Middle East as a preferred term
Dear My People, thanks for bearing with me as I said goodbye to the region I called home for the last six months, and hello to the place I called home for the thirty years before that. When we talk about what I've been up to, and where Ultimate Peace happens, below is an explanation of why I say "the Middle East."
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| Silver Knights at the end of Camp Ultimate Peace 2014 |
2. Even when a war is not raging there, the area is in conflict - in other words, its contested. The history books are being edited every day to account for changes in local, regional, and international events. The war going on, for example, will change how Israel and leadership in the Gaza Strip relate to each other. Occupation - what's happening across the West Bank - manipulates how a place can define itself.
3. The international community disagrees on how to refer to the places and peoples.
4. Did you know that people in the region originate from lots of different tribes and national backgrounds (ie. the Jewish diaspora), speak lots of different languages and dialects (like how northern Bedouin and rural Arabic differ from that spoken in Ramallah), and/or have a discussion raging about how to refer to themselves (for example: Arabs or Palestinians)?
5. Its quicker to say "the Middle East" than "Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories," or "Israel and Palestine" (and follow up with "well, not its not exactly a full member of the United Nations, but...")
6. I'm interested in hearing what you think. How do you think your way of describing Ultimate Peace, or your visits there, or even your friends' visits there matter to you and your people?
2 comments:
Communities in conflict, whether they be street gangs or nation states, quite often have different names for the same locations. (Falkland vs Malvinas Islands) It is another reminder of how much language and terminology matters. What you may take as just a place name may, for someone else, imply a colonial power or a terrorist organisation. Using more generic regional terms does lead to some confusion sometimes, but a little confusion is better than offending someone. I have had people ask me what UP activities there are in other parts of the Middle East, and I have to explain to them that we are currently focused on this small part of the region; but I prefer that than labeling a location with a name they may find objectionable.
Once again, Ben - Thank you for asking interesting questions.
Greetings from Atlanta: City of Peace. I'm just now learning about the organization 'Ultimate Peace.' However, as a way to describe the ideal of ultimate peace, I really like the succinct descriptions and definitions from Buddha and Mother Teresa. Respectively, they stated: "Peace begins within" and "Peace begins with a smile."
Regarding the conflict that individuals, or families, or neighborhoods, or cities, or states, or nations experience... in my opinion and others (like Gandhi & Dr. Martin Luther King) --- the best reaction, action or pro-action is always LOVE.
Year 2017 is the exact 50th Anniversary year of Dr. King's "Time To Break Silence" speech. In 1967, he proclaimed...
“This call for a worldwide fellowship that lifts neighborly concern beyond one's tribe, race, class, and nation is in reality a call for an all-embracing and unconditional love for all… Let us LOVE one another... We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history there is such a thing as being too late.”
Ben, there is great hope for the future as the majority of our Global Family transitions into celebrating and emphasizing all of the wonderful things we all have in common. Here's a favorite:
"We Are All Connected"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGK84Poeynk
Dr. King, the most accomplished peace builder of the USA's 241-year history, continues to inspire cities, counties and countries around the USA and world. The 'deeper meaning' he has placed on the term Beloved Community guides all who adopt it. Details:
http://www.thekingcenter.org/king-philosophy#sub4
Wherever they are found in the world, borders and barriers are bad burdensome blocks which bankrupt beautiful aspects of the Beloved Community. Brace yourself because brilliant bold businessmen are bringing figurative boulders to break these bothersome barricades to bits -- whether they are found within our hearts, or within institutions, governments and/or religions.
BenJammin -- Be the bounce that you wish to see in the world. :o) Be the bright brained bonus-boss who breathes belief into budgets which build bodacious Beloved Bridges which are born of broken bits, once baggage of old barriers and borders.
I am glad to know you've returned to Atlanta: City of Peace. You said your name was: 'Bond -- Ben Bond', right? I celebrate my interconnectedness with you and all the other sisters and brothers of our Global Family. Details:
All Life is Interconnected
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs15mQHNYPQ
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