Peace Essays

Peace Must Become A Global Priority!

Peace Essays & Songs

Love For Each Other

We've got PCBs and WMDs,
Cat-5 hurricanes
We've got petrol whores & holy wars,
And toxic acid rains

But, those old text books won't teach us
What we need to know
And, those old road maps won't lead us
Where we need to go.

'Cause it'll take love for each other
To see us through the night
It'll take love for each other
To lead us to the light
It'll take love for each other
Not what we bought and sold
It'll take love for each other
To take us on up the road

Killer satellites & quick sound bites,
Tracking wireless phones
We've got trite sitcoms & cluster bombs
Zero interest loans.

But, those old billboards won't show us
What we need to see
And, those campaign trails won't lead us
Where we need to be

'Cause it'll be love for each other
That dries the blood-soaked sand
It'll be love for each other
That helps us understand
It'll take love for each other
For the magic to unfold
And, it'll be love for each other
That takes us on up the road

'Cause it'll be love for each other
That shields us from our fears
It'll be love for each other
In the next two thousand years
It'll be love for each other
Like the ancient prophets told
It'll be love for each other
That takes us on up the road

BE LIKE A BROTHER

Sing me a song, a song of freedomn.
Sing me a song, a song of joy.
Sing me a song of peace and living.
Sing me a song, I'll sing with you.

Don't say a word of life-surrender.
Take good care of the great pretenders.
Self-confidence, that's what we need,
to grow up strong trees out of seed.
Every new day we will start learning.

Our hearts are warm, just keep them burning.
O, don't you fight against each other!
Be tolerant, be like a brother.
Be like a brother.

We've got same father.
Sing me a song, a song of freedomn.
Sing me a song, a song of joy.
Sing me a song of peace and living.
Sing me a song, I'll sing with you.

by Mike Roland

Waiting for a morning
That never seems to get here
Searching for a spring
from winter's wicked sting
Anticipate a heaven
that never seems to get clear
The world awaits away-
the world awaits Someday

The aeroplanes are playing
Tic- tac- toe in skies
While the telephone poles
Are singing out their souls
Holding hands, up high,
To transmit intermittently-
if they can, so urgently,
Then so can we, so can we

A sift of sprinkles in the dark-
There powdered light sprinkles in
if we can't dance by day,
in the splashing stars we'll play
'til heaven wipes her face of sleep
and shows her sunny grin,
we'll await a way-

We'll await Someday
We await today

shawna coates

Peace On Earth Is Coming...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Do you wish for peace on earth?
You are not alone.
Peace on earth is a dream,
a torch of hope
that has been carried throughout history.
Every moment has led to this moment...

When YOU read these words, a movement as old as humanity is born anew. Throughout the ages people have wished for peace on earth. People have lived and dreamed and worked to make a better world. Every kindness, every compassionate act that has ever been performed, has brought us to this moment -- the awakening of the PEACE ON EARTH MOVEMENT.

Peace on earth will not come in a magical moment. Peace is a process and a way of life. It is a frame of mind, and it begins with each of us -- how we live our lives --how we act, the way we treat our families, our friends and our neighbors, and how we work out our problems.

Peace on earth begins when each of us tries to live a peaceful life. Peace on earth spreads when we share a message that peace is important in our lives and we want peace to be an important goal and value in our society.

Now is the time for us to join forces. United in the PEACE ON EARTH MOVEMENT, we have the chance to make the approaching millennium the Peace On Earth Millennium. Joined in our focus and our aim to strive for peace on earth, we can work together to create a Plan and a vision for the future of our communities and our planet -- to coordinate activities, so that the momentum which has been gathering force, can push forward into the new millennium and spread hope throughout the world that peace on earth is coming...

- - - - - - - - - - - -
(c) 1996 The People For Peace Project

From the book,
The PEACE ON EARTH MOVEMENT: A P.O.E.M. For Us All
You can read it FREE on the Internet - 2 new chapters posted each week.

http://members.aol.com/pforpeace/poem
pforpeace@aol.com

Peace on earth is coming...

Peace. I say it many times a day, and to many people, for I know what chaos is. Peace, to me, is feeling that everyone should obey the Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Peace is a safe place where memories of anguish and hatred do not exist. It's not having to look over your shoulder. No paranoia, no enemies, no jealousy, no frowns. And if one cries tears, they are not salty, but sweet. Happy tears are sweet, I have tasted them. Peace is not feeling guilty when you have a nice steak, knowing that hungry babies and children exist. So far, this is impossible. Peace is melancholy, because we know that if everyone doesn't feel this way, we can't be happy. I know I can't. Peace is praying for your enemies, known or unknown, and truly wanting to have and give forgiveness in a world that is so mixed up. You can lay in your bed and go to sleep quickly, because your conscious is clear, and the world is right. Jesus said, "Peace be unto you." I want peace so badly, it makes me ill, and that is so sad. Such a contradiction. "Come on people now, smile on your brother, everybody get together, try to love one another right now."

Why do we fight wars in the name of PEACE? I never could figure that out, and I am perplexed about it. There is too much pride and greed, and so the peacemakers are far outnumbered. I wrote a triplet some time ago, and I think it sums up my feelings---

"If all the world would work together We could overcome the stormy weather And awaken one day to see FOREVER." I believe that if mankind would remember The Man Of Peace, it would be a lovely world. As it is now, I can only hope and pray. I know I could die and be at peace, but that would be an easy out for me. However, I'd like to be around when Peace does come, as it surely will. Let us "Love one another," as Jesus told us to do.

Sincerely,

Cathy L. Leming

Acceptance speech of Nobel Peace Prize winner, Joseph Rotblat.

"Less Than A Pledge of More Than Allegiance"

Attitudes towards other peoples and other species are molded during childhood and difficult to change population-wide thereafter. A successful model for instilling values, via a daily oath in our schools, is the Pledge of Allegiance.

The unifying effect of this pledge is easily appreciated. However, the flipside of a strong sense of national (or religious) cohesiveness is often the conviction that other peoples are less important or worthy. To say nothing of other species.

A more inclusive sense of belonging needs to be fostered. By widening the group to which we feel connected, we narrow the group we feel justified in exploiting. Eventually the extent of the former eliminates the latter.

Beyond patriotism, we can expand the loyalty we aspire to instill. It is time for a new, more visionary, and all-encompassing "world pledge". A Recognition of Unity:

"I recognize a vital unity linking me with all humanity and humanity with all life, acknowledging that where none prevails over another, each may prosper and all may continue."

What am I doing here on the Net
Communicating with people I've never met?
I've always been proud to be Low-Tech
No microwave, stereo or TV set.
But they say that in the 21st Century
Cyberspace is the place to be.
So here I am on the superhighway of information
looking for knowledge I can use
in my ;ife to aid the Transformation
of War to Peace and Hate to Love
and all the things I'm dreaming of.
I've named my computer Mr. Hawkings
and I carefully but quickly stalking
to get the skinny, the real live dope
of how to connect with Love and Hope.
As I speed along I find so much more
than I ever dreamed. The World's much better
than it seems in the Daily News and in man's wicked schemes.
So happily I surf along. If I didn't have to go to work
I'd be here all day long.

S.F. Heart

"A human being is part of the whole, called by us the 'universe', a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separate from the rest - a kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."

Albert Einstein

"It takes a revolution to make a solution."

Bob Marley

"Love seeketh not itself to please,
Nor for itself hath any care,
But for another gives its ease,
And builds a Heaven
in Hell's despair."

William Blake

"Love is the answer, and you know that for sure."

John Lennon

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."

Gandhi

I think this says it all right here

PEACE ON EARTH

Isn't man an amazing animal? He kills wildlife by the millions, in order
to protect his domestic animals and their feed. Then he kills domestic
animals by the billions, and eats them. This in turn kills man by the
millions, because eating all those animals has been known to cause fatal
and degenerative health conditions, such as heart disease and cancer.

Then man tortures and kills millions of more animals, to look for cures
for these diseases. Elsewhere in the world millions of humans are dying
of malnutrition because of the food they could of eaten is being used to
fatten their domestic animals, Meanwhile once a year man sends out cards

~~~~~~ PRAYING FOR PEACE ON EARTH.~~~~~~~

Peace to everyone everywhere

andrea d.

I would hope to someday be able to travel through out the world, and
meeting friends that shared "cyberspace" with me. I feel that the
internet chat lines, that our young people are so fond of, serves a
great purpose in creating peace in today's world. Never before has one
had the ability to "talk" to another person in the far reaches of the
planet. This communication will allow people to become less of a
stranger to one another..

Sincerely,

Victoria

While many conflicts have been resolved or made considerable progress
towards resolution during the last 20 years, there is one that remains just as knotty
a problem as when it started 50 years ago (if not more). And that is the
conflict between my country India & Pakistan.

These two countries share a common cultural heritage, and their peoples fought
the British together to gain independence in August, 1947. My vision of the
future is of a united India & Pakistan. We need to undo the horrific trauma of partition.

-- Ajoy Bhatia |

Cadence Design Systems (I) Pvt.Ltd, NEPZ | "ChhoDo yeh barasoN ki laDaai
Web: http://members.tripod.com/~Ajoy | AngrezoN ne jo aag lagayee

Phone:+91-11-8-562842 x257 | India-Pakistan bhai-bhai!!"

Voice Mail: +1-408-576-3655 |
-----------------------------------------+---------------------------------
Disclaimer: Cadence does not endorse any of the above opinions.

From Joanna Hruska, age 9

My vision is a world without people that judge you by what you look like or how old you are, but just because they think you are nice. When you try new things, like playing with somebody else other than who you usually play with, it's ok. Try and make people feel better when they are not having a good day!

My vision:

To live in the land of my ancestors, and to hear their whispering voices in the wind. I am sitting on a low hill in Derbyshire, the peak district in England. I have come to Arbor Low, a peaceful place, a sacred place. The great stones lie immovable, a monument to ancient labour. They blend human and natural energies perfectly. There is an absolute stillness in which each moment becomes a poem, nothing is sought or lost; it is here today.

The grey stone is hollowed by time, forming a cup. Water sits in it. In ancient times water from stone circles was considered magical. I invite all of you to take this gift as a blessing; the cold water has lived in the sky and carries her vision. May it bring honor to the earth, a blessing on our spirits and soothe the fevered brow of the wounded child.

Love and reverence for all life.

Big Smiles

Amanda

STONE CIRCLES
(an anglo-saxon folk song)

Nobody is an island, there is no way you can break free,
Nobody is an island, there's no way you can be cut off by sea,
And everything I do touches you,
And everything I am, you hold in your hand.

(chorus)
And it seems to me that we are standing stones,
There's no way that we can ever be on our own,
And even if at times it seems we're all alone,
We're in stone circles,
Marking time, as standing stones.

The circle stands forever, there is no angle there to chip or break,
The circle stands forever, theres no straight lines to show a slight
mistake.
And everything I do touches you,
And everything I am, you hold in your hand.

(chorus)
You mustn't break the circle, there's no easy way to be released,
You mustn't break the circle, and if we stand together we'll find peace,
And everything I do touches you,
And everything I am, you hold in your hands.

(chorus)

light the peace torch
by Robert Alan

the peace torch burns
with the power of a dream
that lives inside us all,
an ever-flowing stream

of love and light.

light the peace torch
for peace on earth...

the peace torch's light
is an everlasting glow
it lights up the darkness
through the love that we show.

the light of love.

light the peace torch
for peace on earth...

i bear this peace torch proudly
for all the world to see.

An Open Letter to the World

I look into the eyes of my daughter and see a sparkle, a glimmer of hope, hope for a future full of wonder. I see the world through her eyes. The eyes of a child who is not yet corrupted by the mindless violence we see throughout the world today.

I look deeper and the wall of fear, the fear that keeps the light of hope from shining on many of us, begins to crumble. The light scatters the remaining shadows of fear to reveal a vision: a vision of a time without war or hate or inhumanity; a world where people are at peace with themselves and their neighbors; a place filled with happiness, kindness, and love. At first, I thought it was an impossible dream. A pipe dream. But as I continued to look into her eyes, I realized that now could be the right time for the impossible to happen.

I believe people all over the world are poised, ready for a revolution, but not a revolution of violence, a revolution of thought, a change of heart. They are anxiously preparing for the thousand mile journey that begins with a single step. A journey to a particular point in time and space where, for just one day, love and tolerance overwhelm hate and prejudice -- One Day of World Peace. A day when the armies of all lands lay down their arms. A day of no crimes, no violence, no hate. But to reach our destination in time, we must start our journey now for I believe we are fast approaching the perfect time for worldwide change -- the first equinox of the year 2000. An event all people will share. A global date set not by us but by the very solar system in which we live. A time when night and day are of equal length all over the world, a time when all people are entering a new era, a time naturally positioned for change.

I ask you and all those who read these words to look into the eyes of your children, your loved ones, and see that light of hope. Join me in making this dream, this vision of the future, a reality. With your help, this idea can germinate and flourish throughout the world.

Cultivate it, nourish it with love and hope, and pass it on to people who care. Make copies of this letter and write down your own thoughts and ideas. Send copies of both to your local newspapers, TV and radio stations, elected officials, organizations, and friends through the mail and internet. Translate it to languages you know. Send copies to other countries. Tell the people you meet -- pass the vision to the world. With your help and encouragement, One Day of World Peace will become a reality.

And who knows, if one day, then why not two, why not a week, why not a thousand years of peace?

Very Sincerely Yours,

Mitch Delmage

Voices of the Earth
by Paul Levine

Let the Voices of the Earth come together as one Voice
And speak the Truth of Love throughout this land.
Let the power of our words create Beauty once again
As we work together singing hand in hand.

Voices, voices. Yours and mine and everyone's.
Voices, voices. Voices of the Earth!

Voces, Voces,
Tuya, mia y las de todos
Voces, voces,
Voces de la tierra

Les voix, les voix
La votre, la mienne et de tout le monde
Les voix, les voix
Les voix de tout le monde

Let the Voices of the Earth sing together with one Song
Thet tells the story of our Sacred Home.
Let this Song be heard by people near and far,
No matter where they live or where they roam.

We'll hear the Voices of the People,
And the Voices of the Air.
We'll hear the Voices of the Eagle, of the Raven and the Bear.
We'll hear the Voices of the Fire,
And the Voices of the Sea.
We'll hear the Voices of the Mountains
Here, with you and me

Voices, voices. Yours and mine and everyone's.
Voices, voices. Voices of the Earth!

Let the Voices of the Earth be still just for a time+
And hear the simple quiet in the air
All hearts shall come to rest and in this place be Blessed
And we'll bless this world around us everywhere.

Voices, voices. Yours and mine and everyone's.
Voices, voices. Voices of the Earth!
Voices of the Earth!

Franziska's First Letter, Spring 1995

I am convinced that in every human being there is a longing for peace and contentment. Today there is no more warlike heroism. To go to war with a great army, man against man. To fight, to win glory and honour through killing with the sword, or to die honourably on the battlefield. To prove one's strength through nimbleness, capacity and courage. All this doesn't exist any more.

Has man learned something? Has he raised himself over the duel, over the honour which is given to him through wars? Has he learned to search for glory and honour in other places? We human beings have no more desire for wars. Our hearts don't long any more for the noises of the battlefield and for the fight. Progress? Perhaps. But what about the atomic bomb? The nuclear age has begun. Man has not raised himself above war, war has raised itself above man.

War is based on the concept of pushing the button. By pushing a button, millions of people can be killed. It is a question of decision, not of honour. A handful of people can decide the death of millions of people. War is only a question of the mighty, a question of time and money. War has nothing to do any more with human strength, with courage and power. War has raised itself above human capacities. War has overtaken humanity. It is inhuman. And this is a level we are not allowed to enter. Man is not supposed to decide about life or death of other people, and now, at this point of history, he must act and create another level.

Every year 1000 billion Dollars are spent on armament and the military. At the Rio summit an annual budget of $600 billion was projected for the ecological rescue of the planet. The money which is spent on weapons would be sufficient to repair the damage which has been done to our earth. Therefore: There is no alternative to immediate disarmament! We, a small group of adolescents in Switzerland, discussed this theme over and over. Some ideas developed. We started to write down these ideas and proposals until the text of a "Global Initiative for Worldwide Disarmamant" arose. The purpose of this initiative is the following:

The initiative demands that by September 1998 the weapons of the world are broken up or are made dysfunctional. All kinds of military force are to be disbanded with the exception of a small detachment of UN troups which can serve peace in troubled areas with the remainder of weapons at its disposal. The money saved is to be used to preserve the planet from environmental destruction.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Global Initiative has been invited to the UN in New York for the International Day of Peace, September 17, 1996. On this day, the "Worldwide School and Youth Strike for Nuclear Disarmament" will take place. The international petition for immediate disarmament will be presented at this time. To sign the petition, or for more information on how to get involved, visit the Global Initiative website. Only you can make a difference.

Take care of our Mother

(Beginning of time)
We thank you for the land we live on ...
The animals we love to care for ...
The water we crave to splash in ...
The blessed plants we eat much of ...
The luscious air that forever circulates ...
(Possible future)
Land? We're so sorry ... it's been covered with trash.
Animals? ... all have long been extinct.
Water? ... never heard of it.
Plants? ... they seem to have rotted away.
Air? ... no air is clean air.
Thank you? ... Mother E

arth.
Sorry? ... Mother Earth.

-Written by ccrun16@kode.net

Dream of Peace

Wars and military action, conflicts and disturbances, chaos and confusion, abuse and torture, fear and worry, anger and hatred... These words reach our ears too regularly today. From personal confusion to political conflict, humanity seems to face a myriad of challenges. The unrelenting pace of life today appears to create constant, accelerating upheaval. The historic cornerstones of society, political stability, economic and job security, traditional community and family structure, are all dramatically changing, if not crumbling. Technology has reached critical mass and is exploding geometrically. Information overload threatens to overwhelm us at every turn. Calm serenity seems almost beyond our grasp. Yet, deep within each of us lies a peace that is beyond the reach of any external disturbance, a profound and soothing stillness available at all times. No matter how challenging our lives may become, we always have the capability to relax into this perfect peace and reclaim our composure. For peace is our normal, default state of mind. By consistently tapping into the core of our innermost being, our emotions, thoughts and lives are normalized and we regain the natural states of harmony, serenity, clarity, courage, confidence, strength, patience, joy, love, and happiness. As we rediscover inner peace, it affects not only our lives, but all those around us. Individual peace has the power to influence our families and communities, even our nations. Let the warmth of our love for humanity ignite the glowing flame of peace in our hearts. Let us look deep within, to the core of peace that unites us all. It is time to come together worldwide and realize Peace on Earth!

Cliff Johnson
The EarthChannel

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