December, the final month of the Gregorian year, is marked by reflections of war and ultimate peace. December 10 is observed as Human Rights Day and December 7, Pearl Harbor Day, is “a date which will live in infamy,” as stated by then President Franklin D. Roosevelt following the surprise attack by Japanese forces on Pearl Harbor in 1941 that plunged the United States full scale into World War II.
However war in those days was far more clearly defined as nation was pit against nation, military might against military might with more discernible targets and distinguishable “enemies.”
How very different are the wars of today following 911, redefined by the spread and threat of terrorism. Subsequently the United States has deployed fleets of military ships, jet planes and armored tanks to find one man on a horse (still at large), shifted millions of troops from one perceived “threat” area to another at the expense of $multi-billions and undetermined (and unreported) hundreds of thousands of lives with no solution in sight.
How does a nation strike back when “the enemy” is not a nation but a formless group of individuals that blend into the population? These and other crises in today’s confused society require solutions the present day order cannot provide through past methods.
Over 160 years ago the Founders of the Baha’i Faith, Baha’u’llah, identified specific steps for the establishment of peace and order among nations–scientifically and technologically impossible prior to this era. He called for the rulers of all countries to create through a binding treaty, world unity upheld by an international government–as this nation’s national government upholds the unity and conformity of our individual states. America is specifically singled out in the Baha’i sacred writings for a critical role in the formation of this new, more peaceful world order as people of all nations live peacefully together here that cannot do so in their own homelands.
Similarly, statistics have proven that modern day hate crimes are seldom committed by organized fraternal, racial or religious groups but rather by single individuals instead acting independently and alone. Yet there remain a minority of individuals in powerful positions who find it advantageous to “keep hate alive,” making it easier to “divide and conquer” to their own advantage.
December also represents several religious and other celebrations of family and peace, most prominent in this nation the celebration of Christmas as the Birth of the Christ Child, “the Prince of peace,” God’s Gift to the world. This gift interpretation has somehow gotten monetarily rearranged to mean instead increasingly expensive gifts for one another and outlandishly expensive gifts for children, distorting their true understanding or appreciation of “the reason for the season.” Those who are adamant about keeping Christ in Christmas must reflect such in their celebration of it that others may hold more respect for the same.
“In no other country is the promise of organic unity more immediately demonstrable than in the United States,” state the Baha’i Writings as “this country is a microcosm of the diverse populations of the earth . . . America’s peace, prosperity and even her standing in the international community depend on healing the wounds of prejudice and racism and building a society in which people of diverse backgrounds live as members of one family.” (Investigate!)
