In a world with so much war and politics, does “the right thing” Exist?

On the pixelated image of my television screen a stressed politician is desperately trying to calm a crowd of disheveled protesters, trying to convince millions that despite his greatest efforts for peace, he is still wrong. This is not what he joined this area of work to do, he wanted to help the world regain peace. But the immensity of power-hungry and war bound people around the young man seemed to be drowning him in an endless sea of arguments. He was lost in this sea, precariously searching for an answer that didn’t lead to the same crossroad of war and anguish. The young man had given in, unable to catch a breath, he drifts into the usual routine of the men before him - falling into habits of the job, ones which did nothing for the children of the future, waiting for the next rows of men and women with dreams of helping others to also succumb to the darkness. . . Until one doesn’t

There must be another way besides war and destruction in this world, besides money and power, besides the annihilation of basic human rights and derogatory limits set for those not born as a male, or with wealth or with the right set of tools for what we need. There must be another way. Surely there are ways to reach the end of war that differs from the creation of more war, no man or woman is born into this world with the absolute intent to kill and wreck havoc. We are not born into this world believing that the worth of men is consequently more than the worth of women. My parents did not program me so that I would not be able to run, jump or leap over the boundaries that society has already put in place for me.

No, we are taught, human beings learn from other human beings. But if we continue to teach our young, hopeful and youthful generations the same way that we previously have, are we human beings at all? Or simply just beings? Why is it that we preach peace but teach war? I will not teach my children that. I will teach my children to not listen to the words of their peers when they suggest that the bus driver is a nobody, I will teach them that we are all equal. I will teach my son not to cower underneath the bleary eyed politician who insists that apologies and kind words are not the first steps towards peace, I will teach him to stand up for what is right, and to protect those who cannot protect themselves. I will not teach my daughter that she is to grow up to be the housewife of a man who controls her, who has been taught that he is better than her. I will teach my daughter to value her body and her worth as a woman, and when her high school teacher rings me complaining that she punched a boy who would not stop touching her leg despite her telling him to stop, I will sit down with ice cream and her favourite movie, and celebrate the fact that she celebrates her body.

Lets teach our children that mankind can harbour jealously and hatred and sadness, but lets teach our children that mankind is so much more than that. Lets teach them about how train drivers honk their horns and wave when they drive past each other, lets teach them about how young people travel to learn cultures and volunteer with others, lets teach them about how people meet at birth, and remain friends their entire lives. Lets teach about winning a marathon, saving a life, swimming with dolphins, lets teach about kisses under mistletoes, jumping in puddles, cheering when your football team wins, lets teach about parties, laughing until your stomach hurts and food fights. Lets teach about hope, and compassion and generosity. But most of all, lets teach about love.

#love #warandpeace #changingtheworld