In February 2022 when people talked about Russia and Ukraine, I was stunned to hear people add words to the effect that, by the way, “China is bad.”
Can we love our country — the land and its people — and not be hostile to other lands and other people?
Can we please move our thoughts and actions toward peace on the planet?
I promised myself I would keep this “May Day!” short, and so here’s the “what can we do?” in a nutshell. I’ve included links from mainstream sources in case they are easier to accept; however, I wholeheartedly recommend alternative perspectives such as those I included about halfway down in an earlier blog, and in the P.S. at the bottom of this post.
- Notice when you hear something that makes you feel WORSE about a nation, for example, China (or, on a personal level, about any individual you know). What is the speaker’s agenda in presenting that perspective? Keeping us safe, or keeping us scared? Maintaining the military industrial complex? Maintaining their power?
- In considering China, think about the amazing history and even current contributions of that county and people. What comes to my mind includes acupuncture, Tai Chi, food, clothes, and some great ballroom dancers I know personally, since I became an avid dancer a few years back. (A favorite political quote is Emma Goldman, “If I can’t dance, I don’t want to be part of your revolution.”)
- On the world stage, consider the agreement China is brokering to help stop the devastating war in Yemen: https://www.newsweek.com/their-own-words-yemen-war-rivals-see-wary-hope-china-iran-saudi-deal-1790224 (a mainstream source)
- Think of the consequences of fostering hostilities with China, compared to the benefits of fostering peace. Why is the US upgrading its nuclear arsenal? How many times over do we need to be able to destroy the planet? Why does the US military budget go up no matter who is president?
- We can all learn more about China. A very good friend, when I told him I was writing this blog, emailed me a link about “unequal agreements” between China and western powers in the 1800s. https://www.britannica.com/event/Unequal-Treaty (another mainstream source.)
With that, allow me to wish you peace and love, and while we’re at it, fun and laughter.
Laura
LauraWells.org
@LauraWellsCA
P.S. If you have an hour or two — while you exercise or drive or whatever — you will find this fact-filled presentation by K J Noh very worthwhile. It comes from a very good but not mainstream source, the ICSS. Caution, you might want to turn down your volume for the opening music: https://youtu.be/bAZa4g-rC5w?t=186