YOU, THE PEACEMAKER
This article is from one member of the peace committee. You, The Peacemaker is the title of a speech I will be giving in Monterey, CA, for the District 5220 Conference. The title emanates from my belief that each of us is the creator of a peaceful world. Let me give you three steps necessary for each of us to make it happen.
First, understand peace begins in each of our hearts. Gandhi expressed that we must BE the Change we wish to see. The preamble of UNESCO states: “Since wars begin in the hearts of men, it is in the hearts of men that the defense of peace must be constructed.” “Love thy neighbor as thyself,” doesn’t work until we first love ourselves.
Stress leaves our lives when we accept life offers two experiences. First it may give us the good things we choose or it brings us lessons: what can we learn from this negative experience and what can I do to prevent it. Joy in our hearts delivers the positive chemicals in our system that promotes good health. Finding good in others helps us see our own good. At night, count your blessings, not sheep.
The second point comes from seeking and living truth. Frequently leaders will frame issues in black or white, them or us, or good versus evil. With the multiplicity of backgrounds for all of us, all issues become a continuum, without clear divisions, that are all too often made arbitrarily. It’s often said: “Conflict is inevitable, violence is a choice.” Growing up many of us were told, “Children should be seen, not heard”, or “you ask too many questions.” Few have learned to ask enough questions in a conflicting environment.
Our truth frequently suffers from personal bias, outdated information, or news bias. How long has it been since we read about thousands of successful plane landings? When asked, most are not aware that in 1990 to 2016 violent crimes have dropped 30%; extreme poverty, in the past twenty years, has been cut in half. Today we are living in the most peaceful time since people were walking on this planet. So what do these statistics mean?
- Ignorance leads to fear.
- Fear leads to anger.
- Anger leads to violence.
- Violence leads to war.
The third point is to realize what our DNA has shown us. We are all 99.9% alike. We are born, seek food, shelter, and pleasure, before moving on. Mixed marriages were very common in Yugoslavia under Tito. Upon his death, tribal leaders rose up, pointed out differences, and created major divisions amongst the people that ended in a horrific war.
A critical part of sales training is to find instant commonality, to build instant rapport. Techniques are taught to develop an immediate relationship. These are skills that would be beneficial for all of us. It is difficult to be mad, to fear, or doubt some one when we know their story.
My hope for each of you is to: Keep peace in your heart, search deeper for truth, and recognize everyone’s similarities. Over the millennia governments have rarely brought us peace, the church has not brought peace. Rather, peace, as all major endeavors, stem from the action of people. And now, those people are you, Rotarians, who want to make a difference in the world. As the Rotary Action Group for Peace says to each of us: “Go Wage Peace.”