defend the mepeace.org platform from endless blame game - act locally and think globally

I do not defend the war nor the Zionist movement. I do try to defend the mepeace.org platform from endless blame games that bring verbal aggression and defuse our human ability to connect and work together for a better future.

I do not know if you recognize your ideological roots, or you may think you do not have them, but the text some write have one-sidedness that expresses their perspective of the conflict - evil Zionists/Arabs have evil plans.

I am not here to educate any of you or convince you, I am here to invite you to recognize that there are many Israelis and Jews who see in Zionism different merits then what some think Zionism is, there are many Palestinians and Arabs who see in Palestinian nationality different merits then what some think Hamas is.

So the way some people write here may insult and make others feel uncomfortable.

We created mepeace.org as multi-political platform to enable a person to connect, hence have opportunities to co-create something that supports change. When people come to the discussion forum and invest in long posts to prove that Zionists or Hamas are terrorists who need to be punished or that in fact the Jews/Arabs were here first; when such expression is published some members get distracted from our goals, putting their energy into educating others instead of approaching each other in ways that are mutually respectful and constructive.

So I ask the wise and responsible members to act locally and think globally - respond to topics and remember that mepeace.org is a platform to enable the whole community of humans to connect and work for a change that includes all of us and enables manifestation of the idea of peace we all share.

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Permalink Reply by MICHAEL STOLZ on August 8, 2011 at 10:14pm

Diane.

As individuals people are wonderful caring, loving creatures. The environment and social interactions if negative tend to make us into monsters. The Germans are a good example of what can happen to educated refined people, the British and Spaniards have shown this brutal monstrosity through their conquests and further subjugation.

Painting a whole people or nation as evil is simply stupid if not outright malicious. But throughout history, it has been the minority of brutes that have caused the deaths of millions if not billions of humans and unspeakable destruction. Ghenghis Khan, Hitler, Stalin, Mao, and the list is quite long. The majority, I am sure did not agree with them and yet obeyed them or simply did not actively disagree.

We must first change ourselves and that is no mean trick. I, personally do not know a person without prejudices, racist tendencies or a mean streak, or at least one of them.

Changing groups of people or nations is even tougher. Even in close families you encounter prejudice, jealousy and violence. This is made even harder as all these changes would be learned personal changes and each individual in every generation has to relearn those changes and their experiences may be different .

I would like you to ponder the truism that humans are by nature hunters.

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Permalink Reply by AshDiane Hunt on August 9, 2011 at 2:06am

Yes, this is exactly what I am talking about.

We must look to ourselves. Kindly though, for often it is lack of self love which leads to a lot of problems. I, and others, have started this process. It is often painful. Louise Hay speaks of people who when doing mirror work having burst into tears or even thrown the mirror across the room. Not easy, and this is why I mentioned ho'oponopono at one point, which I feel is an essential part of the process.

We also need to remove fear of the other, as well as not leave so much up to a few, then criticize them for what they do or don't do. We, the people, can make a difference. If we choose to. We are very lucky to have mepeace.org et al where we can all connect and try to do what is needed to change things.

Diane :-)

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Permalink Reply by Sussan on August 9, 2011 at 10:05am

Is this explanation of Michael's some kind of excuse for Israel's abuse of Palestinians?

The idea behind mepeace is to search for solutions rather than excuse past and present abuses.

You are comfortable sitting within your comfort zone because your life is comfortable. Well, that's not how it is for the people who were forced out of the Holy Land, so that Jews could enjoy a country of their own.

How about you do a little pondering on the potential for PEACE for everyone.

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Permalink Reply by AshDiane Hunt on August 9, 2011 at 10:33am

Sussan,

I agree with you about the reason for mepeace yet, and this is kindly said, do not think us as peacemakers should be speaking harshly to each other. Michael was responding to things I had said and I have not taken any offence to anything he has said. We all have our mindsets due to our backgrounds, and sometimes although we are all speaking the same language are unable to truly understand each other. I appreciate that there has been heated discussion here amongst people, amongst peacemakers in fact... for let us not forget that we are here to create peace. All are not going to see eye to eye and this is why I feel it best to look for common denominators instead of differences.

Please may we now continue forward, truly as peacemakers.

Diane :-)

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Permalink Reply by Sussan on August 9, 2011 at 10:55am

Diane,

You need to keep in mind that peace-of-mind and political-peace are 2 very different issues. Michael is always willing to over-look Israel’s atrocities and blame Palestine for the lack of peace in the Holy Land. That is why I objected to his comment, which, is on a public forum in a discussion that I am participating in. If it was a private comment, it would be privately delivered.

Never forget, the Arabs that once lived in the Holy Land have lived in squalor and humiliation for the last 60 years, because Jews chose to commandeer their homes. This is not because the Arabs were not prepared to make peace, quite the reverse.

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Permalink Reply by AshDiane Hunt on August 9, 2011 at 11:18am

And so, all our energy is spent focussing in this way. From the looks of it, in this particular discussion which has been continued for many years now.

Diane :-)

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Permalink Reply by Sussan on August 9, 2011 at 11:29am

Yes, because one side has complete control, and the other has no political or economic power.

I welcome a change to a more positive dynamic, but in the time I have been here, being respectful has its limitations, because the respect is not returned, nor the peace potential explored.

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Permalink Reply by AshDiane Hunt on August 9, 2011 at 1:23pm

People have a lot more power than they think or use and I do feel it is up to the individual, instead of leaving it to the politicians. Which is why I thought we are talking here, this site being designed for that purpose. Yet going over old ground does not create new ground. Slanging matches and barbed words will not produce peace, only reactiveness. What is more important? Winning a debate, being right, or creating peace and unity? There are many wars on this planet, not only between countries but between individuals, in families, and most often we war with ourselves. Myself, I prefer reverence to respect, as respect has rather an authoritarian feel to it. Reverence for oneself which flows outward to others. No, not easy to change - I know it isn't from experience... slipping back into old patterns. Yet change we really must if we do not wish to continue with being in conflict, with ourselves and with others.

Permalink Reply by MICHAEL STOLZ on August 9, 2011 at 4:16pm

Sussan:

My discussion with Diane was about humanity in general and not the Palestinians in particular. It seems that you could not resist with inserting propaganda into that discussion.

As a matter of record, the Arabs that do live in the Holy Land are more free and more prosperous and safer than their brethren in Egypt, Syria, Lebanon.

I will repeat what I have said ad nauseum:

Stop the terror.

Dismantle the militia groups.

Recognize Israel as a Jewish State.

Come and negotiate in good faith.

THAT is the only way to get a state,

That paragraph ,Sussan, is pure propaganda hogwash!!!!!!!

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Permalink Reply by AshDiane Hunt on August 11, 2011 at 3:48pm

Actually *grins* if I wasn't a pacifist I would bang both your heads together.

I don't really feel there is an intention of peace in the dialogue I am seeing but more one of getting points across as well as winning them, alongside having a good stab with words. Without giving names, I spoke with someone the other day who said he felt so frustrated by this type of thing here that he left mepeace after a while.

It's all a bit of a shame as well as a waste. Especially that as I write this I am thinking someone will take bits of it to twist to their own agenda. Why don't you put down your agendas and barbed words etc and sit down to try to find the humanity within is and start from there. It all gets boring, especially after so many years. Why not be on the side of the human race for a change? Peace would be so refreshing...and a lot less deadly.

Diane :-)

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Permalink Reply by MICHAEL STOLZ on August 11, 2011 at 6:31pm

Diane. I am really confused. What does a "pacifist' believe in?

Does peace mean that we all sing the same song and agree with the same betrayal of history . There is really nothing to twist other than that pesky equivalence factor.

Lets however debate what you call humanity. I am interested in hearing your version of it as there is a gazzillion explanations and interpretations as to its meaning. I like to understand what it is that I am actually debarting

The next problem is what you mean by your concept of peace and again there are many combinations and permutations as to this concept. So please tell me what peace means to you. I am also quite interested in hearing where any type of peace is operational anywhere on this planet and I am talking about peace in a family, a municipality, a city, a country or a continent.

Concepts and words are very nice and very soothing , but that is all that they are but reality seems to be intruding and we as humans must distinguish between the two on the way to making both mesh. I am not sure that I am seeing that from some people here.

Perhaps you may be able to point out the errors of my thinking.

Permalink Reply by AshDiane Hunt on August 30, 2011 at 2:45pm

Hmm, there didn't seem to be a Reply link at the bottom of Michael's response 11th August, so I hope this ends up where it should. Apologies for the delay in replying. There was life which intervened in some ways, and there was also my not wishing to give a reactive response but to let things seep through a tad.

Michael, I used the term 'pacifist' yet oft as I have said previously words can fail us all in truly communicating. We can get oh so tangled up in them. Therefore I am not going to get tangled up. When it comes down to it, It doesn't matter about such meanings. It also doesn't matter whether there has been or is peace. What does matter is right now and creating it. With many things there are previous failures. What can we do differently now, to succeed? I don't think concentrating on history or on the differences between will create success. What then do we have in common, perhaps starting with you and I. Or some other whom it is hard for us to see eye to eye with. I offer my hand, across the ether, to those I may not agree with... in hope of unity for common cause. For there is always common cause.

Diane :-)

Reply by MICHAEL STOLZ on August 11, 2011 at 6:31pm: Diane. I am really confused. What does a "pacifist' believe in?

Does peace mean that we all sing the same song and agree with the same betrayal of history . There is really nothing to twist other than that pesky equivalence factor.

Lets however debate what you call humanity. I am interested in hearing your version of it as there is a gazzillion explanations and interpretations as to its meaning. I like to understand what it is that I am actually debarting

The next problem is what you mean by your concept of peace and again there are many combinations and permutations as to this concept. So please tell me what peace means to you. I am also quite interested in hearing where any type of peace is operational anywhere on this planet and I am talking about peace in a family, a municipality, a city, a country or a continent.

Concepts and words are very nice and very soothing , but that is all that they are but reality seems to be intruding and we as humans must distinguish between the two on the way to making both mesh. I am not sure that I am seeing that from some people here.

Perhaps you may be able to point out the errors of my thinking.