A staggering 173 million people joined the United Nations on Wednesday — breaking the Guinness World Record — in a stand to end global poverty. In over 3,000 events around the world in 120 countries, people of all races, religions and cultures united in a collective voice to incite the leaders of the world to take action to stamp out global poverty.

During one event, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moonu said, “the global economic crisis has claimed at least
50 million jobs this year and up to 100 million more people are
expected to fall below the poverty line.”

It seems to me that the recession has a way of waking people up to what is going on around them. This year, over 60 million more people showed up to support “Anti-Poverty Day” than attended last year. That’s quite a shift…yeah team!

Maybe we’re actually getting to the point that we’re standing up and saying it’s just not okay to give billions of dollars to bail out Wall Street while millions live in poverty and go hungry.

According to the Borgen Project, a Seattle-based non-profit, for 30 billion dollars annually we could end world hunger. Compare that to the bailout of AIG, which cost us 180 billion dollars!

So, I was thinking…since we the people, now own 80% of AIG, perhaps we should mandate that they pick up the part of the hunger tab in lieu of paying those big bonuses?

Now that would be good news…and a little justice served.

All in favor…say I!
 
At least I know where to go to get 173 million votes. Let’s thank all of those who are taking a stand!

Here’s a great prayer for today:

May God bless us with discomfort
       at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships,
       so that we may live deep within our hearts.
 
May God bless us with anger
       at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people,
       so that we may work for economic justice for all people.
 
May God bless us with tears to shed for those who suffer
       from pain, hunger, homelessness and rejection,
       so that we may reach out our hand to comfort them
       and to turn their pain into joy.
 
And may God bless us with enough foolishness
       to believe that we can make a difference in the world
       so that we can do what others claim cannot be done.
 
(From Education for Justice – www.educationforjustice.org

 
Peace & Blessings!

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