This is very hopeful, and proves that we are all humans, in this thing together. Seeing anyone suffer, no matter what, does eat away at the soul.
It's also good to see an example of FIREFIGHTERS being FIREFIGHTERS and doing their duty, ---to save lives. No matter race, creed, ethnicity.
However, we already know that the average people of this world don't want war. We already know that the average citizen of any country really just
wants to love, be loved, raise his/her family and help forge a brighter tomorrow for their children, --and to possibly know some happiness along the
way in this life journey we were thrust into.
Further, we also know that for some INTANGIBLE REASON, there seems to be a title to this Earth Cinema, and that title is of a movie called: "THERE
WILL BE WAR." It is a fundamental underpinning of human existence ---that THERE WILL BE WAR. The question is a resounding, "Why?" Does anyone know?
Everywhere you look, peace is derailed. North Korea fires artillery into the south to "begin negotiations." People died. India and China fight
over the Siachin (sp) Glacier, and have had a "private little war" there for over a decade (probably longer). India and Pakistan fight over the
Kashmir region. Middle East (enough said). Drug wars in South America. Mexico (enough said). Somalia, etc. I don't believe that there has been a
century that has passed, let alone a decade or even a year, where some country hasn't been trying to hurt another. The reasons don't matter. We seem
WIRED FOR WAR.
Or, perhaps, the stage has been set and pieces put into play and plans set into motion to see to it that we provide an almost *entertaining* level of
war. When not really fighting, what do we humans do for our own entertainment? We watch movies about war. We watch documentaries about war. We
play boardgames about war. We play computer games about war. What is the essential element of EVERY STORY / PIECE OF FICTION: conflict. Man vs.
Man. Man vs. Environment. Man vs. Himself. Man vs...
Conflict. Struggle. Obstacles to be surmounted, foes and villains to be vanquished. WAR. Good God Ya'll. What is it good for? --as the song
goes.
That being said... the human body is at its best when it is "challenged." You don't look like a body builder unless you "challenge" your muscles by
lifting weights. Lifting weights destroys muscle fibers, and then your body builds more (and newer) ones... Eventually leading to that well-toned
physique. Is our human race like a body, and is war what challenges our "muscles?" Are we better for it, for WAR? Look at the advances we've made
due to conflict. Sure, the cost is high, but LOOK at what has been invented in the last 100 years of conflict.
WAR brought us from balloons to heavier-than-air flight to WWII fighter planes to space age jets to traveling to other planets via robots. Did this
all begin like 2001: A Space Odyssey? Some neanderthal picked up a bone, made the connection and then the wheel, measurement, agriculture...etc.
until NOW, the modern age? Has killing been so woven into our species' technological advancement that we cannot live without it? OR, is some other
force or organization or group *manipulating* us into war? Are they doing it for entertainment, or are they doing it out of necessity in order to
prepare us for some future, unforeseen and unanticipated EVENT, or challenge, or circumstance... Are we on a time clock, and do we need to ADVANCE to
a certain level by a certain time to prevent SURE DOOM?
I would, personally, like to think that all of this is for a reason. We know that humans, if unchallenged, just let themselves go. They get lazy and
flabby. "Challenged" bodies get harder, more beautiful. Look at our human race as if it were a physical body. Are we in "better shape" because of
conflict?
Back to the situation: it is still heartening to see people (those firefighters) being PEOPLE. Sometimes GREAT THINGS are accomplished by a simple
act of kindness. May this be one of those events that leads to peace in that region.
As a haunting shadow over everything, though, is the spectre of "THERE WILL BE WAR." It is far easier to destroy than to create, and some nut or
group of nuts is going to incite people again, for sure. That would ensure the continued human cinematic event of "THERE WILL BE WAR."
The best thing we can do IMHO? Don't allow yourselves to be sucked into the hype. Sure, there are many regions where things are bad, far from ideal.
But we can't rise out of this by doing the SAME THINGS as before. The mold must be broken. Jews. Muslims. Christians. Bhuddists. What-have-you.
Geo-political and mega-corp affiliations aside. As Yoda said: "Let go of the hate." That's what these firefighters did. They put LOVE first, love
for their human brothers and sisters. THAT'S WHERE A BETTER FUTURE BEGINGS, THAT'S HOW IT BEGINS. A heartfelt salute goes out to them. We have to
act out of our HOPES, not our fears. That's what they did.
edit on 6-12-2010 by GhostLancer because: (no reason given)