War

What is it good for?

Absolutely nothing.

Ugh, I had to do it. Moving on.

Apparently there is a "War on Women" going on. You've probably heard about it. Companies shouldn't have to provide birth control. Abortion should be illegal under any and all circumstances. Miscarriages should essentially be criminalized. Women who want to have sex without getting pregnant are prostitutes and sluts. Women shouldn't be paid the same amount as men for the same job. Women shouldn't be allowed in government. Women shouldn't even have the right to vote. Women shouldn't have any religious power or authority.

It's enough to get me upset and in a fightin' mood.

That's not all. There's also a "War on the Family," "War on Marriage," "War on Gays," the list goes on. Seems like there's pretty much a war on everyone except wealthy, white men. Wait, no, there's pretty much a war on them too. Just ask Mittens.

Labeling all of these things "war" certainly seems apt. After all, in war, you have a distinct enemy, who you dehumanize and destroy, which is exactly what a lot of people are doing in these various conflicts.

Here's the thing, though. There are two sides of a war, and, regardless of who started it, both sides end up doing the same thing. Everyone gets dragged down in the mud, everyone kills someone, and everyone is pleased with themselves for it.

So I declare that the war is over. People are getting trampled all over the place, and screaming about a war does nothing to help them. Call me a crazy wannabe Buddhist (I am guilty of being all three), but I really believe compassion is the cure for all of this. Compassion and empathy and love. Put yourself aside for just a moment to consider your fellow human beings on both sides of the debate. And then stand up for yourself and for others with grace and compassion, not with bitterness, not with hatred, not with violence.

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

-Martin Luther King, Jr.