Here we are in the 21st Century. We've been to the moon (probably, Stephen Colbert has raised some recent doubts), we have developed cures for some horrific diseases (still waiting for AIDS and Cancer cures though) and scientific advances have led to technologies that were once considered improbable fantasy. Yet we still kill and injure each other at an unprecedented rate.
I am no expert on violence or conflict. My own observations are that for most life is a challenging series of events, some moments fill us with contentment and joy, others that can nearly crush our essence under the weight of tragedy they accompany. Apparently life doesn't impose enough hardship, so we heap our own manufactured violence and destruction upon the lives of many, whether the brutality is narrow and focused upon an individual as in the case of domestic violence or well-organized by a government, a gang or a private security force.
(the entire "ABC's of Corpocracy"; series is available here)
Throughout history there is proof that violence is the easiest resort of the most powerful. To rely on education, intellect, diplomacy and civility is a path that requires cognitive evolution, courage, integrity and determination. To hit another living being, or to strike with a barrage of bullets, missiles and bombs merely requires superior force and technological and resource advantage. We claim to be civilized because our anonymous method of inflicting death and causalities is targeted by "smart" weapons. We may kill an enemy soldier, and if his or her family and other innocent victims happened to be nearby at the time, what do we call that? Oh yes, "collateral damage". Yet when innocent people are killed by others it is terrorism. And when someone dies at the hands of their own we call that "friendly fire". There is nothing smart or friendly about a bullet, bomb or missile. They are designed and manufactured to kill. They impassionately go about their work without judgment of their selected or accidental target. Calling a bomb "smart" would be like calling an effort to clear cut a forest for profit a "Healthy Forest Initiative". And when bombs explode in a neighborhood, village or city --if you have the misfortune to be nearby, I am not sure that you can easily determine whether you should be terrified for yourself and loved ones that a violent act has occurred, or grateful that bombs and missiles of freedom are dropping and the possible loss of a child, or a parent, a husband or a wife is a small price to pay for democracy. Let's face it, whether the cause is just or not, the percussion of death creates terror.
I often wonder if the people that have sued the school boards in Kansas and Georgia regarding evolution were partially correct. It is hard to understand, precisely how we are evolving amidst all of the self-perpetuated violence. I do not advocate abandoning weapons or defense of America. We must fund research and make sure we have a well-trained, well-equipped rapidly deployable military capability to protect against the slaughter, genocide and other barbaric behavior that continues to exist around the world. Nevertheless, we should not be the pre-emptive strike perpetrators of such barbarism. Furthermore a well-trained and funded defense capability is a deterrent. Bullies seldom look around the room to pick an opponent that they cannot beat into submission.
What concerns me is the large (and growing) part of the American budget that must be allocated to a military agenda, especially if instead of protecting innocent life in America and around the world, we continue to use our military capability to protect corporate interest and a fascist neoconservative global agenda. While we allocate our societal resources to support such a barbaric plan the very foundation for the vision and potential of America as an advanced, democratic model is eroding due to willful neglect and corruption. And it will continue to worsen. When you are viewed as a benign, diplomatic and strong leader that is well-equipped for war but prefer peace you must still defend yourself. But when you are viewed as a bully who will simply take resources, protect wealth at the cost of human life and have an agenda that will provide support for accumulation and protection of wealth over democratic elections, then we had better be well-prepared for an attack to come from anywhere. In many respects, when Bush claims "no let up" in the "War on Terror" he's correct. It is a war we have started because of our brutal foreign policies which have been worsened by a government that believes "Let them hate us as long as they fear us" worked well for the Roman Empire (which by all accounts was once quite powerful too). We have a significant military, technology and resource advantage at present. While such advantages are not trivial to gain, history shows us in all such cases the advantages are short-lived and fleeting.
In our own urban streets many of our youth endure bullet-riddled neighborhoods and terror at school. Why is there no "War on Terror" in our communities or schools? We close our eyes and as such, allow each new generation to be subjected to poverty, hopelessness and the constant potential of violence. As a self-proclaimed advanced society the only fear that should manifest for a child at school should be of Algebra (or worse, Physics). Until the American dream truly extends to all we will never be safe from the inside, regardless of real or imagined bogeymen or color-coded threat levels.
Life is already filled with the violence of nature and the tragedy of loss. It is already hard enough. We should be seeking to improve the quality and dignity of life in our communities, cities, states, nation and around the world. Not one child should be born that is subject to violence, privation, abject poverty and/or starvation, born to utter hopelessness. Such are the conditions that give rise to a lack of security for all and preclude us from reaching our potential together as humankind.
Just a few thoughts from my over-caffeinated alphabetic mind.
About the Author: Mr. Polisner founded alonovo.com in March of 2005. He has been working in most aspects of Information Technology since 1981 and was an early commercial adopter of the UNIX operating system. Prior to founding alonovo.com, George was a Director at Oracle Corporation. He is a frequent contributor to newspapers regarding political and economic policy and often appears as a guest on radio programs. In fact, when it comes to alonovo.com, it's pretty difficult to get him to stop talking.