wage peace

What a truly historic moment the victory of Barack Obama in the USA Presidential Election has been! In his inspiring victory speech Obama looked back a century through the life of 106 year-old Ann Nixon Cooper and spoke of the challenges of the next century.

Barack Obama brings hope to people around the globe. As an Australian, my hope is that the American people truly unite behind Obama to enable the critical changes that have to occur so that the USA can play its part in meeting huge challenges such as global warming and poverty.

Most of all, I hope that American people support Obama in waging peace, not war.

Hopefully the win by the Democrats in the House of Reps and Senate elections will bring positive steps towards more peaceful US foreign policy. I can’t say I’m disappointed by Rumsfeld’s resignation.

In order to be well equipped to do something constructive towards making the world a more peaceful place I think it is very important to become better informed.

And to do that I think it is imperative to try to learn from sources other than mainstream media. For example, until I listened to last night’s Late Night Live program on ABC Radio National (that’s the Australian Broadcasting Corporation), in which he interviewed award-winning journalist John Pilger, I was unaware that in the 1960s the British and US governments conspired together to trick all the people of the Chagos peninsula into moving from their homeland. All because the US wanted the islands to build a military base, the same base that was used to launch attacks on Afghanistan and Iraq.

It’s an outrageous story of a former empire (UK) and a current empire collaborating to disposess a whole people. Even though the people who used to live on the Chagos peninsula have won their case twice in the British High Court, the British government has not yet given them justice.

It’s factual stories like this, which don’t get coverage in the mainstream media, that inspire me to learn more about history and how power is abused to the detriment of people who deserve a fair go.

I feel the need to do more about this goal. Occasionally I’ll say something or write something and when I vote I certainly let Peace play a big part in my consideration.

But I wouldn’t say I’m actively involved in waging peace in the community. I know it’s an excuse but it’s hard to fit everything in when you’re a parent.

Anyway, there, I’ve said it… now the challenge is to do more.

Following the recent racial unrest in Sydney I was moved to write a few words in my blog. I know I’m biased but I thought my son posed an excellent question: “How can fighting someone enhance your life?”

I think that’s one way I can do my bit to “wage peace”. Rather than support fighting pointless wars, I’d like to do more to understand the perspectives of those who are very different to me.