As I read what Barack Obama said at Shimon Peres' funeral today I was struck by the simple elegance in the way he conveyed what should matter to all of good heart....
“In many ways he reminded me of some other giants of the 20th century I’ve had the honour to meet—men like Nelson Mandela, women like Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth -- leaders who’ve seen so much, whose lives span such momentous epochs that they find no need to posture or traffic in what’s popular in the moment. People who speak with depth and knowledge, not in sound bites. They find no interest in polls or fads, and like these leaders, Shimon could be true to his convictions even if they cut against the grain of current opinion. He knew better than the cynic that if you look out over the arc of history, human beings should be filled not with fear, but with hope.”
...that tomorrow will be better because we strive to make possible that hope. Our need to climb the mountain so we can see what's on the other side will always push us forward and thus our guaranteed growth in humanity. You may scoff at me for that but, in general and real terms, things are getting better. And for proof of that just look who I am quoting above...a black president of the United States. 44 years after Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act Obama took office...that is monumental. Is it perfect? Not even close. Our work as humans will never end but everyday we should be striving to make a better tomorrow and always remember the words "those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it".
Absolutely the state of the world is perilous but I would argue that it has always been that way...who knows what powder keg will have its fuse lit tomorrow but in very real terms we are still better off than say the time between the two world wars. This is little comfort to those living hell on earth, like in Aleppo, and our hearts weep for them as they would have wept for the Jews during the holocaust, it doesn't change that we have made steps in the direction of hope. Is racism still an issue? Of course it is, along with sexism and greed, not to mention the biggest threat to us all, the ruining of our environment but the very thing that allows us to know about and understand these issues is what will help us to continue to work towards solving those issues...our connected world.
Shimon Peres knew that social media and the ability to almost instantly know something will be the key to realizing our hopes as a people. That big huge spotlight created by bringing issues to the front can and will make a difference...you see, Facebook can be used for something other than cat videos. We have to resist the urge to make snap judgements and declare that the world is getting worse because we happen to see more of it now...everything can have the light shone on it now which means it seems like it's getting worse. Facts and stats will tell you otherwise, which means anyone espousing to the contrary as a means of getting your support is using fear as motivation and ignorance as fuel to feed the fire. Not hope...but fear and everything that fear brings.
Rest in peace Mr. Peres...thank you for dedication and heart, for showing that even in your tumultuous world, hope is a better answer.
Ciao
D
Absolutely the state of the world is perilous but I would argue that it has always been that way...who knows what powder keg will have its fuse lit tomorrow but in very real terms we are still better off than say the time between the two world wars. This is little comfort to those living hell on earth, like in Aleppo, and our hearts weep for them as they would have wept for the Jews during the holocaust, it doesn't change that we have made steps in the direction of hope. Is racism still an issue? Of course it is, along with sexism and greed, not to mention the biggest threat to us all, the ruining of our environment but the very thing that allows us to know about and understand these issues is what will help us to continue to work towards solving those issues...our connected world.
Shimon Peres knew that social media and the ability to almost instantly know something will be the key to realizing our hopes as a people. That big huge spotlight created by bringing issues to the front can and will make a difference...you see, Facebook can be used for something other than cat videos. We have to resist the urge to make snap judgements and declare that the world is getting worse because we happen to see more of it now...everything can have the light shone on it now which means it seems like it's getting worse. Facts and stats will tell you otherwise, which means anyone espousing to the contrary as a means of getting your support is using fear as motivation and ignorance as fuel to feed the fire. Not hope...but fear and everything that fear brings.
Rest in peace Mr. Peres...thank you for dedication and heart, for showing that even in your tumultuous world, hope is a better answer.
Ciao
D
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