It can be tough to talk about some of the serious and real issues that are discussed on this blog. I know that for me, it can be empowering and invigorating to study about what is going on in the world and to find ways to contribute and help, however it can also be information overload, or just disheartening. However, I find it helpful to look at the humble giants throughout history who have accomplished great things despite their circumstances and challenges.
To finish up my posts about human trafficking and slavery, I wanted to talk a little bit about one of my favorite heroines, Sophie Scholl. This girl was so incredible. Sophie lived in Germany during the reign of the Nazi Socialist party. She and her brother and other peers were students at the University of Munich who started the non-violent anti Nazi revolutionary group that they called the ‘White Rose’. They had a few reasons for the name, but the one that sticks out to me is that the white rose symbolizes purity and innocence in the face of evil.
Their situation was different than ours is today; however, they were still motivated by the same principles of love, freedom and peace for all people that motivates us as disciples of Christ. The girls that I have been talking about in my posts in regards to human trafficking are oppressed in different ways, but however different their circumstances, they still need freedom. They need someone to fight for them. They need voices of courage to speak for them.
Sophie and the other members of the White Rose boldly spoke out against that terrifying regime. They were so passionate about the rights and freedom for their people that they wrote out their philosophies and pleadings to their fellow Germans and then distributed them on leaflets and left them anonymously throughout the campus.
Can you imagine the courage that it would take to speak out against the Nazi party? The Nazis were ruthless, but these students knew and understood the value of truth, the worth of freedom and the worth of each soul. They knew that it was worth sacrificing for and Sophie and many other members of the White Rose became martyrs for their cause.
The victims of the Holocaust were ripped from their homes and dehumanized, their possessions were taken from them, and they were brutally killed. The victims of human trafficking are similarly often ripped from their homes and societies, dehumanized and brutally abused. They face terrible atrocities and as Mormon wrote, they are [deprived] . . . of that which [is] most dear and precious above all things, which is chastity and virtue’ (Moroni 9:9).
Thank goodness for that passion for freedom that has driven countless people to crusade and fight for liberty and safety and to fight against the opposition of purity and innocence. Thank goodness for people like Sophie Scholl and those of the White Rose who put every ounce of effort that they had into spreading the message of truth.
One of the Women’s Services and Resource Center’s themes right now is "Be a Voice of Courage." We may not need to sacrifice our lives for the causes that we feel passionate about, but even if you are only one person, your voice is valuable and you can make a difference through your actions and most especially with your words. Be a voice of courage and take a stand for freedom, whether it is in your broader community or within your own home.
Another way that you can participate in the Voice of Courage Campaign is to run with us October 19th at the Voices of Courage 5K. The run will start at 8:30 am at the RB Quad.
Also, another P.S. There is a great movie screening next week on campus that talks about these important women’s issues and helping women to become free all around the world. If you would like to see this film, Half the Sky, I definitely encourage you to go! It will play in two parts: the first half will be played October 2nd and the second half will be shown on the 3rd. It will be in room 238 in the HRCB. Join the Facebook group here.
ADSENSE HERE