Category: Peace

Coercion Does Not Bring Peace

In 2016 I answered the call to go to the stand at Standing Rock. People around the world heard the prayers and came to protect the water. We saw the indecency of a country willing to destroy the Missouri River and the lives of People dependent on that river with a pipeline of crude oil from Canada.  We refused to allow another broken treaty destroy Indigenous life. We witnessed the collusion of corporate and militarized police attacking peaceful, unarmed people, once again. Our history. One of conqueror and conquest, of usury and greed. 

People endured water cannons, rubber bullets, tear gas and more from humans in full tactical gear who also answered a call. They followed the orders given by the king of the time, Obama.

I was there for the all-night stand at the bridge; and for the false surrender and lies that took the encampment down and everything that happened in between. I remain witness to this horrible breach in humanity and will be forever indebted to the People who upheld the very best in us.

Seeds were planted that still reverberate. The acknowledgement of those who came before – and those who will come after gave strength and courage. Yet many still do not know or care.

We are at war with ourselves. This Battle has ensued in every life throughout time. Who will we be? Which call will we answer? 

Beliefs were shattered at Standing Rock. They’re being shattered now, too. They need to be. Belief that the government works for us, while it has repeatedly demonstrated that militarism is the its interest. Beliefs that one side or the other are the team to beat. Divide and conquer has worked for the powerful throughout our history. The belief in scarcity over the possibility of abundance. And the ignorance that continues to teach peace through coercion which has never been true. We need to free ourselves from these lies.

We’re not spectators; the sidelines no longer exist. For everyone who has the capacity, it is time to answer the call. Be human.

As our military is poised to destroy Venezuela and uses fishing vessels as target practice to breed fear; as we enter the third year of genocide and still pay Israel to ignore International Law and all human decency; as erasure of predominantly Brown and Black People is strategically carried out in mass deportations; and Queer People are reminded they are lessor than; as the king of “peace” adds the threat of nuclear testing; as children go hungry and people speak of eugenics with the dismantling of health care; as the Army Corps grants Enbridge permission to reroute Line 5…

The destruction of the East Wing is a symptom. Find ways to change the things we can. Stay focused. Empathy is our superpower. And true peace is still waiting for us. It is the option we have not tried.

The photos are courtesy of Ryan Vizzions (Redhawk) and are from Standing Rock. Thanks Ryan, your work continues to teach people and remind us all of who we are.

No More Excuses

A dear high school friend had the words “No More Excuses” on his Facebook page. One of the last things he said to me before he took leave of the earth was, “Keep writing”. I remember him as I write. I remember him against great odds that anyone will hear or read what I have written, or even care. I write and speak because I must. His encouragement adds a spark; his early departure reminds me that time is always on the move, and so I must be.

As the Palestinian slaughter continues, and we knowingly supply weaponry to Israel; as masked men snatch human beings from their lives; as real bullets replace rubber ones and Trump attempts to militarize our nation, I can only say, No More Excuses.

People were surprised that I dare call out those who remain silent or cause dissent. I was told I was a lessor human being. I appreciate that; and I prefer that. Why? We have designated human beings as lessor throughout our history. And then we displace them, slaughter them, and carry on with our “worthy” lives. If lessor means I care enough to be weary of the silence and discord, then so be it. If talking nice and quoting statistics doesn’t get people to respond, then a heartfelt “shove off” might be the next best thing.

So, to those offended by my response to your silence or trivial argumentation on the most critical issues of our time, I will share what another dear friend told me when I asked what else could I do. She simply said, telling people to shove off is actually a kindness both to them and to yourself. And I realized she was right. No more excuses for inhumanity. No tolerance for ignorance.

And in case you are hiding your head in the sand:

With profound sorrow and heartbreak, we mourn our martyrs — Moath Abu Taha, Mohammed Salama, Mariam Abu Duqqa, Hossam Al-Masri, and Ahmad Abu Aziz، who were martyred inside Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis while fulfilling their sacred mission of conveying the truth and documenting the crime.

This is a heavy and painful loss for us all. Each of them carried a story, a stance, and a legacy that will forever remain in our memory.

May God have mercy on their pure souls, make their blood a light that exposes injustice, and their voices an eternal flame in humanity’s conscience.

The word will remain a trust, the truth a will, and the martyrs a beacon illuminating the path for us and for generations to come. – Ahmed Khaled al Najjar

Palestinian journalist Mariam Abu Daqqa was killed on Monday in a deliberate, live-broadcasted Israeli attack on Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza, along with four of her colleagues and 15 others.

In a letter to her son Ghaith, shared on social media by her colleagues, Mariam wrote: “You are my love, my strength, my pride, and my joy. Always carry yourself with dignity, and let your actions honor my memory.” – Ahmed Khaled al Najjar

Take a Universal Stand

In 2009 I wrote a book called The Peace Warrior. I explained that we’re all peace warriors – or at least we have the potential to be. As one friend put it, it was a “call to action”. Another friend told me the two words, peace and warrior, didn’t belong together. I’m still laughing at that. My response continues to be, “it’s not called peace pansy, it’ called peace warrior for a reason.”

Somewhere along the line, peace being equated with passivity became the norm. Or we tied the word “peace” to a belief, or an absence of war. Good luck waiting on that.

No, the kind of peace I was and do refer to is innate and available. And those who embark on a life of peace must have courage. In this outward churning world, it’s easy to forget our true nature. Peace requires a love of self and of humanity above and beyond all the labels we wear or have been put upon us. 

It takes recognition of our finite and temporal nature and allows for the intervention and stewardship of that which is Greater by design. Call it what you will. But please do not ask my allegiance to any religion or politic. And allow me to enjoy my heaven now. 

If peace is to win out, it will be because we put all that is universal and human first. What is universal? The need for clean water, food, shelter, dignity and connection – a space inside and out to be the unique selves that we are. What is human? We’re on our way to find out.

And the peace warrior must have a good sense of humor. It’s the armor against ignorance. Wake up peace warriors. The game is afoot.

And some words that inform me:

“We have power… Our power isn’t in a political system, or a religious system, or in an economic system, or in a military system; these are authoritarian systems… they have power… but it’s not reality. The power of our intelligence, individually or collectively IS the power; this is the power that any industrial ruling class truly fears: clear coherent human beings.” ~ John Trudell

What is Peace? A seven minute video to make you think from Prem Rawat

Please listen to my conversation with Fatemeh Jamalpour on her new book For the Sun After Long Nights. to witness the beautiful human spirit against all odds – and our need for empathy and taking a universal stand.

What’s Missing?

Another march. Another rally. Speeches and tears, juxtaposed with ICE raids, deliberate starvation and murders of innocents. Troops sent to Washington DC despite drops in crime. Calls for the Epstein files fall on deaf ears, and in this cacophony of misery one has to wonder what’s missing?

Most have been programmed to believe someone will save us. We’ve put hope and faith in political leaders, in religion and in systems of education and work that have failed us time and again. Lies are exposed and still we wait for our savior. What’s missing?

We’re taught recent world history and the not so recent history of what happens to a people when they’re led against their better angels. When they’re led to forego their humanity for power or greed. We’ve witnessed the decay of the human spirit and the rise of apathy caused by a reliance on euphoric entertainment of all kinds.

Choose your poison.

People look towards the heavens and ask or blame god, “Why, they cry?” And then turn around and accept the same old stories from those who supposedly have answers, because it was read it in a book or in the stars. And human suffering continues with more confusion and doubt.

What’s missing?

Seldom do we look at ourselves to see our part in the upheaval. Seldom do we look to ourselves for answers. We’ve inherited systems of belief and management that do not work; do we demand that those systems unhand us? Or consciously choose to walk away? Or are we satisfied with silencing those who dare to challenge the status quo and our beliefs?

What’s missing? Socrates famously said, “Know thyself.” Perhaps it’s time that we do.

I have found help in this on-going discovery of self in the words of Prem Rawat.

I am convinced that our own inner discovery is the foothold for peace within us and in the world. Be well.

In Pursuit of Happiness

One of the most debated ideals of the Declaration of Independence is Jefferson’s insertion of the words “the pursuit of happiness”, and I suggest this is the most fundamental and most egregiously misunderstood assertion.

Soon after Jefferson’s writing these words, the debate on their meaning shifted to acquisition and property as the means of happiness. Accepting this shift nullifies the possibility of happiness outside of the domain of property and grants the state the authority to either support or hinder the progress of happiness. It downplays the pursuit of happiness as an internal struggle available to all individuals regardless of acquisition.

Jefferson recognized, rightfully, that King George’s laws over the colonies made “the pursuit of happiness” difficult. The restrictions placed on individuals by the King’s government made that pursuit of happiness (and here I will refer to it as the pursuit of peace) secondary to economics and taxation. The acquisition of money became the priority in order to survive. The pursuit of property and wealth took precedence over the possibility of happiness regardless of financial gain.

Jefferson’s gift to the Declaration was to elevate human possibilities to lofty ideals and in doing so he opened the door to a greater humanity.  But as a nation we have repeatedly refused to walk through the door of peace. Instead, we choose conquering and imperialism.

And on it goes, war and militarism, and now militarized police and ICE have been normalized and the pursuit of happiness is relegated to an old-fashioned notion that impedes progress.

Material goals replace higher ideals. And as our nation and culture continue on the path of militarism and might, the price paid is beginning to show itself in the loss of compassion, empathy and humanity itself. The good news is those precious human traits can be restored. They live within us and need our attention now. Spent time with those who uphold humanity. Engage the true pursuit of happiness. It is possible.

“It is Still a Beautiful World”

In my youth in the 70’s I was fascinated by philosophy and sought wisdom. Recently, I remembered a poem that was a poster I had hung in my room. It’s known as “Desiderata”, which is Latin for “things desired as essential”. It was written in 1927 by Max Ehrmann of Indiana. While the poem received no recognition at the time it was written, I believe it’s worthy of our attention today.

And while some words are dated, the humanity and the intention outlast time. In the changing wheel of fortune, we best find comfort and solace where it lives. Within us.

Never give up on the possibility of peace. Work towards it.

Desiderata by Max Erhmann

“Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. 

Speak your truth quietly and clearly, and listen to others, even the dull and ignorant; they too have their story. 

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love – for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is perennial as the grass. 

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. 

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you from misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. 

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. 

You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. 

Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive (it)Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace with your soul. 

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.”

Thank you Max Erhmann for your wisdom.

Thank you for taking time to read my blog. Best wishes.

It’s Still Up To Us

In January, 2020, I wrote much of this in response to the saber rattling over Iran. And now the war hawks are at it again.

Our history is full of people who have championed peace and diplomacy over war. We have honored those people and those ideals. Yet time after time we have allowed lies and greed to lead us into endless and inhumane wars.

Recent flagrant disregard of international law has opened the door for retaliation and the escalation of death and destruction. Leaders toss around nuclear options as if we could all relocate to another planet.

The fumbling assertions and disagreements within the Trump administration demonstrate the dangerous incompetency at the helm.

This president continues the legacy of past presidents, which is to be led by those who make money on weapons and war. When they speak of protecting United States interests, they are speaking of oil. If we allow this escalation of war and the stealing of resources, we are complicit.

But make no mistake it is Congress who declares war, not the president. And it is the people of the United States who can still determine their collective history.

Therefore, it is imperative we stand for peace and diplomacy in whatever means is available. It’s also imperative that we end our financial ties to the industries of weapons and oil and stop funding Israel’s war machine. And to evangelicals hoping for fulfillment of prophecy, I say, “Snap out of it”. We need your kind hearts; we need your love of humanity. 

We must demonstrate to a world very uncertain of our motives but very certain of our ability to create chaos and death, that we, the people, are ready to change course.

It‘s still up to us.

There’s still time for peace.

photo from the Truthout article from January 8, 2020.

The Need for a Lifeline

Resistance to ICE in Los Angeles and elsewhere is uplifting. The decision to send National Guards and deploy Marines was predictable.  The authoritarian in chief and his allies leave no room for dissent. That has been proven for some time. Long before this moment, we have witnessed the government’s overreach by militarized police and national guard. This has been winding up for decades. Both parties enabled it.

The violence we are witnessing against the peaceful is not new. The removal of human beings, the stripping of human dignity, the forced separation of families is not new to our history or to human history.

And I suggest to you that we no longer have the luxury to ignore the reality before us. Israel and the United States have nearly destroyed international laws regarding civilian care. Enough with pretending it doesn’t matter or there is nothing to be done.

We are born and immediately given a name and with it a host of expectations. One of those expectations is that we are a self-contained unit destined for success or failure depending on our circumstances. We have been conditioned to accept this as “just the way it is”. 

Birth takes a mammoth effort. The effort we made to grasp that first breath was immense.  We demonstrated then, that we have the capacity to do the seemingly impossible.

It’s time we remember the power we hold and return to the wonder and the passion for living. That is our way out. 

There is no decree that says we must suffer and allow the suffering of others. This shunning of our gifts has not served us. That has been our choice. And now it’s time to choose differently.

Saturday, June 14. Stand for peace, freedom, community and love of all of our relations.

Capacity to Care

Of all the lessons I’ve ever learned, I’m grateful to those who demonstrated kindness and instilled a love for all of humanity within me. In my young life, Christian values had more to do with love and loving, rather than sin and fear of retribution. I could grow my capacity to care. And it felt good.

At a very young age, I learned about the kindness of St. Francis of Assisi, and participated in ripping sheets into bandages to send to leper colonies. It was empowering. And while the concepts of service to humanity or to the divine have transformed within me over the years, I know that the capacity to love and to care is something that can and should be practiced. The heart is indeed a muscle that can be stretched and can grow into a powerful resource. That is my anchor.

When the Pope chose the name of Francis, I hoped he would herald back a time when greed didn’t have such a hold on our lives. He didn’t disappoint. I don’t practice a faith, the hypocrisy is too much for me, but I was grateful as Pope Francis attempted to steer the ship back to the values of humanity that I hold in high regard. This is not meant to be a salute to Francis, but a salute to the qualities of human kind that we shared and that need to be uplifted now. 

Today, we’re steeped in judgement on ourselves and others. We use it as a mile marker to determine our place in the arbitrary hierarchy we believe God has made for us. From the perspective of Love, this is a ridiculous grid to live by. 

No two things can occupy the same space at the same time. Be occupied by Love.

Pope Francis and his capacity for care of Palestinians.

Until Humanity Wins

Cori Booker spoke for twenty-five hours on the Senate floor in a speech that outlasted the now second longest speech by Strom Thurmon in 1957. Thurmond, a segregationist, spoke against the Civil Rights Act. His speech proved useless and President Eisenhower signed the Civil Rights Bill into law two weeks later. Booker spoke against Trump policies. He covered social security and Medicare, education, immigration, public safety, national security and foreign policy, housing, the environment and farmers’ issues. He spoke at length about defending Democracy. But nowhere have I found that Senator Booker mentioned the slaughter of Palestinians or the Israeli theft of land that the United States government supports.

If I missed it, please let me know, but it seems the Democratic Party is still intent on the ill-conceived dedication to Netanyahu’s Israel that President Biden so devotedly upheld. 

I don’t get it. We’re still supplying weapons to Israel. Some accounts say we are supplying even more deadly weapons. Through the entire month of Ramadan, we watched as Israeli forces prohibited food distribution to starving people. We learned of bombed tents and more children murdered. Any thinking person, any feeling person knows this is a genocide, but we allow that debate to rage on. Our empathy and compassion have been dismantled by outrageous remarks of ignorance and inhumanity streaming from the White House and the rest of the crusaders. 

The Christian Right’s belief of “End Times” – of how it is foretold that Israel will triumph and everyone will be whisked to the pearly gates – bolsters a president hell bent on creating a resort from a genocide. How long will Christian Nationalists be pawns in this power grab? 

Me? I prefer peace now to pie in the sky. And I’m holding out for Humanity to win.

Only 15 Senators Back Sanders Bid to Block Arms to Israel

I didn’t know this when I wrote this. Booker was not one of them. And Tammy Baldwin again abstained.

The democrats are failing miserably. We need a new direction.