I'm putting this here for a friend of mine who wants to make a difference in the world........
http://www.sponsume.com/project/send-me-gaza
Please send me to Gaza
Hi my name is Sarah Strudwick and I am an activist and writer on the subject of abuse, including children. My skills include avid social media blogging, and raising awareness of issues both home and abroad.
The harsh reality is that without your support I am cannot go so I'll try to keep the message short and sweet.
I've just been accepted on the convoy to Gaza which was organised by Harry Fear a journalist who lives and works in Gaza.
Many people in the UK and worldwide have been oblivious to the atrocities that happen in Gaza on a daily basis due to the fact that its rarely covered in mainstream news and often the news is biased. Thirty years ago I lived in Israel and saw what was happening first hand. Over the years things have become substantially worse ! As a result I have had a keen interest in observing what is happening albeit at a distance.
Its because of activists who have dedicated their lives to raising awareness that those who have had NO VOICE encourage others who are prepared to raise their voice for them, thus educating the more people about the atrocities.
These atrocities include: living in an open prison, and dealing with war on a daily basis and abuse of children and basic human rights. In addition Israel kidnaps approximately 760 children a year, and there are currently 243 Palestinian children under the age of 18, including 42 children under the age of 16, who are still imprisoned by Israel. I have refrained from posting graphic images on here.
Watch Harry explain his own reasons for helping describing what he saw in the mortuary.
Being accepted on the Convoy gives me the opportunity to see things first hand AND do something practical to help spread awareness on my return. My reasons for wanting to volunteer are too long to list, however to sum it up in a few words despite the potential risks involved.
Sometimes we have no choice but to follow our moral compass.
Its not always about taking sides but is about doing what is right!
A personal message
In my humble opinion I believe its our responsibility as citizens of this earth to do the best that we can but that does NOT mean having Stockholm syndrome or being codependent enablers of psychopathic behaviour.. By not telling people and not protecting those that are most vulnerable we are all part of the problem and complicit. We become nothing more than "enablers"
I recently received this negative review on Amazon.com
I have nothing against negative reviews, they are part and parcel of being a published Author, and I welcome ALL critique, be it positive, or negative.
I just had to take exception to a couple of the points raised here though. Mainly because I'm human, and we all have that primal urge to 'redress' certain issues.
So, I'll take this 'review' of Web of Lies step by step, if I may.....
My book is a novel. It's NOT a self help book. It's a dramatic interpretation of real life events, and should therefore be classed as such. I didn't set out to write a 'self help' guide for victims of narcissistic abuse. I set out to tell a story about what happened to me, how it felt, and how I dealt with it. At no point do I tell my readers how to deal with their own issues. This was a very personal journey which I chose to share with the world. I do not proclaim to be an expert on NPD/APD. Indeed, I learned as I went along, as most victims do......
There is a HUGE clue in the title of the book 'My Life with a Narcissist'. It's an 'autobiographical novel' and should be read as such.
Further, there is a clearly worded disclaimer at the start of my book, which informs the reader, in no uncertain terms, that this is AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL, and that my book is SUBJECTIVE,NOT OBJECTIVE.
If you read beyond this point and are disappointed, then I'm sorry, but what were you expecting?
Finally, I have to address the 'doormat' issue, not only for myself, but for the many thousands (maybe even millions) of victims of emotional abuse.......
If you are fortunate enough to have never come into contact with a psychopath, then I applaud you. You are very lucky, and long may it last.
However, for those of us who have, it's extremely disconcerting to be described as a 'doormat'
Do you think we don't say this to ourselves every day?
Do you think we all INTENTIONALLY allowed ourselves to be abused?
Please, give us all (and there are many of us, believe me) some credit.
We are not, and never were 'doormats'
We were emotionally raped. We were in love. Hopelessly and totally in love. And you are never weaker and more vulnerable than you are when you're bowled over by another human being. At that point, you are completely at their mercy.
Well done for you, Mrs Critique, for never having been in that position. It isn't a good place to be, as I mention many times in Web of Lies, Self loathing is the worst type of depression.....and the reason us 'doormats' stayed so long with our Narc/Psych is because of exactly that....do you understand that?
Maybe not. And why should you? If you've never been abused, how can you possibly know how it feels?
But please, Mrs Critique, don't label us victims as 'doormats'. We are far from that. My book is testimony to this. I receive weekly Emails from grateful people who thank me for sharing my experience with them and giving them the strength to recognise just what they're up against, and make that final break.
Because, making that final break is the all important step for us 'doormats'. Our eyes are opened, and we leave.
As you yourself say in your 'review' of my book, you were hoping that:
" there might be some helpful advice as to how to either just "cope" or at least survive on some kind of level playing field with a narcissist"
Well, dear reader, there is no such thing as 'coping' or 'a level playing field with a narcissist', and as long as you believe that there is, there is no hope for your relationship 'it'.
If you are genuinely looking for advice and help on how to deal with your Narc/Psycpoath, then I hope you find the right book for you. If you think you can 'survive' in a relationship with one, and not become the 'doormat' you describe, then I wish you luck.....
Because, as us 'doormats' will tell you, there is only one way to 'cope', and that's to get as far away as possible.....oh, and maybe wipe your feet, on the way out.......
This week has been emotional. It's been a week that we've waited 23 long years for.
It's one of those occasions which is imprinted on the mind forever. 'What was I doing on that day?'
Those of us who are old enough remember exactly what we were doing on April 15th, 1989, will never forget it.
I was a teenager at the time. I'd spent my Saturday as I always did. In town, with friends, buying records, talking about boys...
I remember coming home that afternoon and seeing my parents glued to the TV screen.
'Something terrible is happening' my mum said, her eyes red.
My dad was pacing up and down.
The commentator was confused. 'It seems there's a huge problem at the Liverpool end of the pitch. There are fans spilling onto the pitch, and some of them seem worse for wear.'
I remember watching the drama unfold. We could see fans from both ends ripping advertising hoardings from the side of the pitch to use as makeshift stretchers. It was chaos.
Only later did we realise the full extent of what happened that day. 95 fans dead on the day, another the following year, and over 400 injured. It was horrific.
We all know what followed, it's been well documented. Liverpool fans vilified by the tabloid press and blamed for causing the disaster by turning up drunk or without tickets. The blame was laid solely at the door of the fans. Despite the witness statements from those who were there on the day, nobody was held accountable for the deaths, except those who died, and their fellow LFC supporters.
The families of those who died have campaigned tirelessly, and fearlessly since that day, in order to set the record straight. They have been met with hurdles and blockades from the highest levels of Government, yet they kept on, steadfast in the belief that the truth will ALWAYS come out.
The ground was KNOWN to be unsafe
The gate was opened allowing fans to spill into ONE pen, when three were available
The fact that ambulance crews were forbidden from accessing the ground
The infamous (and totally ludicrous) 3.15pm cut off point
The smearing of the fans by the police
The deliberate altering of statements
Thank you to all those who have campaigned to uncover the REAL truth.
I salute them all, and I salute the people of Liverpool, Merseyside, and beyond for never giving up.
I was told on a forum this week that the pain felt by people at the loss of the 96 is 'cheap emotion'.
Cheap emotion???
When I questioned this, I was informed that the 96 are 'martyrs' and this person couldn't understand how dead people could be 'turned into heroes'. That people should 'comfort the living, and move on'.
This kind of attitude fills me only with rage. Thank goodness the majority of us are able to reason and are not so blinkered and bigoted in our views.
I have been heartened and moved by the resolve of the British public this week. The ones who have REAL feelings, and truly understand what happened on that fateful day.
I'm proud of the empathy shown by the British public. And I'm proud to be a Merseysider. This week has finally brought out the truth which we all knew for years. The Liverpool fans were NOT to blame for what happened. The Police and Authorities (yes, right up to the top) were involved in a most despicable and deplorable cover up.
The media (most notably, the Sun newspaper) were party to this appalling and shameful act.
What we have witnessed this week is the result of resolve and resolute belief.
It's not about 'revenge' or 'finger pointing'. It may have taken 23 years, but the truth came out, and now, finally, the families of those 96 innocents may be able to turn a corner.
How dare anybody say they should have 'let it go'?
And today, we see our LFC anthem back at number one in the charts.
The British people have spoken. They have collectively united to download this most emotional peace of music and propel it to number one in the charts. Whether from Liverpool, Manchester, the Midlands or the South. This is the true spirit of football, and this means so much to us ALL.
I hope the British establishment is listening.........because this is just the beginning.....
Oh, and in case you don't know the TRUTH....
PS. To Dad. I miss you xxx
