Close your eyes and listen intently- you would hear agonized cries and desperate pleas. Look around and you will find yourself surrounded with pools of blood and mounds of dead bodies. Pick up the newspaper and read with concentration- you will find nothing but sugar coated lies and fabricated stories. When you feel suffocated amidst all this violence and deception, ask yourself- is this the world you want your children to grow up in?

So much for the lengthy treaties and diplomatic manoeuvres, our world today has finally crumbled under the weight of the temporary peace that our governments promised us.

First, it was wars of invasion, then the greed for money and later on the thirst for power that led humans against their own kind. Earth turned into a battleground and might became right. In those hours of chaos we turned to our leaders, who promised us safety, reassurance and hope; and in return asked for nothing but our silent obedience. In our desperation we sold our integrity and freedom in exchange for hollow promises. Sure we got rid of the wars but we welcomed even more treacherous- masked terrorism in the form of self-proclaimed dictators and double standard governments. Although we live in ‘civilized societies’, a shadow of this monster lingers everywhere that we go but we continually choose to ignore it and turn a blind eye towards the injustice around us.

I too enjoy the security of the familiar, the comfort of routine and the bliss of avoiding confrontations. But I am not going to censor myself for the comfort your ignorance. The truth is that there is something terribly wrong with this world. The inherent quality of humanity has suddenly joined the league of the endangered species. “as long as the bullet doesn’t blast my head, why should I care?” this selfishness has corrupted our better judgement. But we should remember that it costs nothing to speak out, whereas remaining silent may cost us everything. To bring about a change we do not need to move mountains, even the smallest pebble can create ripples. You have a mouth, an independent will, a well-developed brain and above all a heart that is filled with compassion. Put your senses to good use. Even your smallest act of truth can become a revolution in times of deceit. So no matter what, gear up, speak up and stand up for what you believe in because being human makes us a human being.