Thursday, February 25, 2010

What does "peace" mean to you?

Posted by Mickey Z on 02/25 at 03:45 PM
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  1. Good question, Mickey!  ‘Peace’:  the absence of not only armed conflict but also exploitation of a whole groups of human beings by more powerful human beings, reasonably equitable distribution of wealth.  That’s not what the right-wing ‘think’ tanks think, of course.

    Keep that fighting spirit alive!

    Posted by Helga from Daylesford, Australia  on  02/25  at  05:55 PM

  2. Thanks for getting things started, Helga.

    Posted by Mickey Z. from Astoria  on  02/25  at  06:05 PM

  3. I don’t have my own definition, so I looked up Ambrose Bierce:

    “PEACE, n. In international affairs, a period of cheating between two periods of fighting.”

    I guess a lot of people might define it as the absence of any conflict. Not only can I not imagine such a state, I’m not sure I’d be comfortable. Even walking in beloved woods, tiring my body out, I’m in happy conflict.

    Posted by Keir from here and there  on  02/25  at  09:39 PM

  4. I like the Chomsky idea. One our defining qualities is that we can think freely and creatively.

    This is an aspect of ‘human rights’ that often goes only partially realised.

    Human rights just are, they exist by default. There’s no such thing as different stances on human rights or different levels of human rights in countries, or whatever.

    In that sense there are only various states of repression.

    But humans think freely by defualt, it’s a state of being.

    If you see what I mean.

    Posted by Andy from Shanghai  on  02/25  at  10:06 PM

  5. Yeah Andy. I read this from Derrick Jensen. It takes what you’re saying beyond our species…

    Posted by Keir from here and there  on  02/25  at  10:57 PM

  6. Yeah, I agree. Life is born free.

    To riff a bit more on this concept. It’s not true when people say that a country has good human rights or animal rights ..or freedoms. It’s not true when people say a state’s laws enable freedoms either.

    These things exist and do not care for laws or countries.

    We can only say that countries have comparatively less oppression.

    Which is why it’s important to remember that we fight oppression.

    Posted by Andy from Shanghai  on  02/26  at  01:58 AM

  7. Here’s a related link:
    http://www.shotokai.com/ingles/legends/what_is_peace.html

    Posted by Mickey Z. from Astoria  on  02/26  at  07:25 AM

  8. Is there really no one else who wants to say what peace means to them? Zen Prole? Charles? RMJ? Richie? Need I go on?

    Posted by Mickey Z. from Astoria  on  02/26  at  06:24 PM

  9. You know, back when ZNet and Counterpunch ran all of my articles, I’d get plenty of readers linking over to this space and that’s how I “met” may of you. The traffic rose and the community grew. Now, those sites no longer will post me and I simply don’t have time to write many articles for free even if they did. The result is that this blog’s traffic and commentary have dwindled to numbers I haven’t seen in several years. Since I’m on Facebook, people can choose to read my stuff there, too (not that I sense a lot traffic to either of my FB pages as it is).

    Sort of a crossroads situation, I’d say.

    Posted by Mickey Z. from Astoria  on  02/27  at  07:57 AM

  10. Howdy all, I had to run off and meet a Zimbabwean ex-colleague, I had to give him a copy of Self-Defense for Radicals.
    When I was at school (aged about 17) I wrote “Si vis pacem para bellum” (apologies for spelling) on the back of my sketchbook, it’s Latin for “If you want peace, prepare for war”. Violent means have been used to bring peace to situations, peaceful means are better obviously, but I wouldn’t go back and tell the Haitian slaves to try a sit-down protest or petition rather than a full blown [violent] uprising.
    I think there’s the events of atin America over the last decade or so is significant. With Left-leaning Governments taking power by election (peaceful)...if they’re overthrown by coups like in Honduras...what are people going to do. Even JFK said if you make peaceful change impossible you make violent change inevitable.
    I’m not sure if I’m answering the question of “What is Peace?” but that’s my thoughts.
    On my last trip to Cuba a member of ICAP (Cuban Friendship Institute) was asked if anyone could start up a newspaper...she said that people don’t normally just do that. There were a few “Oh dear” looks from the crowd...so she asked if average people in the UK just start up their own national newspapers? You don’t need lots of money? You don’t need to rely on advertising from big companies?

    Posted by Rick (the Cartoonist) from England  on  02/27  at  08:43 AM

  11. Hey Mickey don’t get down ‘bout the ups and downs of traffic on this site or FB.  There’s probably no easy answer but remember your voice is heard by many more than site traffic would indicate-I’m forever forwardin’ your better/interestin’ outputs to my email list, as I’m sure others do too. I’m always a bit amazed at how prolific and insightful you are. 

    As to peace, maybe it seems so far away at this point we’re-me anyway- perhaps too focused on stoppin’ the negativity than thinkin’ of the prize.  The peace prizes are definitely goin’ to the war mongers these days… Just saw Nader’s tribute to Zinn (http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/4756885) and as always he helps keepin’ everything in perspective. Don’t let the snow get you down…

    Posted by Bob T. from Archer,FL  on  02/27  at  09:18 AM

  12. Thanks, Rick and Bob T. Sorry if I didn’t include your names on my call out. Not intentional.

    I always appreciate the support but I’m not so sure I’m “down” about the traffic. It’s more like “contemplative.” Trying to figure out how to better disseminate my work and the info it contains.

    On that note, a new post is up here...jam-packed with links.

    Posted by Mickey Z. from Astoria  on  02/27  at  10:26 AM

  13. freelance writer jobs talks about peace in every articles they write. You’ll know.

    Posted by Minnie from NJ  on  03/31  at  09:34 AM

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