Photo: Rita Bærum
Yesterday I wrote a post about world peace, and how people always judge girls in pageants for wanting it. It's stereotypical, yet necessary. Honestly writing about a such a big topic as world peace, in todays world, is scary. So all day yesterday, and today still, I keep going back and forth. Wondering if what I wrote, might have been stepping on anyones toes. We're at a point where the world might change any day now. People in Syria and other parts of the middle east are right now fighting for their lives. Damascus, Syria, have experienced one of the worst bombing in a long time in these last few days. And here I am. Living in Norway, the country who recently was named by the UN to have best standard of living. Yesterday both was mentioned on the news. The bombing in Damascus, and Norway on top of standard of living. How am I supposed to feel about that?
As a public person I have obligations to say the right things. But what is the right thing to say right now? Of course I'm happy to live in such a great country as Norway. We have everything we need. People here love and trust one another in a way most other countries don't. However, I don't really feel safe either, and that might be one of the most selfish things to say right now. But it's the truth.
I can't express how important it is to see people for more than their religion, culture or what ever you might define them as. We are all humans! All my other post has been in Norwegian, and the only reason I'm writing this in English is so that I might reach out to a couple more people. Because we need to make a change! As a Norwegian girl, living in "the best country on earth" I can choose to just sit back and watch everything go it's way, but I don't! Racism shows in all aspects, not just the color of your skin, and I choose to speak my mind so that someone might listen. With everything going on in the world, I really just want to ball my eyes out. Yet again, I don't, because that won't make a change! There's a time to smile, there's a time to weep, and there's a time to make a change! And that time is now. How can we accomplish anything if all we do is sit back, and think "oh well, that's too bad for them". We have to help one another. Yes, it's impossible to imagine what Damascus is going through right now, but we have to at least try. If we don't, this might end badly for all of us.
We don't fight for world peace, we speak!
-Stine
Here is yesterdays post in English:
I stand for world peace and all of that
Pageant girls has for a long time had a repute for being superficial, self-centered and stupid, wanting to accomplish world peace and end famines. In all likelihood this is a common question I've been asked: "do you stand for world peace and all of that?"
Of course I do! And today, we're in a time where it's more important than ever to stand for world peace. Unfortunately, there's not that much little I can to to prevent war and misery. Even if I win the crown as Miss Universe, I wont 't able to prevent anything all by my self. We say that no one can help everyone, but everyone can help someone. This is one of my main values in life. If we slightly alter the expression, and rather say; No one can do everything, but everyone can something, so is that just as right. I stand for world peace, but I can't do it on my own. All I can do to express my opinions. We have to stop judging others, just because they're not like ourselves. I will always be open to other opinions, and never say that someone is wrong just because I disagree. I'll apologize when I'm wrong, get to know different cultures, and teach others about mine. All religions have extremists, and no one is better than anyone else.
If we all can be openminded and accept each other for who we are and what we believe, we can finally be able to achieve world peace. So when I say that I will try to accomplish world peace, I mean that I will speak my mind and hope that someone will absorb what I say, and put away their prejudices. Even if only one single person listens, I've at least done what I can.
Nobody should ever force anybody to be something they're not, but we can all change our opinions and still be ourselves.
Earlier I've said that my main goal in this pageant is to help people be more open about their mental health. This has not changed. I just thought I'd clarify the matter, for all of you who might think that I'm a superficial, self-centered and stupid girl. You should be allowed to believe what you believe, but if you follow along I'll prove you wrong.
I believe that absolutely everyone should stand for world peace, and work against prejudice everyday. We're currently opposing a time that can be absurd if we don't act. USA, one of the world's most powerful nations, and our allies, voted for the president, a man who thinks that all Muslims are terrorists. USA is the country we've looked up to since WWII. People all around the world have dreamed about America, a country where everyone can achieve everything. Apparently Americans have grown tired, and forgotten that they're all immigrants, and what can we do about it? Unfortunately again, very little! All we can do is hope for is that when you and I speak our opinions and concerns, someone will actually hear what we have say. To judge people who either have the same religion or come from the same country is completely wrong! Whether it's that we Norwegians are cynical, Americans are full of prejudices, or Arabs are terrorists, it will never be right! You'll never know an entire population, and when you don't know someone, you shouldn't tell others how they're like.
Use your freedom of speech! Not just to talk crap, but to actually stand up for what's important!
-Stine