kat’s random thoughts

We live in a technologically advanced, enlightened world, fully equipped to rationally discuss problems and achieve rational compromises.  Grant Us Peace and try this ancient method of conflict resolution, talking. Order your troops to put down their weapons, and all you decision makers pull up an over stuffed chair, put a cat on your knee to pet then listen and talk until you come up with solutions that don’t involve killing our children and wasting our money.  Grant Us Peace.

The cost of war is too high.  Harvard budget expert Linda Bilmes and Columbia University Professor and Nobel Laureate Joseph E. Stiglitz calculate that the war is likely to cost the
United States potentially over $2 trillion dollars.  $2 trillion dollars that could be used to bolster up our social security system, educate our children for the future, provide needed services to our handicapped and suffering.  Provide seed money for new business, build hospitals, and fund socially changing programs.  $2 trillion dollars we could use to lift our less fortunate neighboring countries with basic needs like food, water, shelter, education and opportunity.  Grant Us Peace, so we can use our intellect and money to make the world a better place, safe for everyone.   The cost of war is too high.  Young men and women are dieing.  How do we know we aren’t wasting the life of the person with the potential to find a cure for cancer, aids, Alzheimer’s, diabetes?  Maybe that soldier whose loyalty to our country ended in his demise was the one destined to find the key to alternative fuels or global warming.  Grant Us Peace, so no more mothers and wives need cry themselves to sleep at night.  No more children grow up with that hole in their heart from the loss of a parent.   

Grant Us Peace to save your own soul.    Just stop fighting, and start talking.  It sounds too simplistic to work, doesn’t it?  To take a stand for your people and demand no more death is a sign of a true ruler, with the heart of a lion.  Grant Us Peace. 

Unfortunately for peace to happen it takes both sides, and the people we are fighting are anything but peaceful. With the actions they’ve taken Peace is not an option at this point. We have to do what’s necessary to keep this nation safe, and sometimes war is necessary. Such is the case with the American Revolution, if we hadn’t gone to war then where would our country be now?

Comment by mrsjosegoldbloom — November 7, 2006 # |Edit This

Thanks Dr. Kate, I agree. War looks a whole lot different if your son, your cousin, your nephew or your husband are standing on the front lines.Delmonti - I don’t think failing to stab you with my machete makes me meek. If every country stood down and refused to fight with anything but words, we could spot the nutters that still wanted to get their way through violence easier and deal with them accordingly.Tony - My letter is addressed to All World Leaders, including ours. I’ve never found any answers in blame, who cares who started it - I just wish those that lead would find a better way to create harmony between the countries of the world without using hand to hand combat.Mrs. Jose, we did not have the knowledge and communication skills during the American Revolution that we have now. We used to wash our laundry but pounding it with rocks in a stream, but as we learned a better way, we used a better way. It is the same with war. There are other ways to resolve differences that don’t involve blood shed. You’re right, it takes both sides to agree, and that is why my letter was addressed to all of them.

Thanks for your comments everyone.

Comment by katcampbell — November 7, 2006 # |Edit This

Kat you do make some good points. The reason I used the Amer revolution as an example was that they did try negotiations, and other forms of reconciliation before going to war. When they finally went to war there was still a lot of people that were opposed to it, but where would we be now if they hadn’t gone to war.

Comment by mrsjosegoldbloom — November 7, 2006 # |Edit This

Thanks Mimi, simple always looks suspicious.First thing I did was vote today. Record turnout in my little town. Woo hoo! Even if my candidates don’t win, I’m happy people are out there voting their opinion.

Comment by katcampbell — November 8, 2006 # |Edit This

I have no problem taking on terrorists Hammer, but rather than war, shouldn’t we be spending the money to develope a system to spot these nutters before they ram a plane into a building?Thank you for the peaceful wishes OF, and thanks for coming by. At present our leaders are still warmongers and I mean all the worlds leaders, not just mine. But things can always change.

Comment by katcampbell — November 8, 2006 # |Edit This

The power of numbers, Jackie. There was a time when women couldn’t vote… now we can.

Comment by katcampbell — November 8, 2006 # |Edit This

Thank you Nessa! I’m hoping that will also open the door to lots of other people!Right on Velvet, if enough people get single minded we will be able to “teach the world to sing in perfect harmony”.

Comment by katcampbell — November 8, 2006 # |Edit This

I agree with you Sunflower. How amicably would we look at some stranger strolling into our town and telling us what to do? We wouldn’t.Thank you for coming by andrena.