Talk:Peace activists propose 'Fast for Freedom'

Old News
This happened on July 22 more than one month ago. So this is no longer news IMO. DragonFire1024 (Talk to the Dragon) 18:50, 29 August 2007 (UTC)

Hogshead chain
The bit on the Hogshead chain doesn't make sense and likely needs more background to do so. --Brian McNeil / talk 14:24, 30 August 2007 (UTC)


 * Yeah, went from not enough to too much, I agree took it out.Niacey 18:46, 30 August 2007 (UTC)Niacey

Notes on Fast for Freedom

 * Spoke with Heidi on July 23, 2007

What is the foundation for your project?
On the 60th anniversary of the Independence and partition of India and Pakistan I heard one of the best ideas I have heard for a long time. It was on a Sunday news program hosted by Peter Sisson on BBC News 24. On it he was interviewing Mahatma Ghandi's grandson and when asked what Mahatma Ghandi would have done if he was around and saw the Al-Qaeda problem. It was answered with why dont all the Muslims, Christians and others have a day of fasting to show Al-Qaeda that we reject their philosophy. What a good idea!

Do you think really think everyone will get involved?
I know my views will be controversial but I really cannot see why Al-Qaeda are so popular? Yes George W Bush is a warmongering idiot, but to support a anti-liberal, female and democratic philosophy is certainly not the way to go. But there again as in the 2nd World War we in Britain supported a racist, class conscious, misogynistic, drunk as our leader against the fascist - he was called Churchill - so I suppose when in a war you ultimately side with the extremist.

Anyway back to the point a worldwide fasting against war and Al-qaeda is the way to go, it would be a totally visible, it would have meaning, it would prove that a belief in a liberal democracy does mean making sacrifices and it would give the sensible Muslims a genuine point of contact with people who may not understand Islam. One of the most interesting things about Ghandi was that he was a Hindu who was killed by an extremist Hindu because he was seen as being to close to Muslims. Extremist do like to use the gun, don't they?

August 8, 2007

Heidi, I have heard you talk about the idea behind the fast for freedom campaign,When do you expect a coming out date?
Today is the day we finally go for it! We have no choice but to try and do something. The road to hell maybe paved with good intentions but to do nothing is a dereliction of our responsibility for our fellow humans.

Do you really think one voice will reach everyone?
Funny to think that the people who suffer the most are the ones without the chance to voice their opinion. No-one wants their children to suffer and die, so why is it happening? I maybe being simplistic but sometimes its the simple things that need to be addressed.

What kind of change are you expecting?
We are trying to change opinion by using the moral argument of self harm, yes it is negative and yes it can be taken too far but in the end those in a position to do something have to draw a line in the sand and say

WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH ALREADY...

Do you expect diversified opinions?
Some will definitely have a go at our naivety and say we should be realistic but what is realistic about hating someone because they have the wrong colour, sex, gender, religion, class, caste, tribe, culture?

What makes Fast for Freedom different than all other similar movements today?
08:08:08 has no leaders, has no structure, has no celebrity endorsement, has no party line except please treat your neighbour in a respectful way and hopefully we can come to some point of commonality. The problem will always be in the detail but that just makes it interesting. As they say in Yorkshire an English region ‘…it takes all sorts to make the world go round.

Heidi, fasting for 24 hours is a long time. How are going to respond? How can fasting be so simple for you?
by the way, when I go very angry, I don't eat

I can't eat when I am angry. The food won't go down. Sometimes I'll go on one or two days not eating, until I am less angry (and hungry).

If you succeed in reaching the whole world 08/08/08, What meaning is behind the message?
we shall fast, and get hungry for peace Hungry for a non-violent world Hungry for new laws that stop the production of weapons

who needs weapons? Hunters? But there is nothing left to hunt anymore Who needs weapons? Cops? But there are enough weapons out there for cops already

August 9, 2007

What action is most important about Fast for Freedom?
OK so here we are in our brave new world of starting a global movement to join the other global movements for peace, non-violence and justice for all. The most important thing we must do is get the message out and the best way I suppose is to tell your friends, families, colleagues and random individuals you meet, there are no real rules and things like words and images - such as the logo you may see associated with the campaign are for use to help publicise the campaign.

As for the act of fasting my personal feeling is that I wish that no one is seriously hurt by fasting as I am that way inclined, so if you need to have food, fruit juice due to health reasons then so be it, and be honest about it, tell people or encourage people to look at the issues - the more you discuss the better we can influence our leaders.

Heidi, how are you going to demonstrate your participation in the proposed fast?
I am being straight with you I will probably be drinking water, but not fruit juice. I will try not to have water, but there may be a possibility that I will drink water. Again it is a personal view and if you don't want to drink water then that is your choice. I will definitely not be eating any food however.

Have you scheduled a time August 8, 2008, to fast?
Another interesting view was the timing of the fast - should it be sunrise to sunset or midnight to midnight - good point! I have no personal view on the subject and originally I thought of doing sunrise to sunset but I am beginning to favour midnight to midnight. again it is a personal choice and it is up to you to decide.

What are you plans to break the language barrier?
Another issue is having translators to get the message in other languages. Being a slow learner I have never really studied any other language except English - which can be pretty poor at the best of times, so if you know anyone who is good at English and another language please try and get them on board as it will help the campaign to propagate.

August 12, 2007

Heidi, What is you opinion on corruption and the backdoor it uses to influence the nieve?
Just look at companies such as Top Shop they will give our favourite super model coke snorting Kate Moss £5 million to endorse their products, but they will not give the workers who actual make the products a living wage, in fact there are accusations in today's paper that the workers are on a 'slave wage' of £4 per day - not even a price of a Kate Moss endorsed T-shirt.

So there you have it, a person who actually does nothing of any worth except snort cocaine, wear clothes on a platform and sleeps with rubbish junkie mediocre musicians gets £100,000 per week A woman who works for 12 hours per day six days a week, receives £24 per week for her efforts!

No wonder our children in the west want to do media studies and not physics. Who can blame them, why study and be a person who wants to change the world by thinking up a new scientific theory when you can lay down on your back, stick a needle in your arm and make £5 million pounds?

Thank you Heidi.

Email Friday August 24, 2007 05:03pm EDT niacey wrote: Heidi I need a little Bio about yourself please. I know that this may make you feel uncomfortable Can you also elaborate on how long you have known Mike
 * RE: info

What is your relation to the Laurel Pub company? you represent the complaintant? You are not Robertson, Right?

Saturday August 25, 2007 - 01:42pm EDT Heidi Hog wrote:

Here is my bio: Heidi Hog is a composite of many publican characters and is the main identity for a campaign to restore wrongs which were perpetrated by a major pub company against friends and family of dead family members. The company, commonly referred to as the 'Evil Empire' stole a memorial dedicated to friends and family of Heidi Hog, for no other reason except that it aimed to print the truth as the workers saw it and not some disingenuous claptrap. This led to WIPO dispute and an employment dispute and in some ways is still going on as the blog www.hogshead.info and the information site www.hogsheapubs.com is keeping the flame of free speech and honouring ones dead in the way the mourner’s wish to mourn.

Thursday August 30, 2007 - 01:07pm EDT --niacey wrote: Good day Heidi..sorry about the personal questions earlier..still waiting for link from BBC ..It is good that more than one person asking..maybe that will spark a speedy response...If you count going on 4 weeks a speedy response. I got peter sissons email and he is slow at response too...I tried to search archive for 7/22/07(this is right?) and found an interview in 2004 but nothing related to the treaty anniversary of Turkey and that Sunday shows interview. The AM sunday show has an archive of everything else BUT 7/22!! Its crazy anyways....Something soon I'm sure. And I took a lot of thought into representing you in the article I hope that you are pleased

Spoke with Mike July 22, 2007

Mike, How did you get involved with Fast for Freedom?
I read it on Sunday morning before heading to church. A Yahoo! friend of mine, Heidi Hog, recently posted a blog. It is based on an interview with Arun Ghandi, Mahatma Ghandi's grandson, on the BBC. The younger Ghandi proposed a one-day fast among Christians, Jews and Muslims as a show of unity against the extremists.

What were your thoughts about Gandhi response to 'fast'?
So, after reading and hearing all this, I started to think. My first question was, "How do we get this started?"

What is a proper fast?
Isaiah 58:1 - 12. The reading deals with fasting, and what God considers to be a proper fast.

Can you remember and quote some of the passage?

bicker and fighting, swinging mean fists are the fasts get off the ground...

the kind of fast day I'm after: breaking the chains of injustice, riddin exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, and cancel debts. I'm interested in seeing you share your food with the hungry, invitw the homeless poor into your home,putt clothes on the shivering ill-clad & be available to your own families...

If you get rid of unfair practices,quit blaming victims, quit gossiping about other people's sins,If you are generous with the hungry and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out. Your lives will begin to glow in the darkness, your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight.


 * August 5, 2005

Your thoughts on Fast for Freedom and your thoughts about a pivotal change?
I'm glad you asked.

We (a very small group of us idealistic dreamers) are taking on the world that day. We are trying to start a world-wide movement for a One Day Fast on Aug. 8, 2008. The point is for those of us who are religious and political moderates to take a day of action to show the extremists that we are united...that we do not embrace their violent means of trying to bring about world change.

We will change the world peacefully, by focusing on ourselves — not in a selfish way, but in an introspective way. We will take one day to deny ourselves our selfish desires and see what in us is fueling hatred, violence and extremism. We will look at what in us is causing division and strife. Once we've looked inside, we turn outward and stand up for what we believe. We reach across the lines that divide us, the institutions that oppress others, and make peace.


 * August 7, 2005

Mike, What are your thoughts on Fast for Freedom?
So here's my vision: Do something different. For centuries, we've tried to beat each other into submission. We've tried the violence: physical, emotional, economic, political. Now, for just one day, let's try something different. Let's reach across the barriers that separate us and the institutions that oppress.

What do hope people will be doing different on 08/08/08 to show involvment?
Spend the day helping those who are less fortunate, who are down-and-out (even if it's their own damn fault...quit blaming). Spend the day talking with someone you would not ordinarily talk with or to whom you are opposed in some way: different religion, different orientation, different political affiliation... Better yet, spend the day listening to that person. Listening, that would be really different for a lot of us. That's it. One day of doing something different.

Mike, you mention 'One day of doing something different', Dissarming peolpe from guns and violence wouldn't be different?
It's not about disarming the world or banning armies and guns and weapons of mass destruction. It's not about "no nukes" or anything else. It's about one day on which we deny ourselves food, deny ourselves greed, deny ourselves arrogance, deny ourselves violence.

Thank you Mike

Tue Aug 28, 2007 3:43 pm

-Mike wrote: Here is my bio:

And everyone is invited. Race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender, orientation, age, language...none of it matters. You're all invited!

My name is Mike and I live in Orlando, Florida, USA...a city best known as being the home of Mickey Mouse, Walt Disney World, SeaWorld and Universal Studios. I work in Public Relations and Marketing, focusing on transportation and construction. I play guitar and collect fountain pens.

Part of the vision for the Fast for Peace/Fast for Freedom came from me. It's been an inspiration and a small attempt to make a difference. I've never tried to start a world-wide movement before, so I'm fumbling through with a little imagination and a lot of faith.

I'm glad you're part of the journey.

Gandhi stands up to Osama

Gandhi stands up to Osama