A day’s thinking

This Friday 30th March 2018 I spent the day almost incapable of speaking to anyone, and I certainly didn’t want too. It’s the 5th anniversary of my wife’s death. Though I seem to have willed the glumness on despite all the happy memories it’s not through choice, it’s just because I miss her. My daughter misses her and no doubt he husband does too as will many nephews and nieces. It made me wonder just how many people throughout the world are feeling as I do today and how many tomorrow and the next day. Multiple thousands of people die each day and they will mostly have someone who mourns them and misses them greatly.

We, the West seem to accept the sales of weapons as being normal.  If we’re involved in the use of those weapons in somebody else’s country then a little collateral damage seems acceptable, some deaths from friendly fire almost inevitable. Where weapons are sold for  use at home in America, not even in war, there are hundreds of deaths a day and also the slaughters of innocents because of the types of weapons freely available to buy. Having said that, it’s disgusting that certain weapons are available to buy when you’re not in the military and it’s equally disgusting that those weapons are freely available to so many people who should never be anywhere near a weapon. The mentally ill for a start. The pressure applied by vested interests to make sure laws are not introduced which will affect their sales is phenomenal. And that’s only for the domestic market. Imagine what pressure would be brought to bear if it was suggested that weapons sales throughout the world was halted. Any yet, consider this, are there not enough weapons already out there to wipe us all out without selling more. What happens to the surplus, the slightly date, the out of fashion? Is there a trade-in deal to be had against new models and the old ones can be offloaded to a tribe of Tuaregs to use against the Kurds who so many Countries seem keen to wipe out. Allies of the West but whom we don’t seem to offer much support in the devastation of their homeland.             It’s time to bring our troops out of Syria since Bashar al Assad has assistance from the Russians and also for President Edogan of Turkey, another enemy of the Kurds. Saddam Hussein committed real atrocities t try and wipe out the Kurds  and others are doing the same.

My rant as such it is, is to suggest we don’t need more weapons in the world, we especially don’t need more weapons like the AR15 in the hands of teens and adults when there’s no practical purpose for them unless you believe in conspiracy theories about the Government attacking you. Be fair, if they did, what use would an AR15 be to you? It’s no good for hunting, you don’t need it or most of the other 10 you’ve gathered for overkill. You have to start thinking logically about just who should be kept away from weapons and how best to do it. The suggestions made so far have been pretty logical. Change the age to 21 for buying  weapon. Makes sense, they;re not in school and less likely to have childish grudges. The mentally ill. Fair enough, no telling if the illness might bring on delusions which seem real enough to clear with a gun. I’d go further, but a start is a start. Now, lets concentrate on the world. Bring our boys home. Not because they’re not good at what they do but because we’re not winning hearts or minds and we’re just making more enemies. Secure some kind of peace for the Kurds before pulling out though. Make sure we bring every weapon we can. No use leaving them to increase the killing. Be happy with what you have and don’t buy any more armaments. I don’t mind if it puts the dealers in death out of business. The world won’t miss them and they can retire on the Kings ransoms already made.

Now concentrate on making friends. No, you stop that, he’s just the same as you just darker.Play nice, now Hug. Remember I’m waiting for votes for the job of Benevolent Dictator of the World and there will be exams on hugging techniques and points for friends made.

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Native American Rules to Live By.

I was reading a post today by Elfidd at As the Rooster Crows  https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?hl=en#inbox/161aef79d8782cbb

Every great person, despite their culture, religion, tribe, or ethnicity, believes in certain words of wisdom.Those words transcend the differences among people. This code of living forms one’s character. It molds every culture to be unique and  unrepeatable.

Possibly one of the most spiritually advanced and personality building code is The Native American Code of Ethics that was originally published in the Inter-Tribal Times in October 1994. It’s a Code of Ethics that teaches everybody, American or not, how to live their lives in the best way.It’s fascinating to note that most of these teachings are reflected in other beliefs and faith as well.

1. Rise with the sun to pray. Pray alone and often. The Great Spirit will listen only if you speak.
2. Be tolerant of the people who are lost on their path. Ignorance, jealousy, anger, and greed stem from a lost soul. Pray that they’ll find guidance.
3. Search for yourself, by yourself. Don’t allow others to create your path for you. It’s your road and yours alone. Others might walk it with you, but nobody can walk it for you.
4. Treat your guests in your home with consideration. Serve them the best food, offer them your best bed and treat them with respect and honor.
5. Don’t take what isn’t yours either from a person, community or culture. It wasn’t earned nor given. It isn’t yours.
6. Respect every little thing placed upon the earth.
7. Honor other people’s thoughts, desires, and words. Let each person express themselves.
8. Never speak of others in a mean way. The negative energy you put out into the universe is going to multiply when it returns to you.
9. All people make mistakes. And all mistakes can be forgiven.
10. Negative thoughts cause illness of the mind, body, and soul. Practice optimism.
11. Nature is not FOR us, but a PART of us. Animals, plants and every other living creature are all part of our worldly family.
12. Children are the seeds of our future. You need to plant love in their hearts and shower them with wisdom and precious life’s lessons. When they’re grown, give them space to mature.
13. Avoid hurting other people’s heart. The poison of the pain you cause will return to you.
14. Be honest at all times. Honesty and truthfulness are the tests of one’s will within this world.
15. Keep yourself balanced. Work out the body to empower the mind. Grow rich in spirit to cure emotional pain.
16. Make conscious decisions regarding who you’ll be and how you’ll react. Be responsible for your actions.
17. Respect the privacy and personal space of those around you. Don’t touch the personal property of others – especially holy and religious objects. That’s forbidden.
18. Be true to yourself first. You can’t nurture and help others unless you can nurture and help yourself first.
19. Respect others religious beliefs. Don’t try to force your beliefs on other people.
20. Share your good fortune with others. Also, participate in charity.

What a great start in life if our children were taught this in school instead of how to segregate  by colour or faith. I have no real religion and see problems coming from faith based schools but I see no problems if all children are taught about a Great Spirit at school and have their own faith lessons after school. I still feel personally that religion should only be addressed by those old enough to understand it, so keep it away from children until they’re at least 14 and can decide for themselves. We shouldn’t be imprinting them as we do.

Hugs to you all.

The Christmas Approach.

Once again we approach a Christmas. We are just over a week away and most people are starting to get a bit mellow. Perhaps a Christmas party or two to attend with work and gatherings with friends and family. On the other hand we have those for whom Christmas is an occasion of real stress and in some cases sadness.

xmas21

People who are out of work and can’t afford to give the family a Christmas they imagine is wanted. People who live alone and see so many others coming together with family and friends. People who are dispossessed altogether and have become homeless. That of course is only the tip of the iceberg since there are refugees the world over bombed or brutalised out of their homes. There are prisoners of conscience being held and tortured by those regimes to whom the idea of a free society is anathema. There are even free societies who are not free because the mega rich control the Governments. This is the time of year when suicides are at their highest.

I would ask that each of us keep an eye open for anyone who doesn’t seem to be full of the joys of the season or who looks worried. Sometimes an ear to listen to problems is enough. Other times you may find that help is needed and you may or may not be able to provide it. But perhaps you can point someone in the right direction especially if you’re worried about them. If they’re desperate then perhaps The Samaritans.

There are troubles all over the world. Dictators are doing ill to their people in order to get rid of the opposition. Wars are being fought and the displaced are having to leave their homes, sometimes their family in order to reach safety which may not be in the same country. Those refugees are suffering enough hate from those fighting in their countries without having our hate too just because they need to reach a place of safety within our borders. But there may be terrorists hiding amongst them some cry. It’s true, there may but in the name of humanity we must take those suffering people and take a chance on who there is. We suffer the home grown terrorists more than those who pretend to come as friends.

Finally ( I know you’re glad) there have been some devastating storms this year. People in some of the Island Groups have suffered beyond belief and are still suffering because there is no longer a basic infrastructure to rely on. They need help. My good friend Jill Dennison of Filosofa’s Word https://jilldennison.com/2017/12/14/good-people-doing-good-things-three-amazing-kids/                                                                                                                is more eloquent than I on the subject:                                                                                          In September, Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico with a vengeance, doing far greater damage than any of the other devastating hurricanes this year.  More than 60% of Puerto Ricans remain without electricity or running water.  This will be a bleak Christmas for the residents of Puerto Rico, and especially for the children.  I ask that you remember them, for they have been largely forgotten by their own government.  And if you can find it in your heart, if you can find a few spare dollars in your wallet, please do what you can to help make Christmas just a little bit brighter for these children.

Have a Happy Christmas. Share and spare as many smiles and hugs as you can. There’s always someone in need. Spare some change which might make the difference between going to bed hungry or being fed for a homeless person. Spare a little more if you can maybe even pay for a meal in a cafe to be given free to someone in need. Pay it forward. But most of all be tolerant and kind all the time not just at Christmas and we can unite the world and rid ourselves of war.

If they can stop fighting and become friends it shows they would prefer peace to war. It’s not the common man that carries on the wars. We can stop the warmongers if we don’t give them the option.

Remembrance

Tomorrow on the eleventh day of the eleven month at the eleventh hour many countries will hold 2 minutes of silence in honour of the fallen of World War I  or as it was known 99 years ago The Great War, the war to end all wars. We all know now that it wasn’t but who back then knew Europe would be throwing it’s young men away again in just 21 years. Mothers must have been distraught that they wouldn’t see their beloved sons again, fathers might have been broken but proud. Wives would lose beloved husbands and some children a father they didn’t know. Some poor people would lose out by losing a loved one in each World War as those too young the first time round rushed to join for the second.

I think over the years since then there have been a few more localised wars for some of us. The young still join the forces because of a pride they have in their country and go off to fight and die for their causes. But should they? I’ll be honest and say if I was a U.S. citizen called to fight for my country these days I wouldn’t want too unless there were Russian troops on my soil. There’s nothing there to be proud of anymore and let’s face it, the next war may be there anyway between Republican and Democratic voters or worse still Black and White. Things in the UK could become just as bad with the Brexiteers and the non- Brexiteers.

Over all these 99 years and heading for a big anniversary next year we need to decide whether the mothers and fathers, wives and children have cried enough for what they’ve lost and whether the rest of us have taken note. There’s no need for this mass killing anymore, no need to lose a generation of people who might, if still alive, make huge contributions to our health or welfare.Let’s concentrate on getting along with our neighbours and making the world a safer. nicer place to live in where no-one is bankrupted by the cost of war anymore, be it money or lives.

What is Happening?

Many people like me were stunned to wake up this morning to hear of the newest, worst killings yet, over in Las Vegas. There have been rumours all day about the who and the why, no doubt many of them started to stir up and take advantage of any hate generated. It’s always handy to have a minority to blame. This time it turns out that the minority is a 64 year old white man with no criminal record and whose family say had no strong religious feelings. They are in fact stunned. The fact that Daesh claimed responsibility for the act does not make it true. Had he not killed himself he might have been  able to answer questions as to his reasoning and also how he managed to smuggle all his arms into the hotel. Maybe the truth will emerge slowly. Since his family say he was a country music fan, it can’t have been the concert that upset him.

I can’t help it, whenever I hear of something like this I immediately think and ask about gun control like the responsible bodies are actually going to see sense. One lady told me I shouldn’t ask this as whatever happens the criminals will still have access to guns. That may be so, but the access could be made a lot more difficult for them, especially by those people who buy guns regularly just to sell on to criminals. But, in part answer to the lady in question I’d say that a lot of these massacres are not committed by criminals, they’re committed by people with no criminal records but who had access to the arsenal found in that hotel room today. So maybe you just need to have gun control for the law-abiding. At times like this the NRA say don’t make decisions like that when the event has just happened. Don’t penalise gun owners for the actions of a few. Just how many more losses of life like this do you let go by before talking of gun control again. It’s not as if guns are a necessity and I’m sure many battered wives would be alive today if their partner hadn’t had a gun in his hand when he was feeling pissed with her. These people are in no shape or form the local militia envisioned by your Second Amendment yet they can get guns quite legally.

Please wait until you hear the reasons for this atrocity before you start throwing out blame, don’t listen to Daesh or others claiming it. Please think about how many more events like this America can bear, you may lose someone in the next one. 58 dead and 500+ injuries this time. Give some thought as to how many guns a person should be allowed and how easy it should be for them to get anything. Think about the number of youngsters who commit suicide or who are harmed by the guns in their houses. Or the number of women killed because their boyfriend doesn’t like the way his steak was fried.Think hard about some gun control.

End these atrocities and bring a little more peace to the world.

Hugs. David 02.10.017

 

True Colours

At last this week Donald Trump showed his true colours. Whilst mobs of KKK and alt-right White Supremacists roared and fought their way round Charlottesville last weekend he refused to condemn them, instead comparing the hatemongers with the protesters against them. After some time he attempted to say how terrible prejudice and hate are but then railed at his staff about how unfair the press is towards him.

I was told to mind my own business and concentrate on my ‘Welshy’ Welsh politics by a supporter of Donald Trump. What he fails to realise is that it is my business. Whatever the President of the United States does or says has an effect throughout the world. At a time when this particular one has become the laughing stock of Europe and probably the rest of the civilised World, the laughter had to stop abruptly when he showed himself to be so in tune with the White Supremacists and the fascists in the march.I suppose it’s possible that our home grown Nasties will take to the streets thinking it’s OK now he’s virtually given his consent.

I personally find it appalling that the constitution isn’t amended to make groups like like unlawful. Freedom of speech has gone too far when it allows words of hate and threats of violence to come to be uttered like this putting some people in fear of their lives. Some have come from other countries to escape just this. The KKK have promoted hate and murder and should be a proscribed organisation, membership of which carries a jail sentence. The neo Nazis with their hated Swastika should be ashamed to insult the memory of their kith and kin who fought and died in WWII to keep the evil of Hitler’s Germany from their acts of genocide.

I know there will be some in these groups who have joined from fear, and some who have joined because they feel abandoned or cannot find a direction in life. They must be shown that the side of peace and of equality is the way forward. Those who promote membership in these groups are clever with their targeting and we must be just as clever in promoting the path of peace. America is a broken Country at the moment but I’m sure Donald Trump has turned some of his followers away with his recent actions so his power base is much less than it was. As he loses his followers I hope the Democrats are trying to pick them up showing that the majority of the Republican party have lost their way trying to tear down all that President Obama did, at the expense of the less well off in America. The replacement care programme would have been a disaster for millions yet so many Republicans tried to put it through. Thank heavens for those senators with a conscience. The only ones who deserve to retain their seats at the next elections.

It’s going to be hard for a while. I don’t suppose the hatemongers have finished yet by a long chalk but you who believe in the equality of our fellow man regardless of colour, gender or sexual preference will feel the burden of trying to protect those at threat as well as letting the thugs know there is no place for their evil in America. America was never a white country. It had it’s own Native Americans in place before white men arrived and black slaves and Chinese coolies helped to bring about the wealth of the Country with their hard work. That deserves it’s recognition. It’s been big enough to welcome people from all over the world, some as refugees who have all made America their home and worked for it’s future. Those people are not terrorists. The killing of one and injuring of many more when a car was driven at them last weekend shows that home grown terrorism is more of a danger. A young WHITE man of about 20 did that, claiming the woman he killed was a communist. I wonder how he could tell that from inside his car.

Peace and equality must be the way forward so we can forget all the divisions people see as keeping us apart. We must celebrate the differences between us and not run in fear of them.

Namaskar 17.08.2017

In Flanders Field

by John McCrae, May 1915

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

During the early days of the Second Battle of Ypres a young Canadian artillery officer, Lieutenant Alexis Helmer, was killed on 2^nd May, 1915 in the gun positions near Ypres. An exploding German artillery shell landed near him. He was serving in the same Canadian artillery unit as a friend of his, the Canadian military doctor and artillery commander Major John McCrae.

As the brigade doctor, John McCrae was asked to conduct the burial service for Alexis because the chaplain had been called away somewhere else on duty that evening. It is believed that later that evening, after the burial, John began the draft for his now famous poem “In Flanders Fields”.

One hundred years ago today the battle of Passchendaele started during the First World War or what became known as The Great War to those who fought in it. Who knew that a mere 22 years later some of them and certainly their sons would be stuck fighting the same foe in World War II. 

Since then, that foe has become our ally and though we haven’t fought on the scale of those wars again we have still sent our sons (and daughters off to be killed). In the First World war Nurse Edith Cavell was shot as a spy. There were brave men and women fighting in the resistance during both wars.

Today I watched a commemoration of the start of Passchendaele from Tyne Cot Cemetery in West Flanders, Belgium. Queen Mathilde of Belgium was there as were Prince Charles and The Cambridges,William and Kate. It was a very emotive programme with readings from people who had lost members of their family during this period and others who read letters from the period including one from a mother who had lost her only son and was writing to members of his company, his friends, for details of when it happened but also to thank them for being his friends and to wish them well in the battles to come. I don’t mind admitting the tears were rolling down my face. The Brits, Irish, French, Canadians, Australians and New Zealanders all lost a good part of a generation during this war as we all lost more in the next one. The Germans and their allies also lost many young men during these wars.

Surely there has to be a time when sanity takes over. We have to let our Governments know that we no longer want to send off our children to die. No more missing generations, no more of the hate that makes us follow our leader’s words and rush off to battle. They must work harder on the diplomatic front or at the most send our strongest man to fight their strongest man with a finale that doesn’t end in a death. Peace must have a chance so we can concentrate on looking after the planet too.

Hugs to all

 

I protest #InternationalChildrensDay

I want the world to live in peace. I want an end to the wasteful loss of life. How many times might we have killed the one person who could end cancer had they been allowed to live? It looks like the World isn’t ready to grant my wish so I’m ready to start small as per this great post by Sue Vincent.

Sue Vincent's Daily Echo

I protest.

I protest against the poverty and hunger in which so many children are forced to live by failing societies where greed is an economic norm. In the UK, alone, one in four children officially live in poverty… yet it is relative poverty. In many countries, poverty is the norm and means utter deprivation of even the most basic necessities. Every ten seconds, a child dies from hunger and its consequences. Almost nine hundred children die every day because they have no access to clean water.

I protest against the denial of medical care to any child. Every year, over 13 million children less than 5 years die from illnesses which could have been avoided or treated.

I protest against eager minds denied education in a world where so many have access to so much. Over a hundred million children, the adults of our own future, are growing…

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Targeting Music Fans

May 22nd 2017, Manchester U.K.

Last night in Manchester there were reported to be at least 22 dead and 50 injured outside a pop concert starring Ariana Grande. It’s suspected that the atrocity was committed by a suicide bomber. The dead and injured included children.

While I can’t say that Moslems don’t have a reason to want revenge for the killing of their own people in their own countries by the West, killing children is not the way to achieve understanding. Since there’s a good chance that there will have been Moslems in the crowd at the concert, your indiscriminate killing hurts your cause. Especially as the Q’ran doesn’t advocate this kind of violence.

Terrorism is not the way to bend the faithful to your will, nor is taking away the rights of women and refusing them education. It’s time now to bring peace to all our countries and to have East and West in harmony. I offer hugs to all those who think me an enemy.

I’m so, so sorry for all the death and injuries in Manchester. I send my sympathy to all the victims and their families.

Hugs to the World

 

Time for understanding

Yet again it looks like there are terrorists at work. Today an SUV vehicle ploughed into a group of pedestrians on Westminster Bridge in London. It’s possible that a group of students from France were part of that group.

I understand the vehicle struck the fence of the Parliament complex. The driver of the SUV entered the grounds where he stabbed a Policeman to death. At that point, other policemen from the protection group shot and killed the terrorist. I know that at least two of the pedestrians struck on the bridge have died. Police and ambulances were there quickly. No-one was sure whether this man was acting alone or maybe a diversion for other attacks. Police were on high alert. Maybe the incident on the bridge was the diversion for the terrorists to try and reach other targets but there was nothing else found by security forces.

That this was a terrorist attack seems highly likely but as yet it isn’t known if it’s a home grown one or an immigrant. What is sure is that given the number of immigrants here we are lucky that so few are terrorists and the rest are as horrified as we are.

I’m purposely not providing a description so that people who look similar are not targeted by the vindictive unthinking people who dislike any immigration. Instead I’m speaking to the rest of you. We need immigrants. Please only treat those that deserve it with any disrespect. Smile at strangers, hug if you can and let them know you can see they are not terrorists. Defuse any hate.

My sympathy for those who lost their lives today and for the family and friends they leave behind. Lets hope these are the last.

Hugs to all.                                                                                                                                                           Wednesday 22.03.2017