Glenn Stewart Coles, 9251 Yonge Street, Suite 8-924, Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, L4C 9T3
Text Box: Last Tuesday evening, I was sitting at an outdoor patio bar with some friends when the storm came rolling in. As the sky blackened, rain began to fall and lightning to flash. I was aware that with the time difference, August 3rd had already arrived in the Middle East. A man sitting near me announced ‘Here comes Armageddon’. I turned and smiled at him, commenting how that word was being spoken a lot these days. Despite the prophecies, World War did not begin on August 3. However, we were very close. Does anyone think that we are really out of the soup? With current events and constant news, it seems that continued war is not just possible but likely. If one more country joins the fighting, there may be quick escalation. While fears of an immediate world war were not fulfilled, we are still involved in a major crisis. So what are we to do? Are we to simply observe and shake our heads, blaming one side or the other and wishing it wasn’t true? Do we accept that the world is a place of violence, and take the steps necessary to protect ourselves? Or is it time to make dramatic changes in the way that we think and act? There has been a recent controversy in Toronto about the Guardian Angels, a group that involves citizens patrolling neighborhoods to prevent crime. The official position is that only the police should be stopping crime, and that community groups do more harm than good. However, it is my opinion that adding more policemen will not stop street crime. Instead, the people in each neighborhood must step up and say no. Only by involving a community will rogue members of that community be forced to stop. Along the same lines, peace in the Middle East will not occur until the people in that area decide to stop fighting. We feel compassion for the innocent civilians killed by air strikes, but it is their fathers and brothers and husbands that are shooting rockets and guns. We are led to believe that American occupation of Iraq exists to provide democracy for the people, but tens of thousands march in support of Hezbollah. Make no mistake; what we call rogue terrorist groups would not exist without the support and participation of the people. Those we call ‘insurgents’ or ‘terrorists’ are called ‘heroes’ and ‘martyrs’ by their brethren. In a world we would like to see in black and white, this war contains many shades of gray. In the city of Toronto, Muslims and Christians walk with Jews and Wiccans. We have Syrians and Iranians, Israelis and Americans, Lebanese and Iraqis, all living together in peace and harmony. When walking through the city, all known skin colors are apparent. White, black, red, yellow, brown, copper and pink-skinned humans live and work together. We have churches for every branch of Christianity, alongside Muslim mosques, Jewish synagogues, Buddhist temples and Hindu mandirs, all co-existing peacefully. Toronto celebrates diversity, and every race, religion, country and belief system is represented here. The name ‘Toronto’ means ‘meeting place’, and the city of Toronto is truly the meeting place of the world. Here we have learned to respect each other as humans, to allow each other’s differences, and to work together to form a better society for all. If the rest of the world could follow our example, we could anticipate growth instead of destruction, peace instead of war. Perhaps it is time for each of us to set an example, and hope that everyone else follows along. As each person moves towards peace, compassion and respect for all, a light shines that could change the world. © Copyright Glenn Stewart Coles, 2006 First Published August 6, 2006

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Is it time to make dramatic changes in the way we think and act?