It is time to stop the madness

“Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.”                           ~ Albert Einstein 


Read the headlines:
NEW YORK TIMES: http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/12/04/new-york-today-dissent-and-demonstrations/ ... The city is relatively calm this morning after a night of protests followed a Staten Island grand jury’s decisionnot to indict a police officer for the July chokehold death of Eric Garner.... (photo credit)
DALLAS NEWS:  http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/2014/12/fired-dallas-officer-found-not-guilty-of-official-oppression-assault.html/ .... Fired Dallas officer found not guilty of official oppression assault ... 
CHRONICLE HERALD:  http://thechronicleherald.ca/metro/1251865-retired-halifax-cop-found-not-guilty-of-sexual-assault Retired Halifax cop found not guilty of sexual assault ... 
CBC NEWS:  http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/police-officers-found-not-guilty-of-assaulting-homeless-man-1.1991160  Ottawa police offers found not guilty of assaulting homeless man ... 
CTV NEWS:  http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/canada-will-never-be-intimidated-harper-says-after-shootings-in-ottawa-1.2065443  “This week’s events are a grim reminder that Canada is not immune to the types of terrorist attacks we have seen elsewhere around the world,” the prime minister said.  “We are also reminded that attacks on our security personnel and on our institutions of governments are by their very nature attacks on our country, on our values, on our society, on us Canadians as a free and democratic people who embrace human dignity for all,” he said. ..... 
It hardly matters where you look:  our world seems to be falling to pieces all around us as brutality, murder, retaliation, terrorism, demonstrations are breaking us apart.  Don't be naive that the police are the root of it all.

Just because an apple looks nice on the outside, does not mean that it does not have some rotting on the inside.  Even we Canadians can no longer feel smug and disassociated by distance, as events unfold across our border to our cousins to the south  Distrust, racism, violence, imploded our own candy colored glasses as we recently witnessed our country shaken by violence at the head of our democratic state in Ottawa just before we celebrated our heroes and fallen soldiers on November 11th.

It brings me pause.  It also underscores my philosophy that instead of just talking or writing about issues that we proclaim are plaguing our society, we should ask ourself what we are doing, personally, to make our world a better place?

 “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”                                                                             
~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
I realize how important my upcoming volunteer training is for Junior High aged kids on "Diversity" on behalf of Junior Achievement of Canada next week.  It isn't just because my only kids have flown the coop and evolving nicely as great citizens.  For me it is easier to lead by example because I am continuing my principles to work by facilitating learning at an influential age of our kids -- while at middle school or junior high. We can impact how our kids react to diversity by firstly, leading by example; secondly, mentoring and guiding them on what is right and wrong; and thirdly, by not just sitting back and broadcasting our opinions.  We need to be backing up our values by action.
“Nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral questions of our time; the need for mankind to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to oppression and violence. Mankind must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression, and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.”                                   ~ Martin Luther King
Granted, it is far easier to sit at a keyboard and proclaim injustice, or preach about how to correct a horrible situation, or lecture on how misguided others are. Activism compounds chaos by demonstrations that often lead to more violence. Don't just talk or write about it.  You can do something:   how we guide our children, express ourselves, teach in our schools, show by our actions (or lack of) every single day.
That, and only then, we will truly make a difference.  It is time to end the cycle of madness.  Stop just talking about it!  What are you going to do about it?
“Imagine all the people living in peace.  You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.  I hope someday you'll join us, and the world will be as one." 
~John Lennon

                                                                                                                                         

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