Sweep The Streets With Love

I just wanted to take a moment here to thank everyone who came out this weekend to protest the war in Iraq. I have nothing but the utmost respect for all those who came out to have their voices heard, for dissent is what completes the fabric of democracy. Bless you all!

I only seldomly want to talk politics on this blog, and when I do want to be as diplomatic as I can be about it, because, after all, politics is Latin for blood-sucking ticks, and politics truly are the ugliest thing ever made in the world, which does nothing but the total opposite of harmony and peace; it only encourages division and chaos, and instead of endorphins you'll always get cortisol if your heart and mind gets too deep in it. That is why I am making an effort to keep politics to an absolute minimum as possible, just because I believe it brings out the worst in us all, and I hope my friends and readers here who share my views aren't disappointed that I'm not talking about these issues more here. And that's also why I have the pro-peace and anti-war icons on my sidebar, just so everyone knows what I generally believe and where I generally stand.

What I will say about the wide issue of peace vs. war is this.

Regardless if you're a Democrat, Republican, Green or independent, whether you're red, blue or unclassified in color, regardless of your religious affiliation, sexual orientation, gender, background or color of your skin, we all believe in a dream for the greater good, we all believe in seeking peace and freedom. It is simply how we go about achieving peace, how we go about finding freedom, that separates us in the world. I believe non-violence and peace go hand in hand by true definition. It can be achieved not through arms, nor through retaliation, but through unconditional love for mankind and understanding.



Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would be 77 this January if he were still with us. He Martin Luther King Jr. was a man of conviction, destiny, and wisdom, who offered us a vision we all nurture and carry forward today. A vision of non-violence, a vision of the complete liberation of mankind, a vision of civil equality.

Martin Luther King Jr. said December 11th, 1964, "Nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral questions of our time; the need for mankind to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to oppression and violence. Mankind must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression, and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love."

In 1967, Martin Luther King Jr. opposed and protested against the war in Vietnam, for he believed, as he said, "love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.". He recognized that understanding and hearing out the other side's point of view is essential in resolving the deepest conflicts in our world, and through his deepest spiritual awareness, he believed "injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly."



Today, we have witnessed the philosophy of this most honored man being challenged. Muslim-Americans especially have fallen victim to this all too familiar suspicion, silence, and oppression, all because a small group of troublemakers from Muslim cultures exploited their faith and culture for violence.

It was Dr. King who said, "Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will." It is not until we grab the lamp and let it lead us through this deep misunderstanding that we can begin to make amends, find where in history we lost course and what went wrong, so we can work to see to it this void doesn't deepen itself.

In our experiences, as diverse as they are, we believe ourselves that "war is a poor chisel in carving out tomorrow", for, "in the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."

Dr. King also once said, "If a man is called to be a streetsweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great streetsweeper who did his job well."



And that is why I wholeheartedly support those who take to the streets to promote the message of peace. I do believe among each protest group there are a few so-called troublemakers, but the absolute overwhelming desire among these many hearts and minds, youth and elderly, tall and small, is a message to America for peace, a message to America for reconciliation, a message to America for rejuvenation.

We ARE ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom. Let us go about it the right way, with a sword that heals, a sword of non-violence, and take that first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.

May we continue to protest this war and continue to pray that our young men and women in uniform will come home as soon as possible, but moreover, let this protest make a positive impact and edify each community in how they can make a difference. Let us put our emotions forth in a positive light and should those who are more cynical about making peace possible in the world without arms, let us not raise our voices in angst, but rather blow them kisses, for when we say we're anti-war, we shouldn't only mean a material war, but all war in general. Let us not fight fighting words with fighting words and continue to encourage the cultural war on the streets, and rather try and make this experience inclusive, comforting and welcoming.



Peace is possible. The time is always right to do what is right, and I encourage everyone to go out there and make quality of this time and promote the message of peace and justice in a positive light, as hundreds of thousands have so honorably done this weekend! Bless you all, and may peace always begin with you!

Love,
Noah Eaton
(Mistletoe Angel)
(Emmanuel Endorphin)