When the world is so bent on power and conquest, and politics revolve around destruction and war, how can we, as servants of the universe, do other than to honour those few among us brave enough to stand against these evils? Those who uphold the golden rule, those who stand up for justice and good no matter what the cost, those who put the lives of others before their own— these are the peacekeepers of our world.
To understand what a peacekeeper is requires first that we understand the concept of peace. What then, is peace? Peace is more than the absence of war. It is a state of mind. Peace is harmony and solidarity the world across. True peace means the absence of hunger, poverty, racism, and all forms of social injustice. In a peaceful world, there are no castes or classes: all share equally in the wealth and bounty of the earth.
When a mind has taken in and accepted the true value of peace, and has desired it so strongly as to consider it a personal responsibility, it begins to think differently. That person is no longer what he once was— no longer, and never again, a self-absorbed, worldly, earth-bound being. He has become a complete and virtuous human soul. This new, spiritual entity is living in a higher state than its fellow earthlings. He understands himself to be nothing other than a small part of a greater whole. Therefore, he does his utmost to serve and protect that grander scheme of things. He knows mankind’s and mother nature’s pain to be his own. He knows his own death to be a mere part of the natural course of the wheel of life; not something to be avoided, but a necessary part of his existence. But he knows also that in life he has a purpose, and aims to fulfill that purpose: service to humanity.
What is his service? What noble deed is worthy of this enlightened being? Does he blindly follow orders in unquestioning servility? Does he march unthinking to the drums of war? Is he a fanatic, a fundamentalist, a zealous patriot? No. He is none of these. He knows nothing of boundaries, states, or national pride. He is bound to no man-defined country, nor does he identify himself as belonging to some particular human conceptualization of colour or creed. He is a citizen of the world. He knows there to be only one race: the human race. To this race he belongs, and its service is his calling.
He has a strong conscience with which to determine right and wrong. No politicians’ schemes or propaganda can sway him from his morals. He stands firm on his own grounds and is not subject to the persuasion of any source but the one that speaks but truth and justice.
When a crisis or disaster occurs, he is there, at the forefront, giving all that he can to relieve the distress. There is no cataclysm so dire that he lacks the courage to enter into its clutches. He willingly gives his own life in the hopes of saving others, for self-sacrifice, he understands, is the ultimate deed of kindness.
But never does he thoughtlessly throw himself into danger where there is no need. He does not do what he does for honour or respect. He does not seek praise or glory. He wants only the betterment of the world. Therefore when leaders call for an unjust war, and when, perhaps, they desire him to fight, in some statesman’s fantasy “for his country”, he does not. He objects to the greed and avarice that fuels the plan, and refuses to board the growing bandwagon of worldly lust, however many of his comrades jump on. He stands firm— alone if need be— in the name of true righteousness. Even in the face of ostracism, indictment, imprisonment, extradition, even execution, he stands firm. When the majority crosses to the devil’s side, for fear or ignorance, he wilfully supports the minority. He chooses morality over social approval.
He does all that he possibly can to raise awareness of what society has blinded itself to. He seeks to open the people’s eyes, and will even deny himself to do so. Men such as Mahatma Ghandi, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and a great many others, were as such. Men who spoke truth when those in power spoke lies. Such are true heroes, who are not afraid to die on the way, for they know that their own deaths mean nothing, but the death of their cause will mean disaster.
That is the true meaning of the word “peacekeeper”. For it is no easy task to “keep the peace.” It is a task that demands character, dignity, strength and valour. For peace, however desirable, is not the easy way. Man by his nature wills more to himself than to his neighbour. But there are some among us whose faith in the right way is so strong that they set aside their own desires, and do their utmost to ensure that justice is served. They do not abandon their cause, though it may not always be in their personal interest to stand by it. The end for these souls is bittersweet, for many, so eager to serve the rest of us, end their own lives sooner than most. But they know that as long as they have once been heard, their voices sing on. Their light is never lost, and the candle of hope continues to shine.
Monday, May 28, 2007
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
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