talk is cheap

So we have started a thing in Footscray called "Jive Talk", which is a social conversation based around different issues that affect us on many different levels. The idea is that we get a guest speaker in each month at our local cafe, "The Dancing Dog" and have them speak for half an hour on the topic of their field, then enter the bar/cafe area after that for conversation. It seems that the project is gaining momentum early in it's life and we hope that it grows.
We are also hopeful that it isn't just a group of middle class people sitting around throwing around ideas and not doing anything about it. I guess it's the tension between action and reflection. It is vital to talk about what's going on in our world. There seems to be an absence of this. Our media throws so much at us that is irrelevant or misleading. I feel that the media machine is a huge contributor to the massive sense of apathy we have in our culture. As a sense of fear grips our country and countries like the US and Britain, we cling to our belongings and make sure we look after number one. Loving our neighbour, let alone loving our enemy becomes virtually impossible. We are all trying to survive, to make it to the next financial year above the line and keeping a loving eye on how our fellow human is doing hasn't any room in this equasion.
SO, back to Jive Talk. Through this process, we are hoping that as we engage with very specific issues like homelessness, addiction, grief and death, peace and nonviolence and others that we can move from dialogue to active participation. It doesn't mean that everyone has to get involved in everything either. We can't do all things and we can't be all things to all people. But we hope that an awakening of the human spirit will occur. That people will stand up and say NO, it's not good enough. Let's let the voice of the people permeate through the streets with the birth pangs of the world. Let's stand with our broken brothers and sisters and cry with them. Let's not pretend that all is roses and that if I am ok, then the world is ok.
I am excited about what is to follow. I am distressed with the state of affairs and know that many others are as well. So let brother and sister, black and white, gay and straight, short and tall, blonde and brunette stand together and celebrate diversity, equality and a voice of love.