Religion is People

It seems for most of us, it's harder to have faith in people than it is to assume the worst. I must be a bit of a weird one in that I am often blown away by human actions for good reasons, far more often than I am by bad.

Ok, so he wasn't dressed like this - but still

For example, I think I found Santa! My partner and I were on the overground on our way to support a friend at his comedy gig, and a child was tired and crying. It didn't matter what her dad tried to do to make her stop, she kept crying. A man sat nearby had clearly just been Christmas shopping and was laden with gifts. He reached into his bag and pulled out a teddy bear. He gave it to the dad to calm the child down and lo and behold, it worked.

The tube stopped a few stops down the line and the father and daughter turned to get off the train. The dad reached out to the man to give him back his teddy bear and the man simply said, 'no, don't worry, keep it'. What a lovely man! It was certainly an easy way to cheer up an entire carriage. As I looked around everyone in the train was smiling having just witnessed a very natural and spontaneous act of kindness. It was definitely Santa in disguise!

Alan Turing

I find it quite hard to explain even to my partner how much people inspire me. I honestly think they are amazing. Having just seen 'The Imitation Game' and seeing how much Alan Turing achieved, even though he found it hard to make friends and was labelled an odd ball, really got to me. As I tried to explain why I have so much faith in people, I found I couldn't even finish my sentence. I was crying. And that is why I cannot explain why people amaze me so much, because it is so overpowering that there just aren't words to express it. 

Others say such faith is naive, but I disagree. I think it's wonderful. I don't follow a religion but if I had to choose one, my religion would be people. Call it what you like, but take some time to look around this Christmas. There are lots of horrible things happening in the world but people, even amidst a world of suffering, can be wonderful. For example, my 88yr old grandmother had her purse stolen from her bag this week, and the thief ran off with an old lady's pension money she was hoping to spend on looking nice at her grandson's wedding. At this point, yes, people suck. Then comes a young policeman who's duty was to take down what happened. He didn't stop there though. He walked arm in arm with my grandmother to the post office to cancel her card before ensuring that an elderly lady was escorted home in a police car in case she was shaken up by what had happened. That last bit, is not in his job description, but he did it anyway, because he really cared about my grandmother getting home safe. At this point, people are great!

So, like I say, look around this Christmas, maybe you'll find yourself being wonderful too!

Merry Christmas!

Red Lines

Tomorrow 26th September, the UK government votes yes or no to ISIS air strikes. Tonight I,along with a room full of documentary-goers at Rich Mix cinema in Shoreditch, London have shared a Skype call with two devoted Syrian activists, Mouaz and Razan joined by US congressmen Adam Kinzinger from the Syrian border, who urge MPs in the the UK to vote 'yes'. Not just for strikes on ISIS but also on Assad's airstrips that drop an average of 60 barrel bombs a day on Syrian civilians according to activist Mouaz. Using Congressman Kinzinger's own words, as heard in the recording below ..  The fastest way to kill ISIS is to kill Assad. But the recording is about much more than that, it about the plea of 9 million displaced Syrians and the many who have already perished.

Red Lines by Tvset on Mixcloud

Tonight I saw the struggle of these two activists as they have spent the years since the beginning of the revolution, rallying UK MPs and US congressmen to offer more than just lip service and to deliver on their promises to support moderate civilian forces, provide humanitarian aid and strike Assad in retaliation of his ongoing disregard for the red lines laid out. Even today there is news of more chemical attacks on civilians and yet, we hear nothing. 

This Skype conversation was not sensationalised, it was not for the media, nor for the newspapers, and activists, UK documentary goers and congressmen alike, could plainly and freely express their horror at the continuing of a genocide that has been deemed acceptable and forgettable by the West.

Razan and Mouaz

Now, as our UK government votes, I say no more and instead urge you to listen to this short recording of a short part of our Q&A tonight to decide for yourselves that we should rally our UK MPs to vote yes to military action against ISIS, who share mutual aspirations as Assad...' Support us or support them, either way one of us will rule you'. 

Following that, it is more than military action. We must provide support for the creation and continuation of civilian police forces and support for the FSA, vetted through the right channels and with the help of those on the ground who know the good from the bad. It is about condemning Assad and retaliating when he assaults the freedom of unarmed, innocent civilians. He can no longer tell us that he targets militants. ISIS remain untouched and unchallenged. They are not the same entity but they share the same aims. If we do not wish to say yes to air strikes that may unavoidably kill innocents, then we must push and push for the UK government to instead strike Assad airstrips. Destroying airstrips is to save thousands.

A few months ago I sat across the table from congressman Cicilline in Washington DC who expressed he did not agree with the failure to act against Assad. US congressman are voicing their opinions, so when the bell rings calling our UK MPs to vote, whether it's a yes or a no, they must at least be rallied to deliver on their promises and #FreeSyria. I will not turn a blind eye to dying children, nor will these two wonderful activists and their networks, nor will the humanitarian charities who work to give aid, such as Iman Mujahed of Hand in Hand for Syria but this, is not enough. Syria needs Western governments to intervene.

The rest I will leave to Razan and Mouaz, and to congressman Kinzinger. And if you can find a way of watching the documentary 'Red Lines' then please do.

Faces - Professional Viking

Today I went to the Tall Ship Parade of Sail in Greenwich where over 50 tall ships sailed along the Thames. It was a majestic farewell as the ships floated away into the shadows of the O2 Arena and face the expanse of sea ahead.

I also took a stroll around the festival grounds at the Maritime Museum and came across this man. He was sat making rope, outside a tent, eating nothing but bread and sporting a genuine beast of a beard. Thinking this was cool I took it upon myself to ask about his day job. His brief answer was - 'I'm a professional viking' - which I think is the best job title EVER. Today he took a day off from being a viking and instead took a trip back to show us the trades of our past.

He then went on to tell me how awesome his job really is, as him and his chums got to spend a solitary night at Lindisfarne monastery watching the stars, listening to the sound of the seals singing and the waves lapping at the island's edge. What a perfect image and the perfect way to make the office sound less appealing!

Look out for him at historical themed events near you - particularly viking events - he's a professional.

Guest Post for FLETCHERWILSON - 8 Apps, 8 Days

Follow this link to FLETCHERWILSON's blog to read my reviews on the latest most popular free photography apps.
http://www.therealstorycompany.com/2014/08/8-photo-apps-in-8-days.html

Check out my photos and feel free to share your own with me @katmace11 and @FWFilm on twitter!

The faces of the Vietnam Memorial & the Berlin wall
I like this not only because of its political resonance, but it implies transcendence.

Faces - The Homeless Man & his Shopping Cart

This man became one of the faces I remembered most from Washington. Every time we got on the coach or in a taxi, we would pass him. He was never without his shopping cart and never accompanied by anyone else.

The homeless community in Washington DC seemed very much to be a community. They would gather together under bridges and collect beds and furniture to create their own 'home'. They would sit in deck-chairs in a circle talking. This man was always alone. I never got to hear his story, but I hope that in some ways this picture tells at least a part of it.

If you ever see him, maybe you can find out his story.

HET in Washington: Days 1 - 3

Sunday 27^th July – 

Yad Vashem, Israel, 2013

Today, myself and 16 other Regional Ambassadors for the Holocaust Educational Trust (HET) fly out to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC, for a week of intense study to further our knowledge of the holocaust and learn about our roles in genocide prevention today. It’s quite a poignant callout for me, particularly as this time last year we were all visiting a seemingly peaceful Israel where people roamed unrestricted through the streets of Jerusalem. If only the whole of Israel/Palestine reflected that freedom.

This week I will be updating my blog with things I have learned, debates I have struck, struggles I have seen and wonderful moments I have shared with my fellow ambassadors. Taking into account the state of affairs around the world today, I feel more driven than ever to do something about it. Learning about perhaps the greatest example of persecution and genocide, is something I can only ever benefit from in applying these lessons to, in some small way, make a difference.


Monday 28th July

Day 1 at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) and today we met the 'Bringing the Lessons Home' Ambassadors who showed us around the permanent exhibition. Their knowledge was expansive and I really enjoyed our tour of exhibition. It actually ended up to be a transferral of knowledge from both sides. We shared with them, our experiences of testimonies and sites we had visited and they shared with us their own recollections and factual knowledge. I was very grateful to our guide for allowing us to get involved. It is also encouraging to know that there are other ambassadors across the world who do what we do. They share with us the responsibility to keep the memory of the holocaust alive and that touched me more than I thought it would. It's like being a part of a community that I never knew existed, and it's global.

Dora Klayman

Later we heard from holocaust survivor Dora Klayman. She shared with us her amazing story of survival, having been supported by a community in Ludbreg. She went into hiding with a German family, the Runjaks, along with her brother Zdravko after her parents and aunt had been denounced and deported. This Catholic family kept them safe within their family with three other children of their own. Dora told us of the local community in Ludbreg, many of whom had joined the Partisans and in solidarity, kept quiet about Dora's existence. Having served a period of detainment in Jasenovac, Dora's uncle returned and they became a family again. Sadly, Zdravko passed away at just 5yrs old in 1946 from Scarlet Fever due to an absence of Penicillin. Her uncle adopted her and she refused adoption from other relatives that had survived. In 1954, she visited family in Switzerland and stayed there, and studied English. She met her husband on a train towards Venice and eventually moved to Washington DC. Dora is a wonderful person and I value very much the story that she shared with us. It is one of the first testimonies I have herd that did not involve transportation to the East and it restored a little faith in humanity that some, were willing to put themselves at risk, to help another.

You can listen to a podcast from Dora here: https://ushmm.org/museum/publicprograms/programs/firstperson/podcast/detail.php?EventId=5E349346-52B8-4B7D-9504-F9F616906759

HET Regional Ambassadors with Survivor Dora Klayman

Tuesday 29th July

Today we had a morning of studying the role of collaboration in the holocaust. More than that though, we were thinking about complicity. How easy is it for us to be complicit in our everyday lives, turn a blind eye to those less fortunate, stay quiet about conflict across the world? In the terms of the holocaust we explored the role of ordinary men and women of Europe and the investment they made in the Nazi party. We explored how some stood by and others waged a war of their own in trying to help the victims of the Nazi regime. Assessing responsibility and guilt for these people was extremely challenging. How could we possibly judge a child who wanted to joined the Hitler Youth when all they'd ever known was Nazism? We can't, can we?

Then, on our tour around Washington we visited the World War II Memorial, the Vietnam War Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial and the White House. Perhaps the most poignant moment of these visits, was when I stopped to talk to the protestor sat outside the White House. His story was incredible. His father had fought and died in the Vietnam war, leaving him and his two brothers in the care of their mother who became very fragile. Even more tragic is that his father never knew of the existence of his youngest son, conceived during his last visit home. The boys took to caring for themselves, doing things they perhaps shouldn't have, for money to get by. They got so accustomed to running for their lives, or from the police that all three brothers gained scholarships to college for their sporting ability. He now sits among others outside the White House in the pitch that has been situated there since 1984. An incredible story and one that really encompassed the spirit that we had been approaching all day. He refuses to be complicit in the ongoing conflicts around the world, having seen the damage they can do to a family worldwide and I am extremely grateful that I heard his story.



THE REST OF THE WEEK CONTINUES IN MY NEXT POST....