Would I ever demonstrate inside the United States on behalf of Swedish citizens in need of a social security reform? Never. Would I demonstrate inside EU about our high prices and sales tax? Perhaps. Would I demonstrate inside Canada about it? No, of course not. However, would I leave Sweden to not have to deal with what ever it is that I don't like about living here? Definitely! I already have, a couple of times.
Now, let's first make one thing clear. It's not about nationalities, it's about culture. Two years ago, I met a Pakistani woman of my age, who behaved more like a Swede, than I ever would. In fact, she embodied what I feel is the worst about Swedish people. So, of course, I think she should be allowed to remain in Sweden, after fleeing her circumstances.
So, to the recent news about the fully fledged war taking hold of the Israeli and Gaza region again. Would I ever take sides? No, never. I don't live there. I have no idea what it's like. I am neither Jewish, nor a Muslim, but I do respect both. In fact, I hold people of faith in higher regard than I do atheists. The point is, how much should we engage ourselves in news about other countries? Are we not just fanning the flames, rather than extinguishing them? People leave their homes, when they no longer have one, or don't feel safe in it. How can they then bring this into their place of refuge? Unless, their persecution is continued there, that would be a huge mistake. Don't create a war in other countries, just because you have one in your own. Here, I think the news media must take more responsibility for their wish to sell drama. Are the people they show, asking for help, or just showing their victimisation? Are they coming to the table to negotiate and solve the problem, for example by drawing new borders, or are they too keen on being right, on retaliating by default?
What conflicts in the world, really teaches us, is a beckoning to deal with our own. Whether they may be in our own society and country, or in our communities, workplaces, schools or families. Or even within ourselves. Solving conflicts is the only way to create real peace. As a comparison, when I went to the UN with my experience of being detained in Honolulu 2011-12 as a non-immigrant, I did that because immigration does affect most countries, and should be discussed as a global issue, since it does have an impact in the whole world. Unfortunately, there seems to have become a decline in upholding the authority of the UN, which to me is like everybody thinks they know better, when it's rather a much more complex world we live in nowadays. The United Nations were created to work for world peace and equality. We still need it.
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