Don’t look too hard for the answer, because peace is right before your eyes
December 4, 2018
By SOREN LUTHER
The Mirror reporter
Think of a world where everyone is safe, happy and healthy. Think of a world where your gender, race, age, physical or mental ability doesn’t matter. Think of a positively run society that incorporates the brilliance of human intellect in order to create a peaceful world. This sweet dream could become reality.
Violence. Death. Destruction.
These are all horrors that most would agree to be unethical and immoral, yet they are events happening in the world right now. Why you may ask? Well, unfortunately, it’s because of us. It is because of our childish and immature idea that if we want something, we should take it.
“There never was a good war or a bad peace.” – Ben Franklin
According to The New York Times, “Estimates for the total number killed in wars throughout all of human history range from 150 million to 1 billion.” One billion people. That’s more than double the population of the U.S. and the U.K. combined. Why are we doing this? How is it helping anyone or anything in the big picture?
People will argue that war settles arguments or that war can protect the innocent. While there is no doubt that war can protect people, it is certainly not a practical or moral technique that should be used. And yes, war can settle arguments. It can settle arguments by destroying the ones who disagree. It can settle arguments by killing thousands upon thousands of people. It can settle arguments as a child would.
“We live in a world where we have to hide to make love, while violence is practiced in broad daylight.” – John Lennon
The earth has been not only surviving but thriving, for billions of years. Why is it now, in the 21st century, that the earth is beginning to die? Well, I have a simple answer for you. It’s because of us.
It’s because of our bombs, our pollution and our chemicals that are changing the world into a place of destruction. The next big extinction has begun, and it’s up to the creators to undo it. Not only does war hurt people, but it also hurts the planet.
Stopping war may seem like an impossible task that cannot and will not be accomplished. This is not the truth. We are in charge of what we do and we have every right and ability to stand up, as a community, as a nation or even was a world in order to prevent further destruction.
Take a stand with peaceful ways and start small. Do something that benefits your community. Spread the word to your friends. According to AlterNet, we can educate ourselves on the issues, take our cases to the community and communicate with others in order to prevent war.
“War is organized murder, and nothing else.” – Harry Patch, last surviving soldier of World War I
Nothing will happen without action. We must do what is right before it is too late to save the human race and before it is too late to save our world.
Soren Luther • Feb 15, 2019 at 8:57 AM
@Andrew Sawyer – My point is derived from the concept that human nature can change and that if we erase our devilish idea of war and violence from our vocabulary completely, we can make a better world. In the big picture, if there was no war or violence, there would be no need to use unavoidable tactics to save lives. We must first strive to remove violence from our vocabulary in order to ensure the happiness of everyone.
Again, this is just my opinion and I appreciate the feedback.
Andrew Sawyer • Jan 24, 2019 at 8:03 PM
While I do agree that your article was well written, I would like to provide a bit of a devil’s advocate approach.
War is not always unavoidable, if a group provokes another, usually through violence, retaliation is the fastest solution to save lives, the death tally in wars may be high, but generally, the civilian death count is higher, and that’s what is being prevented. As was put by a different poster earlier, human nature makes conflict unavoidable, and violent conflict often times can only be put to rest through violence.
Bryant Vanrossem • Dec 6, 2018 at 10:48 AM
A world without war sounds impossible. Human nature just won’t let that happen, War never changes it’s always been there. A lot of things would be different if there were no wars. Great article!
Willow • Dec 6, 2018 at 10:47 AM
Wonderful article. It was well written and I like how you say that we are acting like children. We settle arguments in childish ways and you have so much evidence to support everything you are saying. I can not wait to see what you write next.
Madison Rindahl • Dec 6, 2018 at 10:40 AM
Great article! I really enjoyed reading it and the information given was great! I loved the quote by the world war one veteran. I think it was very powerful and inspiring.
Justice Chukwuemeka • Dec 6, 2018 at 10:37 AM
Brilliant article. War has never been a good thing a will never be. All war had done was create chaos and fear in the world. It is good that the world is realizing the negative effects of war. With time and technology, war will be a thing of the past. That’s my hope.
Maryann Silva • Dec 6, 2018 at 10:30 AM
I really agree with your ending that nothing will happen without action. I loved this Soren! Great job. I wish that this world was just a big world of peace.
Rachel Placeway • Dec 5, 2018 at 8:42 PM
I really enjoyed reading this article. You did a great job of proving the opposition wrong that really made your article ten times better.
Lauren Huebner • Dec 5, 2018 at 11:12 AM
Peace is an option, but we have to work for it. It may seem impossible, but countries like Switzerland have been neutral for 200 years.
Aiden Price • Dec 5, 2018 at 11:04 AM
A world without war. A dream come true if you ask me. I would love to see a world were everyone just says we’re human and no one fights over small arguments
Hlee • Dec 4, 2018 at 11:52 AM
I remember my father telling me that war itself is nothing, but destruction and often times pointless. I feel that we won’t be able to stop war though since it’s such a human’s nature to argue and fight, but maybe just maybe we might be able to.