How much longer do we have?

Afghanistan, Iraq, and Lebanon are already out of time. Their houses have been reduced to rubble and their societies are in shambles. Once great civilizations are no more.

How much longer for the rest of us? What will be next? Syria? An errant missile or two has already crossed the border, and daily we hear about the grave threat posed by this country. A nation full of evil-doers who spend their time devising diabolical plots to annihilate the West. Right?

What about Iran? How much longer until Persia comes under fire? Will the former empire be destroyed by regular warfare, or should nukes be used?

I have read about a list which includes Sudan. Why not? They have oil. That should be reason enough.

And after they've gone after the Syrians, the Iranians, and the Sudanese, how much longer will the rest of us have? Is this the war to end it all?

Pray. Pray often and pray hard.

Not what I would call democratic

Israel has decided to prevent the presence of a U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon. And Isreal has decided to block any U.N. investigation into the attack which killed U.N. observers. Isreal decides and the world follows.

But the U.N. created Israel. Is this a case of Dr. Frankenstein's monster?

A New Middle East

Wasn't that what Condi said? A new Middle East. Made in whose image?

I love history. I especially enjoy learning about the days when we didn't need passports and border guards. My grandparents were from Greece but my grandfather looked quite oriental. A Chinese or Mongolian traveler must have made a stop in Greece centuries ago. At one time it was possible for ethnic groups to intermingle easily, without talk about visas and immigrant problems.

At one time, too, it was possible for a nation to establish it's own boundaries. Of course, another nation could come along and challenge those boundaries--this happened often--but then the conflict was generally restricted to those two nations. And war was fought one-on-one. No impersonal killing through bombs and landmines.

I am sick of all this international meddling. Each nation's sovereignty must be respected. Or if not, there must be a fair fight. Not a super power ganging up on a much smaller country--one which has been starved into weakness, in the case of Iraq--and not a super power which is in the process of pressuring other countries to join in--as in the case of Lebanon.

Muslims fight. But Islam teaches a fair fight. No civilian deaths. No unnecessary destruction of property. No killing by fire, chemicals, biological weapons, etc. Which is why the propaganda of Muslims waging a war with nuclear and other unconventional weapons is ridiculous. No practicing Muslim would do such a thing. I can't vouch for those who are Muslim in name only.

We must respect "self-determination." Each civilization has the right to choose it's own government. If Palestinians elect Hamas and Lebanon chooses members of Hezbullah, that's democracy. Trying to overthrow a democratically elected government is tyranny.

Where do I begin?

U.N. workers killed in southern Lebanon. Israel announces intentions to establish a presence in Lebanon. Hundreds of civilians dead and one-third of them are children. Israel continues to claim their rights and, when all else fails, brings up the Holocaust. The Decider expresses his unwavering support for Israel. The war may spread throughout the region. The U.S. government intends to remake the Middle East--without any democratically elected Islamic governments, I suppose.

We have to speak out and fight for what is right. But how? Where do we begin?

No place to hide

Back in the day, when I was in grade school, my sisters and I walked home from school. It was over a mile, but our mother didn't have to worry. She told us never to accept candy or rides from strangers, and that was all the warning we needed.

I won't let my thirteen year old son walk home from school by himself, in spite of his constant pleadings and never-ending arguments that he's old enough and tell enough. He probably is. But I know how vulnerable kids are these days. I suppose when he's fourteen I'll have to give in. Or maybe I'll wait until he's taller than me--at the rate he's going, that won't take long.

No one is safe. It doesn't matter where you live. I made a hobby of studying the crime rates in different cities. Some are a little higher than others, but none I've found is really low. Here in Milwaukee people have killed their 'friends' over trivial arguments. Murder is easy, I guess.

I have my own theories for why this is so. I think it started with the legalization of abortion. Since then life has not had the same meaning. An embryo can be conceived and later tossed aside. We don't think about responsibility. It's all about convenience.

It's been worse, these last few years, because we are "a country at war." The Decider proudly announces he is the war president--as if invading other countries is a badge of honor. Toys are made to promote a militaristic mindset. Not to mention the cartoons.

Civilians are being killed daily in Lebanon and Iraq. And if you listen to some people in high places, such as John Bolten, our ambassador to the U.N., the civilian deaths aren't important. They're just the means to an end. Kill them all and let God sort it out, right?

There are no more safe places. Killing is in fashion.

In A Rush to Death

I just read a New York Times article stating that the U.S. is rushing a new weapons order to Israel to help them in their onslaught against the evil members of Hezbullah. Doesn't it make you feel good inside knowing that your tax dollars are being used to help the Israeli army kill people in Lebanon? (The majority of the dead are civilians, including many children. )

Remember, they're rushing the order. This is urgent. More guns. More bombs. More death.

I've noticed that the majority of people who romanticize war are those who have not fought it. Talk with veterans. Even those who are proud of their overseas service will, when pressed, clam up about their actual combat experience. My father was a soldier--a young man when he was sent to Korea. He looked back on his time in the military with fondness, but he never said much about what he did or what he saw during the war.

Again, I was challenged a few days ago because I called for justice against oppression. Sometimes fighting is necessary. When a nation is invaded, the citizens of that nation must take up arms to defend themselves. A right enumerated in the U.S. Constitution.

So why wouldn't we expect the people of Afghanistan, Iraq, and Lebanon to have similar feelings? The right to bear arms. The right to self-defense. The right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In a way which suits their own culture.

I've heard it said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. So after Vietnam, why does anyone think that the U.S. can invade--or support the invasion--of a sovereign nation and expect the people to roll over and obey?

Hurry up with those weapons. More dead or orphaned Palestinian and Lebanese children within the week.

We are living in the age of insanity.

Something a little different tonight

American troops still occupy Iraq. And Afghanistan. Israel continues to bombard Lebanon. The propaganda war becomes more volatile every day. In general, the world is a mess.

But even the toughest newshound can't keep it up 24/7. Many Americans are already burnt out. I'm not, but I'm ready for a break. There's only so much we can absorb, especially when we are helpless to change anything.

I had a refreshing experience last week when I went to see a naturopathic doctor. I've heard all the warnings, and struggled with them, but I've also been turned off by traditional medicine. I can't blame most of the doctors. But they can't take the time to listen to their patients for 90 minutes. My naturopathic doctor did, and I feel it has made a world of difference.

I'm still facing a lot more time and effort to get my health back on track. But for the first time in twenty years I feel that I'm heading in the right direction. And that's a great position to be in.

So the world is going to hell in a hand basket, but not all is lost. If you want to concentrate on the negative, it's easy to find. But there are also many positives. You just need to be open to the possibilities.

And I continue to pray for all of the innocent people who have been caught up in the wars.