Well, it is now 2017 and, as what is supposed to be the most intelligent life form on the planet, can we not shift our focus to people and peace and away from designing, building, selling or buying the next great warplane or weaponized drone or tank or bomb or missile or gun?
War is easy, finding individuals that can be trained to believe they are fighting for their country when evidence points to exactly the opposite is easy. Wrap everything in the flag of choice and, through non-stop political commentary and a weak and gullible media, push the argument of the "Other". THEY want to kill us, THEY want to harm us, THEY are stealing our jobs, THEY are draining our government funds so we can't take care of our veterans, THEY are protesting against industry. There will always be a "THEY" and, there is a very strong possibility that, one day, "THEY" will be YOU. We have seen through history the use of a specific group based on belief, or lifestyle, or colour or, financial status being held up as the one and only thing that is destroying OUR COUNTRY, be that Germany in the 30's or, all other nations today. War is easy because a very small number of individuals, purposed with the common goal of killing in defence of "Country" can and have disrupted and destroyed the lives of millions globally with the weapons our tax dollars support and fund. War is not an answer. War is never an answer. War breeds war. War destroys the humanity of those that fight it. Every day we see new levels of atrocities. Bombing hospitals, ambulances, aid workers, markets and, even funerals for loved ones lost due to war are rationalized and generalized into the fog of war with a "better them than us" rhetoric. Remember, for every loved one lost to war there is a family that wishes ill against the ones that took them. Nothing makes more terrorists that missiles bombs and bullets.
Peace is hard. It takes a lot of work. It requires an open mind to the differences and needs of others. It requires all of us to work together regardless of country, colour, politics or religion towards common goals. It requires us to loudly denounce and discard fear and hate from our political and personal discourse. It requires us to use our ability as humans to reason and look for another way. It requires us to take funding currently spent in fear of "Others" to find ways to kill faster and in more volume and instead, spend that on reducing poverty, funding independent research into cures, funding housing, healthcare and education. Education for all, regardless of location or financial status that, drives strong minds, teaches critical thinking and problem solving will result in better decision making skills resulting in better life choices and increased employability resulting in reduced health care needs and reduced need for government aid and, reduced poverty which in turn, reduces global unrest and conflict. How many brilliant minds were lost to war and conflict in 2016 alone? Funding and reintroducing Civics education everywhere will ensure that the bright new minds of the future do not fall into the same trap that their supposedly "Older and Wiser" generations have put them in.
It is 2017, can we please learn from the past, learn from the horrors of the never-ending wars and conflicts, learn that messages of hate and fear are really only tools of war used to divide and control populations ensuring that the people do not look closely at the actions of their elected officials. Through fear and division we have, and continue to gladly give up rights and freedoms, that we rail and foam at the mouth in defence of, to provide protection and safety from a perceived threat. Remember the boy who cried wolf. We have spent millennia running after and annihilating that wolf based on disinformation and deception. Every year we honour our military and salute our war dead without recognizing that, we failed to live up to their wish, "Never Again". Let 2017 start a new trend. Let it be the year we look at each other and, recognizing our differences, look for commonality and begin to work together to heal ourselves, our countries and our planet. Peace is a goal. Peace is achievable if, we all want it and, accept no other solution.
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