> ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Lucy Hone" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Friday, January 17, 2003 6:23 PM > Subject: Just war (NJC) > > > > Dear All JMDL-ers. > > I sit here, stunned, amazed, and humbled at the incredible and admirable > > lengths to which the contributors to this particular subject,(JUST WAR) > are > > so cogently able to make their many, varied and valid points. > > > > What strikes me about all of this terrible situation, and the horrendous > > other attrocities that are being committed throughout the world,.. or are > in > > the process of being planned to take place... is that each involved party, > > whether pro or contra that particular situation, manage to argue their > > various points with a passion that is amazing to behold. > > We are all only humans. I made the point in my first mail to the list > about > > a man called Satish Kumar. He made a point to me, in our conversation, > that > > the powerful people in this world, each and every one of them is "only a > > human". George Bush, Saddam Hussein, Tony Blair, Putin, you name any of > the > > heads of state in this planet, they are only human and only men... just as > > powerful women are only women. They have, as we do, all the foibles and > > failings of us less famous people, they have come to power because they > > sought it, and (at least where voting is almost certainly run properly) > put > > into power because they are believed in by a voting populace... they are > > also manipulated by other humans would like to be in power and who place > > their own schemes in front of the men with the pens to sign and the > buttons > > to push. > > > > I think it was Plato who said (and forgive me if I am wrong) that the very > > people who seek public office are exactly the people who should not have > it. > > and that becomes more and more evident as this world turns ever closer to > > yet another conflict... there is no one answer as to what this "JUST WAR" > > is about but the words "SPIN DOCTORS" rise up in my mind very quickly.... > > hidden agendas and corporate greed are other words that hover on the > edges. > > > > There is not one politician I would ever vote in to office and I try to > > avoid politics. > > > > However I live in a heaveily naval town and have seen the boats sailing > out > > to see, the newly aommandeered merchantmen (ships) hanging about doing > > manoevres with landing craft two minutes from my house, and the very very > > empty moorings in the harbour where 4 days ago the ARK ROYAL was waiting > > (heavily draped to avoid prying eyes). I feel sick to the core of my being > > to think of any nation losing its men and women to battle. > > > > Each and every politician who is allied to the BIG NAMES has sent us to > this > > flashpoint and I do not know how to tell my 11 year old daughter how it is > > that we are heading to conflict or actually the reasons why... Reading the > > amazing viewpoints on the list has made me think about it so much more > > deeply than I have ever thought about world conflict before. > > > > And however much the points are argued, however much the cases are > cogently > > put, do any of us truly feel that this is a JUST WAR? There are too many > > lies, twists, misinformations and hidden agendas for this ever to be a > JUST > > WAR... I apologise to any who lost relatives in the Twin Towers and whom > my > > viewpoint may offend but there has to come a point where belief is > suspended > > and a very long hard look at who has got what to gain from any conflict in > > the Gulf. > > > > I apologise for not quoting endlessly from everyone's mails but I am not > > equal to the task of arguing point for point. this mail is my gut feel. I > am > > prompted to end with this late 50's early 60's anti-war poem, I do not > know > > who wrote it but a friend copied it to me some years ago....... > > > > If night should come sooner than we thought it might > > remember that I loved you. > > Not, I grant, a love that sacrifices truth or light > > but still a love that leant the world a heart > > on some warm secret hillside in the night. > > > > We all of us have so much humanity to lose. > > Lucy > >
Lucy you get a standing ovation from me. Thanks for the post. Chuck
