if you can’t stick to a diet because you can’t resist certain cravings, like chocolate, indulge yourself in the hard-to-find, most expensive, best-tasting version of that treat you can find. Eventually, two things will happen. 1 – you’ll develop a taste fot the expensive treat, which means you will be less tempted by lower-end versions you see in the grocery store and 2 – your pocketbook won’t allow you to indulge in the treat very often. Together, this means you’ll eat less of the “bad stuff” but it will be a truly satisfying experience the few times you do.
I just finished watching the Oscars (well, the last half of them, anyway) and was pleasantly surprised by two awards. I haven’t seen any of the foreign language films, but I loved that Tsotsi won because that is the one I plan to see. I also loved the director’s speech, which was half in his native language. I also loved that, knowing that that moment was the only time Tsotsi would be recognized for the night, he asked the stars of the film to stand and told the camera operators to focus on them so that they, too, could get their time in the spotlight.
My second favorite moment of the night was when Crash won for best picture. Earlier this summer, a friend of mine called and asked me to go to the movies. I decided to go even though I had never heard of the film she wanted to see. I was busy and we didn’t see each other often, so I figured that the movie didn’t matter and I would just hang out with my friend. I was wrong. The film did matter, and it was amazing. It was Crash. I know that racism isn’t a new topic, but it has gotten more subtle over the years. While a lot of people think the dialog is heavy-handed, I thought it was compelling. To me, the characters were voicing the things that most people only think in our heads and don’t ever say. It was an exposure of the heart that made almost everyone I’ve spoken to about it go and examine their own thoughts regarding others. Crash, in some ways, was a small film that came and went quickly and seemed to stay under the radar. I’m glad that it was recognized.
Every night, thousands of children in Uganda walk from their villages to the center of town and sleep on the ground to avoid being kidnapped. If they are found at home when the rebel army comes through, they will be taken. The boys will be tortured and forced to be soldiers. The girls will be forced to be worse. Because they have to disappear at night, they are called invisible children.
The documentary, Invisible Children, has been circulated around the country for the last year. Their story has been featured on news shows, and recently the CNN blog. To bring attention to their plight, on April 29th, thousands of Americans will go into our city centers and sleep for one night. It’s called the Global Night Commute. To learn more about the invisible children and find out how you can participat in the Global Night Commute, go to invisiblechildren.com.
