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courage and cowardice

6/2/2012

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There is always some horrible news in the world. Lately, some of the worst is coming out of Syria.

When I hear about men entering the homes of families to shoot them one by one, I think of cowardice. which one dictionary defines as lack of courage in facing danger, pain, or difficulty.

I can only imagine that these Syrian men are killing their fellow citizens because they believe that they must kill or they will be killed. And yet, I do not understand what could lead a man to shoot a child.

This morning on the front page of the the New York Times we read about Lal Bibi, a victim of gang rape by Afghan local police. She brilliantly states that "People will mock me if these men go unpunished, so I want every single one of them to be punished."

Lal Bibi is courageous. Death stares her in the face and she takes her stand staring back.

Several years ago Daw Aung San Suu Kyi caught my attention. I have mentioned her before on my website. She spent years under house arrest in Myanmar (Burma) and is now a member of Parliament. Today's Times also carries a half-page article about her on page A7, Democracy Leader Cautions Investors Against 'Reckless Optimism' in Myanmar.

One of her statements has stayed with me:

To live the full life, one must have the courage to bear the responsibility of the needs of others . . . and one must want to bear this responsibility. (quoted by her son in his acceptance speech on her behalf for the Nobel Prize for Peace, 1991)

When those who have been entrusted with authority are wicked, what is one's role? Aren't we called to speak up courageously?

Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi remains steadfast as she courageously deals head on with corruption in her nation. In Lal Bibi we see another woman demonstrating courage as she speaks up against corruption in her country.


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