VisionForce » Middle East

No, First Sergeant, I Will NOT Deploy To Afghanistan!

Michael Skye — Thu, 20 May 2010 20:57:05 +0000

Here’s a video I filmed of a courageous young man, who took a stand last year, publicly refusing orders to deploy in the face of his First Sergeant. Just released publicly on the VisionForce initiative, www.StandWithHonor.com. Watch his story!

A Revolution of Conscience? Join America’s Peaceful Warriors

Michael Skye — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 04:13:58 +0000

For time immemorial, we’ve honored those who are willing to go to war, risk their lives and kill others to fight for their country, for their life and liberty.

At the same time, history honors great soldiers of conscience, who risked their lives to stand for something peacefully: Gandhi, Galileo, King, Jesus, the unknown protestor in Tienanmen Square, Iranian protestor Neda, the list goes on…

Yet every day, soldiers who dare to defy orders from their superiors, when it conflicts with their conscience, are shamed, imprisoned, dishonored and even killed for disobeying orders.

This Saturday, I’m taking a stand to honor soldiers who dare to follow the orders of their conscience first, especially those who are standing for peace, and I invite you to join me and spread the word.

I’ll be speaking at the National Assembly to Honor Freedom of Conscience in Austin, Texas, about an hour outside of Fort Hood in Killeen, TX, the largest US military base in the world. For more information, click here.

75-Year-Old Woman BEATEN for not being “Good”

Michael Skye — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 03:42:26 +0000

Around the world, every day, women are treated as less than human – as if they are animals, who should not think for themselves or live from their own inner guidance.

Check out this remarkable story.

From the story,

The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, feared by many Saudis, is made up of several thousand religious policemen charged with duties such as enforcing dress codes, prayer times and segregation of the sexes. Under Saudi law, women face many restrictions, including a strict dress code and a ban on driving. Women also need to have a man’s permission to travel.

It’s time the world makes a distinction between goodness and greatness. And it’s time we all rise to greatness.

Then let your voice be hear below.

A Visionary Woman With A POWERFUL VOICE

Michael Skye — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 01:15:18 +0000

Listen as she speaks up for women, and calls Muslims to stand.

Combatants for Peace

Michael Skye — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 04:01:51 +0000

As Gaza plunges into darkness, Israeli and Palestinian fighters-turned-visionary-peace-activists speak out.

Lions For Lambs – A Call To Stand

Michael Skye — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 02:21:23 +0000

I just returned from the theatre, after having watched Lions For Lambs… forget what the film critics say, as this was not meant to entertain the masses. It’s a clarion call to all those, and especially the young, who feel inside that they can be more, do more at this time of mounting global crises. It’s a call to all those who’ve learned, or are being conditioned, to compromise. It’s a call to all who would have their voice be heard. It’s a call to those who would live the fullest expression of human life with mind, body and spirit. It’s a call to all those, and especially Americans, who would dare to own the title “visionary,” in a day and age when the most “enlightened” of us are so afraid of looking egotistic or narcissistic. Do we dare to be the change now?

The film left me questioning my choice to be so “practical” for the last five years, building VisionForce as a business. Funny, my business advisers would say I’ve been anything but practical, and that I’ve been far too idealistic. It seems that either path might have been much more effective than the middle road. Had I gone for profit, and built the business to be much more financially successful, we might have the muscle to reach many more people now. Had I been in revolutionary action mode at the expense of the finances, we might have already reached so many more people.

So, what, I wonder, does it look like for me to STAND FORWARD and be the change at the next level? And what does it look like for you?

Yanar Mohammed

Michael Skye — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 04:28:04 +0000

I just read this article about a visionary Iraqi woman who has taken a stand for women in her country and the world over. Very inspiring. She sees change happening by starting a youth movement. Change… is gonna come.

The OneVoice Movement

Michael Skye — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 20:27:00 +0000

Moderates in the Middle East are standing for peace with the OneVoice Movement. Watch the video.

Rather than OV just uniting moderates to stand together, I imagine they are also reaching out to individuals in extremist movements. The VisionForce work is especially applicable in situations that call for strategies beyond compromise, and this is one such situation.

So deeply are we inspired by the OneVoice movement, that VisionForce has committed to make 12 VisionForce Boot Camp Scholarships available to active OneVoice participants from Israel and Palestine over the course of the next year.

The VisionForce trainings are perfect for individuals and groups looking for the expanded levels of courage, compassion and vision needed to create a world that works for everyone. VisionForce’s simple, powerful diagrams and processes provide access to the levels of vision that make deep communication, collaboration and creation possible.