The world is quite literally, right now this very instant, at war with itself.

We have racism, a form of war.
The ignorant fighting the ignorant.

We have politics, a form of war.
Politicians fighting, over your vote.

We have global warming, a form of war.
The world itself fighting the over-heating of the planet and thereby melting the polar ice caps.

We have the war on famine, a form of war.
Starving people fighting to stay alive, using any means necessary.

We have the "War On Drugs", an actual war.
The Police, Government Agencies, and World Organizations fighting against drug users, drug buyers, drug sellers, and every middle man inbetween.

We have the "War On Terror", an actual war.
The Police, Government Agencies, and World Organizations fighting against terror supporters, terror suppliers, terror financiers, and every middle man inbetween.

We have the war on your mind, a form of war.
The battle for your mind, to have your "Patriotism" questioned if you don't support war. The battle of being a "Enemy Combatant" if you disagree, or you yell a little too loudly in the wrong forum about fighting for your rights to privacy.

Anyone else notice any other wars we're in right now?

Anyone else notice that everything right now, is about war?

Anyone else even care of give a rats behind?

I know I do.

I think it is man's nature.

As horrible as that may be for the civilized mind to grasp, mankind has been at war their entire existence.

We are creatures of violence and self-importance. Combined with our technology, we have created a very dangerous situation on this small rock we inhabit..

Gonna get worse before it gets better..

Semper

Originally posted by semperfortis
I think it is man's nature.

As horrible as that may be for the civilized mind to grasp, mankind has been at war their entire existence.

We are creatures of violence and self-importance. Combined with our technology, we have created a very dangerous situation on this small rock we inhabit..

Gonna get worse before it gets better..

Semper

semperfortis

Yes, I agree it is man's nature to cause, be a part of, or want to be in war...but man can fight his nature.

Look at Ghandi.

Look at Mother Theresa.

Look at yourself.

Look at Me.

Look at all the people of the world who want peace instead of war.

AHHHH, Yes my Friend, but are we not in the minority?

There are those that are natural predators, and those that are natural victims. Either "class" of people can be categorized in the violent segment of society.

Predator and Prey...

Then there are those that fight against that duality. Those that you mentioned...

However.... (You knew that was coming HAHAHAHA)

Those that fight it, are also a part of it. Mostly..

Ghandi and Mother Theresa not withstanding, those that fight violence must themselves be violent to be effective. I know that more and more we are trying to adopt and establish a Police Force that is more educated and less "Hands On', yet I can not help but watch and see the Predators gaining ground due to this abhorrence with violence.

My outlook is that violence is only evil when it is uncontrolled, or misguided in intent. What a wonderful world it would be if ever there was a time when violent men were not necessary to combat other violent men. Yet I do not see that happening anytime in my future.

I just happen to be the type of man that can not stand and watch injustice. I am the idiot that steps up and defends the smaller guy being picked on at the bar. (Usually ending in a fight LOL) I hate bullies and men that hit women, children and animals. I have always known I had a propensity towards violence and I thank the Lord everyday that I have been able to channel that toward the positive.

Semper

Racism is hatred incarnate. Why do people hate someone of a certain race? Is it because this black man did something to this white man? Or this hispanic in some gang that has hurt someone you know?

Just because one, or two, or multiples of whichever race have treated you wrong, or someone you love or know wrong, does not mean the entire race is to blame.

That would be as ignorant as saying "Well, I owned a Ford once, and it broke down a lot, so I won't buy any more Ford vehicles." Now do you really think Ford is to blame? Or maybe it's that one specific car, or that one specific model?

I know car companies make their cars so they break down on purpose, so you come back to get it fixed either at a cost to you or to "make you feel like you're getting it fixed and their taking care of the customer" but people aren't like that. No one has given a guarantee or warranty on a person.

People are people, plain and simple. One person, of one race, is responsible for their actions against someone else. Yes, those people are usually, and I say usually, raised within an "ethnical boundary" or "ethinical limitation of thinking" by being surrounded by people who think similarly.

Just because someone has been raised within that type of thinking, does not mean they have to think that way. I've been down in a racially low income housing area for extended periods of time. No, I didn't live there but was there for a reason.

I've seen the younger people from 20 to 30 getting chided by older people 40 to 60 for "acting like a dang fool" or in My words "acting like a hooligan" so each races does have it's own "thought process" or mentality.

Don't judge someone by the color of their skin, don't judge someone even by their actions, don't judge people period. Let them be who they are and if that means their actions take them out of your life, so be it. If they're in your life on a more permanent level, IE : co-worker, friend of someone you know, deal with as you can without violence, or the wrong choice of words.

Remember, you can break a negative cycle, by not being a part of the negativity.

Now racism is the one form of hatred I have never been able to understand...

We don't hate Blonds over Brunettes, yet we hate because of skin color?

Also religious hatred is very confusing..

There is a lot of hatred for Jews on here. I just can not get my mind around that... Anytime the haters are confronted, they spout all of this nonsense about what Israel has done or is doing, and yet it is clear as a bell, hatred for the Jewish people..

Semper

[edit on 1/17/2007 by semperfortis]

Originally posted by semperfortis
Now racism is the one form of hatred I have never been able to understand...

We don't hate Blonds over Brunettes, yet we hate because of skin color?

Also religious hatred is very confusing..

There is a lot of hatred for Jews on here. I just can not get my mind around that... Anytime the haters are confronted, they spout all of this nonsense about what Israel has done or is doing, and yet it is clear as a bell, hatred for the Jewish people..

Semper

I agree with you totally Semper. Racism should stop. There's no need for it, whatsoever. Racism is a programmed reaction, or taught response that people to want to follow willingly.

Hi Semper, glad to see you, it's been awhile. I was wondering where you were.

Racism, I agree, is a violent form of hatred and I never understood it. All I know is that racists I've known are usually very, very angry people.

I love the OP and how it was worded. I couldn't agree with you more. It seems as if they want us to think of ourselves as little soldiers, marching off to war to fight "the bad guys", whoever the current bad guys may be or are supposed to be. There's so much anger and violence in the world. If we could all be just a bit less judgmental and harsh with each other, maybe this world would be very different.

Compassion and mercy towards others is a gift from the Divine. I think we need more of that on this planet. It's important to try to teach our children the right use of violence and anger (as in defense, etc.) and, as you say, Semper, learn how to channel those things into more positive ways.

HEY!!!
Forestlady...

GREAT to see you too...

Very well put and well worded..

It is difficult for me to comprehend hate toward anyone that has not directly wronged me. I am not for a minute going to "Blow Smoke" at you and tell you I have not felt harshly towards anyone. But Hate is such a final feeling.

Just looking at the past one can see that hate really does destroy the one that hates more often than the one that is hated.

As you said, if only more people would come to understand this.

Maybe one day....

Semper

Thaks Semper. You know, my husband and I have talked about this before - whether or not going to war is an instinct in humans or not. Apparently, there has been alot of research lately and they have found that no evidence of war exists before about (I think) 14,000 years ago, when the first civilizations began to appear and land became more scarce. People needed land to raise their crops, cattle, etc. and as the earth became more populated, land became more scarce and warfare broke out. It was the same old reason for war, scarcity of resources and people fighting over those resources.

But the point is, from this we may conclude that war is not natural for humans - this is one theory. I don't think war is instinctive in most humans. We are taught that war is a good thing because it defends your country. But alot of wars these days are needless and are started by govts who who's leaders trade in arms and war weapons and they start wars to make money for themselves. Most people seem to be able to get thru life without starting a war in their neighborhood, city, etc. because they channel their violence into something positive. Just throwing some ideas out there and wondering what y'all think about this theory of no war before about 14,000 years ago.

Also, there is a group of apes called bonobos that live in Africa. Apes are famous for becoming very aggressive, especially the males. They are extremely sexually active and in fact, whenever the males get too aggressive with each other and their offspring, the females gang up on the males and jump their bones until the males are all calmed down. Not a bad way to end conflict I think and I'm sure most males would go for that! To me, war is another face of racism, because it requires us to shoot people that never harmed us and that we know nothing about other than their race or ethnicity.

Looking at it from that perspective Forestlady, you make a lot of sense.

However...

(There is always a however with me:lol

I would suggest that war is simply a societal extension of the natural aggression and protection instincts of mankind.

Perhaps war did not exist prior to 14K years ago. I would speculate that is a correct statement. Because there were few if any established societies then.

I will bet that murder, rape and robbery were present. I would also imagine there were those that stood up to the ones that murdered, raped and robbed.

War would be and is simply a societal extension of those actions that are currently inherent in man's nature.

1. The instinct or compulsion to commit wrong.
2. The instinct or compulsion to help. ie. stop the wrongdoers.

Semper

Hmm, you make an excellent point, Semper, hadn't looked at it that way. I must say, your post got my husband and I talking late last night about all this. You're right in that humans do have aggressive and violent impulses, no question there. And I think racism is a form of violence as well.

Which brings up the question: Is it possible to ever have a society/world that is free from war or racism?

A world free from war, oppression, hatred of the "other"? It's a wonderful dream. One that many over the centuries have died for, and one that many more will die for in the future. We all strive for that world in our own ways, Ghandi with his pacific approach. Mother Tereasa by healing everyone she could. Warriors like our freind Semper and many others by defending the weak, upholding justice, etc... Most all of us fight the good fight however we can.

Man is born to conflict. Our very existence is conflict. Conflict with nature to feed ourselves, clothe ourselves, raise our children. Nature is not going to just give us these things, we have to work for them. She's called "Red of toothe and claw" for good reason. Kind and gentle isn't her favorite thing.

Can anyone identify that quote for me? It sound Shakesperean to me, but I can't find it.