Peace 2011 – Getting Down To Brass Tacks

taken from bonzer site; By MC on January 1, 2011 These are not peaceful times, and I have become increasingly concerned that we are becoming desensitized, and stepping into a suicidal sleepwalk. It is time to snap out of it. True states of peace are not attained by being passive and conciliatory. This holds true for individuals as well as societies. The attainment of peace requires action; in some cases noisy action, and even outrage. Rage…Peace? How does this compute? Remember that carpenter cat that knocked over the money changer’s table in the temple? It makes sense if the foundation of rage is love; love for our fellow man and of all living things. There is an aggressive attack on the poor and middle class in progress. The manufacturing base in our country has been dismantled. A December 28th report shows that in 2010 US corporations produced 1.4 million jobs overseas, as compared to 1 million domestically. The financial industry, with the help of our government, has essentially looted the US Treasury free of charge. No one has been held responsible, and no enforceable requirements have been put in place for the banks to kick down some help to the millions of people who have homes in foreclosure. The unprecedented bail out of Wall Street has precipitated a massive redistribution of wealth upwards to a tiny percent of people at the top of the economic pyramid. The privatization of Social Security and reductions in Medicare are in the cross hairs. Skyrocketing fees for college and diminishing funds for K-12 are in full swing. It’s time for some noise. The reduction of civil liberties, loss of Habeas Corpus, and protection from warrantless wiretaps continue under the present administration, and with the incoming Senate and House of Representatives, the near future is not looking bright. Let’s make some noise. We are still involved in two wars. The war in Afghanistan alone is costing $6,000,000,000 a month. Just think about it, nine years in Afghanistan, seven plus in Iraq, and for what, an amorphous ‘war on terror’? In actuality, the terror is the fallout and the collateral damage caused by these wars. Terror is the devastation experienced by the families who have lost loved ones, the thousands of soldiers coming home and having to deal with life altering physical injuries, and PTSD. Data for Jan.-Nov., 2009 showed that 18 veterans a day committed suicide, 147 of them were on active duty. I am sure that the numbers for 2010 are similar. This is terrifying. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the pain and terror that these wars are inflicting on the innocents in Iraq and Afghanistan. Think about it, think about it; almost a decade of this. It is insane. A recent poll showed that 60 percent of us believe that the war in Afghanistan has not been worth fighting, but where’s the noise and the action to stop it? Then there is the issue that overshadows everything, the climate. Call it what you will, global warming, climate change, or whatever. The fact is that if we don’t get serious in a hurry the peace and security of millions upon millions around the world will be impacted. If you are not feeling the urgency of the moment, do your home work. There is more than enough credible information available, and for god sakes do not rely on the corporate media. Go to the likes of , Robert Hansen, Bill McKibben at <350.org>, and other experts in the field. In order to make dramatic progress on the climate front it will require governments around the world to get on board and work together. At the moment our government is dragging its feet. They are saying childish things like ‘we won’t agree to do this unless you do that’. We need to make strong moves and join the countries that are pressing forward, and show those that aren’t that we are serious. Then they will join in. Our elected representatives and the corporate clowns say, “they don’t want to hurt the economy.” Well, if we don’t get with it, the only economy that will be left is a Stone Age economy. Do we really want our grand kid’s generation looking back and saying, “why didn’t they do something”? It’s time for some loud, focused and productive noise. Justice is at the heart of the changes required to bring about peace on a societal level. The primary dictionary definition of justice is: n. the quality of conforming to principals of reason, to generally accepted standards of right and wrong, and to the stated terms of laws, rules, agreements, etc., in matters affecting persons who could be wronged or unduly favored. It looks to me like we have some work to do. Martin Luther King said, “ Peace is more important than all justice; and peace was not made for the sake of justice, but justice for the sake of peace.” The manifestation of Peace is up to those who deeply desire it. “Now is the time to create a period of dangerous unselfishness. We must go beyond being compassionate by proxy.” I can’t recall who said it, but, I’m all in. Peace, Love and Light, Malcolm, Duncan and the whole Campbell Clan note: i edited part of this post for the sole reason that i need the comments open for selling items and other things. NOT because of what anyone said. plus, butting heads with the ignorant can only frustrate and go nowhere. i try to stay out of politics here yet sometimes inevitable when people are dying because of an irresponsible marketing campaign. end.