Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Happy Christmas, War is Over

The other day I posted a video of Celtic Thunder performing the classic "Christmas of 1915". Would that we could create our own video, only this time sharing the news that war is truly over. Forever. Not just for one day on Christmas.

In "One" Richard Bach not only postulates such a scenario, he shows us the games that the world's countries played to see who were the most amazing pilots, etc. They played at games rather than at war. No one got hurt. Except for an unfortunate pilot here and there who spiralled out of control. Oh, how I wish that time were now.

Rolling Stone: Lennon's Last Interview
Today is the 30th anniversary of John Lennon's murder. The world mourns a hero. I mourn him. He was a peace activist when there was still such a thing. What has happened to us as a society that we now are complicit in waging war rather than insist on waging peace? We used to carry signs. We used to raise our voices. Today, I'm raising mine.

War is a money making machine for some. War got us out of the great depression. Well hell. Today, war puts us deeper and deeper in to one. And takes the lives of our children. Our sons. Our daughters. Our loved ones. It claims the lives of innocents. And it claims their souls. Ask any veteran.

I realize that talking about this might make me unpopular. You may even 'hate' me for it. There is so much hate talk these days that it scares the living Dickens out of me. Even Americans hating Americans.

But today, I don't care how unpopular this makes me. This is my truth. War kills. It maims. It wounds. It takes away the very soul of our soldiers and our country. Yes, it takes mine and yours, too.

In honor of John Lennon and the rest of our fallen heroes (both dead and alive), here's John and Yoko singing my favorite Christmas song, "Happy Christmas, War is Over". This, by the way, is the prettied up version. If you have the guts to see what war really is, then click the link after the video instead. This is what John saw. What our soldiers see. This is what I see.

Happy Christmas. Let war end.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8jw-ifqwkM

~ Olivia J. Herrell

11 comments:

Kimber Leszczuk. said...

I think people will always fight for what they believe in. I think there will also always be people who want more power, more wealth and will try to oppress or terrorize others.

I live in a military town. We just had an incident where someone was sent home in a casket. There was a protest outside the funeral home because someone didn't like it that the man being buried was gay.

This kind of thing saddens me more than the wars outside our country. The wars of hatred and prejudice going on within our own country.

Anyways - just stopping by to say hello.

Terry Stonecrop said...

I'll stick out my neck with you here, Olivia:) Greed = War.

I don't think it's against our soldiers to be against wars. But that's how the guilt propaganda is played these days.

One of my favorite songs. Thanks. Like you, I wish us all peace on earth.

RHYTHM AND RHYME said...

Alovely tribute to a great man.

Yvonne.

February Grace said...

"There is so much hate talk these days that it scares the living Dickens out of me."

Me too, Olivia, me too.

Big hugs to you. You're not alone in wishing for a better world, believe me.

*hugs*
~bru

Along These Lines ... said...

Being a Beatle nut (in fact Abbey Road is on the Stereo now - yes, Stereo...that's vinyl for you youngsters) I so remember that day.

Roland D. Yeomans said...

Money, ambition, need to control.

As long as these traits propel men into politics, so long will war be waged by old men, using young ones as their bleeding, dying pawns.

The world will never be at peace until the Prince of Peace returns. Mankind carries the seeds of his own self-destruction within him.

Have a healing Christmas season. Roland

Unknown said...

I think there is a lot of misunderstanding all around that has provided fodder for this war, and the resulting "security" measures that have only really served to impose Big Brother on us.

And I think that your opinion is not so unpopular, but that many people who disagree with the government line (which spans both major parties) are just too afraid to voice their opinions.

Angela said...

I'm all for world peace. Too bad it's not so easy or simple to come by. This is a lovely tribute to John Lennon.

Olivia J. Herrell, writing as O.J. Barré said...

Kimber, makes you wonder doesn't it, are our inners reflecting our outer? Universally, it's other way around. Sad. So sad.

Terry, I've really been reflecting, too, on letting it begin with me.

Yvonne, thank you, gentle spirit.

Bru, hugs to you. :)

Nick, you have vinyl! Awesome! I spent most of the 8th listening to them, too. But on the airwaves.

Roland, don't we though. As someone who has taken way too many biology, anatomy, etc, classes, I'm afraid I must agree. It's natural and normal for our very cells to attack invaders, wall them off and kill them. Or be killed in return. What chance, then, do we have when we act out our biochemistry rather than our spiritual selves?

kobico, I'm tired of being afraid. There is a stiff backbone buried deep within me and she's trying to emerge. Thank you for your words of wisdom.

Angela, no it's not, is it. But one can hope. And pray. And be. Peace, sister.

~Olivia

Amos Keppler said...

From one rebel to another:

Lennon was a great rebel and a great man, standing up for himself and the world.

Far more people should do that.

Amos Keppler said...

War is horrible and certifiable insane. There is rarely ANY valid justification for it, and especially not for that perpetual war we see today.

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