To Temba on To Linda on courageous conversation about race

[Guest guest]

Temba wrote:

 

>> IT IS TRUE.HEROINE ADDICTION USE TO BE MORE EXTREME IN AFRICAN

>> AMERICAN COMMUNITYS.IT HAS NOW SATURATED WHITE SUBURBAN

>> COMMUNITYS.WHEN AMMAs son lived in rockford he saw with his own eyes a

heroine >> epidimic amongs AMMAs white american children. there is more white

teenage

>> prostiution in rockford then anyone else.ALL OF THIS MADNESS IS EFFECTING

ALL OF >> AMMAS CHILDREN.IT IS SAD,YET THERE IS A SOLUTION.WE HAVE TO BEGIN

TO >> PUT JUST AS MUCH ENERGY AS WE DO IN SHARING THESE EMAILS AS WE DO >>

IN MATA AMRITANDA MAYI STREET OUTREACH...

 

 

Dear temba ~ you have hit the nail on the head in several ways. First the

culture of crime is not only widespread across all racial communities, but it

has become quite glamorized through cultural mechanism such as television,

movies, video games, etc. I think what makes me feel the most sad and helpless

is the growing business in trafficking children as sexual "slaves." It is not

believed that the young white woman who went missing while on her spring

break may have been snatched for this purpose.

 

I am sorry to say this because I realize it will sound sexist, but I believe

very strongly that men must begin to stand up and take responsibility and

say no behaviors that are largely perpetrated by men, not just criminal

behavior, but pornography, the booming sex industry, the predation upon young

children, and the now growing kidnapping children and young teens for the sex

trade. Also the wives and female partners of these men must also step up t the

plate and protect the precious lives in their care. My mother did not protect

me, and I know many other people who were victimized as children whose mother's

not only did nothing to protect them, but in some cases, knew and allowed

the abuse to continue.

 

What I saw recently when I watched a Dr. Phil program about these issues not

only made me feel frightened for the victims being lured into this growing

trade, but also sad and frightened for our culture. We live in a country where

1 in 4, I believe, of female children will be sexually abused before they

are 13 years of age. This also happens to boys. We live in a culture that

creates criminal behavior.

 

I think there may be one or two cases you could turn over and find that the

person who is now a criminal, particularly in the case of sexual predation,

who wasn't first a victim. But in most cases, the predators were victims first.

So reaching and helping the children is so important. Amma knows this; She

has shown Her commitment to it by going into the brothels during the filming

of the movie (I can't think of the name; I'm sorry) and by making a commitment

to help these children.

 

And second you are right, that our time would be better spent in doing

sadhana, first in working on ourselves, and second, doing selfless service to

help

relieve some of these problems. This is obviously a very hot button issue

because our digest has been overcome by it, and I would like to see us make an

end to this conversation. There are ways we can help ~ in many cases,

programs like Amma's Kitchen, which many satsangs around the country are

involved

in. We can also become involved in the Circle of Love (COL) and Circle of Love

Inside (COLI). COL involves writing to people who are isolated, ill or in

some need of comfort. I started as a writer, and now I am a recipient, and I

can

attest to the value of being on both sides. COLI involves writing to people

in prison, and there is even a new COL that involves writing to those

affected by Hurricane Katrina. Anyone who is interested in being involved in

any of

these programs can write to Aikya about it. She wonderfully coordinates this

program, working with Swami Dayamrita who has arranged to provide many of

Amma's books to prison inmates. I don't want to post Aikya's email, since I

haven't asked her permission, but anyone who is interested could make their

interest known by posting to the digest a request to Aikya. Here is the website

for Circle of Love where you can find more information:

_COL-Letters/_

(COL-Letters/)

 

Mother is our example in Her tireless work to help others. Jai Jai Ma ~ Lnda