How do we become people of goodwill? We do this by seeking the common good. Yes, there are better things for everyone and better things for the world we live in for all living creatures. However, the leaders of the world currently and have always lived in a manner of largesse, excess and beyond the standard of living of the common people. Let's not look at China, Russia or Saudi Arabia - let's look at our current president and first lady, congress, and the government bureaucrats here in America. We have a president who plays golf and can disrupt a wedding and still be a really swell and nice guy and a press that makes teed off jokes about his behavior. We have officials and workers all over the Department of Veterans Affairs making six-figure salaries and receiving their healthcare elsewhere who can't figure out a how to timely approve veterans requests for help and aid. We have congressmen and congresswomen who don't live in the district they represent and who are flown coast-to-coast in private planes. And then we have real winners like Al Gore with a Nobel Peace Prize for global warming who flies private jets and lives in a mansion. And what about Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton and their race baiting that keeps them living in a grand style while exploiting mostly poor and uneducated people? Maybe the Als and Jesses should start a successful grocery store and farm in a poor inter-city neighborhood that is a food desert and then duplicating that success in every food desert in America.
Peace needs to begin with yourself and economic choices you make. Are you willing to pay more for food that is truly organic, local, sustainably grown and meets fair trade guidelines (I will say fairer trade as a lot of fair trade benefits mostly others than the farmer including lots of third world corrupt politicians)? Do you re-use, re-cycle, re-purpose, up-cycle and don't waste? Do you live beyond your means? Do you check the air in your vehicle tires regularly? Do you turn down the heat at night? Do you look for second hand items? In the adage of an old song - let peace begin with me.
After scrubbing and cleaning on yourself start on your family. Start by sharing resources and time and talent. Share everything you can share. Share food and tools and clothes and furniture.
Keep on creating peace in your neighborhood. You can disagree without causing a civil war. At least try to see the other persons point. However, never avoid the truth. There are many points of view - there is only one truth.
For most of us, we need to stop with family and neighbors and the small community groups we live in. In our BIG government world we are simply unable to impact change at a larger level. In American, WE are the GOVERNMENT and WE have quit doing what we are supposed to do as citizens and as such our GOVERNMENT at most levels has become mostly corrupt and not capable of working for the common good, thus not capable of creating peace. Everyone of us should be appalled and clamoring for change when we see your government wasting tax dollars. This should not be a Democrat or Republican or Liberal or Conservative issue. Government fraud, waste and abuse should tick us all of and motive us to throw the crooks out and find some better men and women to represent us. Make this year a year for you to change. Change what you can and pray for peace because pray changes everything because it changes you.
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