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Show Hope For Peace Vs. Hate Of War In light of the WTC disaster our culture of violence needs to be addressed. Violence appears in every facet of our lives starting at birth and ending at death. Violence in varying degrees manifests in the internal workings of the government, govern-ment, small and large businesses, business-es, corporations, religious insti- tutions, the entire educational system, the health care system, families, among friends, lovers and the police to name a few. On the softer end of the spectrum spec-trum violence begins as verbal harassment andor control, on the harsher end is death. What is known: violence is a learned behavior beginning at birth. Children learn through the actions of their church, peers, their government, schools and parents to name a few. Through their actions children learn how to resolve conflict and how they will manifest its resolution when they reach adulthood. Once they reach maturity it is difficult to change their perceptions and actions, if not impossible. If a child's parents teach them-not them-not to hit or hurt another to resolve conflict and then they watch the Father of the land resolve confrontation by killing when he feels it is necessary then children learn killing andor causing bodily harm is OK under special circumstances. circum-stances. Then, they reflect this learned behavior as acceptable. The family, in its many forms, is the microcosm of the First Family. We must act and speak with wisdom for those who follow behind us will live into our perceived per-ceived hell or our vision of hope and peace for the future. Their minds are young and easily molded with the hope of love or the despair of hate. We know violence begets violence multiplying multi-plying evil instead of diminishing diminish-ing it. History has proven this repeatedly. We are living in an (See LETTERS on page 6-A) Letters To The Editor From Page 6-A extremely significant time for the entire world since the attack on the WTC. All eyes are turned to violence in yet another attempt to understand what is incomprehensible. The collateral collat-eral kill of unrelated persons will far exceed the original kill of 6,000 in order to appease the need for blood of those bent on revenge. Who will speak up for their justice? Then, the "enemy" will righteously strike, to kill once again, to right those who died in innocence. This is known as the circle of violence. Ireland is but one of many examples. This is the old paradigm para-digm of no one wins. Everyone loses. Step into a brave and new paradigm by knowing and living these TRUTHS: Peace is not a theory but a reality that can be nurtured into actuality. Violence in any form is unacceptable. unac-ceptable. Promoting dialogue instead of differences extinguishes hate. All life, nations, religions, and cultures are interconnected. We are a people of courage who respect and cherish diversity. diversi-ty. We must develop compassion for ALL people who suffer everywhere. What one desires to experience experi-ence they must provide for another. If one desires to experience peace they must provide peace for another. If one desires to know they are safe they must cause others to know that they are safe. If one desires to better understand under-stand seemingly incomprehensible incomprehensi-ble occurrences, they must assist another to better understand. Teaching another killing is wrong cannot be taught by killing. With the world so far removed from these basic tenets we seem to be on a downward spiritual spiral that at the present time appears to be at an accelerating acceler-ating pace. Let us attempt to call the masses to awaken to the devastating cost of human violence vio-lence within our nation, throughout the world, and in our homes and families by being that which we seek. It is because we -cherish and admire the values and ideals of Western civilization that we are urged by spirit to resolutely pursue pur-sue the path of nonviolence, which is the only path worthy of the civilized world. To engage evil's REPUGNANT worship of violence in like is to become exactly what we hate. This asks much of those who desire a culture of peace instead of violence. One cannot prepare for peace and war at the same time. It is one or the other. All the adults who are reading this now will be dead by the time the next generation grows into governance gov-ernance of what we leave behind. Let us be visionaries for our children and leave them hope for peace instead of the despondency and hate of war. D. Jan Belnap Boulder |