GREEN LIGHT TO PEACE

by Michael Douglas Carlin

A SINGLE MOMENT OF CLARITY IN A GREEN LIGHT TO PEACE

 A single moment of clarity in a room full of people, and I know that every one of them had the same moment with me. The question that has eluded mankind since the beginning of time was answered that moment in that room for the entire group attending. We understood how it would happen. I can't speak for everyone in that room, but I know for me, that as I drove away down Hollywood Blvd., I felt that moment slipping away from my memory on a trip that seemed to last an eternity. Horns honking, tourists crowding the streets and the traffic backed up on the boulevard. The lights would turn green with nowhere to go as each frustrated driver was stuck in traffic, and every sound was a distraction that pulled me farther from that one beautiful moment. I have studied peace. I wrote a book about it. But, in that one moment, I came to understand so much more about peace than in all my years of study.

Aoun Sahi from Pakistan was speaking pure truth. He was giving us a glimpse of the Pakistani people. "Revenge is very important in my culture," he tells the audience. He is speaking about the horrific murder of journalist Daniel Pearl. We are all gathered here tonight in his honor, in his memory, in his unwavering quest for truth. We have come to hear what two journalists, who happen to be Muslim, have learned from their fellowship in two different U.S. newsrooms over the past six months. This turns into what insight they have for the American people about how their citizens view the world. This turns into them setting us straight about stereotypes and misconceptions. Both of these men's hearts are speaking and the spirit of Danny Pearl must be here connecting our souls, uniting our humanity. We become aware that what we are hearing is a game changing philosophy to guide us in our steps a world away from the Middle East.

Judea Pearl tells us that Aoun, upon coming to America, was most surprised about being able to proceed in safety when the light turned green. That gives us some insight into the traffic laws on the streets of Pakistan. Nasry Ahmed Esmat from Egypt tells us that this fellowship for him created a deeper understanding that can't be had through tourism. The knowledge that was gained was endless, and the effects profound. Both men have bridged the gap left by tolerance, and their participation in this fellowship has lead them to acceptance and understanding.

We learn of the incredible popularity of Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the Muslim world because of his bold speech against Israel and America. Each encounter emboldens all of Islam in their struggle against the West, against the attack we are making on their culture. They both agree that the words are much more powerful than the actions of actually attacking Israel or America.

They fear neither. Each time Ahmadinejad speaks, he gains increased stature within the entire world of Islam.

Aoun tells us that he sees Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad playing the game of politics very well. He states that, as matter of fact, nuclear weapons are not weapons of attack, and the fear that nukes will be used in an attack is baseless. They would know. They are journalists from Pakistan and Egypt from the back room, where the copy is written. They are ratcheting down the rhetoric that we have come to believe as gospel, that Israel is going to be wiped off of the face of the Earth by Iran.

The truth is that fear exists on all sides in the Middle East. Jews and Arabs are especially afraid. Peace will come from being pragmatic. We hear the Golda Meir comment paraphrased, that peace will come, not because they have grown to love their neighbors, but because they love the future of their own children.

Nasry tells us that conversation in Egypt often touches on conspiracy theories. Not that there is any truth to it, but people love to talk about these conspiracies, and the region is filled with many, many theories. When Aoun is asked about Afghanistan, he tells us that Pakistan doesn't view Afghanistan as their problem. They view it as our problem. There will be no solution in Afghanistan that doesn't also solve Kashmir. Without a solution to Kashmir, Afghanistan will become an even bigger mess.

Part of what fuels the Palestinian/Israeli conflict is anger that leads to extremists getting into office, which becomes counterproductive to the peace process. "Generalizations are evil," Nasry says, and clear distinctions must be made between a Jew, an Israeli, and a Zionist.

Aoun chimes in with a familiar line of dialogue. "No person in Pakistan has ever done anything wrong against Jews, so why take the anger from mistreatment at the hands of Europeans and inflict it on the Muslims?"

Nasry tells us that deep within the hearts of Egyptians is a remorse that they signed a treaty with Israel, because they feel that they left their brothers fighting on their own—abandoned. "Any treaty with a Muslim Nation will be a cold treaty, because the people are not behind it."

The Islamic view of America is so influenced by Hollywood. We have created stereotypes. A Jordanian filmmaker rises and tells us that, when he watched The Hurt Locker, he was laughing at a scene. Yet, when he turned to see the woman next to him in the American audience, he was astounded to see tears flowing down her face as a reaction to the same scene. For him as a Jordanian, he can never see an American soldier as a sympathetic character, because, in the Muslim World, American soldiers are seen as foreign invaders.

Again, talk of world peace is predicated upon a solution to the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. Solve this one region, and the rest of the world lines up right behind. Houses bulldozed, suicide bombers, it is such a mess. The solution was there in that moment. The conflict was solved for everyone in that room for just a moment. What was that solution? It has faded from my memory. I am searching for it.

Oh, yeah, Aoun said it. "Revenge is important in my country." Revenge. That is it. The Pearl family vowed to take revenge by fighting hatred with every living breath. They vowed to take revenge by inviting Muslim journalists to visit and work in American newsrooms. They are avenging their son's death by practicing their version of another philosophy preached in that region a couple of thousand years ago; turning the other cheek. Their anger wasn't channeled into extremism. They took what seemed so incredibly senseless and brought sense to it by creating cultural exchanges. They are bringing honor and meaning to the tragic death of their son. Danny Pearl's quest for the truth has new partners.

Nasry said, "This isn't a fellowship. This is a movement."

Peace is a choice, and it is won a single person at a time by dispelling myths, eliminating stereotypes, replacing hatred with love, chasing away fear, and choosing education instead of retribution. These fellowships are the path to that deeper understanding, to keeping extremists out of office, to shattering generalizations, to allowing all people to keep their cultures and their religions. These fellowships are becoming the movement that leads to a more peaceful world. This movement also leads to being able to proceed safely when the light turns green as long as green means "go" in your country, and you aren't stuck in Los Angeles traffic.

--

Send us your news story by putting the Headline in the Subject and the Article in the Body of the email by clicking on this link.

© 2014 Michael Douglas Carlin. All Rights Reserved.