Peace: If not us... then who? If not now... then when?

Feeling secure and having peaceful life are important human needs. How can some one be able to think about his children's education, health or experience real life if his biggest fear was being shot walking down the street or being attacked in his own house with his family? Many would ask "what can we do? We are against wars, but it is enforced upon us by a greater force.

Anita Koddick said "you think you're too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito in the room." So no matter how small we think we are, we can make a change starting by treating others nicely, accepting them no matter what their race, their belief, their position and their gender are. "Peace cannot be achieved through violence, it can only be attained through understanding" (Ralph Waldo). The most basic human need is to feel secure in our own houses, work place and on the street. A human also needs to express his opinion and practice his belief without fear of being judged or hated.

 If world peace is the life between tyrants and slaves and if equality means all humans are equal but some more than others, as what was meant by George Orwell in Animal Farm when he said "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others". So the equality in political and social speeches is the joke that no body laughs at.  It is only used by those who want to get positions and as long as they get it they going to shut up any mouth calling for equality,  real peace is deeper than that. Peace is more than wearing a peace sign as a fashion. Peace is practical lifestyle. Peace is to forgive , to love , to help others to spread positive thoughts, to smile , which can be done by me and you!

Revolution can be a solution in facing many issues. It doesn’t have to be a violent act, but against violence. William James said once "The greatest revolution of our generation is the discovery that human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives". People need to stand up against violence or abuse whether physically or emotionally.

It is important to raise people's awareness about their rights and have a place to turn to when they face violence, because violence begets violence .Those who feel insecure or unaccepted usually practice violence as a defense... What has been mentioned leads to the conclusion that we can all help make peace a reality.

Munirah

October 2009