When Will We Stop Killing Each Other?

This is my Lebanese friend Anila who lives in Beirut.

I’ve studied with Anila for the past three summers during graduate studies in the U.K. She created this image as part of a class project just before her departure two weeks ago. She was to graduate with our masters class, but she had to leave early because her neighborhood was bombed, and all her family evacuated to another town in Lebanon.

Kind, loving, and compassionate, she is a courageous woman. We all cried as we said our good-byes before she left for Cyprus, one of the few countries who will accept those with Lebanese passports.

I’ve been reading the blogs of my long-time friends in the blogosphere: Moon River in Israel and Jeff over at Have Coffee Will Write. They are both express pro-Israeli sentiments. (And I pray each day for Moon, who's dealing with the war in her country, and who I hope is safe.)

When I look at Anila, I don’t see a different country, race, religion, or idealogy.

I see dear sister, who has been such a sweet part of all of our lives: one who has shown such kindness to us all.

And on the news, all I see are dead bodies everywhere, dead bodies in her neighborhood, and I wonder: will we ever WAKE UP?????

WHEN WILL WE STOP KILLING EACH OTHER?

A line from a book I’m reading called Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami comes to mind: “In a hundred years everybody here- me included- will have disappeared from the face of the earth and turned into ashes or dust.” (p. 59)

Life is transient; our time here on earth is so brief.

Why must we drop the bombs and blow up whole cities, whole countries???

Why are my tax dollars being used to kill Anila's people?

Comments

[bluest eyes]

Actually working on a research project about efficiency of international law after 9/11 I can´t believe in what is going on in Libanon, that we are back a hundred years ago, following this kind of politics. I do not want to believe in Hobbes and his Leviathan. I do want to believe in human mankind, in a society with values, in individuals raising their voices.

Thank you Shamash for being one of them.

[shamash]

Hi, bluest eyes. Thanks for your comment. I'd love to read your research report, if you're allowed to share it with others, and if it's available in English. Hope all is well in your part of the world, and good to hear from you!

[Lamamamajama]

I think we'll stop killing each other when we're all dead. It's a grim idea perhaps but maybe true. I rode home from Diane's with Fatima last night and she was going on about her a Sufi teacher she knows telling her how bad things may get. He said the only thing we can do is truely be ourselves. Diane's Toltec guide has told her to not go traveling this September/October because the Earth changes in the next few months are going to be enormous.
I'm thinking/hoping that perhaps the changes will bring us all to a more equal level.
Oh, and Happy Hiroshima Day, if that's possible.
Love ya.

[Darth Vader]

I chatted with our friend the other day on Skype. She is safe in Cyprus and never was able to make it home, although she is still trying despite the danger. Since her school may not exist anymore, she is also starting the process of looking for a new job.

Just thought you would like to know...

[shamash]

Thanks, Darth. As you know, in This-Country-Which-Shall-Not-Be-Named, Skype is blocked. Thanks for the update. Que le vaya bien.

[Jeff Hess]

Shalom Shamash,

I actually see my stance as pro-peace. I believe that all people in the World should be safe within their borders from attack by outside aggressors.

B'shalom,

Jeff

p.s. i wanted to email you this link, but i lost your email address in hard drive crash:

http://www.metafilter.com/mefi/53847

[moon river]

I thank you for your concern and caring, i truly do.

we had difficult times here in Israel. we didn't want this war. but in war like in war there are casualties and many innocent people are being hurt.
i don't think you in America realize the situation of Israel
can you imagine your country being bombarded by thousand of missiles send by a guerilla group, and you don't go out to demolish this group?
no other country would have tolerate this aggression
the world hated Israel, and judge it in a way that hows this hate.
you only look at the lebanese who died, you don't realize our life here.
this hidden constant hatred towards Jewish throughout centuries has caused the inkvizition in Spain, has cause the elimination of 6 million Jews in the holocaust, and like it is not enough for so many anti Semite, they think if Israel and Jews will be eliminated they will be happy, well, i have got news: Jewish will not disappear, and the world has to thank god all mighty and his son and all the angels for that.

I do want to believe in human man kindness.
I do want to believe that basic humanity is what drives most of human being.
but if any of you look at extreme Islam, and Iran as it's ideology leader,
if any of you saw the attempt of exploding airplanes with innocent people inside
if any of you forgot 8/11
you are all pushing away one of the greatest threats on humanity

i don't say hunger, poverty, political cynic manipulations are causing so much human suffering.
but the threat of extreme Islam and it's path are putting in severe risk the entire world.

wasn't the Holocaust enough?
can't you see it coming again?
what do you suggest to do when the atomic bomb of Iran is on the move?
do you think for a moment it will not be used?
do you think they end Israel and stop there?
if you think this way, only future will tell how blind are we all.

[Hyacinth]

Watching the news on tv and reading the newspapers and magazines and blogs, it makes me cry. Reading Moon's post is so very sad. The world seems to be getting farther and farther away from the truth of love and caring for each other. Yet there are so many individuals who want to do good, who are doing good, but the hatred seems to spill out of the very pores of so many others. Just read what the writers of this blog say, and you know there is kindness and love for humankind. These are the eternal questions of our civiliztion.

[baritone49]

Don't know if I can post....your recount of Anila was very poignant. Check the last paragraph...you may have said more than you meant to. Love you!

[shamash]

Thanks for the heads up on my mistake in the last paragraph, baritone49. I changed it!