Rant (but not)...

I’m playing “devil’s advocate” here, but I find recent assertions made by other Bloggers (like Lia, for example) about the problems in the Middle East very interesting from the standpoint that there is always a war going on…somewhere (not that it is right, mind you – it just is) That’s part of the reason why the concept of “world peace” is so unobtainable. I’ve always found it strange what the press in the states covers versus the media in other countries (the BBC, for example). I mean, just because a war is happening somewhere else and it doesn’t make CNN doesn’t make it any less gruesome, destructive, etc. Similarly, just because the U.S. isn’t involved diplomatically, militarily, etc. doesn’t mean that what is going on “elsewhere in the world” isn’t worth researching – and yet the vast majority of Americans haven’t got a clue.

I’m not saying, of course, that what is going on today in the Middle East isn’t important. On the contrary, actually (it wouldn’t surprise me if the stage is being set for WWIII and nuclear holocaust, which is – to say the least – terrifying). My point is about other world events that rarely, if ever, make headlines. Consequently, people – especially in this country – don’t know about them. Like, the genocide occurring in the Sudan, for example. Talk about slaughter on a grand scale, and all in the name of “ethnic cleansing”! We are talking hundreds of thousands of people here – put in concentration camps, tortured, displaced, raped, starved and murdered. Furthermore, since 1984, 1.5 million of those killed have been Christians. Additionally, there have been attempts within the country to exterminate the Nuba people. Not to mention the Darfur crisis or the Chad-Sudan conflict – each representing major violations of human rights in the present day (The Djawara massacre took place on April 13, 2006 in the eastern Chadian village of Djawara. An estimated 75 civilians were shot or hacked to death by Sudanese Janjaweed militia and local Chadian rebels. And this is but one example of this kind of attack in that area in a 48 hour period), and the situation over there is only getting worse. Those who originally sought refuge from Darfur in Chad are now returning to Darfur! And rumors abound that the Sudanese have started painting their helicopters white (like U.N. helicopters) so people come towards them (instead of running away), which makes the killing easier.

Then, there are other world examples of terrorism and murder, like, the Tamil Tigers (or LTTE) versus the government of Sri Lanka (almost 70 people died there on August 1st alone – leaving an additional 60,000 people without a clean water supply since the problem began (over control of a water reservoir) on July 20th). Problems there have been going on since the 1970s with – obviously – no end in sight.

It doesn’t stop there, either. A good deal of the countries in Africa have descended into modern-day warlordism. Guerilla warfare still exists in South America, and it isn’t like U.S. policies toward many Latin American countries during the past 110 years have endeared them to us. Take Hugo Chavez, for example. Not exactly a fan of the U.S. or capitalism, and he’s definitely a threat in both the ideological and the economic sense (supports socialism while being in charge of a country (Venezuela) that is one of the top five suppliers of oil in the world). After all, the Cold War maybe over, but no one told China, North Korea, Vietnam, Laos or Cuba. Plus, the fall of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s resulted in “the misplacement” (a.k.a. the loss) of thousands of nuclear warheads. Where are they now? Who knows, but it is more than likely that many of them have fallen into the hands of people who are not the biggest fans of the United States or democracy.

Anyway, I guess my point is that war, genocide, murder, etc. are all happening constantly around the world. Just because they don’t show up on TV or in the newspaper doesn’t mean that they aren’t happening. Since 1990 alone, there have been approximately 10 different incidences of either “ethnic cleansing” or genocide around the globe. In my opinion, it’s abhorrent how people kill, torture, displace and/or discriminate against other human beings simply because of how they look, act or which God they chose to worship. However, much to my dismay and horror, that is a reality. A reality that history repeats over and over and over again. Take Jerusalem, for example. One city. Three major religions tied to it. People have been killing each other over control of Jerusalem – and in the name of God or Allah – for thousands of years now. Look at the Middle East, and you can see the same battle still being fought today (different players, different time, but same religious undertones).

I’m not saying it’s right or wrong or otherwise. I’m just saying that it happens all the time, and – although I applaud people, like Lia, for doing more to educate themselves about these current world events – there is more happening out there than is being covered by any U.S. newspaper or TV program. Therefore, since it is always happening, the best way – in my opinion – to deal with it all is by educating yourself about it. Wallowing in its perpetual horror is overwhelming and defeatist in nature – mainly because it is impossible to ever – successfully – get your mind around how terrible war, death and genocide can be. If you did, you’d never be able to allow yourself to be happy or to have fun or to experience life. There’d always be the guilt of being happy while others are dying or experiencing the horrors of war. Instead, learn about current events and try to put it all in a context or perspective that works for you – one that allows you to continue to pursue a sense of happiness without all the nagging guilt. Education is a powerful tool, and allows you to be both active and proactive in dealing with world events.

After all, you might not be able to change what is going on around the world, but you are on the right track - knowledge is power. Who knows, knowledge might be able to keep similar things from happening in the future. As Maya Angelou once said, “History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again”. Who knows what pain or horror can be avoided in the future…