It is not peace if a woman gets raped in the middle of the street, and while she is screaming for help, her neighbors are scared to even open their doors.
It is not peace when old people are dying, abandoned and surrounded by suddenly useless memories, totally alone.
It is not peace when the murder rate in some city or neighborhood reaches that of a war zone. It is not peace when life expectancy is hanging somewhere around 40 years.
It is not peace when people live in constant fear of losing their house, their job, and all basic necessities.
It is not peace when members of minorities are treated like animals, killed by police, discriminated against at every strep of their lives.
If someone asks me to define war, allowing me to use only one word, without even thinking I would reply “fear”.
It is not peace when society is petrified!
***
Peace, Mr. Ban Ki Moon, is that serene surface of the lake lost deep in the forest, so brilliantly depicted by your traditional artists.
Peace is when a mother sings a lullaby to her child, unhurriedly, offering her entire heart.
Peace is when people know that if they become ill there will be doctors ready to fight for their lives, free of charge, no matter what effort it takes, no matter what equipment it requires and what cost it incurs.
Peace is when human life matters more than anything else, much more than power and profits.
Peace is when every citizen knows that knowledge is free, and that it constitutes a basic human right. Peace is when knowledge is valued and respected and admired.
Peace is when women can leave their houses freely, without being terrified.
Peace is knowledge that somewhere there, in that big government building, sit decent human beings, not perfect, but decent, working hard to improve the welfare of the people.
Peace is faith that life is improving, that humanity is marching forward.
Peace is kindness. It is compassion and solidarity.
Peace is certainty that there are several basic certainties, and that there will be more of them with each coming year.
Peace is when the entire body relaxes, the mind opens and the heart begins beating regularly.
Peace is that smile which appears on our faces, when we know that something pleasant is ahead of us, or when we see the beautiful colors of pristine nature.
Peace is in beauty and in reciprocated love.
But above all, Peace is lack of fear.
http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/05...tm_campaign=they-say-peace-but-really-its-war
Zo waar...
Mike