A Thought

Today I thought-

The difference between a humanist and an environmentalist is this:
A humanist places the value of a human being above all other considerations;
An environmentalist places a human being within his natural context - the environment.

Can't decide what I prefer to be..

Mad Numbers...

Two things are in news a lot lately...one that matters a great deal to me, the other which seems unnecessary to waste a thought on. The one that has gutted my soul for a considerable time now, is the whole issue of capping the liability on our civil nuclear program to a recently raised Rs1500 crores. Meanwhile, the figures for hosting this year's commonwealth games in Delhi are teetering above 30,000 crores.

Think about it - 20 times more to showcase who-we-are-not to the world, and peanuts in case we die, maim, zap ourselves and seven generations to come - destroy our land, water, air and all that live off it - think about it. Who counts, who pays, and who makes these choices...

I believe...

I believe that national or community interests cannot supersede individual rights.

I believe the strength of a nation is indicative in its weakest link.

I believe that cowardice of the comfortable class has killed our collective conscience to seek right action and justice, for benefit of ALL.

I believe that social solutions cannot be addressed by a consumeristic development paradigm.

I believe that our largest and most brilliant development projects showcase India far less than the hunger deaths, farmer suicide, custodial rapes.

I believe that interfering, on a large scale, with our natural environment can only be disastrous to our future.

I believe that society should aim for justice and freedom, to guide acceptable peace.

I believe that man is greater than material - land, wealth or whatever - say, CAR! The right over resources lies first with the rightful, original, habitants of land.

I believe that being pro-large corporates is also anti-human rights.

I believe govt is just a representation of the collective employed to work towards the benefit of the largest common denominator, rather than the highest common factor...

I ALSO believe that my beliefs are subject to growth, clarification, and evolution as I walk this path with a number of my kindred spirits.

Shame, Shame...

In April, a 17 year old tribal girl was stripped, paraded naked and made to walk 8 km to beating of drums, while she got groped, molested, violated along the way, which was all video recorded on mobile phones and broadcast as MMS and recently reported by press; more here. The crime - for allegedly having an affair with a boy of a different community!!

I have no words to express the horror, rage, anguish, deep and un-weeping sorrow at the lowly depths that we as a society, nation, humans have sunk to...no boundaries of moral codes, no strength of ethics, no value, no care, no compassion; we co-exist in apathetical stupor with horrific creatures that pass off as men - of a free and independent democracy...with no security, no justice, no recourse but to cry Shame, Shame!