War is not the answer!

Then, why can't we find another answer?

War is defined as an active conflict that has claimed more than 1,000 lives. Has the world ever been at peace? Of the past 3,400 years, humans have been entirely at peace for 268 of them, or just 8 percent of recorded history. Jul 6, 2003 nytimes

Why?

There are many reason for war. Economic disparity, revenge, and religion are on the list.

And, like everything else, there are lists available on the internet. Owlcation.com, a social sciences website, lists eight main reasons for war.

1. Economic Gain
2. Territorial Gain
3. Religion
4. Nationalism
5. Revenge
6. Civil War
7. Revolutionary War
8. Defensive War

What is the answer? Is it peace? It depends on what we mean by peace.

Nelsonmadella.org defines it this way:

Peace is not just the absence of conflict; peace is the creation of an environment where all can flourish, regardless of race, colour, creed, religion, gender, class, caste, or any other social markers of difference.

Look at that list. With the exception of the last reason, we are in a constant state of war because of selfishness and greed. We are blind. 

We are unwilling to work through our differences. We can't see our way through, because we can't stop, look and listen. Politicians (nationalists) are taking advantage of our weaknesses and dividing us for the purpose of their own selfish gains, for personal power.

Maybe John Lennon had it right. "Imagine."

Are you listening?

I speak english in this tale, but they don’t listen, / so I speak in fireballs, the language they hear, / the nightmare they dropped, the monster they created.

- Bao Phi, “The Godzilla Sestina”

 There are those unwilling to listen. How we speak and what we say should make a difference, but in many cases it does not. Their hearts are hardened. They seem more interested in confrontation. They are estranged from us by what? Ideology?

Since giving up means giving over control to those consumed with themselves, where do we take this?  We start with those who are willing to engage in discourse. It begins with questions, and lots of listening.  

Using our language against someone leads nowhere.

We often need to have difficult conversations about things we disagree on to reach solutions, particularly with family, partners, and close friends. Sarah DiGiulio is a New York City-based writer and editor who covers psychology, mental health, fitness and sleep, among other health and wellness topics. She's come up with nine tips for talking to people you disagree with.

1. Decide if you want to go there. ...
2. Ask if you can ask about it. ...
3. Keep it neutral. ...
4. Start off the conversation with understanding. ...
5. Look for where you agree. ...
6. Talk less. ...
7. Avoid using the word 'but' ...
8. Tell stories ...
9. Resist the current vogue to be provocative ...

Simply saying, "Let's agree to disagree," is not a solution. It sets up barriers. There's no chance of finding common ground. The solution may take on Biblical proportions. "If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet." -Matthew 10:14 

There will always those who refuse to hear. It's not your fault. 

Immigration Reform

 Immigration reform is up to Congress. 

Bipartisan deals on immigration have eluded lawmakers and presidents for three decades. The last big immigration bill was passed in 1986 when Ronald Reagan was president and both houses of Congress were held by Democrats. A smaller bill was passed in 1990 when George H.W. Bush was president and both houses of Congress were still controlled by Democrats. (Brookings)

To blame the president, or fly immigrants to Martha's Vinyard isn't going to change the situation. It is disingenuous and merely political theater.

Would it unreasonable to assume that if we want anything meaningful to happen with immigration reform, the Democrats need to be in control of both houses of Congress? Otherwise we get cynicism, and political posturing that plays off fear and hatred.

Open To The Truth

 

Open up! It's me!

“you might as well answer the door, my child, / the truth is furiously knocking.”
- Lucille Clifton


Open your eyes. Open your mind. The truth is waiting, and it's nothing to be afraid of. Lies on the other hand...

Truth is important. Believing what is not true is apt to spoil people's plans and may even cost them their lives. Telling what is not true may result in legal and social penalties. Conversely, a dedicated pursuit of truth characterizes the good scientist, the good historian, and the good detective. -Britannica

Racism Is a Festering Abscess

Picture credit, Rod Long

 Is racism over?

If we don't teach the lessons of the past, will they just go away. 

Two quotes that tell us that the fight against hate is hardly over...

The function, the very serious function of racism is distraction. It keeps you from doing your work. It keeps you explaining, over and over again, your reason for being. Somebody says you have no language and you spend twenty years proving that you do. Somebody says your head isn’t shaped properly so you have scientists working on the fact that it is. Somebody says you have no art, so you dredge that up. Somebody says you have no kingdoms, so you dredge that up. None of this is necessary. There will always be one more thing.

Toni Morrison

As you grow older, you’ll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don’t you forget it—whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash

Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

The MAGAs have been picking at this wound since before they became associated with the name MAGA and Donald Trump. It is now open and festering. The healing begins in each of us. We need to learn how to love one another no matter their skin color, their faith, their sexual orientation, their age, or their disability. Are we capable of this? Can we set aside our prejudices? Will we be allowed to learn from our past? 

I think we can. It starts with awareness. Dare I say, woke? Then we must teach our children well. 

Getting Sick is Not an Option

 

Insurance companies got a double digit rate hike. One reason given, people were waiting longer to get treated. Whatever they had  became much more serious and cost more to treat. 

There were two reasons they waited, the pandemic and the cost. Consumers are being punished for something out of their control, and now health insurance will be out of reach for tens of thousands more individuals. 

Would it be ridiculous to assume we're not allowed to get sick and use our insurance?

Can you say single payer?

Long COVID's Economic Drag

Leaving the lockdown/Not leaving COVID

Early debate about the COVID lockdown was it was bad for business and bad for the economy.

The same arguments were used in opposition to masking mandates and in opposition to social distancing. 

The answer has become, we are now living with COVID. The answer ignores the economic impact on the everyday people who are still becoming sick and 500 people a day dying in this country because of COVID 19. 

Kate Bach writes in an article for The Brookings Institute, “With 16.3 million working-age Americans afflicted and annual wage losses totaling nearly $200 billion, long COVID is already a meaningful drag on U.S. economic performance and household financial health. And absent intervention, the situation is likely to worsen.” Data shows Long COVID is keeping as many as 4 million people out of work.

Other cost include 

• With 10.6 million unfilled jobs at the time, Long COVID potentially accounted for 15% of the labor shortage. 
• Estimates of medical care and lost quality of life related to Long COVID cost an additional $544 billion each year. 

Stemming the Economic Drag

Bach cites five things government can do help those with Long COVID and lessen the economic impact.

• Better prevention and treatment options
• Expanded paid sick leave
• Improved employer accommodations
• Wider access to disability insurance
• Enhanced data collection

There's a cost to living with COVID. Those costs need to be addressed. Claiming those left behind are just so much collateral damage seems cruel and unusual. Are we a nation that cares about its people more than the corporate bottom line? Victory celebrations are premature.