Mad Campaign Pictures on Flickr....
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29916788@N04/
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
From a concerned fellowmate...
This was a feedback that really touched us... Excuse the grammar and language, we have not modified this letter by any means, as its essence and depth would have been compromised...
Dear (MAD) Friends:
Congrats for doing this good job in MAD. And i wish you all sucess.
But it is not enough, Because we like to see the difference in Public not in a college. In our college the institution give payment to persons who clean the campus. I know this is our duty to do keep the campus clean, but it can't unless all the students like. If we do it or not our institution do it. But in our society nothing will do. The cleaners, scavengers are getting a monthly income they didn't or won't care about thesociety. But as the students we are the backbone, we do it as this is a service in society. I think this MAD may do manything difference in society. So plz don't waste the time in college.Take this opppurtunity to serve the nation. Plz grant my comment. We stand for you. Many students are willing to do service for the nation. And also we like to join in MAD. If u do in public places.
Because smokers, beggars, poor people, etc. and the wrong persons are not in our college. I hope in that. Make a Difference in Public. And they said about Equality, but in our campus I did not find that equality. Even between the college departmemnts. Once pachiyappas college students rag and tease our colllege students. Many of our college students watched and kept silent. I saw it. You may ask me, y udid it? This is the group work, team work, we ned co -operation (union is strenght) It will done only by team. This for example. There were many tings that happened and it will happen in the future too. We can't do anything for happened but we will do for the future. We change the future in MAD Group.Coz we have the facilitiesmoney, media, menatl power. think about it.
To Help Poor:
I have one idea, that is , in our college we spend lot of money to canteen, coffeee shop. and also for co -op stores etc...etc... So we arrange one fund from that amount.For example, if one buys a coffeee for Rs.5, we take Re.1 for the fund. This willl change one poor family or a poor society.This is one idea.
( Note: If u discuss with ur brainy group, lot of ideas will come out anddo it if possible).
As a loyolite I would like to serve the nation. I think it may give a fame to our college and us (MAD Group).
Some notes:
Dear (MAD) Friends:
Congrats for doing this good job in MAD. And i wish you all sucess.
But it is not enough, Because we like to see the difference in Public not in a college. In our college the institution give payment to persons who clean the campus. I know this is our duty to do keep the campus clean, but it can't unless all the students like. If we do it or not our institution do it. But in our society nothing will do. The cleaners, scavengers are getting a monthly income they didn't or won't care about thesociety. But as the students we are the backbone, we do it as this is a service in society. I think this MAD may do manything difference in society. So plz don't waste the time in college.Take this opppurtunity to serve the nation. Plz grant my comment. We stand for you. Many students are willing to do service for the nation. And also we like to join in MAD. If u do in public places.
Because smokers, beggars, poor people, etc. and the wrong persons are not in our college. I hope in that. Make a Difference in Public. And they said about Equality, but in our campus I did not find that equality. Even between the college departmemnts. Once pachiyappas college students rag and tease our colllege students. Many of our college students watched and kept silent. I saw it. You may ask me, y udid it? This is the group work, team work, we ned co -operation (union is strenght) It will done only by team. This for example. There were many tings that happened and it will happen in the future too. We can't do anything for happened but we will do for the future. We change the future in MAD Group.Coz we have the facilitiesmoney, media, menatl power. think about it.
To Help Poor:
I have one idea, that is , in our college we spend lot of money to canteen, coffeee shop. and also for co -op stores etc...etc... So we arrange one fund from that amount.For example, if one buys a coffeee for Rs.5, we take Re.1 for the fund. This willl change one poor family or a poor society.This is one idea.
( Note: If u discuss with ur brainy group, lot of ideas will come out anddo it if possible).
As a loyolite I would like to serve the nation. I think it may give a fame to our college and us (MAD Group).
Some notes:
- Plz do this servive in public places with our institution permission.
- Plz encourage the students who were willing to do these social activities.
- Plz don't waste this oppurtunity and time.
Beacuse I am from the village, I know what will happen and also u know. Becoz you r the seniors. We are the backbone for our nation. Atleast we should march with 25% of students who were willing. ( in whole India. out of 58%)
Many films teach thsi lesson but people or students didn't follow. If we do this in real surely it make a difference.
We have the power.
I don't know english very well, if u found mistakes in my writing and my comment, or u feel bad for this comment plz. forgive me)....
P.S: DON'T DO THIS ONLY FOR PROJECT AND MARK!
G.Pradeep
08-PH-048
Many films teach thsi lesson but people or students didn't follow. If we do this in real surely it make a difference.
We have the power.
I don't know english very well, if u found mistakes in my writing and my comment, or u feel bad for this comment plz. forgive me)....
P.S: DON'T DO THIS ONLY FOR PROJECT AND MARK!
G.Pradeep
08-PH-048
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Report On Day 001 Interactive Session...
Interactive session, Day 1 (26 August, 2008)- 9:15am to 10:20am
Keynote Speaker: Prof. Victor Louis Anthuvan
He spoke to us about the poverty in India and our status in the world and the ways to overcome this problem which can make India a develop nation and even about the inequality to women in the society which is strictly a great problem and should be stopped.
He explained about the black money and if this comes into account we are no more poor. He finally remarked it in our hands to make India a beautiful country by forgetting the caste system and leaving it behind.
Interactive session, Day 1 (26 August, 2008)- 2:15pm to 3:45pm
Keynote speaker: Mr. Pradeep Philip, I.G.P., Chennai on Social Justice
The function began with a welcome address by 3rd year, Shift II Natasha, and then kicked off with the screenings of five Public Service Announcements (PSAs). Next was a song composed by the students, followed by the campaign brief slide show. Next was a number of short speeches by college dignitaries: the Deputy Principal, the Vice Principal, and the President of Student Affairs. Roshan, Shift II 3rd year, gave the student speaker address.
Natasha then introduced the keynote speaker, Pradhip Phillip. Pradhip Philip mainly talked about his experience as a police officer and how his efforts to confront indifference began with the confrontation of death. He narrated two experiences, one almost drowning to death and another when he was injured, near fatally, in the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi. He said one only knows the value of life when one is faced with its loss. To confront indifference is to require empathy, to see one’s self in another shoes, not sympathy per se. This requires us to confront the fact of creation and the miracle of creation. He then told about his efforts to reform the police in his Friends of Police program. This was introduced as an example of how complex problems are often, if not always, solvable by simple solutions. Friends of Police, he explained, was a necessary step for the change of society more generally. His “impacting the people” (his term for lecturing) was followed by a question and answer period. He explained the police procedures for admitting someone to the hospital: how it is a citizen’s duty to admit immediate care and the need for all to know about CPR; how certain hospitals are not registered/allowed to treat certain kinds of accidents, in particular legal-medical cases; and the procedures available for calling ambulances. A question was more specifically asked about the case of Naveen, the third year who died due to inability to admit in a number of hospitals and the unavailability of ambulances (as per Mr. Philip’s suggestions). Mr. Phillip explained the need for all citizens to know the types of hospitals where one can be admitted in the case of road accidents. He also fielded questions regarding the respect level and mode of interaction (often aggressive) of police officers towards otherwise polite citizens. He responded with the rate of such behavior as decreasing due to his FoP program, which he again encouraged all to join.
The session then ended with a memento presented to the keynote speaker and to the deputy principal. A music video created by the 3rd year Vis Comm. students, as well as a number of other PSAs (which were not screened in the first session).
Keynote Speaker: Prof. Victor Louis Anthuvan
He spoke to us about the poverty in India and our status in the world and the ways to overcome this problem which can make India a develop nation and even about the inequality to women in the society which is strictly a great problem and should be stopped.
He explained about the black money and if this comes into account we are no more poor. He finally remarked it in our hands to make India a beautiful country by forgetting the caste system and leaving it behind.
Interactive session, Day 1 (26 August, 2008)- 2:15pm to 3:45pm
Keynote speaker: Mr. Pradeep Philip, I.G.P., Chennai on Social Justice
The function began with a welcome address by 3rd year, Shift II Natasha, and then kicked off with the screenings of five Public Service Announcements (PSAs). Next was a song composed by the students, followed by the campaign brief slide show. Next was a number of short speeches by college dignitaries: the Deputy Principal, the Vice Principal, and the President of Student Affairs. Roshan, Shift II 3rd year, gave the student speaker address.
Natasha then introduced the keynote speaker, Pradhip Phillip. Pradhip Philip mainly talked about his experience as a police officer and how his efforts to confront indifference began with the confrontation of death. He narrated two experiences, one almost drowning to death and another when he was injured, near fatally, in the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi. He said one only knows the value of life when one is faced with its loss. To confront indifference is to require empathy, to see one’s self in another shoes, not sympathy per se. This requires us to confront the fact of creation and the miracle of creation. He then told about his efforts to reform the police in his Friends of Police program. This was introduced as an example of how complex problems are often, if not always, solvable by simple solutions. Friends of Police, he explained, was a necessary step for the change of society more generally. His “impacting the people” (his term for lecturing) was followed by a question and answer period. He explained the police procedures for admitting someone to the hospital: how it is a citizen’s duty to admit immediate care and the need for all to know about CPR; how certain hospitals are not registered/allowed to treat certain kinds of accidents, in particular legal-medical cases; and the procedures available for calling ambulances. A question was more specifically asked about the case of Naveen, the third year who died due to inability to admit in a number of hospitals and the unavailability of ambulances (as per Mr. Philip’s suggestions). Mr. Phillip explained the need for all citizens to know the types of hospitals where one can be admitted in the case of road accidents. He also fielded questions regarding the respect level and mode of interaction (often aggressive) of police officers towards otherwise polite citizens. He responded with the rate of such behavior as decreasing due to his FoP program, which he again encouraged all to join.
The session then ended with a memento presented to the keynote speaker and to the deputy principal. A music video created by the 3rd year Vis Comm. students, as well as a number of other PSAs (which were not screened in the first session).
Theatrically Yours...
“To break through language in order to touch life is to create or recreate the theatre.”
-Antonin Artaud
Touching life is the core intention of our campaign - to reach out to people and awaken their consciousness - and what better way to do so than through the medium of street theatre?
We aim to enact the current indifference so widespread in our society and provoke the need for a reversal of the situation.
We wish to capture our audience’s attention and dramatize the situation so that a permanent impression is left. Our objective is to mobilize them to act through our enactment.
Through short skits of 5-10 minutes in duration ( dialogue will be a mix of English and Tamil) our skit will strike at the core message -INDIFFERENCE. Indifference with respect to the following topics
We aim to enact the current indifference so widespread in our society and provoke the need for a reversal of the situation.
We wish to capture our audience’s attention and dramatize the situation so that a permanent impression is left. Our objective is to mobilize them to act through our enactment.
Through short skits of 5-10 minutes in duration ( dialogue will be a mix of English and Tamil) our skit will strike at the core message -INDIFFERENCE. Indifference with respect to the following topics
- Saving lives
- Crimes that happen in front of us
- Public smoking
- Our environment
- Inequality
The MaD Hatter On Campaign Day 001...
There was something in the air, people felt the buzz, I felt the scare, there were questioning glances and there was M.a.D. The dark crusaders had arrived. M.a.D day 1 had begun. Entering the campus you are initially hit by the calm before the storm, a meek banner beckons you and shyly informs you that there is something called M.a.D happening and in a ritual fashion, you walk away and all is well but wait did I mention the dead body that lay near the parking lot?
A Dynamite is not a welcoming site, neither are huge imposing cigarettes. Madness, madness, madness!! Why us and why now…. The only difference it made was that the dustbins and the trees looked a wee bit colorful. A waste of money, a jobless recreation, a viscom charade?
If a fashion parade and a prof out of uniform, is not factor enough to make you get confused then you should have listened to the assault of your ear drum. Music played, a very unapologetic tone and surprise surprise it was catchy and a bit hummable. Still why the hype?
The friendly daily announcer came to my rescue and finally sanity was restored to my befuddled senses. So it was just some M.a D campaign…..
Uhmm…well not exactly it was nice uhmm… fine it was MAD.
They creeped up on us silently and in the deafening silence, the winds of change blew. M.a.D makes you think, M.a.D halts you in the tracks and hey M.a.D is infectious. They say a party is a success if you are kicked out of your own house and in true m.a.d style the entire Vis com ensemble was kicked out and I wasn’t surprised to see smiles all around.
And there were the videos and there were the tears, for some it seemed reality was shocking them senseless, for some it was time for pensive thoughts for others it was their personal call for action. The public service announcements were a crazy mixture, you laughed and you felt guilty….you wept and you felt happy, you understood yet you were angry and somewhere in between you had gone mad. You had become a part of the mad family. Suddenly, the guy in the corner was no longer a stranger as the realization dawned that he had the power to save your life someday. It was good to be M.a.D.
There are noises you associate with death; change the context and similar sounds spell change. The street theater crossed the barriers of fiction, when a live replication of a bike accident saw people running to beat up the fast absconding biker as a girl’s frantic screams saw the audience seemingly cross over from being spectators to people of action. There is hope or all of us after all. Loyola helps and helps how and surprisingly Loyola cares.
Always eat at the place where there is a crowd. Good advice. Works I guess when it comes to other attractions as well. So following the crowd though took me to a yellow maze. Cool but disappointingly small….Wasn’t any self respecting maze supposed to be big? He… he… I will not spoil the suspense… it was enriching fun. Sometimes getting lost can teach us a lot. If this experience mad, contradictly it was serene as well. You have to admit, though a bit reluctantly that though it is not big… it is something. A voice in the wilderness calls out. The voice in not alone, there are murmurs, there is a buzz, there is a disturbance in the air and understandably, M.a.D has arrived. What was once a solitary voice in the desert has become the cry of a group… guess there is only one way to go, to go the M.a D way.
Maybe helping to create better tomorrows is not such a bad job after all.
P.s: The music was actually great. Well should be considering I can’t get that blasted tune out of my head. As for the jingle…..the bathroom is not the only place where I am singing it.
MaD in Focus
Indifference is a vast and wide topic. Mad Campaign therefore chose to focus on the following aspects;
Save a life
A dear friend was lost due to sheer negligence from hospital and police authorities. We strongly feel that there is definitely something we all can do to make sure a life is saved, but we are indifferent to such a situation. Most of us just “look and pass”. We aim at bringing about a change in people’s attitude through this topic.
Environment
The indifference of the youth with regards to the environment. The ‘take it easy’ attitude they have about the damage that is being done by everyone to their surroundings, with no concern about the future generation.
Inequality
The Inequality that is prevalent in our society in terms of the division of resources, opportunities, public property, welfare resources among the various sections of the society based on the economic and social divide.
Crimes of the society
Indifference with regard to the petty crime like pick pocketing, speeding in heavy traffic, abusive language on others etc.
Public smoking
Indifference with regard to the public smokers who cause discomfort to the surrounding people.
Monday, August 25, 2008
MaD Public Service Ads...
A series of 5 Public Service Ads Linking Social Problems to Indifference...
Random People on M.a.D.
"It is the first time I think students have brought out such an issue I am sure this will surely make a difference."
- Alloy, Student.
"I my self have been indifferent towards what's happening around me, the very thought that you people are doing something, has made me think, hope the campaign will be successful"
-Bruno, Student
"Earlier your seniors did campaigns on human vs. machines, but this is 'I vs. my Self', surely this will be a great success, at least for people like me, who seldom think of what is going around."
- Godfrey, Student.
"You are all saying big –big things I do not know how much of it will actually work, this looks more like an academic exercise.
-Udip, Student.
" All the five Issues you people are dealing with are the issues of the day & dealing with them is the need of the hour."
- Gautham, Student.
"Good show I guess"
- Sheena, Student
"You people are doing a very good job, keep in up I will pray that it may be a great success."
- Jacintha, Student.
"Indifference is all around in the air, I don't know if any body even thinks about it, vis comm. Students wanting to do something like this for the society, can't believe it, surely their efforts will bring a difference, if students want they can do any thing.
-Dinesh, Student.
"Go ahead we are all with you".
-Gautham, Student.
"Ha, ha who cares".
-Steve, Students.
"apart from normal studies you students have taken up such a campaign, I pray God to bless you & the campaign, hope you people will do a good job.
-Victor, Student.
M.a.D Schedule !!!
Interactive Session Timings for 26th & 27th August'08
Other Programmes on both 26th & 27th August '08
Few Thoughts on M.a.D...
Naan nee endru sollum poothu uthadu oddaathu.
Naam endru sonnaal thaan uthadukaL kuuda oddum.
- Kalaingar
While this campaign has been entitle, M.A.D., or ‘Making a Difference’, I want to say a couple of words about something that is equally, if not more, important and central: indifference. Even more specifically (though a bit more implicit): the indifference of youth today.
I don’t think I can answer such a question as easily as it can be posed. But I do think I can make a couple of remarks that are relevant to the discussion (the existence of this campaign and this blog counts as evidence that such a discussion does exist). Why do we feel indifference? A short answer, I think, is we feel indifference towards a person, an issue, an idea , et cetera if we don’t feel a connection or a responsibility to that thing. When it comes to something like a person, an animal, or even the planet, it is when we don’t feel that we have common interests that we become indifferent.We treat that person or thing as exterior to us, and not as part of a larger whole. The irony of indifference is that it is, at core, a perception about states of affairs. That is, we don’t always apprehend things correctly. We can be wrong in indifference. Indeed, we often are. This is, ultimately, the message of this campaign and the sense in which I want to re-appropriate Karunanithi’s pithy aphorism.
I want to broach this question by way of a small example that we can see often in urban Tamil Nadu (including the Loyola campus): trash disposal. Despite the fact that there are trash bins people on Loyola’s campus don’t always use them. They are content with disposing of trash whereve they happen to be standing. Why? First, it is a general habit to throw trash in the street in India. Second, it is convenient. Third, people don’t feel responsible for the state of the environment. While they may complain that things are dirty or polluted, they don’t feel that they should be responsible for keeping it clean. Fourth, and most importantly, they don’t perceive that it is in their (and everyone else’s) interests for the streets to be clean. If they did, they would keep the streets clean, right?
We can ask ourselves, is this indifference ‘correct’ or ‘incorrect’? I think the answer is obvious: it is incorrect. Why? First because it clearly is in everyone’s best interest to keep our surroundings clean. Second, the sense that we are not responsible is an illusion. It’s an illusion because the streets won’t clean themselves up, only people will! Further, we are responsible because it is we who create the situation that must be cleaned up every time we don’t put trash in the trash bins.
That is, we are to blame for the situation itself!
This brings me to the second question I asked above. Why are youth indifferent today? And how can we best address youth indifference? I think we can begin to answer this question by asking, do youth feel responsible for the state of affairs today? Do they feel that they share a common interest with the rest of the society (including other youth)? I want to leave this as an open question because I believe the debate around this question, if it includes youth, can ultimately transform the issue itself. What I do want to say is that a campaign which tries to end youth indifference has to allow youth to feel that they are responsible. Moreover, it has to make them feel that it is in their interests to care. I don’t mean interests in the crass sense of rational cost-benefit calcuation (though ultimately it includes this as well). Rather, I mean it in the sense of empathy, of seeing things from a position that is larger than the individual selfish ego. This means that ending indifference can’t be an attempt to tell youth what to do, what to think, or what to feel. Rather, it has to do with creating an attitude of involvedness, of breaking down the barriers between self and other, between young and old, et cetera. It therefore requires briding the gaps between difference. In the case of youth, this means speaking the language of youth; it means speaking to youth. In short, it requires youth participation not youth address (i.e., preaching/lecturing to youth). I think this is the greatest failure on the parts of those well-wishers who want to change youth by speaking at them: do this, don’t do this, be this way, don’t be this way. Today, at least, preaching is the bedfellow of indifference. We all know how we feel when someone scolds and lectures us!
All such efforts ultimately place youth outside of society. But, as we said above, it is only when one feels part of society, when one’s personal interests are the common interests, that one is not indifferent. I think that the M.A.D. campaign is one right step in this direction, not just because they are putting a number of social issues on the table for discussion, but because they offer a platform of participation (social activism more generally) that can be replicated by anyone who happens to see that it is in their best interest to care about the world around them, and to take responsibility for it.
- Constantine Nakassis
Towards an Eco-Friendly Culture...
For many, environment protection is an affair of only those activists and organizations involved in this. This is a wrong attitude. Being environment friendly is a life style and culture that one needs to build in the mind. Below mentioned are a few examples from Kerala of ordinary people who teach us this very lesson.
Ithappi, an illiterate labourer at Kottayam, learned from his employer, that growing trees are important for the environment. He started planting saplings on the road side of Kottayam and started nurturing them and ensured that it grew as trees that provided shade and comfort for every one. Most of the trees on the road side of Kottayam are Ithappis contribution. Five years ago Ithappi left this world leaving a message to the world that environment protection has to be every body’s concern.
Abdul Kareem of Kasargod purchased a few acres of barren and dry land in his place. His dream was to create a forest in this land that was almost desert like.As years passed, he could make his dream a reality.His forests brought in chirping birds and coolness to the locality.Amazingly the trees helped to tone up the water table of the area.The wells that went dry in summers are now blessed with water.The neighbors who thought Kareem was crazy now realizes the value of his love for the nature.
A group of ordinary women around Periyar Tiger Reserve, the Vasanta Sena is now engaged in an voluntary work to keep vigil against illegal deforestation.They know how much these green lungs mean to this world, to their children and for the future generations. As we look around Kerala, we see ordinary people here and there engaged in environment protection in their own way. They have no banners, and they do not hold press conferences or run behind awards and grants. Their friendship with nature is a way of life that they enjoy doing. They teach and inspire us that to be environment friendly in one’s own way.
Let us not do big things. Can we identify the eco hostile activities we casually engage in and decide that we will avoid doing this? When we decide not to throw our garbage in public places or the drainages, we are proclaiming our friendship with nature. The moment we disown the plastic carry bags and cups, we are part of the movement that sustains environment with all its vibrancy. And when we become foster parents for at least one tree in our life time, we are giving a small share of our effort to bring in breathing air for future generations. As the people of a society become eco friendly in their day to day life, that breeds a culture. The safety of our environment is assured only in such a culture.
Actvists and environment movements are helpless without this culture. Can we jointly work to usher in an eco friendly culture? Let us begin in a small way, well before our mother earth gets polluted beyond repair.
- Dr.C.J.John*
*Consultant Psychiatrist, Medical Trust Hospital, Cochin. Also the Hon Secretary of Environment Monitoring Forum, Cochin and the Founder Director of Maithri, a suicide prevention centre at Cochin.
Some Memories and Some M.a.D ...
MAD reminds me of some of my fond memories from childhood......Fond memories??? It’s not about the fun!
Sitting comfortably on my pretty pink chair, I used to gulp the tumbler full of milk, but used to make a fuss for the last few sips.......
My father, sitting beside me, used to say, ‘There are people in the world who are denied of this drop of milk that you are making a fuss about’. I can clearly remember I was in my kindergarten...... he used to repeat this whenever I made a fuss about my food.....
He used to place my palms on top of his and to say, ’These two palms are going to help lot of people’. Whenever we both were alone with nobody around he used to tell me that the society is in need of Saviours... Those words, keep on reverberating within me. I feel guilty for not doing anything for it. I believe those words should be converted into actions at the earliest.
This campaign reminds me of those reverberating words from my father.
We might not be able to plunge into the slums to help the people. But we can try to be conscious about the following things.....
- Be conscious when spending money. Do not spend unnecessarily.
- Wasting food is actually a crime. You are just making the food unavailable to the people who are in need of it.
- Try not to upset your parents. Every single quality starts from home.
- Adore and admire nature. She is the best teacher.
- Be responsible at least for your own actions. Starting from switching off the lights when we do not need them.
- Consider people as your brothers and sisters.
- Always think twice about whatever you do! That'll help you a lot.
I believe we all can make a difference no matter how small our contribution is !
- Teena
Why am I a part of the M.a.D Campaign ?
I believe that MADness is a human tendency - the want to Make A Difference is an innate human desire. Though the scope of this desire varies, the passion to strive for a better tomorrow is a human instinct.
I believe that the youth of today are mad - mad about the inadequacy of their lives, mad about injustice that clouds their horizons and mad about the complacency of people with the power to calm storms.
I am mad - mad about these things
And this is why I believe in you - the MAD - Make A Difference campaign. If today, I can correct my faults and indifference, I can make a better tomorrow.
You can make a better tomorrow.
We've just got to GO mAKE a dIFFERENCE for a worthy cause.
Our generation is believed to be one of great potential. Not only do we all have high aims and ambitions, but we have also been blessed with the means of fulfilling these dreams.
We are a generation of promise.
But in the process of attaining laurels for ourselves, we cast our glances away from the injustice and crimes that are making our generation less human each day. The spirit of brotherhood and giving without expectations that India is synonymous with, lie like old trophies on a dusty shelf to remind us of the culture that used to be ours.
It’s time for us to remember. And, it’s time for us to restore- restore our nation to a land where being human is more important than winning and achieving.
- Tara Maria D’Souza
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Road Accident First Aid, Chapter 002...
Shifting the Injured to the Hospital
- Ensure that he is not hurt more.
- The patient should be carried on firm board of stretcher so spine remains stable.
- While shifting, the patient's back, neck and airway need to be protected from further injury. So always take help of another person.
- If the patient is unconscious, gently place a large folded cloth or towel under the neck so that the neck doesn't sag against the ground.
- The vehicle used to carry the patient to the hospital should have enough space to keep the patient's back straight and the person accompanying should be able to care for and resuscitate the patients if necessary.
- During transportation keep a watch on whether the patient's airway is clear, whether the patient is breathing and whether you can feel the pulse in the patient.
- If there is only one limb injury the patient can be safely taken to hospital on a chair in a sitting position. Take care to splint or protect limb injuries or bleeding.
Road Accident First Aid, Chapter 001...
In case of Wound
The job of first-aider is to remove or reduce the problems that hamper healing such as dirt, infection, movement, etc. Leave the wound undisturbed. Clean the wound by washing them with running water. If there are splinters, thorns and pieces of glass inside the wound remove them with a pair of tweezers so as to avoid infection.
In case of Profuse Bleeding
The easiest way to stop bleeding is to apply direct pressure on the wound. This can be done with any clean folded cloth. Lean on the wound with the heel of the hand instead of your fingers.
In case of a Fracture
In case of a fracture do not apply direct pressure; instead use a splint, combined with as gentle pressure bandage. It is safer not to give the patient anything to eat and drink. This is to protect the patient from vomiting in case he needs anesthesia and surgery, or has a head injury.
If the wound on the arm or the leg is bleeding profusely, it can be raised. This reduces the blood flow to the wounded area.
In case of Chest or Abdomen injury
In abdominal wounds the intestines may come out. The only thing you can do as first-aider is to cover the wound with a very wet clean cloth and get the patient quickly to a hospital. The wet cloth will keep the intestine from drying out, and will stick to the intestine.
Open wounds of the chest could be sucking in the air, making it hard for the patient to breathe. Covering of the wound with a piece of polythene and putting a bandage on the top of this may help to reduce air being sucked into the chest. Get the patient quickly to hospital.
In case part of a Limb is cut off
If a part of the limb has been cut off it may be possible to reattach it to the body. Put it inside a clean polythene bag and place this bag in another bag with cold water. If you can easily get ice put some in the water to keep it cool. Make sure that the limb does not get soaked in water. If nothing else is available, carry the amputated part in a clean cloth quickly to hospital.
In large crush injuries or in amputation avoid washing the wounds, as it will lead to more blood loss. Just cover the wound with clean cloth and tie a pressure bandage quickly. If possible keep the limb raised. Avoid using raw cotton wool to cover a wound as it gets stuck to the wound, and is difficult to remove and delay healing.
In case of an Eye Wound
Do not attempt any cleaning or washing of an open eye injury. Cover the eye with a clean soft cloth; place a stiff covering on top to prevent any pressure coming on the eye. This is important because the contents can be squeezed out even through a very small wound.
In case of Bleeding from Ear
Bleeding from ears mean either injury to the ear alone, or serious head injury. Avoid putting anything in the ears to stop bleeding as this could further damage the eardrum. Get the patient to lie down with the injured ear facing down.
In case Bleeding from Nose
Bleeding from nose could also mean a head injury. If the patient is conscious and can sit up, ask him to pinch his nose and breathe through his mouth. If he can lean forward, then that could prevent blood from going to his wind pipe choking him. If the patient is unconscious he should lie with the face to one side, for the blood to come out easily, so that there is no choking.
In case of Injuries to Muscles, Bones and Joints
When muscle joints or bones get injured, blood collects over the area, and a swelling appears. You can reduce the swelling by bringing down the bleeding. Apply cold water or ice packs if available. It reduces local blood flow and this brings down the internal bleeding and swelling. But remember not to keep ice packs on more than ten minutes at a stretch as this will lead to something like frostbite, and not to place ice directly on skin. Always wrap it in a cloth first. A muscle injury can be made less painful by putting a splint on the injured limb.
In case of Broken Bones and Dislocated Joints
A fracture or dislocation can be confirmed if there is obvious deformity, abnormal mobility, if the limb cannot be moved at all and if a grating feeling is there. First aid for all fractures and dislocations must aim to reduce movement, which will give relief from pain. Splinting should be done with caution.
Courtsey : http://www.delhitrafficpolice.nic.in/first-aid.htm
MaD Message's come in Small Packages...
CHiLD LabOUr BeFOre OuR EYeS... Let's MaD !!!
LiTTeRinG rIgHT bEFOre OuR EyES... Let's MaD !!!
All in all... Let's MaD !!!
LiTTeRinG rIgHT bEFOre OuR EyES... Let's MaD !!!
All in all... Let's MaD !!!
From a Fellow "MaD" Head !!!
I nearly did it.
The car in front of me was going at a steady pace when an arm stretched out of its left window and dropped a carton right on that clean and neat driveway. I nearly burst a vein.
“What on EARTH does he think of himself!!!??? Such a clean, unlittered road! He must be educated and wealthy! Can’t he just keep that carton right back on his dashboard and wait till he finds a dustbin?? I’m going to stop the car and pick that up and…”
That’s when my mother got a little alarmed. “Er…maybe not right now…There’s a car behind us”
“Hmmm” I muttered. That’s when I noticed the driver’s side of the car. An arm was out and a cigarette dangled from its hand. That’s when I hit the roof.
“Smoking AND littering the environment!! This is the limit!!!” I was about to do a full 90 degree turn, swerving in front of the car and pull out my super shooting propeller thingys , pinning that car to the ground but ah, that’s just my post-Dark Knight hangover self talking.
But seriously, I’ve been taking our MAD issues to heart. And to other levels.
I’ve been following traffic rules like a good girl (and not just because I get totally paranoid whenever I see a cop car behind me). Garbage goes straight into the bin (and if it’s a little off centre, I pick it up and put it where it belongs) I haven’t saved any lives or fought for equal rights, but I’m getting somewhere.
Feeling the MADness and feeling good. Hope you’re all feeling it too!
- Prarthana Rao
Light at the End of the Tunnel ???
Indifference, a typical urban mentality that's seen these days. Even among rural India which was prided with warmth and compassion. Any injustice done in a society is blatantly ignored – no questions asked, no reports done, no remedies found.
Consider the dowry system – a unique Indian Cultural method of demanding money from the bride’s family. What a disgrace! Often turns violent claiming lives. Dowry deaths, dowry harassments, dowry debts and the likes. It's on the news, in the papers, why it goes on right before your eyes. Why do we choose to be blind to it? Why oppose a tradition that has survived for so many years?
Indifference is like a plague. It's everywhere. Indifference to public smoking, eve-teasing, bribery, murders, corruption and so many more. People like to be on the safe-side. Why act? Why take responsibility? As long as we are not its victim! It's good entertainment though isn't it? Indifference is the key to smart living in this age and era. Humane is a forgotten terminology! Trapped and unable to escape from this web of indifference, everything moves on.
Reality comes crashing down when the victim is near and dear. Or even you? Shame on us. Have we become so selfish?
Lets not be those people. Lets try in your simple way, to fight this indifference. Let our voices be heard.
Complaining to the authority, helping road accident victims, forming groups and task forces, fighting for your rights, fighting injustice, in small small steps we shall move forward.
In time people will see what small steps can do. Encouragement is free, it'll be give freely. Encouragement motivates, it will give courage. Courage will give birth to a new society of individuals. Individuals who care!
There is yet hope for us.
Small steps are all it takes!
Make a Difference! Today...
- Anusha
The Voice of MaD...
'Vaazhkai' An anthem for the MaD Campaign.
Lyrics
Chorus
Vaazhkai Idhu Dhaan
Maatram Varuma
Kaalam Kadandhaal
Kaatraai Varuma
Idhu pondra ulagathai paarpadhu yen vidhiyo
Idhu dhaano manidhargal paarkum porkalamo
Oru poo vaasamum varuma
Kaalam thedum paadhai purivadhillai
Ulagam thirunda oru vazhiyum illai
Idhu dhaan
Nadakkum
Oru matram yedhir paarpom nam kaanbom kanave
Idhayam thoongiduma
[Chorus]
Manidhan vaazhkaikkoru porulumillai
Manadhin thevaikkoru marundhumillai
Oru naal
Kidaikkum
Uyirodu irundhaalum sadalangal dhaane
Ulagam thaangiduma
[Chorus]
--------------------------------------------------------
Another tribute track to the MaD Campaign
'Thadumarum India'
Lyrics
Thadumarum India thadam marum India
indha desam yavume , yenthan swasam agume
thadumarum India thadam marum India
Chorus
Everybody's gonna say do something, MaD(2)
Mad is something you gotta do for the country,
Make a difference come on feel it buddy!
Manam maru nanbane
karai yetru nanbane
indha naadu ketpadhu
un tholgal allava
manam maru nanbane
karai yetru nanbane
[Chorus]
-------------------------------------------------------
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Officially Gone M.a.D !
Okay.
I’ve officially gone MAD.
The intensity of the campaign didn’t infect me as soon as it did my classmates. I thought of it as a campaign for a great cause, that we felt strongly about. But the anger, the passion and the enthusiasm was something that had yet to hit me.
But I went about my tasks, thinking of the various ways we could get people to wake up and hear us loud and clear. Naveen was the main inspiration behind this campaign and I’d like to think that he’s giving us guidance from up there.
However, just around this Independence Day, the Punjabi folk-rock artiste Rabbi Shergill released a song called ‘Bilquis (Jinhe Naaz Hai)’. I didn’t quite pay attention to it until I heard the melody right. He uses a sample of the national anthem’s tune. That made me sit up and search for the lyrics to understand more of the song.
Bilqis (Jinhe Naaz Hai)
Rabbi
Mera naam Bilqis Yakub Rasool
Mujhse hui bas ek hi bhool
Ki jab dhhundhhte thhe vo Ram ko
To maen kharhi thhi rah mein
My name is Bilqis Yakub Rasool
I committed just one mistake
That I stood in their way
When they were looking for Ram
Pehle ek ne puchha na mujhe kuchh pata thha
Dujey ko bhi mera yehi javab thha
Fir itno ne puchha ki mera ab saval hai ki
First, one asked me but I knew nothing
Then another but my answer was the same
Then so many that now I have a question
Jinhe naaz hai hind par vo kahan the
Jinhe naaz hai vo kahan hain
Where are those who are proud of India
Where are those who are proud
Mera naam shriman Satyendra Dubey
Jo kehna thha vo keh chukey
Ab parhey hain rah mein
Dil mein liye ik goli
My name gentlemen is Satyendra Dubey
I’ve already said what I wanted to say
Now I lie on the road
With a bullet in my heart
Bas itna kasur ki hamne likha thha
Vo sach jo har kisi ki zuban thha
Par sach yahan ho jatey hain zahriley
My only fault being that I wrote
A truth that was on everyone’s lips
But truth here turn poisonous
Jinhe naaz hai hind par vo kahan the
Jinhe naaz hai vo kahan hain
Where are those who are proud of India
Where are those who are proud
Mujhe kehte hain anna Manjunath
Maine dekhi bhatakti ek laash
Zamir ki beech sarhak Lakhimpur Kherhi
My name brother is Manjunath
I’ve seen the corpse of conscience lying
In the middle of the road at Lakhimpur
Adarsh phasan jahan naaron mein
Aur chor bharey darbaron mein
Vahan maut akhlaq ki hai ik khabar baasi
Where ideals are stuck in slogans
And the royal courts are full of thieves
There the death of righteousness is old news
Jinhe naaz hai hind par vo kahan the
Jinhe naaz hai vo kahan hain
Where are those who are proud of India
Where are those who are proud
Mazha nau aahe Navleen Kumar
Unnees june unnees var
Unnees unnees unnees unnees
Unnees vaar
My name is Navleen Kumar
Nineteenth June and nineteen wounds
Nineteen nineteen nineteen nineteen
Nineteen wounds
Unnees unnees unnees unnees
Unnees unnees unnees unnees
Unnees unnees unnees unnees
Unnees vaar
Nineteen nineteen nineteen nineteen
Nineteen nineteen nineteen nineteen
Nineteen nineteen nineteen nineteen
Nineteen wounds
Looto dehaat kholo bazaar
Nallasopara aur Virar
Chheeno zameen hamse hamein
Bhejo pataal
Loot the villages and open markets
Nallasopara & Virar
Snatch our land and send us to
Hell
Jinhe naaz hai hind par vo kahan the
Jinhe naaz hai vo kahan hain
Where are those who are proud of India
Where are those who are proud
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiGSKT9m9SE&feature=related
Of course, translating something always tends to lose some essence of the original message. But watching the video, hearing the song (repeatedly as I am doing so right now!) and understanding what it’s about has really fueled my rage. Rabbi here talks about Bilqis Yakoob Rasool, a victim of gang-rape who lost 14 family members in the Gujarat massacre of 2002
A litany of institutional failures added to the suffering of women like Bilqis Yakoob Rasool and prevented justice being done against their assailants. During the attacks, police stood by or even joined in the violence. When victims tried to file complaints, police often did not record them properly and failed to carry out investigations. In Bilqis Yakoob Rasool's case, police closed the investigation, stating they could not find out who the rapists and murderers were despite the fact that she had named them earlier. Doctors often did not complete medical records accurately.
Also named in the song are Satyendra Dubey, a highway inspector who was killed after he tried to fight corruption, and Shanmughan Manjunath, killed in much the same way.
Meanwhile, Rabbi plaintitively reitarates “Where are they who have pride in India?”
Here are people who fought against injustice. They were brave enough to stand up for the truth and they got punished for it. Yet, we have people who document and write about such things, unafraid. They are making a difference in their own way, the way they know best.
Whether it is following traffic rules when others don’t…
Whether it’s throwing a tissue paper in the dustbin when the whole ground is littered anyway….
Whether it’s telling a rowdy youth to lay off eve teasing a girl you don’t even know…
Whatever it is. Just try. You are not going to be awarded a gold medal or a a special prize. No one will come up to you and congratulate you for not smoking or for throwing that chewing gum wrapper where it’s supposed to be. But, keep trying. You are contributing.
You are making a difference.
I’ve officially gone MAD.
The intensity of the campaign didn’t infect me as soon as it did my classmates. I thought of it as a campaign for a great cause, that we felt strongly about. But the anger, the passion and the enthusiasm was something that had yet to hit me.
But I went about my tasks, thinking of the various ways we could get people to wake up and hear us loud and clear. Naveen was the main inspiration behind this campaign and I’d like to think that he’s giving us guidance from up there.
However, just around this Independence Day, the Punjabi folk-rock artiste Rabbi Shergill released a song called ‘Bilquis (Jinhe Naaz Hai)’. I didn’t quite pay attention to it until I heard the melody right. He uses a sample of the national anthem’s tune. That made me sit up and search for the lyrics to understand more of the song.
Bilqis (Jinhe Naaz Hai)
Rabbi
Mera naam Bilqis Yakub Rasool
Mujhse hui bas ek hi bhool
Ki jab dhhundhhte thhe vo Ram ko
To maen kharhi thhi rah mein
My name is Bilqis Yakub Rasool
I committed just one mistake
That I stood in their way
When they were looking for Ram
Pehle ek ne puchha na mujhe kuchh pata thha
Dujey ko bhi mera yehi javab thha
Fir itno ne puchha ki mera ab saval hai ki
First, one asked me but I knew nothing
Then another but my answer was the same
Then so many that now I have a question
Jinhe naaz hai hind par vo kahan the
Jinhe naaz hai vo kahan hain
Where are those who are proud of India
Where are those who are proud
Mera naam shriman Satyendra Dubey
Jo kehna thha vo keh chukey
Ab parhey hain rah mein
Dil mein liye ik goli
My name gentlemen is Satyendra Dubey
I’ve already said what I wanted to say
Now I lie on the road
With a bullet in my heart
Bas itna kasur ki hamne likha thha
Vo sach jo har kisi ki zuban thha
Par sach yahan ho jatey hain zahriley
My only fault being that I wrote
A truth that was on everyone’s lips
But truth here turn poisonous
Jinhe naaz hai hind par vo kahan the
Jinhe naaz hai vo kahan hain
Where are those who are proud of India
Where are those who are proud
Mujhe kehte hain anna Manjunath
Maine dekhi bhatakti ek laash
Zamir ki beech sarhak Lakhimpur Kherhi
My name brother is Manjunath
I’ve seen the corpse of conscience lying
In the middle of the road at Lakhimpur
Adarsh phasan jahan naaron mein
Aur chor bharey darbaron mein
Vahan maut akhlaq ki hai ik khabar baasi
Where ideals are stuck in slogans
And the royal courts are full of thieves
There the death of righteousness is old news
Jinhe naaz hai hind par vo kahan the
Jinhe naaz hai vo kahan hain
Where are those who are proud of India
Where are those who are proud
Mazha nau aahe Navleen Kumar
Unnees june unnees var
Unnees unnees unnees unnees
Unnees vaar
My name is Navleen Kumar
Nineteenth June and nineteen wounds
Nineteen nineteen nineteen nineteen
Nineteen wounds
Unnees unnees unnees unnees
Unnees unnees unnees unnees
Unnees unnees unnees unnees
Unnees vaar
Nineteen nineteen nineteen nineteen
Nineteen nineteen nineteen nineteen
Nineteen nineteen nineteen nineteen
Nineteen wounds
Looto dehaat kholo bazaar
Nallasopara aur Virar
Chheeno zameen hamse hamein
Bhejo pataal
Loot the villages and open markets
Nallasopara & Virar
Snatch our land and send us to
Hell
Jinhe naaz hai hind par vo kahan the
Jinhe naaz hai vo kahan hain
Where are those who are proud of India
Where are those who are proud
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiGSKT9m9SE&feature=related
Of course, translating something always tends to lose some essence of the original message. But watching the video, hearing the song (repeatedly as I am doing so right now!) and understanding what it’s about has really fueled my rage. Rabbi here talks about Bilqis Yakoob Rasool, a victim of gang-rape who lost 14 family members in the Gujarat massacre of 2002
A litany of institutional failures added to the suffering of women like Bilqis Yakoob Rasool and prevented justice being done against their assailants. During the attacks, police stood by or even joined in the violence. When victims tried to file complaints, police often did not record them properly and failed to carry out investigations. In Bilqis Yakoob Rasool's case, police closed the investigation, stating they could not find out who the rapists and murderers were despite the fact that she had named them earlier. Doctors often did not complete medical records accurately.
Also named in the song are Satyendra Dubey, a highway inspector who was killed after he tried to fight corruption, and Shanmughan Manjunath, killed in much the same way.
Meanwhile, Rabbi plaintitively reitarates “Where are they who have pride in India?”
Here are people who fought against injustice. They were brave enough to stand up for the truth and they got punished for it. Yet, we have people who document and write about such things, unafraid. They are making a difference in their own way, the way they know best.
Whether it is following traffic rules when others don’t…
Whether it’s throwing a tissue paper in the dustbin when the whole ground is littered anyway….
Whether it’s telling a rowdy youth to lay off eve teasing a girl you don’t even know…
Whatever it is. Just try. You are not going to be awarded a gold medal or a a special prize. No one will come up to you and congratulate you for not smoking or for throwing that chewing gum wrapper where it’s supposed to be. But, keep trying. You are contributing.
You are making a difference.
- Prarthana Rao
The Beginnings of the 'M.a.D' ness
The Beginning...
We lost a friend, Naveen. It was an accident, but what followed was inhumane. Injured, no... Dying he was rushed to a hospital. They refused to take him in. The nerve of those people. Has a life no value, is it corporate credibility that matters more. Well our friend's life lacked value.
We were sad, we were angry, we were driven with purpose...
If we were to lie dying on the road one day, should our hopes be put to rest. Have we lost our sense of humanity? Why are we so indifferent? Is our humanity dying? Lets not shut our eyes and pretend it did not happen!
We were sad, we were angry, we were driven with purpose... Our purpose was M.a.D !!!
We were sad, we were angry, we were driven with purpose...
If we were to lie dying on the road one day, should our hopes be put to rest. Have we lost our sense of humanity? Why are we so indifferent? Is our humanity dying? Lets not shut our eyes and pretend it did not happen!
We were sad, we were angry, we were driven with purpose... Our purpose was M.a.D !!!
- Joseph John
Monday, August 18, 2008
If Indifference were to fear a face!
"Indifference elicits no response. Indifference is not a response. Indifference is not a beginning; it is an end. And, therefore, indifference is always the friend of the enemy, for it benefits the aggressor -- never his victim, whose pain is magnified when he or she feels forgotten. The political prisoner in his cell, the hungry children, the homeless refugees -- not to respond to their plight, not to relieve their solitude by offering them a spark of hope is to exile them from human memory. And in denying their humanity, we betray our own.
Indifference, then, is not only a sin, it is a punishment."
-Elie Wiesel-
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/ewieselperilsofindifference.html
Elie Wiesel is one of the most noted voices to speak out against indifference. Number A-7713, that was who he was. Another Number among the German concentration camps. It shaped who he became... Another hope in this new world in which indifference strips us of our humanity!
"Fifty-four years ago to the day, a young Jewish boy from a small town in the Carpathian Mountains woke up, not far from Goethe's beloved Weimar, in a place of eternal infamy called Buchenwald. He was finally free, but there was no joy in his heart. He thought there never would be again. Liberated a day earlier by American soldiers, he remembers their rage at what they saw. And even if he lives to be a very old man, he will always be grateful to them for that rage, and also for their compassion. Though he did not understand their language, their eyes told him what he needed to know -- that they, too, would remember, and bear witness."
-Excerpts from his Speech 'The Perils of Indifference'-
For 10 years after the war, Wiesel refused to write about or discuss his experiences during the Holocaust. Like many survivors, Wiesel could not find the words to describe his experiences. However, a meeting with François Mauriac, the 1952 Nobel Laurate in Literature, who eventually became Wiesel's close friend, persuaded him to write about his experiences of the Holocaust.
Wiesel first wrote the 900-page tome Un di velt hot geshvign (And the World Remained Silent), in Yiddish. Later translated to many languages.
"I was the accuser, God the accused. My eyes were open and I was alone – terribly alone in a world without God and without man." Elie Wiesel
In 1955, Wiesel moved to New York City, having become a U.S. citizen. Wiesel wrote over 40 books, both fiction and non-fiction, and won many literary prizes. Wiesel's writing is considered among the most important in Holocaust literature. Some historians credit Wiesel with giving the term 'Holocaust' its present meaning, but he does not feel that the word adequately describes the event and wishes it were used less frequently to describe significant occurrences as everyday tragedies.
He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986 for speaking out against violence, repression, and racism. He has received many other prizes and honors for his work, including the Congressional Gold Medal in 1985.
Wiesel and his wife, Marion, started the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity. He served as chairman for the Presidential Commission on the Holocaust (later renamed U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council) from 1978 to 1986, spearheading the building of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC.
Indifference, then, is not only a sin, it is a punishment."
-Elie Wiesel-
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/ewieselperilsofindifference.html
Elie Wiesel is one of the most noted voices to speak out against indifference. Number A-7713, that was who he was. Another Number among the German concentration camps. It shaped who he became... Another hope in this new world in which indifference strips us of our humanity!
"Fifty-four years ago to the day, a young Jewish boy from a small town in the Carpathian Mountains woke up, not far from Goethe's beloved Weimar, in a place of eternal infamy called Buchenwald. He was finally free, but there was no joy in his heart. He thought there never would be again. Liberated a day earlier by American soldiers, he remembers their rage at what they saw. And even if he lives to be a very old man, he will always be grateful to them for that rage, and also for their compassion. Though he did not understand their language, their eyes told him what he needed to know -- that they, too, would remember, and bear witness."
-Excerpts from his Speech 'The Perils of Indifference'-
For 10 years after the war, Wiesel refused to write about or discuss his experiences during the Holocaust. Like many survivors, Wiesel could not find the words to describe his experiences. However, a meeting with François Mauriac, the 1952 Nobel Laurate in Literature, who eventually became Wiesel's close friend, persuaded him to write about his experiences of the Holocaust.
Wiesel first wrote the 900-page tome Un di velt hot geshvign (And the World Remained Silent), in Yiddish. Later translated to many languages.
"I was the accuser, God the accused. My eyes were open and I was alone – terribly alone in a world without God and without man." Elie Wiesel
In 1955, Wiesel moved to New York City, having become a U.S. citizen. Wiesel wrote over 40 books, both fiction and non-fiction, and won many literary prizes. Wiesel's writing is considered among the most important in Holocaust literature. Some historians credit Wiesel with giving the term 'Holocaust' its present meaning, but he does not feel that the word adequately describes the event and wishes it were used less frequently to describe significant occurrences as everyday tragedies.
He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986 for speaking out against violence, repression, and racism. He has received many other prizes and honors for his work, including the Congressional Gold Medal in 1985.
Wiesel and his wife, Marion, started the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity. He served as chairman for the Presidential Commission on the Holocaust (later renamed U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council) from 1978 to 1986, spearheading the building of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC.
- Joseph John
About M.a.D !!!
There is a crack we need to fix,
There is a space we need to fill,
There is a disease we need to cure,
There is a need we need to satisfy,
There is a problem we need to solve,
There is a movement we need to join.
Let’s do something because we can,
Let’s use our potential because we have it,
Let’s make a difference because we feel the need,
Let’s be a part of change because we believe in it,
Let’s give a damn.
Let’s go M.a.D.
It’s time. It’s time for us to restore our nation where being human is more important than winning an election. It’s time for us to reach out. It’s time to do something.
It is in this Spirit that The Third year students of the Department of Visual Communication, Loyola College, Chennai presents
M.a.D – Make a Difference!
This campaign aims at holding a mirror to ourselves, pointing fingers at ourselves, trying to find out why we are so indifferent to the needs of others; why we are so indifferent when everything is not all right with our government; how uncaring we are when a human life is at stake; how we shut our eyes to crimes committed in front of us.
Are we excusing ourselves by believing someone else will solve the problem; how wrongly tolerant we are of a public smoker who’s vice is a non-smokers poison; how lackadaisical we are in keeping our surroundings clean; and how unaware we are of the disparity in the distribution of public resources.
Finally, the campaign’s aim is to propose simple yet effective solutions that though seemingly small, can make a big difference.
This campaign is a call to action. Get up, move, be a part of change, be part of a new India, be a new you.
Let’s go Make A Difference!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
