second pregnancy, i had an independent midwife. i'm close to a good hospital, with the latest in facilities and technology. there were trained experts available when i needed them.
one thing i really appreciated was having control over the birthing process. this is something that is special for nz women, that we can discuss with our midwives how we want our birth experience to be, we are able to make informed choices without being dictated to. my birthing plan was really simple: i told my midwife that i wanted every possible drug available during labour, and i wanted those drugs at the earliest possible time. i don't believe all that crap about the nobility of suffering, especially if it's needless suffering and there is the means available to reduce it.
but back to pregnancy. i was lucky to not have any major medical issues like high blood pressure or low blood pressure. i have had similar experiences to julie, but again, in the scheme of things, not too bad (i shared my experience in comments there, just to emphasise that pregnancy is not some simple, quick & easy experience). but i didn't have to endure two months of bed rest like another friend. i was able to be mobile and active, and worked until i was 8 months for both pregnancies.
as to labour, well the less said the better. i certainly wasn't stoic and brave; i screamed and was a total mess. but i got through it safely, with only a few stitches each times. i didn't have to go through a cesearian section. i was so lucky that both my children were born healthy and arrived only a few days late. i didn't have to worry about a premature baby. i didn't have to watch my baby live in an incubator for days or weeks, like a little nephew of mine had to. i was able to have my child with me, and bond with it. i was lucky enough that the bond was instant and strong.
i was able to breastfeed both my children to the age of about 7 months. i did have a difficult time establishing breastfeeding both times, with the cracked and very sore nipples, and resorting to a breastpump. but after the first week, i was all set and my babies were fully breastfed. that was indeed a blessing, and i understand that many women aren't able to have that experience and are made to feel guilty about it, which is really not fair.
i had family members around me to support me through the process. i would not have survived without my mum, who offered me endless support, particularly after my children were born. she gave her time, her expertise, her love and attention. i can never repay just this one little aspect of the kindness i have received from her. she is a wonderful mother and i am lucky to have her, and to have her close by. i don't know how people manage without family support. i remember those first few weeks after birth, when going grocery shopping while leaving the baby with mum was such a valuable break. i remember leaving the baby to scream in the bedroom, and calling mum from the lounge because i couldn't cope that day. she walked to my house immediately and took the pressure off, giving me the break i needed.
i was lucky to be present for two births of other women. it was a rewarding but not exactly a pleasant experience. they chose me to be their support person, because they had no close family in the country. i stayed firmly at the head end of proceedings, even when the midwife said "i can see the baby's head! come and have a look!". no thanks, said i, i'm perfectly fine where i am and i would much rather not have a look.
after both births, two different midwives asked me if i worked in the health field. oh no, i said, i'm a chartered accountant. but you should totally become a midwife, they said enthusiastically. no thank you, was my reply, i'm perfectly happy being a chartered accountant. they disappointedly asked me why, and i said "well, it's probably because i don't like the sight of blood, and then there's all that other messy stuff with the placenta and afterbirth, and the vomitting and the poos. and having to watch someone else going through extreme pain is just not fun. the bit at the end where i get to see and hold the baby is really quite good, but i'd rather not be involved with the rest of it, if that's ok with you".
because i feel this way about the mechanics of giving birth, i appreciate even more the health professional who dedicate their lives to helping women deliver. given the unpredictability and the terrible hours involved, i think it's wonderful that people step up to take on this work.
i have not really had to deal with an unwanted pregnancy - not in the sense of worrying about how i'd manage, whether i could afford it, what consequences i would face if i got pregnant outside of marriage. none of these stresses were mine, and i never had to face the pressure to terminate, nor the pressure of being forced to carry a child i didn't want.
i think of all the women who have died in childbirth, and or have had their child die. i think of the women who have had to go through labour far away from medical care or any kind of pain-killing drugs. i think of the women who bring children in this world knowing that they don't have the means to feed them, or knowing they live in the midst of war and violence. i think of women who have the responsibilty of raising a child with disabilities, and of the particular pressures that brings. i think about the women who have been forced to adopt or to part with their child soon after birth.
if you would like to support women with breastfeeding, la leche league is one organisation you could volunteer with. offering to babysit for a new mother is really, really helpful thing to do, and here is a website for a mothers support organisation. again, most large charity organisations will have projects for providing health care for pregnancy and childbirth, and here is one example.
all in all, it is impossible to quantify the magnitude of my privilege when it comes to issues around pregnancy and childbirth and i am extremely grateful for each and every blessing. if you are a woman who has gone through any of the stressful situations i've mentioned above, my thoughts and prayers are with you.
Wednesday, 11 August 2010
day 1: education
we saw the new moon tonight, which is quite unusual for us. it's usually cloudy or difficult to find, but tonight it was bright and clear. so ramadan mubarak to all my muslim friends, and hoping that the month goes well for you.
today is the first day of my project to examine my privilege, and to appreciate the things i've been blessed with. i need to make clear in my own mind as well as for my readers that i speak about privilege not because it makes me better than anyone else. it doesn't mean that people who don't have these privileges don't have value or don't have successful lives. on the contrary, i would think that people who manage to live their lives without having had the benefit of these privileges are much better people than me. nor do i want to encourage the feeling of pity towards others, because i always think of pity as a demeaning emotion. empathy and understanding are valuable, but feeling sorry for someone always carries the implication that you feel superior to them and i can't really bear that nor justify it in my own mind.
having set the scene, the first privilege i want to talk about is education. i know that i'm enormously lucky to have had the benefit of very good quality pre-school, primary, secondary & tertiary education. i attended well resourced schools with qualified teachers. i was lucky to live in an area of hamilton where the public schools were of really high quality, and because a lot of the population was connected to the university, there were kids who valued education and wanted to succeed.
i can't say that i always enjoyed school, and i've written about some of my early experiences here. but even so, just having access to that education has provided enduring benefits throughout my life.
education has economic benefits, in that it allows access to good paying jobs. but education is also a guard against oppression. it is much harder to oppress people who have a good understanding of their rights, and of avenues to available to oppose power. education leads to empowerment, as the educated person develops the ability to argue back and to assert her position.
i think one of the main issues facing muslim women around the world today is a lack of education, particularly in theology, fiqh (jurisprudence) and history. with adequate education, they would be more effective in countering the control of religious leaders who seem to very easily forget or ignore religious rulings of benefit to women. they would be more able to challenge the power structures around them from a place where they feel comfortable and secure.
education brings enrichment. the ability to read, write, share ideas, debate, discuss, discover, research, innovate. it opens up whole new worlds to explore. education enables us to benefit others as we research and develop new medicines, products, procedures, processes. most of all it helps us to better ourselves.
the majority of us have this mindset in the world today that education is something we do for a limited time, in our childhood and youth. you get an education, and then that phase of your life is over. you then go on to get a job, maybe get married and have a family, or follow other pursuits. but education is finished. i think it's a sad way to think. as a muslim, i'm taught to value and engage in education throughout my whole life. there is no end period, no time when you can say that you have "completed" your education. i think there is a bit of a sense of that "lifelong learning" concept tied in with adult & continuing education, which this government has pretty much killed. it's very sad.
there's also, amongst some, a contempt for education and the educated. the notion of ivory towers and of academics being out-of-touch or somehow not part of the people. many school pupils live in an environment where educational achievement is uncool, and we have lovely words like geek & nerd to put down those who are particularly smart academically. i also find this sad - that people get to live in an environment where they have reasonably good access to education, but they don't value it.
compare this to those who have no access. spare a thought for those children who are forced into work at a young age in order to survive. or who can't afford school fees, and who don't have access to books. no text books, no childrens books with lovely pictures, no novels. no access to paper and writing materials.
think about those who know that school is just around the corner but they aren't allowed to attend, because the powers that be don't believe they deserve an education. or that a certain level of education (say primary level) is enough for girls. those who live in families of limited means where the available funds go towards the education of boys, because girls will get married and leave home so there is no economic benefit to educating them.
even in our own country, think of the caps tertiary institutions are putting in place & the students that are now being turned away from universities because the government is refusing to invest money in our young people's education. although they are quite happy to give tax cuts.
think about those who want an education, but just don't have the mental ability to get through the system they have to work with. NCEA and personalised learning are great in terms of providing positive learning experiences for our children, but national standards will undo a lot of that. and what about those in other countries who don't have personalised learning, but rather a rigid system where failure in education will mean failure at life.
think about those who want to learn but come to school without breakfast or having witnessed or been subject to abuse. who have to deal with drugs in the home or at school. who are being bullied and are afraid to come to school. who have a teacher they don't get along with or who is unsympathetic. who have little support at home - no-one to help them with their homework, to take them to the library, no internet connection or even a computer to do research from home.
i didn't have any of these problems. my parents took an interest, i had all the materials and support i needed, the bullying i was subjected to was never severe enough to hamper my education. i arrived at school well-rested, well-fed, physically able and ready to learn. all of these are huge privileges, and i am truly grateful for them.
books without borders is an excellent initiative for getting used books to the developing world. there are youth mentoring programmes where you can donate your time to supporting a young person - here's some information about that. most major charities have education projects that you could donate or contribute to - here is information from unicef. being an esol tutor means that you could benefit a migrant or refugee in trying to settle in this country.
even if you are unable to take part in any of these activities due to lack of time, money or any other barrier, spare some time to think about the value of education and to appreciate those who taught you. for those who may have suffered from any or all of the barriers to education i've mentioned above, or from other barriers that haven't even occurred to me because of my privilege, my thoughts and prayers are with you.
today is the first day of my project to examine my privilege, and to appreciate the things i've been blessed with. i need to make clear in my own mind as well as for my readers that i speak about privilege not because it makes me better than anyone else. it doesn't mean that people who don't have these privileges don't have value or don't have successful lives. on the contrary, i would think that people who manage to live their lives without having had the benefit of these privileges are much better people than me. nor do i want to encourage the feeling of pity towards others, because i always think of pity as a demeaning emotion. empathy and understanding are valuable, but feeling sorry for someone always carries the implication that you feel superior to them and i can't really bear that nor justify it in my own mind.
having set the scene, the first privilege i want to talk about is education. i know that i'm enormously lucky to have had the benefit of very good quality pre-school, primary, secondary & tertiary education. i attended well resourced schools with qualified teachers. i was lucky to live in an area of hamilton where the public schools were of really high quality, and because a lot of the population was connected to the university, there were kids who valued education and wanted to succeed.
i can't say that i always enjoyed school, and i've written about some of my early experiences here. but even so, just having access to that education has provided enduring benefits throughout my life.
education has economic benefits, in that it allows access to good paying jobs. but education is also a guard against oppression. it is much harder to oppress people who have a good understanding of their rights, and of avenues to available to oppose power. education leads to empowerment, as the educated person develops the ability to argue back and to assert her position.
i think one of the main issues facing muslim women around the world today is a lack of education, particularly in theology, fiqh (jurisprudence) and history. with adequate education, they would be more effective in countering the control of religious leaders who seem to very easily forget or ignore religious rulings of benefit to women. they would be more able to challenge the power structures around them from a place where they feel comfortable and secure.
education brings enrichment. the ability to read, write, share ideas, debate, discuss, discover, research, innovate. it opens up whole new worlds to explore. education enables us to benefit others as we research and develop new medicines, products, procedures, processes. most of all it helps us to better ourselves.
the majority of us have this mindset in the world today that education is something we do for a limited time, in our childhood and youth. you get an education, and then that phase of your life is over. you then go on to get a job, maybe get married and have a family, or follow other pursuits. but education is finished. i think it's a sad way to think. as a muslim, i'm taught to value and engage in education throughout my whole life. there is no end period, no time when you can say that you have "completed" your education. i think there is a bit of a sense of that "lifelong learning" concept tied in with adult & continuing education, which this government has pretty much killed. it's very sad.
there's also, amongst some, a contempt for education and the educated. the notion of ivory towers and of academics being out-of-touch or somehow not part of the people. many school pupils live in an environment where educational achievement is uncool, and we have lovely words like geek & nerd to put down those who are particularly smart academically. i also find this sad - that people get to live in an environment where they have reasonably good access to education, but they don't value it.
compare this to those who have no access. spare a thought for those children who are forced into work at a young age in order to survive. or who can't afford school fees, and who don't have access to books. no text books, no childrens books with lovely pictures, no novels. no access to paper and writing materials.
think about those who know that school is just around the corner but they aren't allowed to attend, because the powers that be don't believe they deserve an education. or that a certain level of education (say primary level) is enough for girls. those who live in families of limited means where the available funds go towards the education of boys, because girls will get married and leave home so there is no economic benefit to educating them.
even in our own country, think of the caps tertiary institutions are putting in place & the students that are now being turned away from universities because the government is refusing to invest money in our young people's education. although they are quite happy to give tax cuts.
think about those who want an education, but just don't have the mental ability to get through the system they have to work with. NCEA and personalised learning are great in terms of providing positive learning experiences for our children, but national standards will undo a lot of that. and what about those in other countries who don't have personalised learning, but rather a rigid system where failure in education will mean failure at life.
think about those who want to learn but come to school without breakfast or having witnessed or been subject to abuse. who have to deal with drugs in the home or at school. who are being bullied and are afraid to come to school. who have a teacher they don't get along with or who is unsympathetic. who have little support at home - no-one to help them with their homework, to take them to the library, no internet connection or even a computer to do research from home.
i didn't have any of these problems. my parents took an interest, i had all the materials and support i needed, the bullying i was subjected to was never severe enough to hamper my education. i arrived at school well-rested, well-fed, physically able and ready to learn. all of these are huge privileges, and i am truly grateful for them.
books without borders is an excellent initiative for getting used books to the developing world. there are youth mentoring programmes where you can donate your time to supporting a young person - here's some information about that. most major charities have education projects that you could donate or contribute to - here is information from unicef. being an esol tutor means that you could benefit a migrant or refugee in trying to settle in this country.
even if you are unable to take part in any of these activities due to lack of time, money or any other barrier, spare some time to think about the value of education and to appreciate those who taught you. for those who may have suffered from any or all of the barriers to education i've mentioned above, or from other barriers that haven't even occurred to me because of my privilege, my thoughts and prayers are with you.
Tuesday, 10 August 2010
a plan for ramadan
i've been inspired by deborah's star chart which she kept while abstaining from alcohol in july. i really enjoyed reading the posts, which offered something interesting each day. and since imitation is the best form of flattery (well, that's my excuse for being a copycat!), i thought i might make an effort to do something similar during ramadan.
however, the focus for me this month will be to examine various aspects of my privilege - of the things that i have which make me so much better off than the majority of the world's population. which, now that i read that back, sounds like boasting. what i mean is that it's an opportunity to be thankful for the positive aspects of my life, and to think about those who have missed out and what that might mean for them.
i'm not sure that i'll be able to do a full 30 days of posts because of my flagging energy levels during the month. but i'm going to give it a try.
the muslim calendar is based on lunar months, not solar months. there are various differing opinions regarding the determination of what day the new month starts (see here for some basic information). here in nz, we tend towards the view that the moon has to be physically sighted before the new month can start. if the moon is not sighted in nz, we look to fiji and if the moon has been sighted there, then we start the new month on the basis that they are on the same latitude. there's a lot of science behind moon sighting as well, which informs the various opinions and there is no standard approach across muslim countries.
not only is the calendar different, but the start of day is also different to what we are used to here. in nz, a new day starts at midnight, but for us the new day starts at sunset. so, tomorrow night people will be out looking for the new crescent moon and if it is sighted, tomorrow night will be the first "day" of ramadan.
however, the focus for me this month will be to examine various aspects of my privilege - of the things that i have which make me so much better off than the majority of the world's population. which, now that i read that back, sounds like boasting. what i mean is that it's an opportunity to be thankful for the positive aspects of my life, and to think about those who have missed out and what that might mean for them.
i'm not sure that i'll be able to do a full 30 days of posts because of my flagging energy levels during the month. but i'm going to give it a try.
the muslim calendar is based on lunar months, not solar months. there are various differing opinions regarding the determination of what day the new month starts (see here for some basic information). here in nz, we tend towards the view that the moon has to be physically sighted before the new month can start. if the moon is not sighted in nz, we look to fiji and if the moon has been sighted there, then we start the new month on the basis that they are on the same latitude. there's a lot of science behind moon sighting as well, which informs the various opinions and there is no standard approach across muslim countries.
not only is the calendar different, but the start of day is also different to what we are used to here. in nz, a new day starts at midnight, but for us the new day starts at sunset. so, tomorrow night people will be out looking for the new crescent moon and if it is sighted, tomorrow night will be the first "day" of ramadan.
Monday, 9 August 2010
we shall overcome
i put up a post at the hand mirror yesterday about some music i've been listening to, from an album by bruce springsteen called we shall overcome: the seeger sessions.
in reading up the history of some of the songs, i found that the title song had been translated to an indian version "hum honge kamyab", which sounded really familiar to me. i'm sure i've heard the indian version many times over the years, but most recently it appeared in the film "my name is khan", and you can see a poor quality youtube version from the film here. and here is a much cooler indian rocker version.
this week will see the start of ramadan. as i mentioned in my post yesterday, i'm one of the privileged who has never had to face poverty and hunger. but the next month will be my chance to empathise with those who do, and to appreciate what i have. it's a time of reflection and extra prayer, also a time for community.
so i'll likely be blogging a little less over the next few weeks, depending on my energy levels.
in reading up the history of some of the songs, i found that the title song had been translated to an indian version "hum honge kamyab", which sounded really familiar to me. i'm sure i've heard the indian version many times over the years, but most recently it appeared in the film "my name is khan", and you can see a poor quality youtube version from the film here. and here is a much cooler indian rocker version.
this week will see the start of ramadan. as i mentioned in my post yesterday, i'm one of the privileged who has never had to face poverty and hunger. but the next month will be my chance to empathise with those who do, and to appreciate what i have. it's a time of reflection and extra prayer, also a time for community.
so i'll likely be blogging a little less over the next few weeks, depending on my energy levels.
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