Though the next few weeks will be awash in commercialism, there will also be a few small ideas of things in the air: family, giving, charity and for some, peace.
All I want for Christmas...?
For an atheist I have somewhat of a long list this year. My list has been pretty long for a while.
Peace is a pretty big thing, seldom embraced but much cherished, both private and communal peace. Not only are we killing people in an illegal and immoral war in Iraq every day, every hour, but we are torturing people all over the world. Our government is the agent of suffering and pain in the world. Our money, energy and most of the governments' collective will is focused to this end - the delivery of suffering. War is unsubtle coercion - do what we want or we will kill or torture you and your family.
The American government is not an innocent body - how could it be, founded on two genocides? But the ideas of America were innocent. We believed we are good, we do good, we embrace our individuality and want everyone to do the same, everybody gets a chance to grab the gold ring.
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