Thank you Lok Peang-Meth for the article. Meeng, Ry
On Tue, Mar 30, 2010 at 2:28 PM, PuppyXpress <[email protected]> wrote: > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: Gaffar Peang-Meth <[email protected]> > Date: Tue, Mar 30, 2010 at 10:50 AM > Subject: To foster change, change yourself > To: > > > *PACIFIC DAILY NEWS* > March 31, 2010 > > *To foster change, change yourself > * > By A. Gaffar Peang-Meth > > An inscription on the tomb of an Anglican bishop in Westminster Abbey > describes a man on his deathbed reflecting on his life's voyage: When > he was "young and free" with limitless imagination, he dreamed of > changing the world, but the world would not change. He decided then to > change the country; but the country was immovable. So, in his "last > desperate attempt" he worked to change those closest to him, his > family; but the family "would have none of it." > > On his deathbed, the man realized: "If only I had changed myself first, > then by example I would have changed my family. From their inspiration > and encouragement, I would then have been able to better my country, > and who knows, I might have changed the world." > > Indeed, change begins with each of us. Look into the mirror. Change begins > with the one who stares back at you! > > "Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean," writes Japanese > author and poet Ryunosuke Satoro. > > "The least movement is of importance to all nature. The entire ocean is > affected by a pebble," writes French philosopher and mathematician > Blaise Pascal. > > Each and every one of us is important. > > But someone also wrote, "Many of us believe that wrongs aren't wrong if > done by nice people like ourselves." Obsessed with self-righteousness, > we see the need for others to change, but not ourselves. > > There was a very humble man, India's Mahatma Gandhi, the pioneer of > resistance to tyranny through mass, peaceful civil disobedience, who > inspired civil rights and freedom movements worldwide. He said, "As > human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake > the world -- that is the myth of the atomic age -- as in being able to > remake ourselves." And he talked Lord Buddha's language: "I look only > to the good qualities of men. Not being faultless myself, I won't > presume to probe into the faults of others." > > Buddha said, "It is easy to see the faults of others, but difficult to see > one's own faults. One shows the faults of others like chaff winnowed in > the wind, but one conceals one's own faults as a cunning gambler > conceals his dice." > > Matthew 7:3-5 states: "Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye, but > do > not notice the log in your own eye? ... You hypocrite, first take the > log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the > speck out of your neighbor's eye." > > "Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the stairs," said > civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. > > By developing faith it's possible to reach a goal. In creating the will to > take the first steps, the first leg of an important voyage is > undertaken. And we have been advised: "To get what we've never had, we > must do what we've never done." > > Harvard-trained lawyer and land surveyor, Henry Hancock, who fought for > the Union > during the Civil War, said: "Out of our beliefs are born deeds; out of > our deeds we form habits; out of our habits grows our character; and on > our character we build our destiny." > > One of the most influential forefathers of the U.S., Thomas Jefferson, > posited that the opinion of the people forms "the basis" of U.S. > governments, hence, "the very first object should be to keep that > right." When the force of public opinion is allowed "freely to be > expressed," he said, that force "cannot be resisted" and the > "agitation" it produces "must be submitted to." > > The principal author of the 1776 Declaration of Independence and a > principal promoter of the ideals of republicanism in the U.S., > Jefferson, who became the third U.S. president, saw the people as a > "safe repository for the ultimate powers of society." > > And "if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control > (over the government) with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to > take it from them, but to increase their discretion by education." > > The government should educate the people in the way and the language the > people can understand. > > While the Universal Declaration of Human Rights stipulates in Article 21.3 > that "The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of > government," another influential forefather of the U.S., James Madison, > one of the authors of the Federalist Papers that contributed to the > ratification of the U.S. Constitution, warned, "If men were angels," > there would be no need for government; but in a government > "administered by men over men ... auxiliary precautions" are necessary > -- a system of separation of powers and checks and balances. > > "Let the people know the truth and the country is safe," declared Abraham > Lincoln, who led the U.S. through the Civil War, preserved the Union > and ended slavery. "You cannot help men permanently by doing for them > what they could do for themselves." > > Lincoln knew his priorities to achieve his goal: "If I had eight hours to > chop > down a tree, I'd spent six hours sharpening my ax." He also said: "You > cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today." > > This column is written in hope of provoking thought that may help to induce > action by the people of Cambodia, who have suffered more than enough. > > In the final analysis, they are their own future. > > A. Gaffar Peang-Meth, Ph.D., is retired from the University of Guam, where > he taught political science for 13 years. Write him at [email protected] > . > > > http://www.guampdn.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/201003310300/OPINION02/3310316 > > > > -- > > > -- > "There's only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, > and that's your own self." > ~ Aldous Huxley > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Cambodia Discussion (CAMDISC) - www.cambodia.org" group. > This is an unmoderated forum. Please refrain from using foul language. > Thank you for your understanding. Peace among us and in Cambodia. > > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected] > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/camdisc > Learn more - http://www.cambodia.org > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to camdisc+ > unsubscribegooglegroups.com or reply to this email with the words "REMOVE > ME" as the subject. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Cambodia Discussion (CAMDISC) - www.cambodia.org" group. This is an unmoderated forum. Please refrain from using foul language. Thank you for your understanding. Peace among us and in Cambodia. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/camdisc Learn more - http://www.cambodia.org To unsubscribe, reply using "remove me" as the subject.
