I hope many readers paid attention to the Vernon Morning Star coverage of the Peace Builders Gathering which took place in the Splatsin Community Centre in Enderby on Sept. 21.
Vernon and Salmon Arm Rotary Clubs and Baha’i groups joined with the Splatsin First Nation to explore ways to create peace in ourselves, our families, our schools and our wider communities.
I suggest that one quick easy way to begin this quest is to remove from our daily spoken and written language the words of war, sports fields, and boxing rings.
How often do we casually use the word “fight” to describe some trivial event? “Battling” and its derivatives litters our comments, as do hostilities, conflict, force, combat, battle cry and “land a killer punch." Surely people can strive and struggle and all sorts of other words without resorting to war.
Can we begin by striving to re-learn how to debate when we discuss politics with workmates and neighbours instead of concentrating on landing crushing blows on our listener because we do not agree with them?
And perhaps all our Canadian politicians could avoid using “fight” and “battle” in way too many sentences. They are not fighting a war. Journalists reporting the debate might follow suit as they set the tone when they write.
At a time when the world is moving steadily towards World War Three I urge readers not to ignore the hope for some degree of local peace. Every individual, any age, has the obligation to help put kindness back into civility, one word or action at a time.
Alyson Witts
Enderby
