 |
| Smoke rises after the U.S. led coalition air strikes hit ISIS positions at Brekida village in Aleppo, Syria, Dec. 3, 2015. Time.com |
... than war?
We all agree. We all insist someone else started it, and that we have to defend ourselves.
Imagine a household; among the children are two brothers, and each insists the other is infringing on his territory. "He took my phone," or "He's in my part of the room!"
Put them in the ring, and fight to the death. That's a solution, however stupid.
Parental oversight, mediation by family, intervention by neighbors, and action by community law enforcement, all those are appropriate and reasonable options. Two brothers fighting to the death is not.
 |
| WWII in Russia |
 |
A Bosnian soldier cries after arriving
at his home village. Three years before,
he had hidden in the forest and watched as
his family and the rest of the village
were executed by Serb forces.
|
Few tasks are more difficult than growing up. Lives overlap and conflict is the normal course of things. Healthy resolution comes from understanding and cooperation.
International diplomacy is extraordinarily demanding and difficult. It is reasonable, however. War is not. And the death of even one innocent is inexcusable; even one.
But that brings us back to the opening question.
Death by war in the 20th century is estimated at 200+ million. The death toll among children just since 1970 exceeds 300 million, and that is only those under 5 years old who died from preventable causes. Each one was a great loss to their family. Across populations and nations, death and suffering from poverty, economic inequality, and disenfranchisement (the result of today's economic warfare) are beyond measure. Or excuse.This is a personal, family, community, and country obligation. We must, at every level, do what is necessary and right to address the circumstance of these innocents. Figured out what your part is yet?