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Inspired by Rocky IV

Dec
2011

posted by mike | on Democracy, Parliament, Voting | No comments

As many of you know, my political interest began when I was 26 years old and as I think about the 8 years of elections I missed out on, I ask myself how I was able to drift my way through all my teenage years and early twenties without a care in the world about politics?

I was not engaged at school or uni and my parents never mentioned to me the importance of voting, in fact my mum now votes because I told her to look in to it and vote for what she believes in, otherwise stop complaining!

Yes, I agree, it is very easy to be dismissive and say ‘they’re all the same’ or ‘nothing ever changes’ but ask yourself, what good does that do for US? It only then ensures that an even smaller group of people control how WE live and the decisions affecting OUR future.

I do believe in change, it is the reason I am so passionate about inspiring young people to play a role and create the changes themselves. At last week’s event in Parliament we had close to 200 young people come in, many of whom for the first time, and have their say! It was amazing. The thing that really stood out for me was a young lad who made the final comment and how that one comment proves we are doing the right thing… he said:

I had no interest in politics before tonight and thanks to you guys here (referring to the other young people attending) I now have a real interest and I will be voting in 2015!

That makes it all worth while.

I leave you with this thought. Another young person from last week’s debate said that direct action was the only way things will change. I challenged him and said that one thing that has never been done in history was a 60% turnout of First Time Voters on polling day – if it has never been done, how do we know if it can spark change? He and the rest of the guys agreed, so lets inspire each other and work to the biggest turnout of young voters ever for 2015 and in the meantime challenge those in power, to ensure we have something to vote for!

So in the words of Rocky Bolboa…

“If I can change, you can change… everyboday can change!”

Greed has poisoned man’s souls

Nov
2011

posted by ben | on Democracy, Voting | 2 comments

Greed has poisoned mans soul

I wish to open my blog with a quote taken from Charlie Chaplain’s film The great Dictator, the reason for this is over the last couple of weeks I have watched a couple of movies, one being an award winning documentary: Enemies of The People, which is about the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia that slaughtered nearly two million people in the late 1970s. Yet the killing fields of Cambodia remain unexplained. From the foot soldiers who slit throats to Pol Pot’s right-hand man, the notorious Brother Number Two, Sambath records the shocking testimony never before seen or heard. I have got to say it really made me feel cold but it was truly an eye opening piece.

And today the latest Hollywood film titled ’Machine Gun Preacher’, which is t he story of Sam Childers, a former drug-dealing biker, tough guy, who found God and became a crusader for hundreds of Sudanese children who’ve been forced to become child soldiers. Both films have left me blessed to be a citizen of this great country. Under all the struggle we have to face (which feels like a descendant of greed) we have no corner to defend compared to these stories in these countries and the politics that they endure day in and day out. Living in fear is not a way of life.

It got me thinking that we need to wake up and look at what a wonderful country is offered to us. We are all struggling, some more than others, but we are safe. We are not being butchered or raped and watching our families being slaughtered. We are lucky we live in a place which is filled of choices and opportunities, although we sometimes feel punished and set back from out own goals and ambitions. We are no further pushed back then we allow our selves to be. We have the power and the strength to cross any boundaries we may face, and we do it all with the freedom of own decision. The greatest set back in life is not the government, nor is it the people around us, but it is ourselves!

Belief will change our world and that belief must start within ourselves. We can do anything we want and accomplish anything we wish for, we just need to never back down and never give in. Inspiration comes from within, determination and enthusiasm will always win and always remember: