Peace

We live in an age of fear. This fear is not singular in nature. It is a composite of many fears, insecurities, and doubts. It comprises the past, the present, and the future. It is not just terrorism, it is job security. It is not just world poverty, it is your own poverty. Nobody wishes for a violent world, yet when violence can act as a means towards individual goals, violence is sometimes condoned. But when is the cost of violence too much? How many people must die before liberty is no longer of value. How many must perish before words no longer need be free. How many can you murder in the name of national security before further killing detracts from your desired security. If the world would be eternally peaceful if every American gave up 10,000 dollars today, do you think we would do it? Would you do it? We all want peace, but what are we willing to give up for it. Will you give up freedom, security, love, and justice all for a more peaceful world. Or are these things only possible when peace is truly achieved.

The movement towards a peaceful world is necessarily slow, and the path is ridden with obstacles. But there is a great wall that stands near the end of this path. If peace is to come, this wall must be abolished. It is the wall that stands between the rich and the poor, the can do's and the can't do's, the economic north and the economic south. It is the wall of prosperity, and unfortunately in this world some people cannot traverse this wall. For many, the wall is too high, and they are too short. They cannot afford the ladders or ropes to climb over it. They also do not hold the means or abilities to destroy this wall. This is up to the rich, the can do's, the economic north. They have the means and abilities. There can't be real justice without economic justice. People will be hungry as long as they can't feed themselves. They will be poor as long as the north consumes without abandon. They will perish as long as they are perceived to be less-than-human. Our nation is founded on the ideas of freedom. The economic south is not free. But to rule over them, to absorb their resources, and to exploit their poverty to the profit of the north will never make them free.