Another Tragedy for Humanity
A Reaction to the terrifying attacks on Iran
It was with shock and deep sadness that I woke up on Saturday to the news that the United States and Israel had launched a vicious bombing war on Iran, which on the first day included the bombing of a school. I ask myself why the world continues to tolerate this level of state sponsored terrorism. As a dual citizen of both the US and the UK I am filled with shame at the leadership of both countries. There is a disconnect between what the people want and what the leaders are doing. There is a minority billionaire class of people running the world to further their own financial interests while the majority continue to do the work to keep the whole machinery in place. Make no mistake, for Donald Trump, this war is about gaining access to Iranian oil, and domination of a region that is in China’s backyard. And I don’t believe China will allow it. After all Iran borders China. What would the US do if China invaded Mexico? Where this will lead is anyone’s guess.
The rest of the world is war weary. The United States has not known war on its land, has not experienced the terror of bombs raining down on their neighborhoods and therefore continues to wage its wars in other people’s countries. The people can ignore it because it is so far from home. They don’t begin to notice until their own citizens get killed. It is a country that is obsessed with weapons and violence and has not learned the art of negotiation. Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America have all lived through the horrors of war and loss in their countries. They will do what they need to do to avoid the terror of a reoccurrence. They know how to yield on some things in order to maintain peace.
The US has two vast oceans that protect it from potential attack but also keep it isolated from the rest of the world so there is no need to make compromises. It demands what it wants without fear of retaliation. And it has an arsenal of weaponry so vast that it could destroy humanity and the planet. No one wants to poke a stick in the hornet’s nest. Starmer is demonstrating that by agreeing to allow the US to use UK military bases in the Middle East to launch their missiles on Iran.
If our schools taught ethics and encouraged our children to recognize and challenge injustice society would respond differently. We would know our own power and how to use it to create a just peace. In many school anti bullying programs children are taught not to be a bystander but to bring bullying into the open in order that the bully as well as the victim can receive help and support to live harmoniously with each other. And yet aren’t we all being bystanders on the world stage as America and Israel bully, terrorize and murder their way towards what? What do we the people stand to benefit from this insanity?
There is a growing global spiritual movement that is gaining momentum as people realize that this is indeed insane, that killing people and destroying homes doesn’t ever lead to lasting peace and harmony, but rather ignites more trauma and pain that can never heal our divisions. There is a childlike and naive quality to leaders who believe that they can bomb their way to peace. They are playing a violent board game with real people’s lives and most of us are sitting on the sidelines trying not to watch. I believe it is a loss of spiritual values that leads us to this darkness and a failure of society to claim and uphold values that prioritize human welfare over economic wealth. I am now seeing more and more people seeking spiritual support and waking up to a reality that healing and happiness is based in love not hate, in cooperation not division, in justice not revenge. I am surrounding myself with such people and groups and I am both comforted and encouraged by their commitment to bring to light and reverse all causes that violate their values. We must all do what we can with the goal of eliminating a mindset that thinks it’s okay to kill to get our way. It has never worked and we must evolve beyond that mentality.