Friday 20 November 2015

Paris, ISIS, 9/11…

This is an appeal to the world for common sense:
A clash of values can lead
to the death of our civilization;
We need to listen, compromise and love
so that we can learn to live in peace.

How can we make sense of
the vicious terrorist attacks in Paris?
132 people killed and many severely injured on November 13th.
What senseless slaughter! Bloody murder! Uncivilized!

Earlier, terrorists destroyed a Russian plane with 224 on board,
and badly damaged a Hezbollah center in Lebanon with 44 dead.
All are our brothers and sisters. We mourn their loss.

Peace symbols adapted for the Paris bombings and Russian plane crash.













Son-in-law John just returned from Paris
having escaped the madness in the cafe and the concert hall.
He found the Parisians resilient —
determined to overcome fear and
together rebuild the city.

President Hollande called for revenge with blood,
urged the country ‘to go to war’ against
a bunch of criminals called ISIS.

Have we not learned anything from the past?

Recall that George W. Bush, Jr. tried something similar
after 9/11 resulting in a total defeat in Iraq.
His team killed and maimed millions as they
slavishly followed a flawed policy of the endless war,
echoes of empire and imperialism —
a black eye for the Americans.

Recall the lessons of World Wars I and II,
the Vietnam quagmire, the Korean War,
and countless wars before.
Wars exist for profit, for oil, for money, for religion, for territory —
a shameful barbaric behaviour for humanity.

Have bombings, sanctioned killings
helped society to become better?
Have extremist violent acts added value to society?

We seem to be good at destroying
but bad at rebuilding peace with
full free medical services,
basic infrastructure,
homes, food, free education,
enhanced culture and respect for life itself
including the health of our environment.

What have we really learned
from the wisdom of the ages,
from our mentors —

Tolstoy: ‘War is a slavery of our times.’
Killing people is murder and therefore war is contrary
to religion and morality.

Gandhi: ‘An eye for an eye will leave everyone blind.’

Smedley Butler: ‘War is a racket’ in which soldiers
are called to protect the wealth of the rich.
War is a racket … It is the only one in which the profits
are reckoned in dollars and the losses in lives….
Out of war a few people make huge fortunes.’

Martin Luther King, Jr: ‘Darkness cannot drive out darkness;
only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate;
only love can do that.’

Tolstoy (Nov. 26): ‘Just as one candle lights another
and can light thousands of other candles,
so one heart illuminates another heart
and can illuminate thousands of other hearts.’

The Golden Rule: ‘Do to others
what you would want them to do to you.’
Also: ‘Thou shalt not kill.’
Most people support this.

Why should children be taught one thing in school
while the adults bully the people to go to war
to kill
and contribute to a crime against humanity?

The Law of Love: Let’s adopt it.
Bring our troops home.
Convert swords into plowshares and
create Departments of Peace in our parliaments.

Just image —
How fresh our Planet Earth could be
when we act
‘AS IF’ we are civilized again —
creating a future
that gives hope
to us,
to our children,
to our grandchildren, and
to all peoples of the world.

Another Mother For Peace logo

Comment with image, from

Ivaylo Grouev, Ottawa, Ontario. November 20, 2015

Very good Koozma, a great text. Here is something within these lines.

'Zionism explained', Forwards from Klandma, reddit.com, 2018.

24 comments:

  1. Mae Popoff, Saskatoon, Sask., 20 November 2015 (Restored 3/6/2021)6 March 2021 at 14:30

    Eloquent words to describe current conditions
    With peace as the ultimate goal, the reasonable and only logical path for life.

    Thanks Koozma, for sharing your creativity.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The ultimate goal for all Doukhobors is to follow solemnly their spiritual way and get in its time to the Kingdom of Heaven.

      Delete
  2. Tom Kanigan, 20 November 2015 (Restored)6 March 2021 at 14:32

    I like your many quotations, Koozma.

    I have for long believed that war would not be possible without propaganda. Only when propaganda convinces people that the other side in a war are somehow sub-human will humans kill other humans.

    On my way down to Florida, I wrote the following poem, which I share with your readers.

    My Dream for the World

    I might be a Dreamer
    I might be Naive
    I seek a world free of Violence
    A world without War

    Universal Brotherhood prevails there
    Love of all Mankind
    Free of Racism and Discrimination

    All Nations, Religions and Cultures
    Graciously respected

    I cherish you
    You cherish me

    If you share my Dream
    A simple prescription
    Reach out to a True Stranger today
    Make him your Friend

    Cheers

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Не ищи правду на земле — ищи мир в своей душе.

      Don't look for the truth on earth — look for peace in your soul.

      Delete
  3. Well written Koozma. We, the people, are powerless in our wishes. over ridden by corporate greed. [On the day of the Paris attacks the stock market soared driven by all corporations involved in arms industry]. There is a way to peace, if all countries [esp. US & NATO] withdrew to within their own borders and promised not to attack unless they were invaded the others would have no reason to attack. If they did, they should be persecuted by the police as criminals, not jihad soldiers. As mentioned, to provoke and exploit countries and then complain when they fight back [self righteously] is the ultimate deceit and propaganda - and the 'world' falls for it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ларри,
      ты так уверенно говоришь за всех людей, ты наверно со всеми советовался. А не лучше ли говорить сам за себя и высказывать собственное мнение? «are powerless in our wishes» Все твои частные пожелания, это достойная заработная плата, хорошая пенсия и счастливая старость….

      Ну и наверно «мир на всей земле». Так вот дорогой, потомок духоборцев, чтобы обеспечить твои WISHES, правительству, НАТО и корпорациям, необходимо проявлять алчность, жадность и агрессию, чтобы миллионы таких как ты сладко ели и тихо спали в своей стране. И удалиться из глобальной экономики ни США ни НАТО не могут, потому что капиталистическая экономика может существовать исключительно только на росте потребления товаров и услуг. А расти на внутреннем рынке уже давно некуда. Вот и сеют «демократию» североамериканские ястребы на всей планете и борются на рынки сбыта и за высокую добавленную стоимость. За тебя борятся… Так что гордись этим.

      Delete
    2. Translation

      Larry,
      you confidently speak for all people, but you probably have not consulted all of them. Is not it better that they speak for themselves and express their own opinions? ....All your personal wishes for decent wages, good pensions and a happy old age.

      No doubt for 'peace on earth'. Dear friend, a descendant of the Doukhobors. To ensure your WISHES, the government, NATO and the corporations need to be greedy and aggressive so that millions of people like you eat well and sleep quietly in their own country. By removing the global economy, neither the US nor NATO can prosper because the capitalist economy cannot exist solely on the growth of [local] consumption of goods and services. A rise in the domestic market has long gone nowhere. That is how the North American hawks sow 'Democracy' on the planet, and fight in the [world] markets for profit. They fight for you ... so be proud of it. [The author uses an expression of irony and sarcasm which taunts the reader to respond. The intended meaning is opposite to what is stated.]

      Delete
  4. Annie Barnes, Sundre, Alberta, 20 November 2015 (Restored)6 March 2021 at 15:16

    Sadly, war is 'a profitable business'. There is always enough money for more weapons and armaments. There is never enough money to feed the hungry, to house the homeless, to comfort those who live in fear. Until Peace becomes more profitable than war, what do we do?

    Always in friendship

    ReplyDelete
  5. Until that moment comes when love and peace is more valued than war and violence those who already know this will be the ones to keep the vision alive. Thanks for reminding me that not everyone is caught up in a vortex of bloody revenge, more military and closed borders.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Dirk Falkner, Germany, 21 November 2015 (Restored)6 March 2021 at 15:18

    Dear Mr. Tarasoff,

    Thank you very much for this great poem.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thank you. Hate will not bring peace. Only love will do.

    Budd L Hall, PhD,
    UNESCO Chair in community based research and social responsibility in higher education
    School of Public Administration
    University of Victoria

    ReplyDelete
  8. Дорогой Кузьма.

    Вы напишите лучше ПРИЧИНУ, по которой возникают такие проблемы как ИГИЛ, Талибан и терроризм. Как они возникли? Кто их спонсирует? Каковы их цели? Тогда будет понятно, что делать и как жить дальше. Объясните вашим читателям, кто виноват в этих странностях судьбы.

    Вот мнение, духоборца из России:

    - спокойствие и благополучие граждан Северо-американского континента, достигается путем дестабилизации, беспокойства и организации хаоса в других государствах, путем подготовки и проведения «цветных революций». Основная мотивация которых, внесения своих «ценностей» в культуру других наций и народов. Насилие и хаос, создаваемые в других государствах, является успешной программой для поддержания стабильности величайшей ценности – американского доллара.

    - «Второй фронт» по борьбе с ИГИЛ никогда не будет открыт со стороны США, до тех пор пока Ближний восток не начнут делить. Так было и во Вторую мировую войну. Франклин Рузвельт, не открывал второго фронта , ни в 1941, ни 1942, ни в 1943 году. «Второй фронт» открылся только в июне 1944 года, когда уже давно было понятно, что перелом в войне произошел и победитель ясен и русские войска стояли у границ Польши. А вот когда стало понятно, что через год надо будет делить Европу, деваться было некуда. От такого пирога в виде рынка сбыта, западный истеблишмент не мог отказаться. Сегодня та же ситуация…. И скорее всего России и Армии Сирии придётся выполнять самую тяжёлую работу.

    - Количество военных баз США за рубежом - 702. Количество военных баз России за рубежом – 25.

    Кто агрессор?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Translation

      You need to write about the reasons that there are problems, such as ISIS, the Taliban and terrorism. How did they arise? Who are their sponsors? What are their goals? Then it would be clear what to do and how to live. Please explain to your readers who are to blame for the fate of these oddities.

      Here is the opinion of Doukhobors in Russia:

      1. Peace and welfare of the citizens of the North American continent is achieved by destabilization, chaos, anxiety and through the preparation and holding of ‘color revolutions’ in other sovereign states. The main motivation is the implantation of their "values" into the culture of other nations and peoples. Violence and chaos created in other states is considered to be a successful program in maintaining the stability of the greatest value that of the US dollar.

      2. The ‘Second Front’ in the fight against ISIS was never opened by the United States until the Middle East started to disintegrate. That is how it happened during the Second World War. Franklin Roosevelt did not open a second front, not in 1941, not in 1942, nor in 1943. The ‘Second front’ was opened in June 1944, when it had long become clear that there was a turning point in the war and the winner was obvious and Russian troops had reached the borders of Poland. But when it became clear that in a year the division of Europe would take place, it had nowhere to go. From such a critical situation, the Western establishment could not refuse. Today, the same situation exists.... Now it seems that Russia and the Syrian Army will have to carry out the heaviest work.

      3. The number of US military bases overseas is 702. The number of Russian military bases abroad is 25.

      Who is the aggressor?

      Delete
  9. P.S. 21 ноября в Нью-Йорке на заседании Третьего комитета 69-й сессии Генеральной Ассамблеи ООН по инициативе Российской Федерации была принята резолюция «Борьба с героизацией нацизма, неонацизмом и другими видами практики, которые способствуют эскалации современных форм расизма, расовой дискриминации, ксенофобии и связанной с ними нетерпимости». Соавторами российского проекта стали 43 государства. За резолюцию проголосовали 115, против выступили 3 (США, Канада и Украина) Что думают по этому поводу современные пацифисты Америки и Канады?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Translation

      Post Script:

      On November 21, 2014, in New York, a meeting of the Third Committee of the 69th session of the UN General Assembly on the initiative of the Russian Federation adopted the resolution ‘Combating the glorification of Nazism, neo-Nazism and other practices that contribute to fueling contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.’ (A/RES/69/160, top of page 4)

      Co-authors of the Russian project were 43 states. 115 voted for the resolution, but 3 who opposed it were the United States, Canada and Ukraine.

      American and Canadian pacifists:
      What do you think about this?

      Delete
  10. Вот и открытие "второго фронта"….

    Авиация НАТО, сбила российский военный самолет, который бомбит ИГИЛ. Если бы ситуация была наоборот. Америка и НАТО уже бы были в состоянии войны с Россией. И Путина обвинили во всех смертных грехах. А так, всё тихо и спокойно. Турция имеет право на защиту своих границ. Соответственно Сирия и Россия …не имеет.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Translation

      That's the opening of a "second front" ....

      NATO aircraft, shot down a Russian military aircraft that bombed ISIS. If the situation was the opposite, America and NATO would have already been in a state of war with Russia. Putin was accused of all mortal sins. And so, everything is calm and quiet. Turkey has the right to defend its borders.

      Does this mean that Syria and Russia do not have this right?

      Delete
  11. Ivaylo Grouev, Ottawa, Ontario, 25 November 2015 (Restored)6 March 2021 at 15:59

    Very good Koozma, a great text.
    Here is something within these lines:
    Click here:"Why do we have wars?"

    ReplyDelete
  12. Дорогой Кузьма, вот что удивительно.

    Вы пишите очень интересные статьи и блоги. Очень горжусь тем, что в Канаде проживает духоборец с русской душой, грамотный и эрудированный.

    Но когда читаешь комментарии на ваши статьи, просто приходишь в ужас. Все отклики и комментарии современных канадцев ограничиваются только двумя словами : «Cool или Sucks». Никто не в состоянии ни выразить свое мнение, ни поделиться мысляли.

    Мне иногда кажется:
    -А если ли мозг у этих читателей.
    Чем живут эти люди?
    О чем думают?

    Никого не хочу обидеть, но то что я вижу, просто кошмар.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. Translation

      Dear Koozma, that's amazing.

      You write very interesting articles and blogs. Very proud of the fact that Canada is home to Doukhobors with a Russian soul, educated and erudite.

      But when you read comments to your articles, the response is horrible. All the reactions and comments of contemporary Canadians is limited to two words: 'Cool' or 'Sucks'. No one speaks their mind, nor shares their thinking.

      I sometimes think:
      --Do these readers have a brain?
      --How do these people live?
      --What do they think?

      Nobody wants to offend anyone, and this becomes a sheer nightmare.

      Delete
  13. Мне небеса вдруг
    обернулись пеклом,
    Предательский удар из-за угла…
    Я — самолёт с душою человека
    С особой геометрией крыла.

    Когда бьют в спину, знают — не промажут,
    Какие уязвимые места…
    И боль, начавшаяся где-то в фюзеляже,
    Пронзает от кабины до хвоста.

    Что, чёрт возьми, творится в этом мире?!
    Не разглядеть мне сквозь огонь и дым.
    Я не Шарли, я — Су-24,
    И где таблички с именем моим?

    Пике затянет… Головокруженье
    Перемешает всё в калейдоскоп.
    Мне не дано ни шанса на спасенье,
    Я неизбежное встречаю прямо в лоб.

    Земля обнимет, чтоб принять навеки,
    Мой самописец пусть накроет мгла.
    Я — самолёт с душою человека
    С особой геометрией крыла.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Маски сброшены! Член НАТО - пособник терроризма.
    The masks are off! A NATO member is an accomplice of terrorism.

    Click to see Russian video:
    >Министерство обороны РФ опубликовало новые факты контрабанды нефти в Турцию
    Russian Defense Ministry published new facts of oil smuggling to Turkey

    Vesti 02.12.2015
    The Russian Defense Ministry held a briefing at which the irrefutable facts of the smuggling of stolen oil on the Turkish-Syrian border and the links of the Turkish leadership with this smuggling were presented.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Fred Samarodin, Vancouver, BC, 4 December 2015 (Restored)6 March 2021 at 16:43

    In a recent conversation with a member of another Protestant congregation, I learned that newly-elected Prime Minister Trudeau (or his government reps) made a commitment to stop censuring church/non-profit organizations by threatening to have the CRA [Canada Revenue Agency] audit them and use any evidence of impropriety by the organization as a form to levy tax penalties including confiscation of property (Union of Universal Brotherhood???). [Click here for Canada Revenue Agency: Compliance and audits]

    The censuring was directed by the former government against organizations that promoted social causes, etc., that were in opposition to the political agenda of the Harper government.

    Now we are left with an internally organized committee within the USCC that has been self-censuring what is permitted to be published in the pages of Iskra.

    I don’t know whether, in your position of being near “the centre of power” in Ottawa would help clarify this change in policy from the government’s side.

    However, I would appreciate having the opportunity to raise this “pink elephant in the room” through your blog medium in case my upcoming efforts to speak freely (read: write) on the pages of Iskra, which, with all due respect to the efforts of the present editors to circumvent the muzzling of the freedom of our speech during the preceding “historical” period.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Koozma J. Tarasoff6 March 2021 at 16:53

      Yes. This is a free speech zone.

      It appears that only the Doukhobors of Canada C.C.U.B. Trust fund has been audited and passed.

      Delete