STIRRING THE POT OF HATRED.

I received an email about charting Arab atrocities, killing Bobby Kennedy, downing an airplane, about 12 different incidents and then, of course, 911. The instructions to send this to everybody you know because these people are the bad guys and we are the good guys. The underlying message is hate them, eradicate them, kill them, rid the world of this menace.

Stirring the pot of hatred only begets hatred.  Maybe we should figure out why they hate us or hate anybody.  Forty percent of our federal tax dollars are spent on war?  Forty percent. Outrageous. Two percent of our tax dollars goes toward efforts to prevent war. Just think if we spent half of the war budget on changing attitudes in countries promulgating terror, what might the result be?

A Marine sent a letter to circulate about what it is like fighting in Afghanistan. He writes that the people have little choice in jobs. To work the poppy fields for the drug trade, which pays for terroism, or be a fighter. He describes the country as mostly desert with no roads or services away from the cities. He also describes them as an archaic people who haven't a clue how a modern society works. They can't operate a bic lighter or a ball point pen.

We have Christians in the United States that terrorize people who believe differently than they do, as in harassing abortion clinics. Attacking and killing doctors who performed abortions all in the name of their god. They justify killing and hate. Thankfully, most Christians do not believe that way.

The Koran says-kill the infidel.  Yet, many Arabic peoples have gone beyond that to interpret peaceful living as part of their religion. And, people who come as refugees to the U.S. especially savor and assimilate into the culture that provides them with a decent standard of living.

Maybe all they need is a decent standard of living for themselves and their families.
I wish I could have copied the letter from the Marine called the Sandpit, but it would not copy.
If you can find it out there, be sure and read it all the way through. It is an eye-opener.

There is a movement to send cards to our soldiers, and to light a candle for all the days of December, to support our troops. Activities that make better sense to me.

And the next generation, those that will replace us? Legions of high schools, college campuses and community parks are erecting Peace Poles. Our local school just put one up. It is 14 feet high with inscriptions in English, Spanish, Latin and German that say, "May Peace Prevail On Earth." It is estimated that there are 200,000 peace poles planted around the world. Locally, the effort was started by an Interact Student, supported and financed by the local Rotary Club. I say stir the pot of peace whenever you can and don't pass on messages of hate.