One of the
many troubling aspects of this most recent war is the lack of public
"touch." We are well insulated from the immediate, concrete
reality of violence and death inflicted on others, and at the same time
presented with countless repeated myopic vignettes, screened for their
media marketability and often presented in a flavor reminiscent of sports
competition or reality TV voyeurism. For all the 24 hour, big screen
coverage we still receive a remarkably sanitized formulation of the
veracity of war.
In the midst of this heady saturation of high tech media it becomes
important to ask ourselves, what happens when our treatment of others
becomes too virtual-like to be real in our own lives?
Among the rationale often given for this insulation from the hard details,
are that it is necessary for some larger benefit, or simply unavoidable
in the logistical scheme of things. Regardless of differing opinions
on the justification and validity of such reasons, removing ourselves
from being in full touch with the profound effects of our actions toward
others brings with it the potential for unknown, unintended consequences
- consequences that impact the very character and expression of our
individual and collective identities.
Add to this detachment the cultivation of pervasive fear within the
hearts and minds of those insulated - fear of attack that we are told
will come at any time at our very doorsteps - and we have a perilous
formula. Fear spawns many expressions. It preys on the best of who we
are and can often compel us to act in ways that ignore the pain, injustice,
and mortal dilemmas of others in an effort to compensate for our own
insecurity.
The consequence of devaluing and destroying innocent lives in the course
of getting rid of the bad guys, by mistake or plan, is so logically
expected in war that it is fully acknowledged in standardized terminology
we are becoming all too familiar with. It is called "collateral
damage." The term itself is disturbingly incongruous. It is damage
to be sure. But of what? Damage of the security; damage of the human
value; damage of the well being, safekeeping, sanctuary, and life of
the innocent. This is the price that is deemed necessary, by design,
for the larger good; the larger purpose. It is the necessary evil; the
unavoidable consequence of eliminating the larger threat, which, if
not eliminated through a course of violence, would wreak havoc on ...
the security, the value, the well being, safekeeping, sanctuary, and
lives of the innocent. I find it difficult to hold these two concepts
in my mind at the same time without a strange thing beginning to occur:
They begin to simply not make sense.
The thing is, this is not just an indictment of "this" war.
It is an indictment of "war," including this latest rendition.
The trance-become-nightmare lies to us that violence can accomplish
something. That there is room in our construct of a good, righteous,
and compassionate world that allows for Righteous Murders and Just Wars.
That the right "kind" of war can actually eliminate war. There
is ample evidence of the seductive power of this construct throughout
our human history. There have been innumerable worthy, noble acts of
war and violence, holy crusades, wars-to-end-all-wars, that carried
with them such deceiving hope, pride, and even joy. What has always
been demoralizing and disillusioning has been when someone somewhere
in the world has not yet had their own war-to-end-all-wars. When they
have only experienced the receiving end of a just war and do not necessarily
agree with the premise, or the last word.
This is not to say there are easy answers; even easy alternatives to
war. However, it is blatantly clear there are certainly "better"
alternatives; and attempting to extinguish the fire of violence with
more fuel can not be seen as anything but a ludicrously failed and bankrupt
mind-set.
When we are kept at a safe, comfortable distance from other peoples'
pain, we lose one of the most valuable qualities of our humanity, and
the most powerful weapon against our own existential fear and trembling
- our compassion.
Until we gather ourselves together to remove war and violence as an
acceptable tool - for anyone under any circumstances, and until we can
co-create these better alternatives for transforming and healing conflicts
between each other, the least it seems we can do is to actually feel
what is happening between us.
Steve Olweean
Perspective magazine, April 2003
Voices Of Reason Menu List
