August 20 in Pen Pal

[asakiyume]

I missed posting about what happened on August 20 in Pen Pal because I was posting about Irom Sharmila, a real-life political prisoner. Belatedly, then:

On August 20 in Pen Pal, an editorial in a national paper in Kaya's country questioned the wisdom of the agitation in the mountains.

People in positions of power often have a lot to say about what's wise or unwise for those without power to do. Sometimes they're even well-intentioned (though sometimes they're distinctly not), but they're almost always ignorant. "Why don't you just [do X]? Why must you [do Y]?" There are reasons, but the powerful don't take the time to learn them.

. . . More cheerfully, here are some Pen Pal treasures that a pen pal sent me--bottle caps, feathers, stamp, sea glass, volcanic rock, friendship rock, and--sea heart!

Comments

[cucumberseed.livejournal.com]

People in positions of power often have a lot to say about what's wise or unwise for those without power to do.

That needs to be engraved places. Obvious places. In really big type.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Yep, it's an always-annoying, sometimes harmful trait of the carelessly, obliviously privileged, that they always know what's best for the less privileged.

[queenoftheskies.livejournal.com]

Those who "have" always think they can make the best decisions for those who "have not".

I love your treasures!

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

I love the treasures too--it made me feel all floaty to receive them ♥

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

Everyone one of those has a story, and is a treasure!

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

So very true!!

Congratulations by the way, on that starred review on Kirkus!

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

*beam*

thanks!

[heliopausa.livejournal.com]

That is so sad, about the powerful, even with good intentions.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

I think sometimes they do come to understand. It's a generalization and not a universal. And it's certainly true that everyone can benefit from time to time from outside advice or an outside perspective--it's just that so often when it's from the powerful and to the powerless, it's not all that helpful and comes with a huge compulsion to accept it.