Love Is The Answer

If justice is what love looks like in public, are we acting justly toward all?

Love Is The Answer

by C.A. Matthews

Light of the world, shine on me
Love is the answer
Shine on us all, set us free
Love is the answer

--From Love Is the Answer by England Dan and John Ford Coley

If you’re reading this, this means I’m still recuperating from a long weekend away to attend my late uncle’s celebration of life. My uncle didn’t want a funeral—he wanted a party. I think it’s a great way to be remembered by your loved ones. To be remembered as a human being embracing life to its fullest and never surrendering to the sadness. To go out fighting for the right and loving others for as long as humanly possible. And he did.

I decided to write this essay before I left town. Since I’ll be without a laptop for a few days, and I have a rather crappy cell phone with a too small screen to read easily, I’ll be in internet withdrawal by the time I return. I’ll probably be incoherent from lack of sleep as well because of the weird early flights I had to take to get there and back again, but it’ll be worth it to see my aunt and cousins and at least two of my siblings together in one place, celebrating our dearly departed loved one as a family.

I realize this piece will probably get zero likes and probably even fewer reads than my recent article entitled The Fight (where in I used the “z-word” once to describe a person’s political viewpoint, forcing Facebook to censor it), but some things need to be said. They need to be said no matter how popular or unpopular they are to the masses. If my worse fault is my bluntness, then so be it.

I want to be brutally honest with all of you who are fighting hard for justice for those who are suffering a horrific genocide at the hands of the z-word people: We could be going about things the wrong way. In our fight for fairness and equality against those being oppressed sometimes we forget that the oppressors, the z-word people, are humans too. I know it’s hard to believe. I don’t half-believe it myself some days. But if we get down to the bare bones of things, we know it’s the truth. They are as human as we are, and they make mistakes like we do.

Agreed that their “mistakes” in this incident rise to the level of war crimes, and they deserve to be called out and punished for these crimes, but if we don’t acknowledge their humanity they will forever see us as yet another threat to their existence that they must drop 2,000-pound bombs on. They won’t ever see us in the way we need them to see us and others in order to get better. We need them to see us as humans.

Humans do terrible things out of fear. However we want to label these war criminals—the z-word or racists or fascists or baby-killers (sociopaths)—they will continue to act out of fear whenever they feel threatened. And it won’t be pretty. Trying to rationalize it with them won’t stop their fear. Sometimes it even fuels it.

The first z-word people originally left Europe after World War II looking for a place to live where they didn’t feel threatened. They found a place, but it already had people living in it. In their fear they didn’t want to share it. They didn’t want to love their neighbor or act with justice toward their fellow travelers on earth because they were just too scared to think what could happen if they did. If they lost their fear, they could start blending in with their neighbors and lose their unique identity—and identity is a big thing to z-people. It might be the only thing they actually like about themselves.

And so the terrible things began in the Nakba and have continued all the way up until this very moment 76 years later. The Zs continue to act out of their most base emotion of fear, but now they’ve learned to decorate it with hate, paint it with selfishness, and embroider it with propaganda. They have hollowed out their souls and filled them with all the negative emotions and —dare I say it?—possibly even self-loathing.

Here on our side of things, we see their fear very differently. We see it as blind hatred of others. Our peace marches, our protesting at the DNC, our boycotting, divesting and sanctioning a certain nation to stop the z-word people’s actions may all bring about an end to their war crimes, but their fear will remain. They will continue to hate others. They will not automatically get better on their own. They will continue to suffer from their fear and self-loathing. And this sickness of the soul could cause them repeat the same heinous actions over and over again.

As we seek justice for those who have been devastated by the z-peoples’ crimes, we must show compassion for both the oppressed and the oppressor; otherwise the cycle could repeat itself. Admittedly, it will be difficult. The oppressor hasn’t made many friends outside its own circle of fear-filled war criminals and money-addicted capitalists. It has cut itself off from the rest of humanity and, in the process, lost its own sense of what it means to be human.

To rehabilitate an entire society of war criminals our side will have to demonstrate to them first and foremost what it means to be human. We will have to be willing to show them how to love each other in healthy ways and to love others who are different from themselves. We need to be sure we’re setting a good example for them by loving ourselves and our fellow human beings and not simply just tolerating them. This isn’t an easy challenge. To heal others we must first heal ourselves.

Arguing endlessly with each other online or in person won’t heal us. Allowing the oligarchs to set the agenda we are to follow won’t heal us. We must unite and focus on what we have in common—that is, we are all human. To be divided is ultimately to be conquered and to give in to our fears.

Never assume love is an inborn trait. In a culture lost in its fear and historic trauma, the Zs’ actions show that they have completely unlearned what love is. We must be patient teachers. We must be patient with ourselves, especially when dealing with our own fears. We must practice perseverance.

Love is the answer. It says so in the song’s lyrics. It says so in any number of holy texts. And it just makes sense on a practical level.

Hate and fear destroy. Love builds up. It looks for the best in the other and encourages positive growth. Love shows no fear. Love forgives—over and over again if necessary. Like I said before, demonstrating love to those who have chosen to follow a dark path won’t be easy, but we have to at least try.

We can’t keep sharing a planet with a bunch of fear-motivated thugs who possess nuclear weapons. Something awful could happen to us all if we don’t acknowledge each others’ fears and help heal the z-people’s lost connection to the rest of humanity. What this love will look like in action is anyone’s guess, but as Dr. Cornel West says, “Justice is what love looks like in public.”

We must all act justly toward each other. We must hear each other’s stories and acknowledge each other’s fears and hurts. We must show love and compassion and bring about an atmosphere of healing on this planet, for human beings and for all of creation.

Time is of the essence. The rising temperatures of this the hottest summer ever in the Northern Hemisphere demonstrates that we don’t have much time together if we don’t start cooperating to bring about a better tomorrow for all. The clock is ticking.

Time heals all wounds, it has been said. Perhaps by working together, showing love and demonstrating justice for all humanity we will bring about the changes we desire without the need to instill more fear into each other’s hearts.

To quote the great John Lennon:

You may say I'm a dreamer

But I'm not the only one

I hope some day you’ll join us

And the world will be as one

—From Imagine

Don’t forget to hug your loved ones this week. You never know when your own celebration of life party will be held. Love one another.

From the Jill Stein Campaign:

The Democrats released their official party platform this week – 92 pages of empty rhetoric that is exactly as absurd as you would expect.

I will have a great deal to say about their symbolic climate policies or their marginal economic “fixes” that expand the wealth and power of this country’s donor class.

But first we need to talk about the three full pages they dedicated to Israel.

Ryan Grim of Drop Site News said “it reads as if AIPAC wrote it.” From our campaign’s perspective and for everyone who cares about justice for Palestine and ending this genocide, it reads like a love letter to Bibi Netanyahu.

The Democrats’ official platform promises Israel:

Ongoing, unconditional military aid and an official reassertion of “Israel’s right to defend itself” (a right they don’t extend to Palestinians).

Vague support for ceasefire conditions that are entirely at Israel’s discretion, allowing them to continue the slaughter in Gaza (and the West Bank) until THEY decide they’ve killed enough.

Continued diplomatic cover for Israel’s apartheid regime with a pledge to “oppose any effort” to criticize or “delegitimize Israel,” including UN sanctions and the BDS movement.

The Democrats don’t stop with giving Israel everything they could dream of. The platform also recklessly stokes the flames of a broader regional war by legitimizing Israel’s attacks against Iran, Lebanon, and Yemen – one that could easily set off a third world war.

This isn’t a platform. It’s a time bomb.

Ours is the only campaign with a path to the White House that will end the genocide in Gaza and pursue an immediate arms embargo and permanent ceasefire with justice for Palestine. The only campaign confronting the climate emergency with the urgency it demands. And the only campaign with a radically transformative economic vision to build a society free of injustice, inequity, hunger, and want – none of which is reflected in the Democrats’ priorities.

Gaza may have slipped from the headlines in the wake of all the Harris hype, but the slaughter there has continued unabated.

This week the official death toll topped 40,000 – but we know the real number is likely in the hundreds of thousands.

All of Gaza has been reduced to rubble. Israel has deliberately targeted homes, schools, water and power infrastructure, hospitals and first responders – they even bombed the tents. Entire families have been wiped out. History is being erased before our very eyes.

Israel intends to kill their way to “peace” using American bombs. As your president I will immediately halt ALL military aid to Israel on DAY ONE.

Only when we eliminate Israel’s power to continue indiscriminate mass murder, torture, detention, and apartheid can we hope to work towards peace and justice for Palestine.

In solidarity and gratitude,

Jill

Donate: jillstein2024.com/donate

Related Articles and Other Interesting Links

Where Do My Tax Dollars Go? https://www.notmytaxdollars.org/

Democrats Release Insanely Hawkish Middle East Policy Platform https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/democrats-release-insanely-hawkish

The Democratic Party Exists To Make Sure Good People Do Nothing https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/the-democratic-party-exists-to-make

There can be no freedom without free speech https://scottritter.substack.com/p/there-can-be-no-freedom-without-free

I Was Arrested at Heathrow Airport as a “Terrorist” for My Journalism https://richardmedhurst.substack.com/p/i-was-arrested-at-heathrow-airport

BREAKING: UK Man Arrested for "expressing an opinion or belief" https://censorednews.substack.com/p/breaking-uk-man-arrested-for-expressing

Israel's "Shared Values" With The West Are Tyranny, War And Genocide https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/israels-shared-values-with-the-west

The War on Gaza – 2.6.24 https://chrishedges.substack.com/p/the-war-on-gaza-2624

The War on Gaza – 2.23.24 https://chrishedges.substack.com/p/the-war-on-gaza-22324

Republicans Kill Civilians For Bad Guy Reasons, Democrats Kill Civilians For Nice Guy Reasons https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/republicans-kill-civilians-for-bad

Politicians In Dystopialand Warn Other Candidate Will Cause Dystopia https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/politicians-in-dystopialand-warn

Atlanta’s Cop City Is Funded by Some of the Same Billionaires Who Back AIPAC https://truthout.org/articles/atlantas-cop-city-is-funded-by-some-of-the-same-billionaires-who-back-aipac/

Activists force AXA to divest from ALL Israeli banks and Israel's largest weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems https://bdsmovement.net/news/activists-force-axa-divest-from-all-israeli-banks-and-israels-largest-weapons-manufacturer

More background information on Kamala Harris as a District Attorney and Attorney General in California:

Months Later, Still No Charges Against Oakland Cops Who Sexually Exploited Celeste Guaphttps://eastbayexpress.com/months-later-still-no-charges-against-oakland-cops-who-sexually-exploited-celeste-guap-2-1/

Kamala Harris Went to Bat for Dirty Prosecutors as California Attorney General https://reason.com/2018/01/09/kamala-harris-went-to-bat-for-dirty-pros/

As D.A., Kamala Harris prosecuted a mentally ill woman shot by police. The jury didn’t buy it. https://calmatters.org/justice/2019/09/kamala-harris-prosecuted-mentally-ill-woman-police-shot-democratic-presidential-campaign-san-francisco/