Let’s Celebrate a World of Intelligence and Warmth!
This meme reminds us of the capacity for kindness and human compassion that lives deep within all us. From Wikipedia:
The Christmas truce was a series of widespread unofficial ceasefires along the Western Front of World War I around Christmas 1914.
The truce occurred during the relatively early period of the war (month 5 of 51). Hostilities had lulled as leadership on both sides reconsidered their strategies following the stalemate of the Race to the Sea and the indecisive result of the First Battle of Ypres. In the week leading up to the 25th, French, German, and British soldiers crossed trenches to exchange seasonal greetings and talk. In some areas, men from both sides ventured into no man’s land on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to mingle and exchange food and souvenirs. There were joint burial ceremonies and prisoner swaps, while several meetings ended in carol-singing. Men played games of soccer with one another, creating one of the most memorable images of the truce. Fighting continued in some sectors, while in others the sides settled on little more than arrangements to recover bodies.
The truces were not unique to the Christmas period, and reflected a mood of “live and let live”, where infantry close together would stop overtly aggressive behavior and often engage in small-scale fraternization, engaging in conversation or bartering for cigarettes. In some sectors, there were occasional ceasefires to allow soldiers to go between the lines and recover wounded or dead comrades; in others, there was a tacit agreement not to shoot while men rested, exercised or worked in view of the enemy. The Christmas truces were particularly significant due to the number of men involved and the level of their participation—even in very peaceful sectors, dozens of men openly congregating in daylight was remarkable—and are often seen as a symbolic moment of peace and humanity amidst one of the most violent events of human history
May 2020 be remembered for the grand “about face” that our civilization made at this moment, and may it happen in time to avert catastrophic environmental damage, nuclear war, and world fascism.
May we look back on 2020 as the time we began to become less divisive and started to rebuild relations between races and religions.
Here’s to a time when we dialed down military capabilities around the globe and elected leaders of reason and benevolence.
It’s just a decision we all have to make. My mind’s made up, and I think yours is too.
Craig,
Ah, noble sentiments and very well said.
The problem with such noble sentiments is they are not shared by all sides.
The miraculous truce of Christmas 1914 was not repeated as the war began in earnest. There were no times when soldiers of both sides more shared pleasure in singing the beautiful old hymn “silent night”.
For the next three Christmases, Christians on both sides slaughtered each other believing “God was on their side”.
As Pope Benedict XV sadly observed in 1916, “everyone claims God is on their side. But, who is on god’s side?”.
The problems begin when trying to translate simplistic solutions to complex problems.
Problems are compounded by sanctimony and one-sided sermonizing disguised as ‘moral’ platitudes.
The result is silent animosity and bitter resentment on one side, matched by gloating, patronizing self-righteousness on the other. This conflict and warfare is born.
Yet, you are right! We should all put aside our differences and try to understand one another. I think the process begins when we abandon the use of extreme rhetoric and abusive propaganda.
Giving up grand sensationalist terms like “World Fascism” ( which really just means anyone the orator doesn’t like) and becoming more conciliatory and moderate.
It means being more flexible and less eager to “win” at all costs. Engaging in patient dialog and understanding.
Eschewing name calling and employing extreme language might be a great start. Respecting the views of others and seeing through their eyes the merits of their beliefs, would help h promote understanding, while being objective and pragmatic can attract cooperation from opponents or former foes.
As MLK said, “The change begins within yourself. It’s not a process which takes place only if those who disagree with you yield to your point of view first”.
RFK said basically the same thing.
Breitbart, CNN, MSNBC, NYT, USA Today etc, are all guilty of exploiting “fake news” and “creating” news rather than simple reporting.
These media outlets feel they must ratchet up the outrage, sensationalism and high drama to remain relevant in a world where digital and social media are eroding the previous monopoly they once possessed on information and opinion.
Media outlets no longer feel the need to be accurate, fair, balanced or even truthful. As long as they entertain and incite their partisan base, the modern media believes it’s producing the type of media required by an audience addicted to sensationalism rather than substance.
It’s become an era of instant sensationalism, where even the President bypasses the media by employing rallys and “tweets”, while the media responds with outrage and fury at losing its “oracle” status.
This atmosphere of public hype feed upon itself in an ever increasing spiral. In such an atmosphere of constant hype and extreme rhetoric, the extreme becomes “normal”.
Even the legislature is caught up in the high drama. Impeachment, once considered an extreme process only to be used in an emergency, is now used as a mere political exercise against an unconventional President.
Passions run high, but the messages are being lost as the World becomes inured and complacent with high drama and overblown rhetoric.
Wonderful and much needed sentiments Craig.
Thank you Marco Polo for your well written Essay on Things across the Spectrums.
You touched many bases and thank youbfor your thought and putting into fitting words.
All the Vest to All
Men of poly-tics have been always, what it says: multiple blood suckers. WW1was a action of stupidity. If Franz Ferdinand was stupid enough to go to Serbia, which had no love for the Monarchy, he deserved to be killed. Why the Hungarians teamed up with Austria to start a war? What was it to do with Germany and with Russia? The Tzar probably kept having a good life. Was even then the Eviluminati behind it, like getting Hitler startWW2. Now, of course, GMOs, the Medi and Pharmafia, vaccination and 5G, which will murder more people than the 2 wars did.Unless someone great has the power to call out the armies and clean up the world from the slimy murderers.