Say Something


As the calendar year comes to a close, looking ahead to tomorrow’s sunrise in my mind, I cannot see, with clarity, how vagoscribe will look.  Truth is, I am tired.  That might be understandable considering that this year was the most “successful” year of the website, when tallying page views.  Facebook and Twitter are partly responsible for that, along with joining a few mountain biking forums.  Add in that I had some writings make it to print in magazines and on e-zines, with one or two more slated for 2012, and there is little question that things are looking good with regard to my writings being received by a larger audience.

I am truly thankful for all of this.  To each of you that take the time to read any of what I have written here, I thank you.  The support over the years has been unexpected, and because of that, it has been most rewarding when I sit back and reflect on the idea I had back in 1997 to put pen to paper and share with my hometown what I was experiencing in Manto.

To 2012 and whatever it may hold…

Peace and love to you,

Jim

 

 

Here’s a wonderful story of how bikes improve the lives of girls living in India.  Not too often do we read something in the news, or see it on the television, and walk away feeling good.  I rarely post links on the site, but this is one I want to share:

How cycling set deprived Indian girls on a life-long journey

Enjoy the smile on your face after reading it!  Pass it on! 

Education is power.

 

We, as Americans, and as global citizens, have taken ownership of a social ill that permeates all levels of society.  We have reached a public and collective moral highground.  Still, let us remind ourselves that to stay up there, there is work to be done.  Right now, children are being sexually abused in our communities.  Right now.  Today.  Next door.  Down the street.  At school.  It is happening right now.

To better equip ourselves with how to prevent such horror, a good place to start is here:

http://www.d2l.org/site/c.4dICIJOkGcISE/b.6035035/k.8258/Prevent_Child_Sexual_Abuse.htm

Darkness to Light provides the know-how for starting new programs where you live.  They have answers to your questions.  Many other resources can be found on the website.

I will add that right now, women are being physically, emotionally, mentally and sexually abused, as are men.  This is happening as you are reading this, and the statistics show that it is happening outside of the front door of your home and office, and inside of your home and office.  Human beings are being abused for being gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered.  Around the world, rape of women and girls, and boys and men, is used as a “weapon of war.” 

Sexual violence, and all violence, demands that we say something everyday.  It cannot be joked about, and it cannot be normalized any more than it has been already.  We, as a nation, have an opportunity before us that is, (perhaps) arguably, unprecented.  Our attention is focused. 

Let’s not lose that focus, ever.

Sincerely,

Jim Murren, Penn State Class of 1996

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