I spoke at the Amnesty's North-West Conference on Saturday – an inspiring group of people and I felt inadequate to the task. What these activists do is beyond what I can imagine and something I only have some understanding of because of a sadly missed and very dear friend, Karen Merritt who as well as being a Nana, worked with Amnesty for decades. I never understood how this incredibly gentle woman could look at the images, hear the stories and correspond with those in such severe states of suffering… and still radiate light and hope for others. The work of being the human that another can hear in the darkest of places, is such an honourable but hugely responsible position to be in.
What we do as activists in our anti-fracking movement is to challenge and stop the obvious harms by a very clearly identifiable foe… a bit like slaying dragons but not having to encounter too closely, those damaged by them. Amnesty activists though are face to face with the human fallout of oppression, poverty, abuse of power, torture, war crimes and those directly on the receiving end of violence, rape, imprisonment, silencing, prejudice and worse – a whole world of difference in what our activism demands of us.
I wanted though to find what we shared so that the talk could unite us and find the ‘same’ in our work so I asked another friend who is with Amnesty, to ask her group for a paragraph each in reply to “ What inspired you to take up this work?” – I wanted to know the motivation that drives them and somehow sustains them through the darkest of realities… the replies (at end of this) answered all I needed to know about what we share as activist and the talk went well.
We are something more when we get up and work for something greater than ourselves, greater than our next purchase, next holiday, next ‘me’ thing… regardless of the harms to ourselves or risks we face, we put others and the future into our purpose and are driven, dedicated and I believe I see in activists… what 'divine' actually means in reality.
Thank you to all at Amnesty International for the essential and demanding work you do and the countless lives you reach out to in the darkness.
The REPLIES:
[I’ve been a member for a long time so my original reason is lost to ‘the midst of time’ but what keeps me going is:
-ongoing KNOWLEDGE from Amnesty research of the injustices outside my cosy world
-the ability to take SIMPLE ACTS that make a difference
-being part of ‘A FAMILY’ of activists and not acting alone
-USING MY hard fought RIGHT to freedom of speech and expression
-Witnessing CHANGE in others’ lives]
[We are all human beings living together on this planet and should all deserve the same rights to live with respect. Amnesty for me upholds those rights and supports those who fight with non-violent action for those rights.]
[For me personally, I guess it’s about making some small difference that may lead to a more positive outcome for people who are suffering in some way.]
[...my interest in Amnesty started many years ago with a realisation that not every soul on the planet enjoyed basic human rights. I wanted to protest and Amnesty International was the way for me to do it. We have successes but there are many miles to go. Hope that is useful.]
[[The people that Amnesty and therefore that I support, would be helpless without us. Letters to prisoners in particular let them know they are not alone, not forgotten. Knowing you are not alone in your fight is so very important. The comradeship I have found in the anti-fracking movement has not only been a help but a great pleasure.]
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*The image is of the Amnesty candle we lit to open the conference – thanks to the organisers to dedicating it to Karen Merritt who I know would have been honoured – though she would have chosen to dedicate it to be to all activists
**If you can, it would be lovely to read replies here in the comments from other activists to: “Why you do what you do?”
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Thanks for taking the time to add your voice to mine x