Sometimes I just want to forget (or Artists need to give voice to war and peace)
Sometimes, when the world beyond my own little families and friends seems too much, I just want to forget. I don't want to remember there is a war going on. I don't want to remember there are people in Asia dying because aid cannot get to them. I don't want to think about the Gulf. How can you take that all in, anyway? It's beyond you...so very beyond.
Some people give money and if I had some, I'd do the same. Of course, I do believe every bit helps and even small amounts mean a lot. Jon gave blood. I'm going to do this next time when he goes. We'll be weak together.
However, I think there are things we can do. We can protest. And I don't mean just walking in the streets with banners. We can protest in our conversations. We can inform people. We can talk and engage others on a basic level. We can say, This war is wrong. We need to start peace talks in Iraq. And then ask questions such as why haven't we done this already? Why is it taking so long to create at the very least a neutral zone? What are we saying when we bomb or send soldiers into these areas? This certainly isn't going to make people want to talk or even consider peace.
So, what can we do? We can protest by talking. We can protest by showing in our art and writing what war does to people. We can show how the main people who suffer are the families. War is against the family. Regardless, of what country you were born, war effects the family in the worst way and by having families broken by death and falling apart from permanent injuries, war steals the trust that makes a family a family.
Even if someone believes that war is the right thing to do, explore this. Why is it right? What are the costs of war? Is it worth it? What are the benefits? Where are the benefits? And answer these questions as honestly as you can.
I think there is hopelessness all around us. I see people just falling under the weight of pain and sorrow. And it would be easy to do just roll over and not do anything. But we can do something. We can talk. We can write. We can create some art that discusses these issues at the very least.
I once read this children's book. It was about a kitten in a flower garden. This kitten saw some pretty bees and watched them. She started to chase them and use them like cat toys. However, they are bees and didn't want to be "played" with. They began to sting back. The kitten learned not to bother bees but to appreciate them from a distance.
Even in a child's book there is room to show insight and honesty. I wonder what would happen if artists started doing this in earnest.
Some people give money and if I had some, I'd do the same. Of course, I do believe every bit helps and even small amounts mean a lot. Jon gave blood. I'm going to do this next time when he goes. We'll be weak together.
However, I think there are things we can do. We can protest. And I don't mean just walking in the streets with banners. We can protest in our conversations. We can inform people. We can talk and engage others on a basic level. We can say, This war is wrong. We need to start peace talks in Iraq. And then ask questions such as why haven't we done this already? Why is it taking so long to create at the very least a neutral zone? What are we saying when we bomb or send soldiers into these areas? This certainly isn't going to make people want to talk or even consider peace.
So, what can we do? We can protest by talking. We can protest by showing in our art and writing what war does to people. We can show how the main people who suffer are the families. War is against the family. Regardless, of what country you were born, war effects the family in the worst way and by having families broken by death and falling apart from permanent injuries, war steals the trust that makes a family a family.
Even if someone believes that war is the right thing to do, explore this. Why is it right? What are the costs of war? Is it worth it? What are the benefits? Where are the benefits? And answer these questions as honestly as you can.
I think there is hopelessness all around us. I see people just falling under the weight of pain and sorrow. And it would be easy to do just roll over and not do anything. But we can do something. We can talk. We can write. We can create some art that discusses these issues at the very least.
I once read this children's book. It was about a kitten in a flower garden. This kitten saw some pretty bees and watched them. She started to chase them and use them like cat toys. However, they are bees and didn't want to be "played" with. They began to sting back. The kitten learned not to bother bees but to appreciate them from a distance.
Even in a child's book there is room to show insight and honesty. I wonder what would happen if artists started doing this in earnest.
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