photo by me

Yesterday, in response to my entry about peace, Jennifer wrote:

I’m just wondering if you differentiate between an aggressive agenda to obliterate a country (Iran’s stated intent to destroy Israel) from defending oneself and one’s allies against such an agenda?

I thought about it all night. I didn’t want to give a glib answer and be done with it. Her thoughtful question warranted a thoughtful response.

I thought about how Nelson Mandela and deClerq were able to avoid bloodshed when apartheid was abolished and how they moved in a peaceful way to create a new nation. I thought about how the leaders of the nation next door to them, Zimbabwe, did exactly the opposite and began killing whites and burning them out of homes when the new government took over. I thought about Gandhi’s walks for peace. I thought about the Civil Rights’ struggle here in the US. I thought about the student standing in front of the tanks in Tiananmen Square.

And I know it’s possible to do things in a peaceful manner. It is a struggle but it is possible. It takes courage to do that. Few people have that kind of courage.

Then, this morning, I heard on the news that the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made comments about the United States and said that this nation is a “hollow superpower” that is “tainted with the blood of nations”. And that sealed it for me.

We need to stop for a moment. WE may think that we are “doing good” by going in to other nations and taking out oppressive factions. However, how do those people view us? Sure, we all see on the news the people who held up their purple thumbs after the election. We didn’t see, however, the people who boycotted the vote. We don’t hear from the people who aren’t happy with our occupation of their country.

And make no mistake, we are occupying countries.

We are not some benevolent giant who is merely protecting our interests and the interests of our allies. Iraq had nothing to do with that whatsoever. They weren’t threatening our security. Neither was Afghanistan. But there we are, occupying their nations.

In terms of Iran, so far peaceful heads have reigned. Germany led the way for Iran to be brought to the UN Security Council for their nuclear activities. Iran vows that the nuclear actions they are taking are positive and will not be used for bombs. And that is why we must take steps that are peaceful. Not just jump in with a gun and say, “Hey, I don’t believe you!”

Bullying is right. We are bullies. We want the world to believe and act as we do.

And that’s just not possible.