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Loren Booda
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What have you done, or done without, to benefit most the least of us?
I volunteer my time to various charitable organizations. It is my belief that hands on is better than writing checks. I use public transportation and ride a bike, buy locally produced food, and am actively promoting smart growth in my community.Loren Booda said:What have you done, or done without, to benefit most the least of us?
Exactly, when I saw this thread title, the first thing that popped into my head is; the blood of a virgin lamb?loseyourname said:... but I don't consider any of them to be "sacrifices." It's not like I've given up anything.
Wrong. You flipped burgers at a fast food joint, didn't ya?Smurf said:nothing. And proud of it.
mathwonk said:I also did not make ny sacrifices per se, but I did act as I thought requierd by the circumstances at the time. I marched in Montgomery with Martin Luther King, at some risk to my life, as i was approached with hostility at least once. I skipped hour exams for this and my grades suffered (i had done the reading).
Later I demonstrated peacefully in support of a draft refuser from the Vietnam war, when the police asked the reporters to go home so they could "end this quick". Ultimately I ended up in a Boston emergency room that day with 6 stitches in my head from a plain clothes policemans billy club. While he beat me I protected a fallen but uniformed pliceman with my body from the crush of people driven forward by the rogue police.
As I grew more observant of police treatment of innocents, I vocally defended a young man falsely arrested for fighting after he ahd ben beaten by thugs, when the police were to lazy to chase the perps, but arrested the victim instead. In response the police threw me in jail, tore my clothes and threatened me.
I turned in my draft card in protest against havingthe privileged position of deferred student, was promptly drafted, refused, and had my draft records forwarded to my tennessee draft board for prosecution. my case was included in the spock trial, where the poor pediatrics doctor was accused of corrupting my mind and those of other people of conscience. I was saved from up to 20 years in federal prison when the courts began throwing out cases of conscience.
Later i stopped paying my income taxes for two years (after accurately reporting the amount owed) since they went largely for war. The government ignored my reasons explained clearly in a letter, threw away the letter and treated it like a non payment case, preferring not tell their own collections people that there were citizens who risked jail to oppose the war.
Ultimately I ceased all these activities out of weariness and inability to function and have a family. I soothed my conscience that I waited until Nixon (of all people) got us out of vietnam. But I have not done much of anything on the last 30 years. I still refuse to apply for grant money even for harmless geometry research, if the money comes from DARPA.
For those who are younger I will say this: I never thought there could be a worse president than Nixon, but W is so much worse there is no question. Nixon was not an idiot, and had some concern for his image in the history books. There are apparently few things worse than a leader who is both unintelligent and self righteous. Ask some other people of my age what they think. I have heard lots of people say these things. Even from the world war II veterans era.
Sacrifices are unnecessary, just do what you think is right, but be a little prudent. Stay out of jail if possible, but at least vote.
Now that is a sacrifice.Mech_Engineer said:I eat meat to make sure domesticated animals don't overtake the world
Skyhunter said:Now that is a sacrifice.
But I suspect you eat it for the taste.
Skyhunter said:Now that is a sacrifice.
But I suspect you eat it for the taste.
Pythagorean said:ironically enough, there's been plenty of greedy, desperate, and twisted people that push technology and thought in a direction that has 'helped' humanity in the end. (Hitler and Newton to name a few).
It's hard to say what negative or positive influence any of your actions will have on the rest of the world in the long term. If you agree with that statement, than you must recognize that any short term satisfaction gained from altruistic acts are similar to the stroke an owner gives its cat.
All of the life.Loren Booda said:Picture the life that benefits from one's generous work.
An investment is not a sacrifice.pcorbett said:Oh, and I gave $200 to the Bush/Cheney campaign in 2004. Best investment I've ever made.
Skyhunter said:An investment is not a sacrifice.
Just curious, what are the returns on that investment so far?
You called it an investment, I was just pointing out that the thread is about making sacrifices.pcorbett said:You say tomato, I say tomato.
Who is our enemy in the ME?pcorbett said:Plenty good on Iraq, if you google up a certain derogatory phrase for our enemy in the ME. Not so good on Lebanon yet. Then again, this might be a peculiar taste for someone who has to see Ground Zero everyday for the next few years or so.
Wiktionary said:4. (Chess) To intentionally give up a piece in order to improve one's position on the board.
Wiktionary said:6. Give up something extremely valuable in exchange for something else of great importance (NOT implying that the second is of lesser value)
"God sacrificed His only-begotten Son, so that all people might have eternal life."
Schrodinger's Dog said:Donating $400 to the Bush/Cheny Campaign.
Sacrifice
1. Relinquishment of something at less than its presumed value.
2. Something so relinquished.
3. A loss so sustained.
I'd say it was a sacrifice, that's money you'll never see the worth of, but then I'm biased j/k
The inspiration for my greatest sacrifice for the world came from my passion for making a positive impact on society and my desire to use my skills and knowledge as a scientist to contribute to the greater good.
My greatest sacrifice for the world was giving up a lucrative career in the private sector to pursue a research project that aimed to find a solution to a pressing global issue.
There were many challenges that I faced, including financial constraints, time constraints, and skepticism from others about the potential success of my research project. However, I persevered and overcame these challenges through determination and hard work.
The impact of my sacrifice was significant, as my research project led to the development of a groundbreaking solution that has positively impacted the lives of millions of people around the world. It has also opened up new avenues for further research and innovation in this field.
Without a doubt, I would make the same sacrifice again. Seeing the positive impact of my sacrifice on the world has been incredibly fulfilling and has reinforced my belief in the power of science to make a difference. I am grateful for the opportunity to have made a meaningful contribution to society.