I'm going to share something with you. Then I'm going to give you an opportunity to do something good. First, I have to tell you that I've had it with all this gloom and doom stuff. I've been researching and reporting it for almost 15 years on viewzone -- endless wars, atrocities, repressed history and real evil. I'm beyond being freaked out by this stuff. It's real, and getting my head around these things has changed me. Now it seems everyone is fixated on the end of the world. Doomsday has become a kind of religion. Sure, the worst may happen as predicted in December 2012 -- or before that even -- but it hasn't happened yet. Frankly, if I have only a few months left before the Sun explodes, a world war breaks out or the poles shift then I want to make the best use of that time... somehow. You know this is right. So here's the plan. I want to take viewzone.com down a different path -- one that becomes part of the solution instead of documenting our demise. Here's where you can do something good, and it will benefit you while doing it. Documenting hope and courage Today I was exchanging e-mails with a friend who is on tour with the UN in Afghanistan. Lot's of bad stuff is happening there, yet most of us know very little about the people who live there and suffer the consequences of decisions and actions made by people far away from their homes and frightened families. What does Afghanistan look like? What do the local people eat, how do they people feel about various political situations (and why) and what do they envision for their future? But most intriguing... what do they believe in -- what helps them get through each day? It would be great to know these things. Sometimes we can learn from the suffering of others. But others usually do not preach or share their inner strength. That's too bad because we all need a good stiff dose of hope and courage right about now. I know you agree with me. My friend said he would spend some time in Kandahar and get back to me with some photos and a diary -- a kind of 24 hours reality piece, focusing on courage and life. I know you have a story to tell I know many people will want to help. You will need access to a digital still or video camera. Take some photos or video and write a story about someone who you think we all should know about (be sure to get their permission). Share their outlook with your story. Don't forget the HIDDEN PEOPLE. It could be an old man in Calcutta (or down the road from you), a 'taxi girl' in Phnom Penh trying to help her family, an Afghanistan man struggling to keep his sanity in the climate of war, an Iranian coping with all the Zionist hatred and threats of bombing, a military serviceman who 'signed up' only to feel used and forgotten, someone in a Fukushima homeless shelter, a Palestinian living under occupation... wherever you see courage, you can document it. Facebook and twitter are usually full of people with enough money to buy computers, digital cameras. They live a comfortable life like you and I. Reality shows on TV are fake, planned and edited. How great it would be to share the life of the HIDDEN PEOPLE -- that Mexican family living in the trailer in the part of town you try to avoid... that old woman standing on the side of the road holding a sign that reads, "Please Help - Hungry" or even the parish priest who may or may not have had the spiritual revelations he hoped for when he took his vows... a parent who had to deal with a lost child... a drug addict who dreads the next day but hangs in there with a kind of hope most people can not understand. The REAL Real World You can follow one of these people for 24 hours. Show us what their world is like. Ask them what they believe in, what they don't believe in... but MOST IMPORTANTLY what have they learned about survival that we can use as we face our future. You will have to befriend these people, so there is some degree of investment of your time, love and humanity. But this experience should be rewarding in itself. It's doing something good for a change. It's something you want to be a part of. You don't have to be a professional journalist, photographer or social worker. Maybe you have these skills already but have never had a chance to use them. We will help you get the story in top form and publish it for the world to see. No limitations. It's your chance to become part of something good for a change. "verbatim" The new project is called verbatim and we are already underway. Check out the stories we have posted. We need more and you can do it. I think that when you attempt to fight evil, you often become it. Let's do something different -- fighting back with 'good' content that inspires us to sober up, stop hating, and be strong.
 Get back to me. Become part of the solution. It's time well spent -- especially if the worst does happen. Tell me your stories.
Gary Vey / editor / (reply to: myristicin-at-hotmail-dot-com). |