Random Thoughts #2: ENEMIES

Dictionary.com defines the word enemy as follows:

en·e·my

 [en-uh-mee] Show IPA noun, plural -mies, adjective

noun

1.

a person who feels hatred for, fosters harmful designs against, or engages in antagonistic activities against another; an adversary or opponent.

2.

an armed foe; an opposing military force: The army attacked the enemy at dawn.

3.

a hostile nation or state.

4.

a citizen of such a state.

5.

enemies, persons, nations, etc., that are hostile to one another: Let's make up and stop being enemies.

 The frightening thing about this is that we are all in some way an enemy to someone.  Isn't that an enlightening thought at a time when we so readily identify people of other faiths, cultures etc as enemies without ever giving any thought to how we fit into the equation.

The true enemy is hatred.

The true enemy is intolerance

The true enemy is hubris.

War is a tantrum that kills.  

I hate suicide bombers.  But I equally detest a government that convinces its people, and especially its young men and women, to go to other countries and kill people.  I hate, especially, that we convince our young men and women to go to other countries to die for us.  I don't want them to die for me.  I don't want anyone to die for me.  Not when their death has made some mulitnational rich.  Not when their death has kept someone in political power. And certainly not when a parent's heart breaks for my sake.  None of that is for me because I never asked for it.  I have children.  No one is going to send my children, the children I carried for 37 and 34 weeks respectively and nearly lost at birth both times, to another country to die.  No one is going to send the children that I have birthed and loved and nurtured and cooked and cleaned for and educated (at great expense I might add) to some place to die.  Not on my watch.  And I will not be brainwashed to believe that killing people in the name of ANY principle is justifiable.  I will not be brainwashed to believe that 'our' side is the right and 'their' side is wrong.  If I were born on 'their' side then that would be the right side.  

Time for us all to pull out heads out of our collective behinds.  War, enemies, killing, revenge, retaliation - bad, very very bad.

How many times have you said to your kids (or heard someone say):

" I don't care who started it you are both grounded !  Now clean up the mess then go to your rooms and think about what you have done!  And don't come out till you have made up!"  

War over. Go Mom!

*****