It seems that we are living in a fairly troubled world now. There's war in the Lebanon, and perhaps soon another in Iraq. War War War. It never ceased to amaze me how in such a civilised era there's still so called animals out there using medieval brute force to maim each other. And I still can't understand why those instigating the war can get off unscathed and it is those innocents that suffer. This may sound like stale whining but seriously there's absolutely no fairness in the world. And why does the soldiers felt so compelled to 'follow their leader?' Doesn't they realised that they are mere pawns being cleverly manipuated just to achieve their leader's ideology? It all boils down to faith. Blind faith for an idea or belief. A single person's belief. Thousands of life gone for a leader's belief. Come to think of it, that's immense, staggering power...
Perhaps the best way to stop war is for the leader to be on the battlefield himself. Then he can see how the soldiers who fight for his ideology agonise in pain when being shot. He will also experiece the feeling of hearing every rustling leaves as the advancing footsteps of enemy soldiers. Then he will think twice about war. If I remember correctly, soldiers are worst affected in war. And worst of all, the effects are only seen after a few years. These sentiments were captured by me in words 2 years ago right after watching a particular poignant movie called We Were Soldiers.
"War. A three letters word that signifies terror, sorrow and evil. Millions had died for it, in it and after it. No one will be the same again after undergoing a war. The experience for blood and gore, and of seeing comrades and adversities slaughtered mercilessly right in front of your eyes is too harrowing to forget. It will haunt you for the rest of your life, and one that has gone through war lost their lives forever, physically and mentally. Puppets of two dueling people were made to sacrifice their one and only priceless and unredeemable possession for the sake of pride, ambition and other abstract form of unjustified stake and claim for power. Insatiable thirst of a few results in something that can never be erased – a holocaust that can lead to a lost generation. Able young men, with newly born children, recently married wives were forced by their peers to battle for the sake of a country they are unfortunately born in. As a result, the number of widows doubled, children orphaned tripled; wealth dropped, country devastated. But what is not seen is the wound inside a person that will forever occupy him like a silent shadow to the grave."
There is clearly no winners in war. However it is also not in our power to stop it. The only way is for the instigators of war to come to their senses and realise the furtility of it all. Till then, all we can do is pray for the safety of all the innocent people unfortunately caught in the eye of the war.
Perhaps the best way to stop war is for the leader to be on the battlefield himself. Then he can see how the soldiers who fight for his ideology agonise in pain when being shot. He will also experiece the feeling of hearing every rustling leaves as the advancing footsteps of enemy soldiers. Then he will think twice about war. If I remember correctly, soldiers are worst affected in war. And worst of all, the effects are only seen after a few years. These sentiments were captured by me in words 2 years ago right after watching a particular poignant movie called We Were Soldiers.
"War. A three letters word that signifies terror, sorrow and evil. Millions had died for it, in it and after it. No one will be the same again after undergoing a war. The experience for blood and gore, and of seeing comrades and adversities slaughtered mercilessly right in front of your eyes is too harrowing to forget. It will haunt you for the rest of your life, and one that has gone through war lost their lives forever, physically and mentally. Puppets of two dueling people were made to sacrifice their one and only priceless and unredeemable possession for the sake of pride, ambition and other abstract form of unjustified stake and claim for power. Insatiable thirst of a few results in something that can never be erased – a holocaust that can lead to a lost generation. Able young men, with newly born children, recently married wives were forced by their peers to battle for the sake of a country they are unfortunately born in. As a result, the number of widows doubled, children orphaned tripled; wealth dropped, country devastated. But what is not seen is the wound inside a person that will forever occupy him like a silent shadow to the grave."
There is clearly no winners in war. However it is also not in our power to stop it. The only way is for the instigators of war to come to their senses and realise the furtility of it all. Till then, all we can do is pray for the safety of all the innocent people unfortunately caught in the eye of the war.
Perhaps this is a fitting picture to summed up the post, since coincidentally today is the 15th day of the Lunar Ghost Month. Hope it doesn't scare the daylights out of you. The cemetery here is not scary anyway. Passed this particular one to uni every single day. It can even be described as serene. May those who deserve to rest in peace rest in peace.
No comments:
Post a Comment