Ban the bozos

By Johnny D. Symon

Since I'd already published my views on negotiations with Iran, way back in September 2006, in an ed entitled "Terrorism; The Authentic Big Picture," where I regarded the right to bear arms on a wider scale than within solely the borders of the United States, well at least parts of it, I was well pleased to hear this week's news that the good old US of A is actively seeking dialogue with the Iranian government. Surely if Americans have a right to bear arms, both individually and as a sovereign nation, it should be promoted abroad too.

The Iranians are a fiercely proud people, and with it therefore lies an Eastern dignity that's easily bruised. To deny Iran the right to arm and defend itself equates within it's peoples hearts as an inference that they're regarded as somewhat less able to deal with conflict than ourselves. It's a scenario that was mirrored in North Korea until recently. For many years we heard Western politicos ranting on about it's dictator and their evil plans, yet now this evil appears to be dissolving like alka-seltzer in a water glass.

History proves that evil nations rise, fall, and even dissolve. From the beginnings of mankind, man's evil rises and falls like ships on a stormy sea. One nation over-arms itself, then rises up to conquer others. Sometimes their chosen quest leads to long-term victories, yet others fall as suddenly as they rose.

To all pro-gun Americans I pose a question or two; "When atrocity occurs and arms are involved, is it the guns that are to blame, or those that use them? Do you respect those who argue that to remove guns from the people would remove the problem? And did joint ownership of nuclear arsenals throughout the cold war cause a nuclear holocaust or prevent one?" You see, I'm one of those rare crazy people who believes that everyone should have a right to bear arms, for I also believe in an ongoing conflict throughout the human race, and an ongoing situation where war is an inevitable consequence of man's original sin.

I believe furthermore that folks who utilize good sense in their lives, are harmful to the "Bozone layer," by which I mean our "Politicians lair!" with them, good sense not only takes a back seat, it's seated in the wrong theater, and the play they're watching bears no resemblance to what's going on on life's stage right in front of us.

Surely we all know that the final battle will be fought in the Middle East, and that all nations of the world will march there to battle against God Himself. And since we know this is prophesied in the Bible, we should also know that if Iran gathers together a nuclear arsenal, it's not going to be used until at least the 12th of Never, and that's a long, long time, right? But even if they considered letting those missiles fly, in say the direction of Israel, they'd also have to consider the real possibility of a return on their investment. Furthermore, they'd have to consider the real fact that not only Israel would be devastated, but Palestine too, and the subsequent fallout may well travel as far afield as Egypt and Syria, for example.

History has proven that potentially offensive nuclear weapons had become the best form of defense, and great peacekeepers and peacemakers.

I'm aware that some of you good people have been reading me for several years, and therefore know that some of my favorite people, and favorite close friends, on planet earth, are North African Berber tribesmen. One tribe is named the Tuareg, and they have an old saying, which translated into English goes like this; "So our hearts stay together, our tents stay apart." It's used mainly in reference to the distance of camps between themselves and other Tuareg groups, for they believe that one major element that prevents conflict between Tuareg tribes, is distance. They only meet for trade or festivals and weddings. I guess, in hind sight, this kind of makes me a Tuareg too.

The truth is that historically our worst enemies, one way or another, become good buddies, and their respective political arms make a date for a big meet. They gather together for that special "Scupperware Party," where they take each others dusty skeletons from their cupboards, to seal them up real tight and out of sight. It's an ongoing and historical truth that one nation condemns another for being evil, then persuades Joe Public that that nation and it's leader is the biggest threat in the history of planetdom, and off they fly. Some time later they persuade Joe Public that the biggest threat in planetdom has blossomed into a beautiful swan, so beautiful that he's goin' to take it in wedlock ... that's history, politics, and politicians for you.

Yet this age old truth meets up with some kind of common man amnesia. We all forget to remember history, whereas the future fails to forget and we would be well advised to follow it's step. William Arthur Ward outlined that step when he said;

"If you can imagine it, you can create it.
If you can dream it, you can become it."

That's how all of us can create a good future and a better world. Our tents should stay apart, though our dreams can be shared, though also a firm grip on the truths of history and our faith in Something higher than ourselves, will keep us on track.

I'm beginning to suspect that our world is fast dividing up into two groups of people. The first denies the evil within themselves and others while also forgetting the lessons of history. This type is easily fooled and very empty, so empty that they're lighter than air. They float up above the rest of us and collect themselves into a gaseous mass, erstwhile named "The Bozone Layer." Whereas the second group keeps their feet on the ground, recognizing that the only thing of substance above us is God Himself. We're satisfied that if we can dream it we can become it through creating it. We're practicing proponents of the wonders of Positive Dreamocracy.

© Johnny D. Symon