| I believe it is possible for ordinary
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| | that doesn't glorify violence and war,
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| people to achieve extraordinary things.
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| | but where we seek different solutions to
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| For me, the difference between an
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| | our common problems. I believe that these
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| "ordinary" and an "extraordinary" person
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| | days, daring to voice your opinion,
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| is not the title that person might have,
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| | daring to find out information from a
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| but what they do to make the world a
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| | variety of sources, can be an act of
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| better place for us all.
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| | courage.
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| I have no idea why people choose to do
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| | I know that holding such beliefs and
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| what they do. When I was a kid I didn't
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| | speaking them publicly is not always easy
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| know what I wanted to be when I grew up,
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| | or comfortable or popular, particularly
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| but I did know what I didn't want to do.
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| | in the post-9/11 world. But I believe
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| I didn't want to grow up, have 2.2 kids,
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| | that life isn't a popularity contest. I
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| get married, the whole white picket fence
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| | really don't care what people say about
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| thing. And I certainly didn't think about
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| | me -- and believe me, they've said
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| being an activist. I didn't even really
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| | plenty. For me, it's about trying to do
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| know what one was.
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| | the right thing even when nobody else is
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| My older brother was born deaf. Growing
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| | looking.
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| up, I ended up defending him, and I often
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| | I believe that worrying about the
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| think that is what started me on my path
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| | problems plaguing our planet without
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| to whatever it is I am today.
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| | taking steps to confront them is
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| When I was approached with the idea of
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| | absolutely irrelevant. The only thing
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| trying to create a landmine campaign, we
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| | that changes this world is taking action.
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| were just three people in a small office
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| | I believe that words are easy. I believe
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| in Washington, D.C., in late 1991. I
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| | that truth is told in the actions we
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| certainly had more than a few ideas about
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| | take. And I believe that if enough
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| how to begin a campaign, but what if
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| | ordinary people back up our desire for a
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| nobody cared? What if nobody responded?
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| | better world with action, we can, in
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| But I knew the only way to answer those
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| | fact, accomplish absolutely extraordinary
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| questions was to accept the challenge.
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| | things.
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| If I have any power as an individual,
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| | Jody Williams is the founding coordinator
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| it's because I work with other
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| | of the International Campaign to Ban
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| individuals in countries all over the
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| | Landmines, which was awarded the Nobel
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| world. We are ordinary people: My friend
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| | Peace Prize in 1997. Williams previously
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| Jemma, from Armenia; Paul, from Canada;
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| | did humanitarian work for people in El
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| Kosal, a landmine survivor from Cambodia;
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| | Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Her
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| Haboubba, from Lebanon; Christian, from
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| | interest in advocacy began with a leaflet
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| Norway; Diana, from Colombia; Margaret,
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| | on global activism handed to her outside
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| another landmine survivor, from Uganda;
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| | a subway station.
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| and thousands more. We've all worked
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| | Reprinted from the book This I Believe:
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| together to bring about extraordinary
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| | The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable
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| change. The landmine campaign is not just
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| | Men and Women by Jay Allison and Dan
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| about landmines -- it's about the power
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| | Gediman, eds. Published by Henry Holt.
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| of individuals to work with governments
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| | (October 2006;$23.00US/$31.00CAN;
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| in a different way.
| |
| | 0-8050-8087-2) Copyright © 2006 This I
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| I believe in both my right and my
| |
| | Believe, Inc.
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| responsibility to work to create a world
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| |
|
