Category Archives: peace and the pursuit of peace

THE POWER OF PEOPLE TO EFFECT CHANGE…

FOR THE BETTER…

“One child, one teacher, one book, and one pen can change the world.”

– Malala Yousafzai

THE POWER OF ONE

“I’m only one but I am one. I can’t do everything but I can do something and what I can do I ought to do and that by the grace of God I will do.”
– Brett Blair

Most ‘ordinary/normal’ (what’s that?) people are decent, yet somewhat apathetic individuals, concerned only with the issues and directly affect them, living their own little lives of ‘quiet desperation’ amidst job and financial pressures. Still we somehow want to make a difference in the world (and want our lives to count for something), but we don’t know WHAT to do and HOW to do it. Because we usually underestimate our ability to make any difference and effect change for the better… in our own countries and in the world. And that is why so many people do not even exercise the greatest privilege they possess: the privilege of the right to vote. World history rests on the myriad of seemingly insignificant decisions (or lack of decision) of millions of “the little people” throughout the world. Would world history have changed if more people had voted in the US elections of 2000? Would Iraq, the Middle East in general and the world now perhaps be a far safer place?

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Here’s something to think about…

ONE VOTE made Oliver Cromwell Lord Protector of the Commonwealth and gave him control of England. (1645)

ONE VOTE caused Charles I to be executed. (1649)

ONE VOTE kept Aaron Burr–later charged with treason–from becoming President. (1800)

ONE VOTE elected Marcus Morton governor of Massachusetts. (1839)

ONE VOTE made Texas part of the United States. (1845)

ONE VOTE saved President Andrew Johnson from impeachment. (1868)

ONE VOTE changed France from a monarchy to a republic. (1875)

ONE VOTE admitted California, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho into the Union. (1850, 1850, 1889, 1890)

ONE VOTE elected Rutherford B. Hayes to the Presidency, and the man in the Electoral College who cast that vote was an Indiana Representative also elected by ONE VOTE. (1876)

ONE VOTE made Adolf Hitler head of the Nazi Party. (1923)

ONE VOTE maintained the Selective Service System only 12 weeks before Pearl Harbor. (1941)

ONE VOTE per precinct would have elected Richard Nixon, rather than John Kennedy, President. (1960)

from John Mark Ministries http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/9870.htm

Did YOU vote … and for whom?

I believe to effect change, we the ordinary people of the world, have to raise the bar of what we will and will not tolerate – by our leaders and authorities. At a local level,
a national level and at international level, as common citizens
of planet earth with a shared spirit of humanity (hopefully noble and generous).
We need ACCOUNTABILITY and RESPONSIBILITY…and it all starts at a personal level – in our minds with what we will and not accept as our highest standards in our OWN HEARTS. Things change only when a mass of people, join together to take action in a united initiative for the common good, a worthy cause to make for a better world. In so doing in “democratic societies” they can put heavy pressure on their leaders, the decision makers to take effective and right actions. We need a shift in MINDSET of world leaders – a new way of looking at the immense problems of the world.

PASSION + PURPOSE = POWER (PEOPLE-POWER)

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