Drop Bread, Not Bombs
Finding peace in the world and within myself is a big part of my life. I believe that one way to stop warfare is to stop poverty and hunger. When people are starving, they listen to dictators trying to take control of their country. Hitler took control of Germany during a terrible inflation when people were hungry and poor. It is never a bad idea to provide people with food. When people aren’t struggling to survive, economies can grow and flourish.
This is the research topic that is most important to me. Yes, it is one of the hardest to solve, but it is the one that needs to be accomplished first. People can only go so long without food. I know this sounds cliché and corny, but I feel guilty a lot of the time for having so much when others have nothing. It’s so easy to get wrapped into a daily life and forget about the rest of the world outside Minneapolis. It is comfortable to just forget about problems that aren’t being solved.
Music can motivate me to work for change unlike anything else. Even if I can’t understand the words (Staralfur) or the lyrics have nothing to with peace (Let Down). Music is the universial language and can speak to many different people in many different ways. “Where’s the Love� brings forth all kinds of issues and asks why is there so much hate in our world.
“Let Down� by Radiohead
“Staralfur� by Sigur Ros
“Give Peace a Chance� by John Lennon
“Where’s the Love� by The Black Eyed Peas
There is no trust more sacred than the one the world holds with children. There is no duty more important than ensuring that their rights are respected, that their welfare is protected, that their lives are free from fear and want and that they grow up in peace.
-- Kofi Annan
Better than a thousand hollow words is one word that brings peace.
-- Buddha (560-483 B.C.)
There was never a good war or a bad peace.
-- Ben Franklin (1706-1790)
So basically, I think a lot of the world’s hunger and poverty has been caused by warfare. One way to “eradicate� this poverty is to help stop the warfare. Stop war. Another huge, impossible goal, but I like to be optimistic.
P.S. I’m not good with computers or websites, so I couldn’t figure out how to insert songs into my blog to give you a listen. But I highly recommend downloading the songs mentioned in the blog.