Who was Aminul Islam…Martyr for Workers in Bangladesh?

Aminul Islam was a married man

A husband, a father

An ordinary man who walked the Earth everyday seeking to create a living

What would prompt a man to stand up and fight the Hog that fed him and his family?

What would prompt a man to speak out when he was threatened previously to keep his mouth shut?

What would prompt a man to speak the truth when he would end up giving his life for just that fact alone?

A person with a passion for justice

A person who cared about his fellow workers

A person with a heart so pure he cared only for humans to be kind to other humans

A person who believed in truth

A person who was hoping speech would loosen the grip of greed choking the owners

A person who was only asking that walls and floors be built  safely

A person who was only asking for just wages so that he could feed and clothe  his family

A person who was only asking for basic human kindness

Greed and fear took over the hearts of those who killed him

Now who will take care of his wife? of his children?

Will truth be silenced because he died?

Hopefully, more will take up his cause and fight the battle for him and for each other

equality  justice  hope love social justice factories in Bangladesh

Bangladesh people

Bangladesh workers

Factory Collapse in Bangladesh

Sweatshops

A map of the languages spoken in Bangladesh, i...

A map of the languages spoken in Bangladesh, in English. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

RELATED ARTICLES:

http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/countingthecost/2013/05/2013524164645166872.html

“…So, Bangladesh faces a multilayered situation. Even though there is anger that people are being paid a pittance, there are equal concerns that international corporations could now abandon clothes that are ‘Made in Bangladesh’ due to safety problems…”

Related
Extensive coverage of war crimes tribunals and controversial calls for blasphemy laws. ( 12-May-2013 )

Aminul Islam…Martyr for Workers in Bangladesh

The flag of Bangladesh Deutsch: Die Flagge von...

The flag of Bangladesh Deutsch: Die Flagge von Bangladesch Esperanto: La flago de Bangladeŝo Español: Bandera de Bangladesh. Italiano: Bandiera del Bangladesh. Русский: Флаг Бангладеша Slovenščina: Državna zastava Bangladeša (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Aminul Islam is a martyr, whose death should not be in vain

He died because he spoke for the workers with no names

He died a cruel and torturous death not seeking fame

He simply asked for just wages and safe working conditions

Hoping that injustice would not become the tradition

That human life would not be lost in perdition

He rallied for those who had no voice

He spoke out for safety for lives who had no choice

He is silent now, but we remain with the damning invoice

*

We buy the clothes for which the men, women and children died

They wanted to work, they had to eat, they had their pride

They were crushed to death so the big cats could set money aside

What can we do, we may say…stand up today against these brands

Add your voice to Aminul Islam and ask for love to expand

We cannot  act like what we do doesn’t matter, we are part of the band

Do not allow this man’s death to be in vain

Shout out to the corporations  your disdain

His wife and children should not live in the rain

Men, women and children deserve human respect

Factories can be shut down and forced to inspect

One thousand one hundred twenty-seven lives too late to protect

Bangladeshi woman

Bangladeshi woman (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

***************************************************************************************

European and USA Companies that do not insist on safe working environments are:  Wrangler, Wal Mart

****************************************************************************************

http://www.globallabourrights.org/press?id=0546: EYE ON BANGLADESH: At a time when Bangladesh is under intense scrutiny to make reforms in its garment industry in the wake of a building collapse that killed 1,127 people, CBS News has turned up another garment factory making clothes for Wal-Mart, Asics and Wrangler that allegedly blocks its emergency exits, fails to provide an adequate number of fire extinguishers and uses child labor.”

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57586001/survivor-of-bangladesh-factory-collapse-speaks-out/

“…

His body was found two days later, dumped by the roadside. His kneecaps were smashed, and his toes had been broken. No suspect has been named.

Fahima told us she believes factory owners paid off corrupt police to torture and kill her husband.

“If you try to help workers in Bangladesh,” she said, “you make enemies.”

U.S. retailers have been trying to improve conditions in Bangladesh for many years, but there isn’t any pressure on American companies to stop doing business in Bangladesh altogether.

Bangladeshi workers need these jobs, but a lot of people in Bangladesh told us that since U.S. retailers benefit from the country’s very low wages, should take responsibility for conditions inside factories. Following the Rana Plaza collapse, several European retailers have signed an agreement to use their own money to make Bangladeshi factories safer, but so far, all of the big U.S. retailers have declined to sign on.”

If you are further interested in this cause, below is an organization that is also:

Institute for Global Labour and Human Rights
(formerly National Labor Committee)
5 Gateway Center, 6th Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, U.S.A.
Office +1 412.562.2406  |  Fax +1 412.562.2411

inbox@glhr.org  
www.globallabourrights.org

passionate desire

The Black Stallion (film)

The Black Stallion (film) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

desire…noble, defenseless desire seeks its want

you find it within yourself…your happiness you flaunt

tension deliciously mounts with numerous increases as you jaunt

your heart runs, ignoring the geo-political thread detente

 

 

…like the  black stallion in the dark night, speeding onward without delay

…like the blue wave cresting over itself, heedless of any obstacle in its way

…like the brilliance of a summer sunset, streaking its  copper orange passion hues through sky’s roadway

 

Waves crashing

Waves crashing (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

your heart knows no bounds

… turns in every possible direction

flounders… stumbling over its own emotions…no selection

…cascading into

turbulent joy, no honorable mention

your heart runs and runs…

Waves crashing on rocks on the Southern Oregon...

Waves crashing on rocks on the Southern Oregon Coast. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

…oblivious of what is not there

…oblivious of the blank  stares

 ..oblivious of the one way flare

 

UNTIL

 

until…you see you are running alone 

until…you feel unrequited desire…no one home

until…you capture your sigh, realizing your heart was on loan

Waves crashing over rocks, Porto Moniz, Madeir...

Waves crashing over rocks, Porto Moniz, Madeira, Portugal (Photo credit: Wikipedia)


soul searching …part II

An overall view of an LG EnV mobile/cell phone.

An overall view of an LG EnV mobile/cell phone. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

what is that spark that first ignites?

the sudden click of a smile across the internet site

…the recognition…the someone other…finds you…

of all the billion people on the planet…you…it must be true

that one smiling click found you…and the intensity builds…

you find yourself stumbling  steep into  the love guild

crafting your every word…longing to be heard

your heart skips at every sound of the computer screen

you drop EVERYTHING you are doing to reach love pristine

the cell phone beeps and a text is waiting for your word

of course you will respond, you silly bird

you plan your day around the love you seek

clean the closet…wait for the sound…don’t go too far

or out of bounds…do the dishes…don’t wander to the stars

however, you still WONDER…and get carried away

you let reality slip…and your senses do stray

you have never had eye meets eye

you have never heard the person’s sigh

or…the slight brush of the hand against yours…

but you are convinced that she is yours for sure!

she tells you, “No”…but you do not hear it still

your brain runs past it and your heart does what it will

you are so convinced and determined to try

even if it never happens you will not let your love die

why are you so persistent, what is it that you refuse to hear?

why do you not hear the insistence, what is it that you seem to fear?

dreams have no age limits!

I discovered this quote on my Facebook page this evening…well, guess it is early morning! Oh my goodness…it is 12:42AM~  Oh well. This is a great thought to begin your day with! Retiring from teaching after 36 years was so difficult a transition…I am not quite down transitioning yet!  LOL  In any case, I think if we do not have a purpose, then we must create one! And this quote just seems to go with that idea perfectly!  So, forge ahead! You young people who think life has already passed you by—no! Never! Live your dream! Go for it! Give it all you have and don’t ever give up!

Even when the days get so dark and you think you have no one—you have yourself! You are your own best friend and there is no one else who can be there for you who will know exactly what you need than yourself! Yes, others are important in our lives—they teach us to how to BE…they love us…they give us their friendship…but in the end, YOU have to be for YOU! And, there is nothing wrong with that! You are in God’s LOVE—however, you imagine Her to BE! You are loved and you have a  breath…you have air to breathe…you have life to share.

YOU are IMPORTANT! Believe in yourself and never hurt yourself…because we would miss you! We need your LOVE CRYSTAL in our lives! Believe me…please! You have so much beauty and warmth…we need all the LOVE CRYSTALS we can gather!  The world needs YOU!  Yes, I mean YOU!

Just remember, ALWAYS give it one more try! Don’t give up…just give in to love….and know YOU are LOVE….and YOU live in LOVE…and we need LOVE CRYSTALS in this world!  There is so much suffering—give joy to yourself…and share it with the next person! YOU are so important!

And you people who are my ancient age, hey, YOU have a lot of life in you…you are still breathing, aren’t you?  I can tell you from my own experience of retiring unexpectedly—how weird it was! The day after I retired, inevitably one of my three daughters would call me or visit me and say, “Are you alright, Mom? Do you need something? What are you doing, Mom?”   Well, I was still breathing…lol…and I could *not* believe that in 24 hours time they were ready to write up my obituary! I have plenty of life remaining in me…and I have decided that I am NO LONGER RETIRED!

I am on a quest! I feel like the Madam Don Quixote—I find myself examining my moral principles and beliefs…my preconceptions about things…and misconceptions…and whether I should follow the chivalric code! Sometimes I even question my sanity!  However, since our country seems to have reverted to the feudalism of the Middle Ages, I may as well go along for the journey. I have a strange liking for Robin Hood as of late, especially when I think of the 1% and how their egos are so inflated they cannot see how they got to where they are–they have forgotten the peasants who did the labor!  I see our politicians as the Medieval Kings and Princes — who seem to pass laws that protect their assets, but do little to serve the general interests of the population! We certainly need a new Round Table with chivalrous knights! 26,000 sexual assaults took place in the USA Military last year!—wow—speak about reverting to a time when women were only important for one thing! My, how civilized we have become!

I am striving to live as a minimalist, and realize I have a distance to travel to achieve that goal. In addition to that, I decided I am going to write and write and write! I will write and be heard until the world leaders listen to us and take their job to represent US seriously!  US = America…USA.  I will write until world leaders everywhere listen to their people and stop using us to kill each other! I will write until people begin to see how guns are violent and how those manufacturers do not really care about your safety—they care only to fill their pockets with blood money.

I will write, and hopefully, you will join me, until every young girl and woman, knows it is her right to be respected and not used for sexual favors…that she has the right not to be raped! I will write until every homeless person has a home to live in.  I will write so that the mentally challenged are given a chance to be understood.

I will write until every child is respected as a human being and is not seen as someone who has no human rights…I will write until each child is seen as a gift and not a piece of property to be ordered around! I will write until every gay, lesbian, transgender, bisexual person is respected as a true human being deserving to live like everyone else does! This is particularly on my mind this evening because I just read about a young man, 32 year old Mark Carson,  was walking down the street in New York City last Friday evening when a man came up to him and his friends, yelled “f—ot” and “queer,” and shot him in the head. WHY are we killing each other? WHY?

I will write until everyone sees that it does not matter which faith we believe in…it does not matter if someone thinks or believes in a different God or no God—what matters is that we love each other and keep love alive in this world!

Thus, this is my new purpose in life…to write for those who cannot write…to speak for those who cannot speak!

I will keep writing for hope, for beauty, for truth, for honesty, for love…because we have to do this! If we do not do it, who will?  We have to write to give people courage and hope and tell them there is beauty in this world…and we do care about them…each and every one!

And, to be perfectly honest, I need a purpose! Everyone does! And we can help each other in this! Encourage one another and keep those love crystals passing to one another!

 

Stroke

The Heart and Stroke Foundation logo.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation logo. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

So you had a stroke

 

You still have a heart of love

 

You are still you, always!