Words for Peace | Eastern North Carolina Now

    The word we need today is Shalom!!!

    I once had a Toy Fox Terrier with the coloring of a Doberman. In his mind he was as big as a Doberman! His name was Peanut because he was so small. He had a problem with PEACE in its best sense.

    We had a neighbor's dog which brought out his territorial nature. That dog had much fur so any fights under our carport were more bark and useless biting until that dog just decided on his own to stay in his yard. My feisty dog had a sense of PEACE which was like the Greeks--- "as long as you stay in your yard I won't get you, but I hate your guts, buddy!"

    One day a neighbor about 1/4 mile away called and said, "Your dog is in our yard and appears to be hurt pretty bad." We went and, sure enough, our dog had gone up against a pack of dogs over the way and had a 3" gash in his stomach. He was hurting too bad to move!

    We gathered him up and took him in a towel to the Vet. They had to put him to sleep and shave the wound before stitching it back up. Another dog I had as a kid was named Mickey. She got in a fight over a hambone we gave her. Her stomach was gashed so badly I had to take her off and, with my .22 rifle put her away. I still cry as I tell the story.

    A serious dog fight resulting in injury to the point the animal must be put away is sad. My little Mickey was old and the cost of repairs when you could see her torn guts dictated death over surgery. Old feisty Peanut, thank God, was cut only to his muscle layer and did not have his guts hanging out as did Mickey. We enjoyed him for many years afterward, but at a high Vet cost. I compare this to our spending on war:

    http://watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/ --- 4.4 TRILLION DOLLARS could do much to balance the US budget deficit, my friends. We would have infrastructure repair / teachers paid better / no need to cut back Social Security and stick that Trust Fund (wisely designed to keep up with inflation) to hide the actual cost of the Vietnam War---and those since from the taxpaying public which might just vote OUT any warmongers in Government! Over 50% of our current Federal Discretionary Budget is WAR.

    My personal "reward for war" is my Social Security---for which I and all others paid each year---so we could have a basic retirement of security! This year we all got a 1.5% increase in our SS Income --- compared to 3-5% inflation over the last number of years. The lessening of income is a direct result of the Trust Fund being sucked into the General Budget to cover the ungodly cost of military expansion from Star Wars to the present.

    The reward for a SHALOM PEACE is all sides deciding to become more WHOLE!!!

    Our angst over Immigration is foolish. This country is built on those seeking Freedom and Justice for All coming to our shores and integrating into a better and more well-fed nation of greater opportunity than that of Mexico and other 3rd World countries.

    If we were to model real PEACE, then we would not have to go to war at every opportunity!

    If we were to welcome strangers and their unique cultures to our shores, we get to expand our appreciation for how other cultures have great food and unique dances and crafts that many in Atlanta, Charlotte, Research Triangle and other large NC towns have with a "Festival of Cultures" some have each year. It costs much to travel to Mexico and Europe to enjoy their cuisine and sights. Without seeing the sights in person---and with large tourist crowds---we can experience the costumes and food along with customs while staying here at home and just paying for gas to go!

    What say ye????f