#WATWB Veteran takes bus to join anti-racism rally

A post for the Blogfest Community

We are the World

This is the 22th celebration of the WE ARE THE WORLD BLOGFEST #WATWB which is carried out every last Friday of the month, and which aims to spread love and positiveness in this vulnerable world. A celebration of heroes who can still restore our faith in humanity, especially in this period when our world seems to be full of endless series of horrible happenings.

link to Veteran story  Radio NZ

You all now about the tragedy which happened in Christchurch NZ, my city. I was absolutely taken this week by the story of the 95 year old veteran John Sato, who took several buses to Pakuranga, Auckland to see the flowers of support at the Mosque. He also went to the city centre to take part in the anti-racism rally. He was supported as you see on the picture and brought home by the police.

"I think it's such a tragedy, and yet it has the other side. It has brought people together, no matter what their race or anything. People suddenly realised we're all one. We care for each other."  John Sato 

John Sato had a need to speak out and to reach out. As we say in the Netherlands 'shared joy is double joy and shared sorrow is half sorrow'. And the latter is what we did. We shared our sorrow and cared. Even a 95 year old did this and stood up for what is right. The community has shown that it is possible to live together in peace and give full support to those affected in this tragedy in every way possible. People have volunteered e.g. by preparing meals for the Muslim community, gifted items, and millions of dollars were collected and many, many flowers, messages and drawings were laid at several places.

On another level things have become more humane, like restrictions have been put on hate-speech and on guns. Discussion are now possible about discrimination and solutions are being sought as the ground is fertile now for us to grow and become better human beings.
Connections are made which normally never would have been made and gives people the possibility to learn about each other. Most important we are all one and They are Us

Oh if we only could always be like brothers and sisters. As happened after the earth quake things got kind of back to normal after a while. But as I said the good thing is we have grown As I can only speak for myself I will try to explain in some of the ways I have changed in the last 2 weeks.

• I would now more easily connect to the Islam community, and it didn't occur to me doing that before.
• Before I wouldn't quickly be involved as people engaged in hate speech From now on I am going to speak up if anybody does. 
• I am also more grateful for my life and learned that stuff isn't important. People are.
  I believe that living for fame and fortune doesn't make you happy but becoming your best possible self does.

Let's hope that this will be a catalyst for all to grow and when a 95 year old can stand up for a better world everyone can  😃 

From the speech of PM Jacinda Ardern:

"Our challenge now is to make the very best of us, a daily reality. Because we are not immune to the viruses of hate, of fear, of other. We never have been. But we can be the nation that discovers the cure."

As-salāmu ʿalaykum Te rongo ki a koutou katoa

Peace to you all from New Zealand/ Aotearoa

Thank you and spread the love ☮