growing in the goo

Almost to work, I was smiling, thinking of my random dream last night, where I met Simon Cowell, and he instantly adored me, and we had a heart-to-heart about how mean he is to people who come to him with their hearts open.

But then I passed someone on the street, and he looked miserable. And all of a sudden, accompanied by a sharp intake of air, I remembered my other dream. I was on this volunteer mission, helping out poor people. They were poor, and it was sad, but it wasn't overwhelming. But then the volunteers, and there were a lot of us, heard that there were more people around the corner who needed help.

And a bunch of us started walking, ignoring the shouts of the people in charge to turn back - I remember looking to my right and seeing people walking, some girl in a ponytail - and we turned the corner. And there were starving people, begging for help. Some were sick. Some were dying. One woman, I walked to her, and she was just crying. I wanted to help her, but I couldn't. I irrationally wanted to give her the cheap ring I wear, as if something pretty could help.

Then I walked on, and I found a dad with two little kids. And then I went to some room, looked around some more, then heard an announcement, but it was like I was the only one who could hear it, as if it was a premonition, and it said "Three people died today..." and three people were walking towards me down the hallway, and I knew they were going to die. One person was someone who I know in real life (but he doesn't read my blog, so don't worry, it's none of you guys), and that scares me.

It was such a horrible dream. I feel sick, thinking about it. It reminds me of the truth, that there are people out there who are just suffering horribly. I remember in high school, when we were diving hardcore into learning about the Holocaust, and I raised my hand and asked my teacher "But why? Why didn't anyone do anything?" And she didn't have an answer.

But there's a genocide going on, with terrors, gang rapes, burnings today in Darfur, and in other places that seem so remote and so far away from my safe apartment. Horrors we can't imagine. Babies being murdered in front of their mothers. Two year olds, snatched from their mother's arms. Shot. Knifed. Just senseless, senseless crimes.

The people committing these crimes, they are counting on our complacency. They know that we are just so far away, and feel so helpless, that we can't do anything to make a difference.

Why doesn't anyone do anything about it? How are we going on? How is the world standing for it?

Do something. Please.

Fill out this form. It's your name, street name, city and state, and email address. That's it. And I know no one likes to give out their email address, but you know we all have that "junk email" address specifically for this purpose.

http://www.millionvoicesfordarfur.org/