The Activist Diaries

Your invitation to send a story about what got you interested in human rights, animal rights and/or environmentalism; or about successes and challenges you’ve experienced; your opinions on important issues of our times; people who have inspired you and why or anything you wish to share with the activist community. Your story will not be edited but published word for word, remaining true to your voice. First in, first published. Interested in writing but have trouble with English? Our Co-Administrators may be able to help. Photo’s welcome.

No matter where we live. I know this is not just problem of our country. This is a problem of humanity as a whole. And this problem is cruelty. Mankind must think about it.

Ukraine – the country in the heart of the Europe. It is really charming. In its pristine beauty. We have a steppe, magical forests. And the mountain: rocky Crimean Mountains and Forest Carpathians. Many rivers, lakes, ponds… And sometimes it seems that everything was fine, until people are not spoiled everything. Because I live in a country where there are “dead zones” and ruthlessly polluted sea. Where wealth of Carpathian Mountains forests are destroyed. I live in the city - heavy industry giant. Scary plants located in the heart of the city. They reward people deadly cocktail of emissions. Every day. Nobody cares about the environment. All care only about money. So no wonder that noone here does not matter about homeless animals. But that’s what worries me. I am used to this terrible air, I inhale it from childhood. But I never get used to innocently offended animals! It is hopeless. And it is so sad.

I have a pets: the incomparable spaniel Barry and the funny bunny Bogdan. But there are so many homeless, lonely and unhappy in his loneliness creatures. Hundreds of stray dogs wander through our streets. And here is one such poor dog dwells far from our house, next to the school, last winter. Soon she gave birth to five puppies. I first met the little fluffy creatures, when walking with my Barry. They were plump and happy to know this world. Since then, I wore them food every day. There were other caring people. Someone even built something like a booth. Children from the school came to play with them. Soon the four of them were taken - in villages and private homes. So there were only two – dog-mother and her daughter – Baghira. Winter has come to an end. Dog grew, and appeared those, who were annoyed by the presence of dogs near the school. The booth was moved to the a vacant lot in the yards. As it turned out, that in these yards lived real nonhumans. Several times they destroyed the booth and even set fire to it. But dogs have become accustomed to this place. Baghira grew here all spring. Soon, she was already the same size as her mother. And they were so similar, so happy together. When we go out for a walk, they ran to meet us…

And then… Shots began to be heard at night. Someone began to consistently kill animals. Calls to the police and writing applications were unsuccessful. And once children in another yard found mutilated puppies of another dog. Someone tied them to trees and shot at them as if it was a target. It was awful! Every day we are more feared by Baghira and her mother. And once it happened. On the morning walk I saw her - she came to meet us. But its side and rear paws were in the wounds. These were shot with shotgun. In our city there are several organizations and even newly created shelter. And we managed to hold it there. But only for big money. We also paid for all veterinary services. We spent all the money collected on summer vacation. But it did not matter. The main thing that we have rescued Baghira. Eventually we arrived at the shelter and her mother.

So I met with shelters residents. Actually shelter - a fenced area. There are open-air cages with animals. In each cage live from ten to fifty animals. There live not only healthy dogs, but mostly maimed animals. Without eye, without the paw… It made people. And these creatures still living, they happy that they have a common home. Here they have food and they feel that they are cared for. I was impressed. Amazing creatures. So much heat in them. Blind dog came to me. Two black holes instead of eyes. He jumped on me, but could not reach. Tears were like mist before the eyes, when I played with him. It was so cute. Despite all the animals look happy. Because eventually they were lucky to be saved. From cruelty. They were not poisoned, not shot. Here they are safe. And Baghira and her mother still live there… Every resident of the shelter has experienced its own tragedy. But they are open to people. They were offended, but they still believe. They are waiting for the owner. And if you open for them your heart, they will give you their. Forever. This is an incredible feeling – to be there, among them. And there are people who bullied over these creatures. They commit relentlessly. People forget that they are responsible for those they tamed… Hundreds of homeless dogs wandering the streets. No one involved in this issue. Organizations are inefficient. Drive a senseless competition. Meanwhile, animals continue to suffer from undue cruelty.

Our country is preparing for Euro-2012. Do you know how the problem of stray animals solves? With poison. Cats also suffer. There is shooting also. Nobody wants to think about creating real shelters, for

I do not know what to do. Yes. I can arrange to shelter a dozen animals. Maybe 20-30. But it is so little! All that remains - hope that everyone will do the same. If everyone wanted to help… When I think that everything can be good, that people could be kinder, I want to be happy. I want fall in love in this beautiful world.

Olga Philipova. Ukraine. Zaporozhye.

P.S. Here you can see the story, made by journalists of one of the central TV-channels – story about dogs in this shelter. In 01:18 minutes you can see Baghira and her mother.

http://vikna.stb.ua/ru/news/2011/10/5/77061/

Posted 00:10am GMT on Sunday, April 1st, 2012

Your invitation to send a story about what got you interested in human rights, animal rights and/or environmentalism; or about successes and challenges you’ve experienced; your opinions on important issues of our times; people who have inspired you and why or anything you wish to share with the activist community. Your story will not be edited but published word for word, remaining true to your voice. First in, first published. Interested in writing but have trouble with English? Our Co-Administrators may be able to help. Photo’s welcome.

Hi ! I’m Angie and my twitter is @ISF_Chicagoland. I’ve got to be honest here, I didn’t start recycling or being conscious of our environment until about 6years ago. Not that I didn’t have any knowledge about it. I just didn’t really think about it, I guess. Growing up, we were always taught to be charitable and help others and we donated anything that was usable but unwanted. What I didn’t realize that even though I donated used items, I always added more. I’ve never owned pets, but I don’t condone animal abuse. It’s not right to hurt or abuse those with no voice. 

As for Vampire Diaries, I actually discovered the book series first. I was injured, bored and my niece lent me the books she had. My friend Mark convinced me to watch the show with him. My first episode was the season 3 opener. Since then, I’ve watched them all. Im Team Salvatore and want the boys to be happy with whomever. 

How I discovered #ISF was through Mark and his girlfriend Laura. I thought it was a fan club at first and wanted no part of it. Then he gave me the website, which is isfoundation.com and I checked it out. I loved its mission. “The IS Foundation aims to empower, educate and collaborate with people and projects to positively impact the planet and its creatures.” What I liked is the fact that it covered all bases and didn’t just center on one issue. And another plus for me was the kids section. I have a 5yr old and I don’t want her growing up viewing the world the way I did. 

ISF_Chicagoland was NOT started by me. It was started by my friend Mark and his girlfriend Laura a week before Thanksgiving. He enjoyed it so much that he would go on about various projects going on. He convinced me to donate to Ian’s birthday project. So, I did. We had decided that we were going to donate the 8th of every month so we would remember. How I came to take over the account was when he passed away on December 30, 2011. His girlfriend was so devastated that she didn’t want to do it anymore. I didn’t intend to take it over but his enthusiasm inspired me so much and the fact that I liked what #ISF stood for convinced me to try. 

You won’t believe how much I’ve learned just by taking over. I learn, to this day, something new. Every single day. I’ve learned to care about issues/causes that normally would not have received a second thought. I like to pass on knowledge and I like to learn. I like to help others with their causes because overall, our Earth needs lots of help and one person can’t do it alone. And I’m so happy to discover that there are people who care and want to make a difference. Actions speak louder than words, after all. 

Thanks for reading !

Posted 3:10pm GMT on Saturday, March 3rd, 2012

My story begins on a small farm in a very rural part of Mississippi, USA. My family had cattle, horses, pigs, chickens, dogs, and cats. Because I was an only child, these animals were my only friends and playmates except occasionally when a cousin visited. I had a very active imagination, believing that I could communicate not only with my animal friends on the farm, but also the giant oak trees that surrounded my home, migrating birds, and perhaps even the spirits of the Chickasaw who once lived on the land. I remember discovering new things every day—finding arrowheads or reptile eggs in an eroding bank, seeing a new kind of plant or animal in the fields, hearing a story from my mother about how the woods were when she was little like me and the old growth forest had not yet been cut down. Every day contained magic for me. I learned my first moral lesson from a orange kitten I decided to drop in a puddle—five burning claw marks down my hand. I realized I had no right to put him in the water against his will; it was his right to defend himself. From then on I tried to see things from others’ points -of-view. Things continued like this until I was six and a half. 

Going to school—what a life changing experience. So many rules and people. I quickly learned that most of the other children were living a different lifestyle from me. They all had telephones at their homes, ate out, and attended church 2 to 3 times per week. On top of this my public school did not recognize the separation of church and state. Teachers led children in prayer and did a devotional from the Bible each morning. Once a week a Baptist missionary came to teach us. I learned that there was much more to being good than honesty, kindness, and doing your best as my mother had taught me. You must confess your sins every day or risk going to Hell. I struggled every day to think of enough sins to confess. This was bad enough, but then I had my first spiritual crisis about age 7. The missionary had taught us how special we were that God let us be born in the US where we had enough food and had religious freedom. I lay in bed at night wondering what was so much better about me than all the little children that God had let be born in China, who not only were hungry, but ,because they had no freedom, could not hear of Jesus and by extension would then burn in everlasting Hell fire. I did not mention these things to my mother as school was my problem. My mother had told me that God loved me and that Jesus was a very good person, so I decided those at school must have it wrong—-God and Jesus must not control where people are born. This is when I began feeling like an outsider looking in.

Real thought was not much encouraged at my school because thinking might cause one to question, so I usually kept my thoughts to myself and watched. It amazed me how mean the other children could be to one another. I tried to be a kind encourager to others. I loved the school library, reading many books that no one else had ever checked out. I was a top student. I discovered William Faulkner, who had lived  a few miles away—another outsider looking in and empathizing with those he saw. Two of my favorite subjects to read about were world history and religion. I loved National Geographic Magazine, especially the pictures. At sixteen I had my second spiritual crisis—how could God condemn all those people I saw in the National Geographic to Hell just because they were not Christians? I decided a loving creator could not, that Jesus was a great moral teacher whose teachings were misunderstood,  and that we create our own heaven or hell based on choices.  Around this same time I was exposed to the ideas of Joseph Campbell on PBS. Through reading various texts, I began to see the similarities in the teachings of Jesus, the Buddha, and others. Spiritual truth exists and different people find it in different ways, but it must involve questioning and deeply thinking about the human situation past and present.

I studied history and literature in college and have been a teacher ever since.  My activism has mostly been through voting, attending meetings in my community, making lifestyle choices, talking one-on-one with others, and giving to charity. I try to find common ground and then introduce the bridge from another’s belief to my own. I am not confrontational, but I have twice been likened to the AntiChrist  by friends. 

I was first interested in Ian Somerhalder because I read that his mother was from a pig farm in Mississippi. I found that he had ideas that revealed an understanding of the overall situation facing us. The parts that impressed me most were about young people being the most underappreciated group and that if made aware they would soon be able to vote for change, the idea that love of pets can be a common denominator, and the importance of agriculture. I donated money.  I looked at all the different ISF accounts he followed on twitter from places that I wouldn’t even think could view his show The Vampire Diaries. I was particularly impressed with ISF Qld ‏ @BastetAsshurISF  and wanted to be part of the community she had created. I was so honored that she followed me. I thank everyone for making me welcome. I do feel part of a community.

Posted 1:35pm GMT on Friday, March 2nd, 2012

Your invitation to send a story about what got you interested in human rights, animal rights and/or environmentalism; or about successes and challenges you’ve experienced; your opinions on important issues of our times; people who have inspired you and why or anything you wish to share with the activist community. Your story will not be edited but published word for word, remaining true to your voice. First in, first published. Interested in writing but have trouble with English? Our Co-Administrators may be able to help. Photo’s welcome.

My story starts as a young child…
My mother is originally from Alexandria, Egypt and my father is from Greece.
Every year I would travel between both countries and have experienced not only culture but extreme poverty and cruelty.
Egypt is known for its beautiful artifacts, history, culture, the famous Pyramids and the Sphinx in Giza.
No-one talks about the poor starving people or the animal sacrifices which occur in the streets that people line up for miles in the name of entertainment, not to mention animal cruelty in general.
As you are growing up you don’t realize how bad people or the world can be, you don’t understand that animal cruelty is wrong if that’s all you have ever seen or been taught.
You don’t realize that the earth is warming and that the ozone layer is depleting because of human ignorance and greed.
I grew up loving animals and saving all the starving, thirsty and sick animals in the streets of Egypt that were left to die. I looked after them, nursed them back to health and then placed them with loving families. Much to the disapproval of the Egyptian community who don’t hold animals with any regard whatsoever, I continued doing what I knew was right!
I went through life doing exactly what I believed in and didn’t care what anyone said.
Years later just when I thought I couldn’t do anymore I discovered the Ian Somerhalder Foundation who are doing so many things to save wild life, ocean life, protect animals in general as well as all the environmental & global issues that must be addressed soon so that we have a chance to leave this world knowing that our children are safe and can enjoy all the hard work that many hundreds of thousands of people put into this world to make it a beautiful place to live in once again.
We are striving to do just that! Spread awareness and unity and we ask the world to donate http://www.crowdrise.com/ISFWorldwideDonations/fundraiser/VampireBrigade so that we can achieve many things to make the world a beautiful and safer place to live in.

We want to fight for the animals and global consciousness and make people realize that without the world there are no more people and we must share the world we live in with God’s creatures it doesn’t just belong to us.
Cruelty must be abolished, humanity must take over and pave the way. Kindness doesn’t cost us anything and to live peacefully with one another would make life so wonderful and harmonious.
Please help us achieve our goals and help make this world a beautiful place to live in.

http://www.crowdrise.com/VampireBrigade

Thank you, @VampireBrigade

Posted 01:10am GMT on Sunday, February 12th, 2012

My story??? Here it is, I hope that they will not get bored reading it;)))

In my family home I always hear: lift up the heart of the evil, help the weak. These words have done their lodestar. Since I can remember I wanted to become an owner of a dog. For 6-year olds, there were no race and the division of these animals. I wanted to have a barking muzzle-and so much!;) When I was 8 years visited the family home in the thresholds of 4 - week mongrel, found by my dad. Then was fulfilled my dream. “Funia” - because such a name he got from me. The female was accompanied by my family for 5 years. As a little girl I had no idea about training dogs, Funia was so diluted my dogs, who patiently endured playing together with dolls ;-). Unfortunately due to illness, we had to part with a dog … After graduating from high school with good academic results we got from a gift of a new dog. I felt happy again! My joy did not last long - pet deadly drunk driver hit the car. Since then, I decided not to have more dog not to get attached to any creatures and then complain after her loss. Threw himself into teaching, I finished university and now I am a young lawyer. Came new responsibilities, I was more and more busy, but something was missing.

When I read how much could be done ISF I felt like my life sneaks into a new priority. Volunteers are involved in individual projects have learned to combine forces, to listen to each other and help each other. Volunteers work together as equals regardless of their age and abilities (foundation also has projects for kids), jointly solve problems and share ideas. How nice to enjoy the effects of their hard work. The Foundation encouraged me to keep track of their activities, and so too do. Furthermore, I decided to act and help where your opportunities. Due to the fact that I was a young lawyer, I decided to use their profession to serve with the legal owners of the nearby resorts in the writing of judicial and not only in my country. Still interested in my help comes, and I’m happy that I can help four-legged creatures. At first, people ask me why got into helping for free. I’ve heard from people all over the world that after all not save, and I could earn a lot. Then I thought to myself - Well, of course, that does not fix the whole world. But who said that I could not repair it under his own nose ?????

Footsteps ISF I started to live more consciously, to pay attention to the environment, nature. Not merely just to help pets. I started with simple things: save water, segregate waste, saving energy. Going shopping with my mother has forbidden her to take plastic bags;))

Thanks to the activities of the Foundation, the vision of a better future is becoming increasingly clear. ISF still has unwavering faith in what he does, by the foundation shows how to protect the beauty of mother earth, shows how much depends on ourselves, and as individuals we are.

What’s next? We’ll see. But one thing is certain: it was worth the chance to fall, a year ago on this page ISF, read about the wonderful people acting on its behalf, we can learn from their experiences and make the verification of your life. Maybe someday, and for me to find a place in the ranks of the foundation, but until then I will keep track of new successes and activities of the foundation;))))

Kate

Posted 00:05am GMT on Friday, 3rd February, 2012