......Divided we WILL Fall
Hello Everyone, as always I'll begin with the sincere wish you are all safe and well, with that said, I have to admit to finding myself profoundly troubled which is why I'm writing today. Let me begin with a short anecdote which hopefully will go some way in explaining the source of my unease.
Many years ago, my country was at war, every day, the news bulletins were filled with pictures of our armed forces marching across desert terrain while warplanes flew over head carrying bombs to drop on our enemy. As a nation, we were constantly reminded of how the people we were fighting were guilty of just about every crime known to man. But then, a journalist found their way to a town we had bombed and there was total devastation, it seemed impossible to believe anyone had survived. As she picked her way through the towering piles of smouldering rubble, small children emerged from the ruined buildings, obviously curious about this stranger in their town. The journalist kept walking and found a small group of women, they were hunched over a campfire which had a large pot suspended over the flames. As they talked quietly, some were peeling a few vegetables, while others kneaded a kind of dough on a large flat rock - obviously they were preparing a meal. With the aid of an interpreter, the journalist began asking questions about how they felt about the war, how their lives had changed etc. One by one, the women talked about losing their relatives, the total fear of wondering if they'd ever see their husbands again and all the problems they faced, with no electricity and precious little fresh water. When the journalist turned to the last lady, she simply said,
" We cannot concern ourselves with what's happening with this terrible war, we must focus on looking after each other and all the children."
After the report was over, I thought about those women, could it be they were really the enemy ? If the roles were reversed, wouldn't I be doing exactly the same thing as them ? So yes, our cultures were different, we didn't speak the same language, have the same religious faith - but if you put those things to one side, we were pretty similar in many ways.
Since that day, I have made a conscious effort to remember, how much we all have in common compared to what is obviously different. At the time of that war, there is little doubt, the leader of the nation were were fighting, was an aggressive dictator . with no regard for the basic human rights of his people. So it's possible to justify the military action which was taken against him, but somehow, we lost sight of the ordinary people who just, like us, wanted to live their lives in peace and raise their families.
But that's not everything which has been dominating my thoughts because, like most things, there is more to consider. As a UK citizen, there are many countries across the world who share the same language and many of the same values as my own. On the face of it, we have far more in common than those mothers in the Middle East, but you only have to look a little deeper to realise, there are fundamental differences. As an example, in the United States, it's common practice for people to own guns, they are a part of every day life and is supported by the Constitution. In the UK, we have a very different approach, in fact, I have lived in three countries and not one has had the same laws as the USA. I am not ashamed to admit, I struggle with the idea of gun ownership on such a national scale but my profound discomfort doesn't make me right, in fact, it makes me wrong. If it's possible, I would be even more wrong to allow my personal issues to prevent me from being able to respect the societal laws of another country - even if, personally, I cannot imagine ever owning a weapon myself. So, yes, gun laws are a difference, but again, I have no doubt the American people - much like those Middle Eastern mothers- simply want to live their lives and raise their families. Once more, therefore, what makes us the same, outweighs what makes us different.
Despite my usual roundabout way, I hope you can see where I am going with this train of thought, as a global population, I really believe we need to take a step back and remember just how alike we are, rather than focus all our energy on highlighting our differences. When you look at the world today, there are so many divisions, of course, they've always been there, but the gaps between them seem to be widening by the day. Many nations have witnessed protests, civil unrest sparked by a whole host of causes, which basically boil down to one section of society having grievances against another. Whether it's the black community against the white, gay against straight etc, it seems the opposing camps have been installed and, in doing this, have stopped seeing their opponents as people and now, can only refer to them, as the enemy. Like the war I mentioned earlier, we have all seen streets ravaged by devastation in our own towns and cities. Obviously not on the same scale as a wartime bombing raid, but bad enough to cause communities to feel unsafe in their own neighbourhoods. I am not going to delve into which side is 'right' but I think we can all agree, the untold damage on our societies, is wrong. Like many of you, I'm sure, when watching the news reports, sometimes it has felt as if I'm watching a movie rather than reality and I've been left wondering if there's any real hope for a safer future.
I sincerely believe, if we allow these divisions to grow between the differing factions within our various societies, we will all ultimately pay the price. Do we want our children growing up in a world where instead of embracing those things which make us different, we constantly remind them of how 'we' are right and the 'others', who aren't like us, are wrong ? Do we want them to feel so anxious, they can't even begin to cope, when they find themselves with people of a different colour or different gender ? Do we really want to spend our time, telling them only certain groups are acceptable ? And perhaps, most importantly, do we want them to feel, the world is full of enemies, who are easily recognised because they're not exactly the same as us ? I don't believe any one-especially a loving parent- would want that future.
At a time of so many global issues, especially the ongoing pandemic, now, more than ever, we need to heal the divisions so we can begin to create a world, where everyone -regardless of nationality, colour, gender etc- can feel safe, can raise carefree children, can rejoice in the rich diversity of our world with all the people who live here. If we don't, as the saying goes, 'united we stand, but divided we fall' and none of us can allow that 'fall' to happen.
Anyway, as I've realised this has become less of a blog post and more of a short story, I shall leave you to get on with your day...I hope some of what I've written resonates with you or maybe you've been left wondering what it was all about ! Either way..as always..until the next time..
Take care out there xx
