TheVoiceOfJoyce

Lately I’ve been thinking about War and hatreds .
I’ve listened to the rhetoric on both sides of the  conflicts and present my thoughts to you dear reader and urge you to form your own conclusions.

In my country, the consequence of the Status Quo is increased human suffering leading to an untimely death. In other Countries the consequences of the status quo leads to the violent death of  innocent People.

No injustice is ” right” . I ask my self daily,   how can we progress from an economy dedicated to guns to an economy based on   butter?  Remember the old economic reality stating, you could have guns or butter, but not both.  Meaning of course, being humane and humanity take  a back seat to the military industrial complex.   Perhaps that’s  why  my son is having trouble finding investors for his business.  Butter, no matter how pro biotic, how artisanal, how flavorful, does not carry the impact, or the “punch”, or the fireworks of a “good weapon”?  My son just wants to manufacture pro biotic butter, made in Brooklyn, calling it,  Brooklyn Butter !

http://nyti.ms/1naaxVx  I've attached the NY Times article on the 
importance of Pro biotics to humans.

I see his Butter differently , for me, his Butter is  a symbol of Peace?

Instead we sell Guns.  It’s sad, that a populace would choose guns. The military industrial complex is quite fine, doing very well. “Thank you very much. “. But discuss “Butter”, and you’ve got an instant reply, ” that’s nice” or great idea!  Next topic, please! . Why? Why wouldn’t People choose the good life rather then War and hatred? We can always retool for different products , when the People understand they have a voice and a choice.

From my position as ” citizen of the World” , I see the ” old Cold War “re-emerging, did it ever stop?, with a new crop of Power hungry individuals . Those who love their Power more then they love their citizens they were elected to protect. I question everyone’s participation in these new Games:   we the people are telling our representatives we like and support our leaders in their blood thirsty pursuit of Power. It’s better then Game scenarios on the X box or our Computers?    We can watch the Wars , detached from the action and not believe that another human being, made of flesh and blood will be bleeding and dying.   So much for non involvement, so much  denial! We are involved as member of the human race, we have made a choice , if we support Wars, revenge, or hatred of the ” other”.

In the latest Gaza Israeli conflict , it no longer matters who was right or who was wrong. Innocent people on all sides will suffer. I have heard the arguments in defense of Hamas, as presented by a young sympathetic Tunisian woman.

Hamas says they are not a terrorist organization . Hamas says it is capable of being a political partner with Abbas, the PLO representative. Really, what Politician , when confronted with the death of 3 teenagers glories in their deaths? When the young Arab boy was murdered no one in Israel wanted to believe it was done by Jews. As a Jew,  we are ashamed that Jews would want revenge, too!

Let’s revisit the facts. Israel has been out of Gaza since 2005. Hydroponic farms, infrastructure and manufacturing facilities were left in place. The Jews left the region. Now they are being accused of supporting a blockade of Gaza. If the blockade was so effective, how did Hamas and the Islamic Jihad have the ability to purchase weapons of mass destruction? Why did they choose to build tunnels to protect those weapons and worse use them as an entrance into Israel, concealing combatants  as they plan to kidnap or massacre Israeli civilians? Why plan murder and mayhem, rather then build infrastructure to protect your People? The people of Gaza are complicit in this charade. They know or should know that the weapons are hidden beneath their homes, schools, commercial structures, etc.   How else would Hamas have the capability to bombard Israel with rockets, if those rockets were not hidden “in plain sight” and protected by the People?   I would urge the people of Gaza to demand Peace . Might is not on your side, nor is it on Israel’s side either. There is no glory in Israeli killing and death.

I keep repeating Golda Meir’s words, she stated, ” we can forgive the Arabs for killing our children. We cannot forgive them for forcing us to kill their children. We will only have Peace with the Arabs when they love their children more then they hate us.” Think about it. And think about, ” one cannot and must not try to erase the past merely because it does not fit with the present”, but we can forgive and move forward with our lives. We have a voice and a choice , when Politics effects us!
Finally, when BIBI Netanyahu says the Gazan population should prepare for War, they believe him and now, they are protecting themselves from missile fire, independent of their Leadership’s demands,” To Stand in Place”. They made a decision to protect themselves and seek a rebuilding of their Society over War. They are choosing their lives first, it is appropriate, when Politics effects US.

I still cling to the Technion vision of Peace I heard 2 years ago.   Israel with it’s technological advances and awareness of the needs of humanity, though it has not always followed through on addressing basic human needs, leads  their neighbors to a better place. It can happen if more Arabs exit ” the closet”, no offense to the LGBT COMMUNITY, and state they can live in Peace with Israel. I would guess, before that happens, those Countries,  like the rest of us have to acknowledge their shortcomings and resolve their human rights issues at home first. There is a road to Peace, it is one small step at a time. Willing to see your own short comings as well as the positives of yourself and the ” other”.

I heard, Tzipi Livni ( the Israeli minister charged with making Peace with the Arab population), speak the other night and was impressed that she is still requesting a cease fire.  ” Calm for calm”.  Terms can be discussed afterwards.  That suits me fine, but I am ashamed of our World leaders.  They have not yet arrived at the obvious conclusion to this cycle of violence.  PEACE and  a “road map” to demilitarization of “hostile rebel groups”.  No population should be a “human shield” for desperate Political or “murderous ” groups.  If there was a cease fire, a Peaceful coalition force could enter Gaza, search, remove and then destroy the weapons of destruction and the tunnels.  If we could dismantle Syria’s chemical weapons, why can’t a similar force be responsible for the removal of rockets that threatens Israel?  What’s to debate?  Why is it so difficult to obtain a cease fire?  I think I know the reason, in this instance, Hamas and the Islamic Jihad do not want to lose Political significance.  But is being Politically powerful more important then the lives of the People you have been empowered to protect?

We are in the 21st Century, no one should have to choose between 7th or 9th Century Politics?  The people of this World need Peace and a time to heal, to grow crops, to live life:   Smell the coffee or sip the tea, butter your Pita?  Indulge  whatever small pleasures makes us humans happy. Surely, we don’t need to count bodies?  We don’t need to mourn our loses rather then celebrating life.  After we have shed so many tears, laughter will be a relief.  They say, you can’t really laugh unless you have cried.  Our laughter once unleashed should produce a louder boom then all the weapons on earth.  How can I persuade you dear reader, to talk to your leaders and demand that they devise a method for “disengagement”?  The only way to have Peace is through People Power!  Is that too much to ask?  Can we agree to talk with one another instead of killing each other?  Can we, in this 21st Century, take the steps toward a Butter economy and insure our survival in the 22nd Century?

It is easy to deny that Politics effects US.   BUT YOU IGNORE POLITICS AT YOUR OWN PERIL.?   Look what’s happening in Gaza? Human Shields, indeed? The cycle of violence continues and accomplishes trauma, death and more hatred of the other. My 2 cents.

We always have a voice and a choice, when POLITICS EFFECTS US.