julierbutler

I was fortunate enough to have been introduced to the ideas of Mahatmas Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and many others throughout history who have taught the world that non-violent social action is a powerful force for progressive change while studying philosophy at the University of Colorado back during the 1980's. At that time, Ronald Reagan was leading the charge to cut back on government services while building up stockpiles of nuclear weapons and otherwise drastically increasing military spending. The direction in which my country was headed was deeply troubling to me. My resopnse, during a time when the peace movement had been, for all practical purposes, forced underground by such vociferous conservative movements as this “Reagan Revolution” and the “Moral Majority,” was to travel abroad, practicing what I liked to think of as “citizen diplomacy,” as a way to both educate myself about how to think differently and counteract, in y own small way, those more militaristic, less compassionate movements that were taking hold of the culture of the United States. I spent the next fifteen years traveling with my husband, at first, concentrating on Mexico and Central America, then moving throughout the United States themselves, living on the road, making and selling jewelry, and creating a unique lifestyle and an accompanying outlook that is expansive as well as connective in nature, and which, I believe, can be of some assistance in trying to forge new ideas for how the people of the world can come together to solve global issues that affect us all. Now, as that period of my life has come to an end because of economic realities of the times, I have re-lit the spark that once flamed in my heart, revisited the ideas that so inspired me to believe in the dignity of individual action towards change, those decades ago. Now, I am moving about South America in a quite different way, learning valuable lessons about societies that once suffered heavily under state repression, but have managed to revive their integrity, and giving voice to the ideas that have been crystallizing in my inner being by writing about my observances along with my ideas about peace and justice and how we can live these ideals in today's world. Please see my socio-political blog, titled, “We Fear What We Don't Understand” at http//:julierbutler.blogspot.com My South America travel blog, “Because The World Is Round...” can be found at http//:tropseas.blogspot.com