I am at war with myself.
Are you?
Part of me realizes that the only way the human race will survive is for all of us to learn to work together. I know that this will require everyone to treat each other as neighbors, as friends. I know that this will require all boundaries be erased - that everyone be allowed to roam freely across this planet we call home. I know our survival depends on us learning to accept diversity. To live with a diametrically opposing culture right next door comfortably. I know, too, that these principals are a long way from being reality.
We need to accept that we can solve problems without violence. How's that for one heck of a concept? Most of us can't co-exist peacefully with our families..........people who are much like us. How are we ever going to get to the point where we can co-exist with ANYONE no matter how disparate they are? How can we accept the right of our neighbors to BE our neighbors when we are ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED that our neighbors should only be people just like us? How can we accept the right of our neighbors to practice Kabala or Judaism or Catholicism when we are ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED that whatever WE practice is the ONLY right way? How can we accept that our neighbor drinks alcohol or is a vegan when we are CERTAIN beyond the SHADOW of a doubt that not drinking or eating of once-living things is the only way to live? And that all other ways are just "stupid", or "false", or "dumb".....
We need a world banking system or bartering system. I apologize to all of you who trade in dollars and yens - but, we do. One currency. One value. Everyone trades in it. Level the playing field. My widget should not be worth any more or less depending on where I sell it. If I sell it in France, I should get the same amount of currency as I get selling it in the US, or China, or Nigeria. It should cost the same to make too - regardless of where I make it. Because my labor costs the same whether my plant is in India or Brazil or the US.
One government. For everyone. With only one rule. To treat all as human beings should be treated - with love, compassion and respect. Completely equal rights. No one group of people should be more equal than any other. No quotas of having so many of one and so many of another. The best person for the job gets the job, period. If that person is an African-American female - great. If that person is an Asian male - great. Whichever is better suited for the job at hand. We all have our skill sets. And no matter how good we are, someone is always better. Deal with it.
Healthcare and the basic necessities for all. That means a place to live, a bed to sleep in, and food to eat. The necessities. Money should not determine who lives and who dies, who has a roof over their heads and who shivers on the street, who suffers from malnutrition and who has more than enough to fill their bellies and have leftovers. Doctors, nurses, radiographers, physicians assistants, nurse practitioners..........if you all are NOT in your field because you have a calling to be there - a real concern for the health of others - then WHY ARE YOU THERE? If its just the money - you need to find another profession. Get over it.
Oh - yes, and EVERYONE works. At something. No free rides. Just because you are continually sad or missing a leg or an eye or have back trouble or ataxia - doesn't mean you can't do SOMETHING. If you want to have personal possessions - jewelry, car, computer, stereo - the finer things in life - you WORK for them. At whatever you are capable of. If you can get up and make coffee in the morning for yourself, then you can make coffee for others. If you can log onto a computer, you can do data entry. You can visit with someone who needs a visitor. If you do not learn well, you can learn to use a shovel to build a foundation or chauffeur someone to a destination or you can learn to vacuum a rug.
And my final point (I can hear you all groaning now) - we need to abolish borders. I think, to most of us, this is about the most abhorrent thing I could have said. We have so very many illegal aliens here sponging off our largesse that the thought of NOT having respected borders leaves a very bad taste in our mouths. They come to our country by boat, by walking, by driving, by swimming. Some come here legally temporarily, build a life here and let their "temporary" expire without "re-upping". They give birth in our hospitals at our expense and we HAVE to take care of their children because our laws state that if you are born here, you are an American citizen. They work under the table and pay no taxes. They can go on social security but never have to pay into it.
And here is where I war with myself.............Why should I pay for someone to have a baby here when I can't afford to have one myself? Why should I pay for that child to have an education and food when my sons and daughters are eating pasta because that is what we can afford. Why should my tax dollars go to clothe the child of a person who does not pay taxes here when my child is in patched up jeans and sneakers with holes in them? Why should I support that persons fuel bill when I know that I will not be able to keep up with my fuel bill this winter? If we just put stronger border controls in place............If we brought our boys home from Afghanistan and Iraq and Iran and Germany and Japan and Russia and all the other places we have them stationed, and put them to work as border guards........ If, instead of (inhumanely) "detaining" these people, we just put them on ferry boats or planes WITH their children born here and sent them back to wherever they came from - would we not, then, have more for our country? Wouldn't we? Take care of our house first. Get the U.S. in order and fix OUR troubles before we reach out to help others. More for us.......less for THEM......... You can't have it - its MINE! I'm gonna take my toys and go HOME! NYAH. And we shut our doors.And our hearts. And our minds.
Children are taught from early on to share. And they are also taught to protect what is theirs............ How confusing is that? So, we grow up to be confused adults. Who can share SOMETIMES. But other times, we want the whole pie all to ourselves. For us. For our kids. For our community. For our country........ ALL FOR ME, NONE FOR YOU.
So...........how will this war end? I don't know. My heart goes both ways. Because, I am the confused adult who was taught to share but was also taught to protect what is mine and to do for my own........... and I know that, worldwide, this conflict will not end in my lifetime. It will not end in my children's or their children's lifetimes. So, I am torn. What do I believe in? Do I stand for all illegal aliens being deported regardless of the circumstances? Do I stand against a woman coming here to give birth because she knows her child will have a better life here than wherever she is from? As a parent, would I do any different for my child? Or do I stand for these people being able to 'freeload' off my hard-earned tax dollars?
I do not know the answer............
