Stand up…

We have been struggling for years to bring an end to domestic violence, hate violence, intolerance and injustices of all kinds. With the latest addition of the shooting of 2 IMPD officers in less than a year the time is here and now to not just say “NO MORE” but to live with the actions that demonstrate that belief.  No More is the voice for victim of domestic violence and sexual assault which grew from Mariska Hargitay’s Joyful Heart foundation. http://www.nomore.org

Not only do we need to step up for the end of domestic violence, but for all violence.  We have a moral obligation to be the conscience of our society.  Now is the time we begin to build a stronger society which not only speaks out about the violence, but to do whatever it takes to end the violence.  We spend far too much time looking at and fueling the fires of difference.  Retaliation has to stop in order to heal the wounds and scars of the past.  I must be the one to step up and be the change I want to see in the world (Gandhi).  We post all these quotes on our Face Book, Pinterest, Twitter and other social media, yet how many of us are truly living those quotes to the best of our ability in our daily lives?

We go to church on Sunday, and walk past the hungry child in the street on Monday.  We stand in the mists of tragedy screaming to the mountain tops how wrong this is, yet become silent as we walk away until another tragedy happens.  We react to violence with more violence and fear of those things yet to come grows. I stand in the middle and say, “what can I do I am only one person”?  One person can begin the change. When one person steps up others will follow. It begins with me.  I cannot tell my children to respect themselves and others without demonstrating what respect looks like. Our children and others may hear the words and even think “that’s a good advice”, without the actions to demonstrate the truth, these are only hollow words spoken into a vacuum of countless other words.

Let this current tragic death be the beginning of something positive. Take the pledge today and begin saving lives now.    http://www.wthr.com/category/285357/blue-pledge