Notes on 'Never Ending War'

Why does there always need to be war? From small things like departmental debates on how to conduct outreach, to larger debates dealing with breaking old ways and abolishing slavery, people just can't seem to compromise. Imagine the world without war. Cliche hippy talk, I realize this. But humor yourself, entertain me, and just imagine a world where we'd actually learn to compromise. Is it because of sin that our minds fail to realize all the solutions? Is it that we are so close-minded that we have and will always fail to see more than just our own side as the only option? What would the world be like without the stubborn attitudes of those who just won't cooperate?

I can tell you one thing: we'd have a lot more people on this earth, more than the project seven billion by the end of this year. Perhaps, as sick as it sounds, population control has to do with the necessity of wars (along with disease, mutations, malnutrition, etc.) In a perfect world, we'd have all the food our hearts and bellies could ever desire, no disease-carrying protists and insects, wonderful weather year round, and people that had the immediate action of compromise rather than raising fists or signing parchments that agreed to a however-many year long battle to fight it out.

All of these wars, something that seems so necessary in history classes, all seem to blend into one big mess to me. They're all the same, all about the same general idea, no matter how 'remarkable' a certain battle was. It doesn't matter to me who valiantly marched into battle single handed or did something totally taboo that no one would have thought any soul could muster. People are still dying everywhere on one side or another. And who is to say who is good and who is evil? Especially with the Civil War, we think now, with our modern, liberal and very politically correct minds that slavery was horrible and inhumane and I would never partake in something as cruel as that. But really, do you know that? Do you have any clue what you would or would not have done back then if you didn't have the knowledge you have in today's era? Then possibly, your opinion might alter, you might side with the South's decision on keeping slavery. Things are always relative in the cases of good and evil, it seems, especially in war.

But let me be frank: death will always be evil. You are stealing away a life, the worst of human crimes. Is it because of money, because you couldn't work things out diplomatically, or at least you thought? There has got to be a better solution than blood shed. I still have hope.

Slavery

Our readings this week on personal accounts of slavery in those who experienced it first-hand reminded me much of what I wrote my report on. Of course, the general idea was the same, and many of the slaved had indeed been abused. Interestingly enough, only some of them were willing to share it. The class was under the impression that these people didn't want to share with the entire world what had happened to them. Why? Perhaps they were ashamed, perhaps they didn't want others to peek too far into their memories and their history. But then, there were others, particularly one man that I had read about, that said they had it a lot better, although he didn't mention the comparison. In fact, he spoke nothing about beatings or abuse whatsoever. He was a cattle and horse rancher, a favored one at that. He had worked to deliver 200 horses over from Mexico to Texas with four other men...in a hail storm. Lucky for him, he managed to make sure that each and every horse had made it over the border to his master, and for that, he was given a new saddle. It was hardly ever mentioned where the slave's owners would give them presents, let alone brand new equipment. This goes to show that perhaps he was actually telling the full truth. Perhaps there was some good and generosity within the world of slavery, as odd as that sentence sounds. No, slavery will never be a good thing, but to show that there were people that showed genuine kindness to their workers goes to show the shining light in a world of darkness. Perhaps, in dark times as we, America, and many other countries are facing in our and their own problems, that we too, should look for the light, and live happily in reminder that there will always be some good.

"Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if only one remembers to turn on the light."

- Albus Dumbledore

Apologies

I've found outstanding reasons as to why I'm apologizing. I haven't been keeping up with this blog as much as I should, mainly because I don't like 'required' expression. I don't find myself putting forth genuine effort in this blog, especially when I lack muse to write about such findings or 'interests'. Its even gotten to the place where I don't want to come back to this blog, for I find myself writing only one hundred words or so, in comparison to what I should be writing. And what with working part-time and attending school full-time, I don't always have all the time in the world to dedicate to such a blog. I will attempt to be better at this, but I doubt my muse will land on the world of history and stay for any extended period of time. For this I apologize.