More Violence in the Middle East

Well it seems that the protests that started in Tunisia and Egypt and spread like wildfire through the region are now being met with overt violence.  Libya is the most outrageous so far, Qadaffi killing thousands of his own countrymen because they are done with him.  Just this past week though, Yemen and Bahrain have resorted to violence as a means to quell the protests and demonstrations.   Many other countries in the region have increasingly restive populations, unhappy with their leaders, and ready for a change.  How far will the violence spread before it ends?  Hopefully soon, but looking at the history in that region, as long as the protests go on, there will be a heavy violent hand ready to instill "order".

Qadaffi, with the warning of the U.N. and both European and U.S. backing that military action will be taken if he does not stop, has ordered a cease-fire in words only.  His actions, as reports have filtered out of the country, are suspect however.  There are still reports of heavy artillery fire and killing still going on.  How does one deal peacefully with a tyrant who is hell bent on staying in power even if it means completely wiping out any citizen of Libya who opposes him?  I mentioned before that the most effective way to effect reform is through peaceful protests and demonstrations.   However, how can it work when all the peaceful protesters are killed or driven into hiding for fear of being killed?  I still advocate for peaceful reform, but maybe the "rebels" need a little assistance in ousting their corrupt leader.   Am I advocating that the U.S. get involved in yet another foreign war?  No, and thus far they have said that they will only offer support with any military action and that no ground troops will enter the country.   The Arab nations have unified and asked for help in getting rid of Qadaffi, but if they see it as such a desperate situation, why can't they step up to the plate and take action?  Granted, most of them are dealing with their own protests and drives for reform, but what better way to show the people in their own countries that they will not stand for killing innocent civilians than by getting rid of Qadaffi.  The reason is that most of them will resort to violence of one sort or another in their own countries if it comes down to it. 

As evidence, lets shift to Bahrain where luckily far fewer protesters were killed.  Regardless of how many were killed, the government there still resorted to violent measures to break up the protests to try and regain what is according to them a sense of order.  Martial law was declared making it illegal to hold protests and since then, the government has kept a tight lid on gatherings.  As an added blow to the demonstrators, they just recently knocked down the central pearl monument which stood as a gathering place for the protests and stood as a sign of reform for the protesters.  The government claimed it demolished the monument because it served as a bad memory of insurrection.  It is obvious that the government sees things from one point of view only, theirs.  It is only with the backing of 2000 Saudi troops that they actually put down the protests.  The violence doesn't end in Bahrain where the former status quo seems to have been enforced for now by the leaders. 

Lets jump to Yemen now where the most recent violence has errupted.  As with the other countries mentioned, Yemen is also in the midst of demonstrations and protests against their government and leader.  The government has disavowed any involvement with the recent violence that left dozens killed.  They claimed they would investigate the situation and make amends.  Is the government to be believed?  Possibly.  But the good news coming from Yemen is that the violence did little to quell the protests.  Tens of thousands still stood their ground, in the past weeks actually forming a unified coalition to replace their ruler.  It seems as if Yemen might still effect change in their leadership.  However, it could be a drawn out process due to the heavy influence of tribal families in that country.  Violence escalates quickly when a family member of a particular tribe is killed and seeing how most of the people in the country are armed, it could raise the prospects of a bloody civil war.  My only hope is that the protesters stay strong in their resolution to effect change through peaceful means. 

So where do we go from here.  Violence can never be truly effective at eliminating problems or keeping order in a country.  All that the violence does is suppress protests and demonstrations, it does nothing to solve the underlying problems or the resentments that citizens may harbor.  These problems and resentments simply get shoved under the rug temporarily, the violence adding fuel to the already burning desire for change.  If problems are consistently ignored, they will most likely become larger problems in the future, leading to an increase in bloodshed and death.  Governments can no longer simply pay lip service to idea of change and democratic ideals.   They must realize that through this interconnected world, one where Facebook and the Internet play a large role in bringing to light their grievances, they must become more transparent, open to discussion, and able to change their views of the way things are or should be.  Most of these countries have ruling families who have been in power for decades and until recently were able to keep their hold on power.  The down side to all this is that most of population in these countries lives in poverty.  There is a small percentage who actually have the money and lavish it on themselves.  Only through open change and democratic ideals can these countries become truly vibrant and productive.  Autocratic rule, tyrants, and ruling elite do nothing for the economic prosperity of a country.   In order to truly take a step into the 21st century, these leaders must step down and afford their populations the opportunity for more freedom and economic security.  If this does not happen, the problems will remain and these countries will remain poverty stricken and stagnant.  It is hard for us to affect much change, but voice your support for these protesters.  They can now hear your voice through the internet.  Let them know they have the support of others and are not in this battle alone.  But most of all, if you live in a country where you have the freedom to protest, be grateful knowing that a good percentage of the world does not enjoy the freedoms that you do.

"Creating Shared Value"

Who would have thought by the title that this post would actually be about large corporations?  Well, it is.  There is actually some good news coming out of the corporate world.  While large corporations are still enormous money making enterprises, there has been a shift in mentality from a good number of them.  It seems that the idea has come to them that they could make a bigger social difference by focusing their charity efforts on communities around them.  By spending money on communities instead of simply writing a check to some philanthropic organization, they make a greater positive social impact and also help their businesses. 

I wonder why it took so long for them to figure it out.  Corporations can not survive in this world without positively affecting the community around them anymore.  There is such an interdependence in our society between businesses and communities that it only makes sense to spend money on those that are supporting you.  There is a great article about this and the changing awareness of corporations.  This world wide economic recession that we are still trying to pull out of has changed a lot in the realm of business.  It has shown that businesses can collapse quickly as well as the financial well being of thousands dependent on them.  In order to fully come out of this recession, corporations need to step it up and really try and help the communities around them.  We can break this idea of "creating shared value" down beyond corporations.

While it is great to talk about corporations engaging in these actions, how does it specifically apply to us? How many people actively work to support and make a difference in their own community?   This principal of "creating shared value" can be applied to any community.  If we each take time to support our own community, whether it be through monetary donations or active volunteer work, it will make a positive impact on all those around us and eventually have a positive impact on us.  Ever hear of the saying "what goes around comes around"?  I wholeheartedly believe in this principle.   If we all make efforts to support our communities and those in need, we will make positive inroads into the greatest problems in our society.  Lets start by looking at those that need the most help.  Often times, people struggling to find work, make ends meet, or even living on the street have had there lives turned on a dime for no apparent reason. 

Last November, there was a contractor in my community whose house caught fire and burnt to the ground.  He has a wife and children and was absolutely devastated.  In addition to losing his house, most of his supplies and equipment were destroyed.   He told people in our community what happened and within a very short period of time, people stepped forward to pitch in and help him out.  Tools and supplies were donated to keep his business running.   Temporary housing was found for him while he worked on re-building after the fire.  The outpouring of support was utterly amazing.  Before this tragic fire occurred, he had been actively involved in our community, volunteering his time and trying to do some good.  Our community was there for him when he needed it, just as others depended on his help when they were down and out. 

As great as this story is, there are a lot of people who need help and don't have an active community that they can rely on for support.   In this case we need to reach out to them and show them that there in fact is a community there waiting to help them.  If we can impact people's lives on a personal level, it could just be what they need to turn their lives around.  Lets all take this idea of "creating shared value" with us through life.  Sometimes, making that positive impact in your community could be as simple as helping someone pick up a bag of dropped groceries or having a little patience and letting others go ahead of you in line or through the drive-through.  You never know what kind of impact your own actions will carry.  Step back and see what little steps you can take to creating shared value in your community.  Smile, for spring is pretty much here, there will soon be leaves on the trees, and life is good.

The Loss of Childhood

Childhood as older generations have known it, is disappearing at an alarming rate.  Children these days are rushed into school as soon as they are old enough, crammed full of knowledge, and in addition are bombarded with the same news stories that adults are.   Children in grammar school, as early as kindergarten, are getting PS3's, laptops, and even cell phones (cell phones probably come a few years later, but still) for their birthdays.    At such a young age, more important activities, especially from a developmental standpoint, are development of motor skills, social interaction with their peers, and simple playing with toys (not video games). 

I was recently privy to a conversation about a young boy who is 4 years old.  His parents are dead set on having him in kindergarten come fall time.  In order for him to legally be able to enter, he needs to turn 5 by December 31.  Luckily for his parents, his birthday is in early December.   However, just because he can legally enter kindergarten does not mean that he is developmentally ready.  There is an exam administered to quantify his skill set and determine if he has what it takes.  This young boy, unfortunately, was not up to the task.  His little hands had trouble grasping blocks, he had trouble with the concept of himself and how to finish a drawing of himself (all he had to do was add some hair, eyes, nose, mouth), and overall he just wasn't mentally prepared.  Is this his fault?  Not at all, he is simply not ready.

The school he is applying to will not let him into kindergarten because it would be doing a great disservice to him.  Despite the parents saying that he is ready and that they want him in for the fall, his actions show otherwise.  Seriously, what is the rush of getting a child into school?  Is it just an excuse to get him out of the house earlier so parents can focus on their work instead of child rearing?  Or is it an effort to make sure that he gets all the knowledge he possibly can as quickly as possible?  Every child develops differently, some take longer than others, some develop quickly.  Our current societal values dictate that every child of a certain age attain a certain amount of knowledge so they can pass a standardized test.  What is the use?  There is little account taken as to the difference in learning styles and speed of learning.  If a child learns slow, it means they need extra help with a "specialist".  There is too much focus placed on the average individual and what constitutes that person.

Back to childhood.  In addition to rushing children into school too early, our societal acceptance of the profane and depressing in both media and entertainment has lowered in age.  Twenty years ago, children did not have access to the news and entertainment that children today do.   A big part of this is parent's allowance of children to access and view this media and entertainment.  (I have touched on this before so I will keep it brief this time).  Taking care of a crying child is now as easy as plopping them in front of the TV and turning on a movie or TV show.  Human interaction even between parents and their siblings has diminished.  Yet we wonder how the children today are less capable of interacting on a meaningful level with their peers.   When I was little, I got to watch 2 shows, Sesame Street and Mister Rogers, and aside from that, it was continuous play time with lincoln logs, big cardboard boxes turned into houses, and the wonderful dirt, trees, and mud outside.  Where has the essence of childhood gone?

If you want evidence for the disappearance of childhood, just look at the news.  Children at younger and younger ages are bringing knives and guns to school, having sex earlier and earlier, and even taking drugs at younger ages.  These activities used to be reserved for those later in high school, but with the media, entertainment, and parenting what it is, this is no longer the case.  It is unfortunate that children are being rushed into adulthood.  They are not being allowed to develop their own sense of right and wrong, good vs. evil.  These concepts are being taught to them by the media and entertainment.  Is it any wonder why children are having more issues with depression and suicide, harboring feelings of resentment when they should have a desire to play and interact with others?  It all goes hand in hand. 

This, as my other post about parenting, comes down to just that, parenting.  We can't rely on the media and entertainment industries to control themselves and adjust what they are portraying because a more youthful audience is watching.  Why should we expect them to do that?  It is the parents who allow these influences to have an effect.  There is still a precedent for children being children, the fact that they can't get jobs till their late teens.  This in part speaks to the fact that they are not ready to enter the workforce until they have developed a sense of who they are and a reliable work ethic.  We can not rush this process by rushing children through school or exposing them to world knowledge that used to be taboo for a child to see and experience. 

If you are over 25, (my apologies to those younger), take a look back at your childhood and re-live what you did.  Then look at today's generation of children and see what they are going through.  It is time to start bringing children back to childhood, an experience that should be fun and exciting.  Do all parents act this way, rushing children through school and assisting in shortening their childhood?  No, but there seems to be more and more of them around.  If you are a parent who is actively involved with your child and is concerned only with your child developing at his/her own pace, then I applaud you.  Others could and should learn from you.  Lets focus more of our efforts on our youth.  After all, they are the ones who will be leading the world when the rest of us are old and decrepit.  If we want to change the world we live in, we must start be re-instituting childhood into our children's lives.  Lets let them develop at their own pace with our guidance and help.  For now, lets all reminisce about our own childhood.  Spend some time re-living what you did and the fun you had.  Maybe its time to re-institute some childhood into our own adult lives.  You never know, we might actually have more fun!