IT IS NEVER TOO HARD
Mike Zervos, CEO of B'nai Brith Courage to Care ( VIC) Inc, gave an inspiring address to The Rotary Club of Canterbury. This organization was established in 1843 and it provides a universal message.
Courage to Care reminds us , as individuals, that we need to think about our own behaviour. We also need to learn from history and about the story that every family can tell. The Question each one of us should ask is
"How do we know what triggers people?" Any speech which stops a person from being who she or he is, is inappropriate.
WHAT DOES COURAGE TO CARE DO?
The members of Courage to Care call themselves Upstanders. This differentiates them and the people they teach and mentor from those who are Bystanders
Courage to Care goes to schools, work places and other institutions, to create a generation of upstanders, who call out negative behaviour amongst people. In doing so, it deals with discrimination, racism and prejudice. Courage to care is currently celebrating its thirtieth anniversary.
Furthermore, schools do not have to travel to participate in programs. Incursion programs can also be organised. By doing so, the seeds of the future are being planted.
As B'nai B'rith is essentially a Jewish culture organisation the anecdotes from Mike focussed on the Individuals who are bystanders must be recognised. These examples include 27,000 righteous people who helped save Jews from death in World War Two. And William Cooper, an indigenous man, from Footscray who took it upon himself to make a stand and took a protest to the German Embassy in Collins Street, Melbourne VIC.
CONCLUSION
A series of questions have been raised about upstanders:
1. Who took the chance?
2 Whose behaviour are we supporting?
3. Are we doing anything?