Monday, December 25, 2006

Christmas. Ah, the time to be generous.

People buy expensive gifts for their family.

But some people do a lot more than that. It's the time when people adopt a kind soul for a day, and visit the sick in the hospital and take medicine, visit orphaned children, things like that.

They go to the section where people have cancer, and take aspirin and antibiotics. Not doctors and funds for cancer research, or even morphine, or an open discussion of the future of their family, and teachings on the meaning of death. Aspirin. It's what they got donated.

Then they go to the section where people have heart problems, and bring aspirin and antibiotics. Also no doctors, no hearts, no operations.

They visit the children who have no parents. They bring toys. Not parents, real or adopted. No campaigning for better schools, food, or treatment of children all year round. Teddy bears.

It's better than nothing, they say. Yes - it's more than nothing. Barely.

Then, the next day, they go back to work, not caring anymore, valuing money above all things, and not worrying about whether their companies create more suffering in the world or do anything useful for humanity. Just how much they make. They work for the oil industry, the weapons industry, automobiles, banking, any corporation - as long as they get money.

Christmas is over, after all.
I propose a law against killing people.

We could start there. That's what I'd like.

People say there's already such a law. Yes, but it doesn't work, because people are killed all over the place.

People die in so-called accidents, when everyone suspects it was not. Powerful people frequently order up secret killings. In war, not so secret, thousands are killed, and nobody is made responsible. People are killed in state executions. People are afraid of being killed for openly saying their opinions. Business people make and export weapons useful only in killing, with war and arms traffic an integral part of such business. Nobody is found responsible.

People kill for self defense, kill people on their property. They kill those they accuse of something. The police kills. Criminals of all varieties kill - powerful and destitute, wealthy and poor, organized internationally or lone fools.

The truth is, everyone can own weapons, say they'd like to kill, threaten to kill, then arrange some way to get away with killing. They most likely would even say they are in favor of law, and against homicide.

Well, a law that outlaws killing including some paragraphs such as:

- All killing is a crime, in all cases. There is no justification.

- The sentence, in all cases, is to work to repair the damage done to society. To publicly be shamed until apologizing. To work for the well being of the survivors of those killed, or of other families broken by deaths, help children whose parents were killed, or mothers, fathers, and brothers of those killed. All of the killers wages, labor, time and efforts are to go to helping people, until some decision is reached that they have repaired their damages.

- Soldiers, politicians, policemen, in particular, must repair the damage done for their killing. As professionals, trained and paid to defend life, society, and prevent fear in general, they must be trained to never have to actually use their weapons. If they do reach the point of having to use their weapons, and actually kill anyone, it's because they either didn't do their job right, failing to prevent a situation of violence, or just killed outright. In either case, they must also repair the damage they have done.

- There is no longer any such thing as "justified" killing. Killing a person who is violent and dangerous is in itself also violent and dangerous. Other methods must be used to prevent violence. If someone kills and feels it was justified, there is still damage done to society, there are still friends and family of the dead, who suffer, and need help. The killer is still responsible for their well being. The reason for killing is not relevant.

If such things are not done, we will continue in an eternal circle of killing, resentment, vengeance, and more "justified" killing. The only medicine is complete - no more killing, no more reasoning of why and when killing is permitted.

Friday, December 15, 2006

Today Rumsfeld gave his goodbye and left. I don't know why all the honors, if he's screwed everyone. A farewall speech? Military honors?

The man might still be tried for war crimes, and they are giving him honors!

What really got me was his speech.

“Today, it should be clear that not only is weakness provocative,” Mr. Rumsfeld said, standing at a lectern with President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney at his side, “but the perception of weakness on our part can be provocative as well.”

I can see where he's coming from, or better yet, where's going with this - but it's a lie, and a mistake.

It's a lie for Rumsfeld, because he knows it's false. It's a mistake for many other poor folks, who will believe him.

Following that logic, if I don't carry a weapon, Rummy says I am provoking confrontation. Little girls, says Rummy, are provocative, as well as old people. Anyone, according to him, who is not the absolute most poweful of all, is provoking a confrontation. In sum - if someone or something cannot or does not defend themselves, says Rumsfeld, they are provocative.

It's a good idea to be strong and defend oneself.

It's quite a different thing, however, to go around shooting people at random from a tank or an airplane, killing hundreds of thousands of people, and then claim you are defending yourself from them.

And that's exactly what has been doing, and is trying to get others to continue to do.

As if it weren't enough, he nearly says he would rather have more terrorism within the United States!

Sunday, December 10, 2006

In New York, people don't exist. OK, OK... it's not quite like that, it's just that you aren't treated as a person, recognized as a person. Store attendants don't say hello, goodbye, or look at the person the money came attached to. Everyone grumbles when you talk to them. And so on. It's as if nobody existed, nobody cared if others exist, everyone wanted to be alone.