June 4, 2007

Manic Monday: Peace


Peace is the Manic Monday meme word. The timing for this particular word is excellent. It gives all of us an opportunity to express our support for Mimi Lenox's Dona Nobis Pacem initiative, also known as Blog Blast for Peace.

Blog Blast for Peace isn't a contest. It's a fun, easy and meaningful way to creatively express your thoughts on peace in tandem with other bloggers all over the world. Non-bloggers are likewise invited to participate. Email your submission to Mimi: mimiwrites@yahoo.com and admire the Peace Globes rotating through the blogosphere on June 6, 2007.

I am hopeful that many villagers will take a moment this week to ponder what PEACE means to you, your family, your community, your nation and our world. If you believe that war, strife and turmoil can be defeated -- if you advocate peace -- why not sign a Peace Globe to express it? Just go to Mimi Writes to learn more.

Some claim that there are One Million Blogs for Peace and there are many who Blog for Peace.

Most posts about PEACE focus on George Bush's war in Iraq. However, I think it is important to recognize that there are wars in other parts of the world as well. One of the most devastating conflicts is taking place in Darfur. The emergency in Sudan’s western region of Darfur presents the starkest challenge to the world since the Rwanda genocide in 1994. A government-backed Arab militia known as Janjaweed has been engaging in campaigns to displace and wipe out communities of African tribal farmers.

Villages have been razed, women and girls are systematically raped and branded, men and boys murdered, and food and water supplies targeted and destroyed. Government aerial bombardments support the Janjaweed by hurling explosives as well as barrels of nails, car chassis and old appliances from planes to crush people and property. Tens of thousands have died. Well over a million people have been driven from their homes.

Mukesh Kapila, the former United Nations humanitarian coordinator for Sudan, said that the violence in Darfur is "more than a conflict, it's an organized attempt to do away with one set of people." The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum issued its first ever genocide emergency. John Prendergast of International Crisis Group warns, "We have not yet hit the apex of the crisis."

Lives are hanging in the balance on a massive scale. This is an issue that we will devote more time to in the coming days & weeks. For now, I appreciate the Manic Monday meme for giving us the chance to think a bit about PEACE.

Do you have any comments on Darfur, Iraq, Blog Blast for Peace or Dona Nobis Pacem?

27 comments:

Durward Discussion said...

I'll put mine up tomorrow. It will be fascinating to see all the different expressions of peace across the blogosphere.

Unknown said...

Jamie - I look forward to reading your Manic Monday post!

peace, Villager

Shaz said...

Peace to you all x x x

Peter @ Enviroman said...

Hi Villager,

just dropping by to let you know I have responded to your comment in my post Putting a clickable button in the post title.

Peter (Blog*Star 2006 and 2007)
Dummies Guide to Google Blogger
"online book" in progress

Anonymous said...

The more said aboutg the horrendous situation in Darfur, the better. Thanks for the continued focus, Villager.

Your blog just keeps getting better and better.

Unknown said...

Peter - Thank you for visiting. I enjoy reading your blog as it provides tips that are useful to my Blogger-blogspot experience. I hope you find reasons to come back in the future.

Keith - Don't forget to get some link-love from the Linkies widget on my Manic Monday posts. You can leave your name/link even if you are not doing Manic Monday or Wordless Wednesday yourself.

As for your kind words --> asante sana!

Unknown said...

Once again, you've brought something exceptional to my attention!

I wasn't aware of the Blog For Peace effort prior to the comment you left me earlier.

I will definitely be joining you and other bloggers to lift our increasingly crucial voices.

Peace!

kweenkong

Stewart Sternberg (half of L.P. Styles) said...

What a magnificent post. You're right. Too many people focus on one injustice because it is easy and because of political rivalry. They should instead be guided by morals.

I went to a krystalnacht event once. The evening of course remembered the night the Nazis went through the Jewish ghetto and smashed windows and beat up people. The event was to focus on the Holocaust.

As I listened to the speaker and heard him focus on the plight of the Jews, I was bothered by how narrow their focus. What the speaker should have been saying was that genocide, whether against Jews or any other group should rally us to stop it. If Jews turn their back on the rest of the world during these days, focusing only on things that relate to Jews, then they are doing a disservice to all those who died in the Holocaust.

In short, I think we have to step outside our parochial beliefs and embrace a larger perspective.

Again, a thought provoking post.

Anonymous said...

may peace be with us always so that we may live in harmony.

Unknown said...

KweenKong - Asante sana! I appreciate your comments. We each learn from each other. I just learned about the Blog Blast for Peace over the weekend. I'm glad I am able to share the news with you & others.

Stewart - I have to look up "krystalnacht" ... but, I understand your point of view entirely. At the end of the day we are all part of the Human Race and we need to figure out how to co-exist on this planet together ... whether in Jerusulem, Darfur, Baghdad or Cincinnati.

Mousey Amen!

Anonymous said...

I knew your post would be awesome :) Peace--
Bridget

Crazy Working Mom said...

Very nice post! :)

Peace.

plez... said...

it's obvious that war doesn't work. one side will always lord their victory over the conquered.

it is time to give PEACE a chance... in Iraq, in Afghanistan, in Darfur, and in the streets of the US!

Stine said...

Hi. My MM not up yet - but thought I'd try and answer... about reviews. I've signed up with PayPerPost, ReviewMe, Sponsored Reviews, Blogsvertise and Bloggerwave. Thus getting a wider variety of opps. Good luck.

the Book of Keira said...

Oh, I've ALWAYS got a comment...lol. But I have posted mine in my own MM today :-)

AAPP said...

Villager, Great on point post. Keep doing what you do!

Lisa Ryan said...

you're dead on, it is not just the war in Iraq. All over the world there are war tragedies happening. Darfur is horrific.

Sandee said...

What is going on in Darfur is awful. Excellent post on peace. I am participating in Dona Nobis Pacem as well. Peace :)

Lizza said...

Your post is informative and powerful (as usual) but this one just reminded me of something I learned about sometime ago.

What is going on in Darfur is just incredible. I read a story sometime ago about slavery in Sudan. Literal slavery, in this day and age. Dinka children being abducted and being made slaves; many of them get a leg cut off if they try to escape. Terrible, terrible.

I believe positive thoughts go a long way, especially if coupled with action. And flying a Peace Globe is a not-bad-at-all-in-fact-it's-great way to express one's thoughts about peace.

Paris David said...

Thank you for this effort.

I pray and act for change in Darfur.

Sandee said...

A big thanks for the vote :) Peace my friend.

Travis Cody said...

I agree with what Stewart said. We must remember that their is war, injustice, and suffering around the globe.

We must keep talking and we must listen and we must find ways to stop it.

Danielle said...

Darfur needs to be continuously spoken of. Intervening in the massacre of innocents is a justifiable reasoning behind war.

Be well

Unknown said...

All we are saying is "Give Peace a Chance"

all the Best
Harleyblues

Mimi Lenox said...

You are right. The war in Iraq is a focal point right now but certainly not the only war-induced suffering in our world at the moment. Darfur is heart-wrenching.

Here's to peace.
And to bloggers - real people - who promote its truth through words and actions.

Peace to you and yours.
(And thanks. Nobody's ever called me a hero before. Mims is blushing. Oh dear.)

Unknown said...

All - Much love to Morgen for creating the focus on PEACE in the Manic Monday meme of this past week. Many of used the Wordless Wednesday meme to keep that flow going with the Blog Blast for Peace led by Mimi Lennox. It was a remarkable week in the blogosphere ... and hopefully for each of us in the RW (real world) as well.

peace,
Villager

Maryam in Marrakesh said...

So wishing for peace. Darfur is ALWAYS on my mind.