Voice 1
Welcome to Spotlight's Listener Mail program. I'm Liz Waid.
Voice 2
And I'm Joshua Leo. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
From all around the world. In many different ways – email, discussion boards, and comments on scripts. You share your opinions with us. On today's Listener Mail program, we look at these comments on several recent programs. Today we look at karaoke, tolerance, and protecting mothers and babies in Vietnam. Let's get started!
Voice 2
Our first comment today comes from Mr. Dees. He is from Vietnam. He commented on the script page of the program "Singing with the Music." In that program we told about... karaoke! Karaoke is a kind of music. People sing along to recorded music. It is a very popular thing to do in many Asian countries. But it has also spread across the world! In that program we asked you to tell about your Karaoke experiences. Here is what Mr. Dees had to say.
Voice 3
"I like singing Karaoke very much. I often sing Karaoke with friends on our birthdays. Regularly, my company has a big party at the end of the year. We have some drinks and foods first. Then we sing a lot of songs together at a Karaoke studio. There are lots of joys. Thanks to this, all of us have a good chance to understand each other more and make good memories."
Voice 2
Thanks for sharing your experiences with us Mr. Dees! It is fun to see how an activity can do so much. We hope you continue to have great Karaoke memories. Adin also tells us how Karaoke can be fun, even if you are not that good at it!
Voice 4
"I love singing even though my friends laugh at me because of my bad voice. But I keep singing and finally they clap their hands to me. Singing releases my stress for sure. I love it."
Voice 2
Thanks, Adin, for that fun image. And listeners, you can tell us about your experiences too! Email us at [email protected]. Or leave a comment on the script page for that program.
Voice 1
Next we look at fighting hate. Recently, we finished a ten program series on ten ways to fight hate. These programs were based on materials from Tolerance.org. Tolerance.org is part of the Southern Poverty Law Center in the United States. Their aim is to teach tolerance - accepting people no matter who they are or what they believe. Here are Tolerance.org's ten ways to fight hate:
Act, Unite, Support the Victims, Do Your Homework, Create an Alternative, Speak Up, Lobby Leaders, Look Long Range, Teach Tolerance and Dig Deeper
Voice 1
During this series we told about ways that people can become involved in their communities. We also encouraged listeners to practice tolerance in their own lives. These programs were encouraging to many people. In fact, one person wrote to us about his experiences dealing with a lack of tolerance.
Dwerwleto told about a coworker - a person he works with. He said his coworker hated all Americans. Dwerwleto says that he listened carefully to what his coworker had to say. He had discussions with his coworker about his feelings. He discovered that his coworker was talking about stereotypes. These are set ideas of how people of a group act. Stereotypes exist for every different kind of group and person. They are often untrue. And they are also often dangerous!
Dwerwleto left a comment on the script page of "Ten Ways to Fight Hate: Unite." He pointed out that ALL people need to be aware of fighting hate in a community. The world cannot know peace when hate still exists.
Dwerwleto, we really liked your story. It is exactly the kind of work that we all need to do. All of us carry harmful ideas about other people - even if we do not know it. And we must always be working to rid ourselves of hate. Thank you for sharing your story and your ideas for peace with us.
Listeners, if you want to find these materials from tolerance.org, we have provided a link to them on our website. You can visit Tolerance.org to learn about other ways to teach tolerance. Or visit the Southern Poverty Law Center's website. These resources can help you fight hate in your community.
Voice 2
Finally, we look at a very hopeful program. Many people commented on it. This program was called "Success in Vietnam for Mothers." In that program we told about how Vietnam is working hard to reduce the number of mothers and babies who die in pregnancy and childbirth. In fact, they are doing so well at this goal that they will probably achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Layeak explained why this was so important.
Voice 3
"All people should fight for the rights and health of mothers and babies. Our future depends on our babies. So, the mothers too are like our future."
Voice 2
Layeak, we agree! Thank you for saying that so beautifully. Other writers commented on how hard the government of Vietnam has worked to achieve these results. Tuongvi wrote:
Voice 4
"Huzzah Vietnam! I am proud of you! I am a citizen of Vietnam. I believe Vietnam's government has the ability to achieve these goals and more. Vietnam looks at the future!"
Voice 2
And Dongtiendat added:
Voice 4
"These are great efforts of the Vietnamese government to reduce the risks of giving birth to babies. I, like all of you, can believe that some day we can reduce this rate to the minimum number."
Voice 2
Huymekong also added a personal experience. She writes how she sees the change happening.
Voice 3
"I have the chance to join a lot of classes for mothers in Vietnam at the hospital or health center. It is really useful for young mothers. Doctors teach the way to be healthy during pregnancy. Most of the class was supported by a lot of medical or milk companies in Vietnam."
Voice 2
Thank you Huymekong for your inside look at how people are helping mothers and babies. And thank you to all of you who have left your thoughts and opinions as comments. We encourage everyone to take part on script pages, discussion boards and places like Facebook and Twitter.
Voice 1
On Facebook this week we are also looking at Ecuador. We encourage you to listen for special programs about this South American country. If you live in Ecuador or if you have visited there, post your pictures or write about your experiences. We hope to see you there!
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