Well, the new millenium has begun and the world has taken a collective sigh of relief that the world didn't end. Of course those who were convinced the world would collapse thanks to the Y2K Bug have been rather quiet since the new year has begun. But, all the hype has blown over and the world continues to turn as it has for eons.
Yet, as the new millenium dawns, I personally believe that the time for change has come. It is time for the world to change its ways. I found it disheartening to watch the news on Christmas day and hear stories of war in Chechnya. At the beginning of the 20th century the world was engaged in what was at the time called the "War to end all wars." Later it was renamed World War One. Ending all wars is the only thing it didn't do. Years later there was a second World War. In the second, the idea of human rights and the essence of cruelty was defined. More than six million people died simply because of their faith or because they disagreed with a tyrant.
At the end of every war, a long with the ruined cities, incredible loss of life and trauma imposed on the innocents, bitterness and new hositilities are left. Those who were defeated feel they must fight again to fix the terrible injust that was done to them and the fighting begins again. You would think that at the end of more than 2000 years of recorded histories and wars that were won or lost, humanity as a whole would learn one simple and plain truth: War accomplishes very little.
So this is my proposal for the new year's resolution the world can make. It is rather simple to make, the true test is to live by it. It is simply acceptance. I have accepted that no one is like me, not every one looks like me and not everyone believes in the same God I believe in. But I DO NOT think any less of those who are different, I try to learn from them, understand why they think and believe the way they do. I recognize the individuals right to live and breathe and believe and love and pursue happiness as they please. Even if I don't always agree with them.
In my short life I have come to realize a very basic truth: It's easier to accept others for what they are than it is to hate them for what they are. It's easier to say 'okay, he's different, but he's still nice to me,' than it is to say 'I hate him because of his skin color or his hair style or who he goes to bed with.' To hate someone you must look for things to not like and many just choose the superficial things as a religion, skin color or sexual preference different than their own as acceptable reasons to hate. I say they are not acceptble reasons.
So, as we enter the new millenium, I call for everyone the world over to say enough with the hate, enough with violence. The time has come for people to try to live in peace with ourselves and planet so that we can have a future.