sangfroid

I’ve been slacking off pretty hard when it came to getting Gandhi’s webpage up, but I finally did. I have half of all the things I need, which isn’t so bad, especially considering I coded two of those today. I’ve had his huge biography done for a few days now, and I was going to put it up the day I finished it. However, I had written out the webpage on another website. I got distracted and closed that webpage, and so I got frustrated with myself.

Next time I get the chance, I will be working on the timelines. I have no idea how to code things for image galleries! Hell, I barely know how to code at all. Which is my secret: I do not know how to code websites. At all. This is why I keep my website so simple. I want it to be clean, neat, and easy to do – which it is, I think. If I tried to make it pretty, then it would get complicated,fast, and then what would I be left with? An ugly website. So, as of now, it might be eye-burningly white, but at least it doesn’t look trashy.

In more exciting news on the website, we’ve reached Google! Yay! This made my heart swell, to see my little slice of the internet shining bright when I typed in “pacifism online”. Ah, such a good end to such a stressful day.

Yesterday, thirty children were killed among 160 lives that were lost to car bombings. Two bombs went off near the Ministry of Justice in Baghdad, and hundreds were injured. This is the largest bombing which the capital has seen in years. While Iraq seems to be making progress, it seems that this is  a very fragile progress. If these elections do not happen as planned, then there is expected to be much violence there.

Today we hear the back story from this horrible story.

Perhaps from a more knowing mind, isrealblog.com also has a story on this: http://israelblog.com/

They include a passage from the man who was attacked.

I’m sorry for the long time without any updates on the website! I realize that I have few people on here as of now, but I feel an obligation to anyone who might be watching the website for updates.

Currently, I am working on the biography for Gandhi and reading and finding other websites for pacifism. Because Gandhi is such a huge figure in pacifism, what with being the forefather of noncooperation and civil disobedience, I will make sure that his profile is extensive. I am almost done with his biography, and it will probably reach over six pages. I plan on it being something like this: a page with any time lines and quotes from Gandhi, a page with his biography, and an image gallery. I want all the large characters in the peace movement to be covered extensively.

I will probably get everything I want set up before I really try to get the word out there about the website. A few more biographies complete, a page on links and other resources (maybe), and maybe even something about promoting peace today… Then, I think, would be a good time to get the word out about the website. Right now, we aren’t even on Google, which is okay by me, so far. There’s not much content, and I want that to change before people start clicking about.

Here’s some interesting facts for you:

- There are more people against the war today than there were people against Vietnam.

- There is still a draft.

Put that in your peace pipe and smoke it.

We need to inspire the masses to get the involved, and I hope I can do that.

Isn’t this exciting? Now my little slice of the internet has it’s own blog. It also has some real information on it, as of today. That’s right: with the addition of the page on Einstein (pacifismonline.com/einstein.html), my website went from being empty words and a bit of wasted space to something with substance on it.  It also got a whole new dimension on it: the blog.

I suppose I shall introduce myself. I am Robin. I am a university student, situated in the South. I am majoring in philosophy, and probably spend too much of my time online, when I should be studying.  Ah, well. Anyway. I do consider myself a pacifist. It is something I am incredibly passionate about. Why am I so passionate about world peace? That’s a good question. Even I don’t now the answer.

I suppose it is just ingrained into my character. It is not as though I am part of a family which is against violence, nor do I live in a town which is. Rather, I live in a military town which practically worships the base that’s here. I see “Support Our Troops” stickers and people who will support war no matter what everywhere. It is the American Sparta. Indeed, for a long time, even I was supportive of the military and thought war was needed. I was even in JROTC for some time; I didn’t think I wanted to join the military, but I would if I had to.

I’m not sure what made me a pacifist. I cannot recall a single moment of epiphany. I think it was that I had happened to read about pacifism one day, and I thought it about. I wondered what human rights meant and the message that war was sending out. I also read about how was is not necessary. It is used, but it’s not always what has to be used. In fact, in the opinions and history of many places, it doesn’t have to be used at all.
I believe this is why I created this website. I want to give others who are already pacifists something to smile at, but those who are not to have something to think about. I don’t want to “convert” anyone, but if I change some minds for the better along the way, then I will be happy.

I do hope that I can have a strong userbase on here. Even if it just a handful of people, it would be nice to have some like-minded friends to speak with.

Also: I imagine many people who stumble upon my little website will wonder why in the world I named it “sangfroid”. It means composure and peace of mind. I thought it was appropriate for a blog about peace.

-Robin