Addiction #32 – Fear (6 Steps to Freedom … Step 5)
Step 05: PROTEST INJUSTICE
“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” ~ Nelson Mandela
Twenty-three years ago today (post originally released on February 11, 2013), after almost 27 years of imprisonment for “treason” against the racist apartheid regime in South Africa, Nelson Mandela was released from prison and returned to a life of freedom. Regardless of how we might feel about Mandela’s methods or his message, there is little doubt that he was a champion for liberation and that he inspired many with his courage.
That having been aid, what many might not understand is that Nelson Mandela was truly “set Free” long before his release from prison. Indeed, he was completely free – FREE from the slimy clutches of his fear –in every moment he chose to Peace-fully defy unjust authority; he was free and filled with the Peace of Purpose in every instant he chose to confront the very real threats of rejection, pain and even death in order to stand up for the ideals of Acceptance and Harmony and Love.
And it is exactly this type of courage that is one of the most powerful ways for each and every one of us to leave fear behind and live lives of deep Meaning and real Happiness. In-deed, there are thousands (if not hundreds of thousands) of opportunities for Peace-full protest waiting for each of us today; thousands of worthy causes in need of our support; thousands of crimes against humanity and thousands of insults to the Earth that are still going unchallenged – or that are being challenged far too feebly.
Consider the following injustices that are ripe for your nonviolent resistance:
*If you believe in Peace, you can protest the disgrace that is Obama’s ongoing “Drone War” against the citizens of Afghanistan.
*If you believe in cherishing the only Earth we have, you can protest Chevron (and all other large oil companies) for polluting our air & our oceans … you can protest McDonald’s for destroying our rainforests … you can protest Dow Chemical for poisoning our planet & its people … and you can protest Monsanto for waging a despicable war on both the small farmer & non-GMO-tainted food.
*If you believe in Health, you can protest any & all cigarette manufacturers for pushing their drugs on us & our children.
*If you believe in Human Rights, you can protest Coca-Cola for assassination in Columbia, for water privatization in India, and for the abuse of worker’s rights all over the world.
*If you believe in every child’s right to live happy & healthy, you can protest the Nestle Corporation, which to this day still supports child slavery on its cocoa farms in the Ivory Coast.
*If you believe in democracy, you can protest the hundreds of thousands of “criminals” who have been wrongfully convicted and whose lives are wrongfully wasting away in U.S. prisons.
*And if you are a Christian, you can protest God’s current & continuing unjust condemnation of all Jews, Buddhists, Taoists, Muslims, atheists, agnostics, Sikhs and homosexuals.
If we are going to awaken to a life of real Meaning, we must free ourSelves from the authorities in our lives — authorities that are encouraging us to cave in to our fears; authorities that are encouraging us to look the other way; authorities that are encouraging us to have no courage; authorities that are persuading us to be less than Who We Truly Are.
There is really little choice in this matter … In order to live a life of Peace & Joy & Meaning, you are simply going to have to rebel against all powers unjust and inequitable.
Martin Luther King Jr. summarized it well when he said, “The question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be … The nation and the world are in dire need of creative extremists.”
And this begs the all-important question: not whether we will revolt, but what form our revolution will take; not whether or not we will resist fear “from above”, but how we will do so.
And how fortunate we all are to be such powerful beings … How blessed we all are to be able to effectuate such great change, even if we can only do “but a little”!
For this is the Truth that I bring before you today: that you do not have to overthrow an unjust government or bankrupt a corrupt company to do potent Good in your lifetime. You simply have to stand up to those evil forces with methods that are powerful — and allow even more powerful change to follow.
Indeed, to “save the world”, all that is required is for you to protest fear with courage; to protest selfishness with generosity; and to protest evil with Love.
*Instead of marching on the White House to demand an end to Obama’s “Drone War”, openly forgive the President and his cronies for their repugnance — and show him the real Way to Peace by actively forgiving your own enemies as well.
*Instead of picketing companies who pollute and pervert our planet, use that time & energy to go forth each day and clean up a portion of your own neighborhood.
*Instead of attacking the deaf ears of cigarette manufacturers, bravely open up with Kindness to any & all children you see with cigarettes in their mouths – making sure they know that you care for them and that you believe in their ability to be addiction-free.
*And instead of trying to convince God that His judgmental ways are in error – instead of begging Him to be more Kind to those who are not His “chosen few”, go forth each day and show God what you mean by being openly Kind and humbly respectful to those people yourself.
“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” ~ Nelson Mandela
“I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one’s head pointed toward the sun, one’s feet moving forward. There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair. That way lays defeat and death.” ~ Nelson Mandela
“Lead from the back — and let others believe they are in front.” ~ Nelson Mandela
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