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だれでも世界は変えられる
だれにでも世界は変えられる
筆者の自宅近くのコンビニの前には
いつも10代の若者たちが
たむろしている。
ある日、筆者が彼らに話しかけてみると
自分たちでは何も変えられないと
思い込んでいることがわかって…。
You, Too, Can Change the World
By JOHN GATHRIGHT
Koji, Emi, Akira and Tsutomu have become living landmarks in our community: the Squatting Teens. Every night from
dusk to dawn they can be found hanging out in front of the local convenience store, surrounded by cigarette butts and
trash.
After months of walking past them I decided to squat and chat with them a while. I learned that for the past two
years these teens have simply been hanging out in front of convenience stores and train stations killing time!
"Wow, two years! In two years you could have changed the world!" I said.
After falling off their heels from laughter, Emi gathered her composure
and said, "Sure! Four teens can't even change their lives; they certainly can't change the world!" Emi, Koji, Tsutomu
and Akira all launched into
complaining about Japan, the society, the future and the lack of personal freedoms.
Shocked, I said, "You guys have it all wrong! By just killing time you are killing opportunities. You can change the
world! All it takes is one person to make a difference. I know scads of people who by doing even small things are
making a difference."
"OK, impress us. What's being done?"
I know of a lady, only 23 years old, named Julia Butterfly Hill, who is making a difference. On Dec. 10, 1997, she
climbed atop a 54-meter ancient redwood tree in northern California that she affectionately calls Luna. She has not
come down yet. She is conducting a courageous vigil to save the last 3 percent of ancient American forests from being commercially logged.
She has vowed not to come down until laws are created and passed to protect Luna and the other ancient trees. I
explained that December 1999 will mark two years spent atop her perch in the tree.
She lives on a 1.8 m by 2.4 m platform in the sky, using a bucket for a toilet, candles for lights and a small gas
stove for cooking. Kindhearted
friends attach her food to a rope at the base of the tree and raise it up to her home in the sky.
She has braved 144 kph winds, storms, freezing temperatures, and survived the Pacific Lumber company starve-out patrols, climbing police, insults, floodlights, helicopter and siren intimidation and has now successfully made
history for her enduring protest against clear cut logging.
She speaks with a solar phone, giving interviews and advice on global environmental issues, and because of her
efforts new laws to protect the ancient forest are being drafted in both North and South America.
While telling Julia's story I could see the flicker of youthful passion and excitement in their eyes. Emi was
touched but expressed her fear of inadequacy. I believe that we are all born with everything we need to change the
world. All we need is to be passionate enough about a cause to pursue
it with all our energies. The adage, "Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your life," is so true.
Every good act we do changes the world for the better. Let us not go into the new millennium as global spectators but as participants in the shaping of the 21st century! Instead of killing time, start improving life!
Koji, Emi, Akira and Tsutomu have become living landmarks in our community: the Squatting Teens. Every night from
dusk to dawn they can be found hanging out in front of the local convenience store, surrounded by cigarette butts and
trash.
After months of walking past them I decided to squat and chat with them a while. I learned that for the past two
years these teens have simply been hanging out in front of convenience stores and train stations killing time!
"Wow, two years! In two years you could have changed the world!" I said.
After falling off their heels from laughter, Emi gathered her composure
and said, "Sure! Four teens can't even change their lives; they certainly can't change the world!" Emi, Koji, Tsutomu
and Akira all launched into
complaining about Japan, the society, the future and the lack of personal freedoms.
Shocked, I said, "You guys have it all wrong! By just killing time you are killing opportunities. You can change the
world! All it takes is one person to make a difference. I know scads of people who by doing even small things are
making a difference."
"OK, impress us. What's being done?"
I know of a lady, only 23 years old, named Julia Butterfly Hill, who is making a difference. On Dec. 10, 1997, she
climbed atop a 54-meter ancient redwood tree in northern California that she affectionately calls Luna. She has not
come down yet. She is conducting a courageous vigil to save the last 3 percent of ancient American forests from being commercially logged.
She has vowed not to come down until laws are created and passed to protect Luna and the other ancient trees. I
explained that December 1999 will mark two years spent atop her perch in the tree.
She lives on a 1.8 m by 2.4 m platform in the sky, using a bucket for a toilet, candles for lights and a small gas
stove for cooking. Kindhearted
friends attach her food to a rope at the base of the tree and raise it up to her home in the sky.
She has braved 144 kph winds, storms, freezing temperatures, and survived the Pacific Lumber company starve-out patrols, climbing police, insults, floodlights, helicopter and siren intimidation and has now successfully made
history for her enduring protest against clear cut logging.
She speaks with a solar phone, giving interviews and advice on global environmental issues, and because of her
efforts new laws to protect the ancient forest are being drafted in both North and South America.
While telling Julia's story I could see the flicker of youthful passion and excitement in their eyes. Emi was
touched but expressed her fear of inadequacy. I believe that we are all born with everything we need to change the
world. All we need is to be passionate enough about a cause to pursue
it with all our energies. The adage, "Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your life," is so true.
Every good act we do changes the world for the better. Let us not go into the new millennium as global spectators but as participants in the shaping of the 21st century! Instead of killing time, start improving life!
Shukan ST: Dec. 3, 1999
(C) All rights reserved
- living landmarks
- 生きた目印
- Squatting
- しゃがんでいる
- from dusk to dawn
- 夕暮れから夜明けまで
- hanging out
- たむろしている
- surrounded by 〜
- 〜 に囲まれて
- cigarette butts
- タバコの吸い殻
- trash
- ごみ
- chat with 〜
- 〜 とおしゃべりする
- killing time
- 時間をつぶして
- falling off their heels from laughter
- 笑い転げる
- gathered her composure
- 落ち着きを取り戻した
- launched into 〜
- 〜 し始めた
- have it all wrong
- まったくの考え違いをしている
- All it takes is 〜
- 必要なのはたった 〜 だ
- scads of 〜
- たくさんの 〜
- impress
- 感動させる
- climbed atop 〜
- 〜 の頂上まで登った
- ancient redwood tree
- アメリカスギの古木(時には高さ約100メートルにも及ぶスギ科の高木。カリフォルニア州産)
- affectionately
- 愛情を込めて
- is conducting 〜
- 〜 を行なっている
- courageous vigil
- 勇気ある監視活動
- save 〜 from being commercially logged
- 〜 が材木用に伐採されるのを防ぐ
- has vowed
- 誓った
- (are)passed
- (議会を)通過する
- perch
- 高いところにある場所
- platform
- 平台
- Kindhearted
- 心の優しい
- attach 〜 to 〜
- 〜 を 〜 に取り付ける
- base
- 根元
- has braved 〜
- 〜 をものともしなかった
- 〜 kph
- 風速毎時 〜 キロの
- starve-out patrols
- 包囲し、食料を絶たせて降参させるための巡回
- insults
- 侮辱
- floodlights
- 投光照明
- intimidation
- 威嚇(いかく)
- enduring
- 辛抱強い
- clear cut logging
- 森林の皆伐
- solar phone
- 太陽電池の携帯電話
- are being drafted
- 草稿が書かれている
- flicker
- ひらめき
- was touched
- 感動した
- inadequacy
- 力量不足
- be passionate
- 熱心になる
- cause
- 目的
- pursue
- 追求する
- adage
- 格言
- changes 〜 for the better
- 〜 を改善させる
- global spectators
- 世界の出来事を傍観する人
- participants
- 参加者