Peace is possible. It can — and must — be achieved before we reach the point of annihilation.
This editorial is the opinion of Morgan Hill Life
Peace is possible.
Janet Leach and Monica McClintock wish to share that simple but vital message with the people of Silicon Valley. The sisters have been working for a decade to install a work of art at the Morgan Hill Civic Center Plaza designed to give us all hope that one day the human family will enjoy a world forever free of wars.
The Peace Project Monument is a sculpture created by Los Gatos artist David Middlebrook. The 9-foot basalt column has the word “Peace” carved in various languages on its four sides. A dove with an olive branch tops the sculpture. Three basalt benches surround the artwork for people to sit and meditate on the unity of humankind
Everyone is invited to attend the unveiling 5:30 p.m. Sept. 21, which is International Peace Day. We hope the event might be a historic occasion if it serves as the beginning of a true global peace movement.
We live in a global civilization where we all are interconnected through the tools of technology. Unfortunately, we are using those tools foolishly to divide us into tribes of politics, race and religion. Our ever growing polarization poses dangers to our democracy. It is increasing tensions in our America society that may lead to violence. Political conflict may bring an end to our republic by the end of this decade. That would enable an autocrat to take power.
If we Americans lose our freedoms forever to authoritarianism, we will see a rise in conflicts between nations. Experts are warning that a major armed conflict between the United States. and the People’s Republic of China might be a reality by the year 2040. With China steadily building its atomic arsenal, a nuclear war between the superpowers will result in a worldwide environmental breakdown and the collapse of global civilization — and maybe even the extinction of the human race.
Peace is possible. It can — and must — be achieved before we reach the point of annihilation. It requires leaders who possess the vision to see a better world and the moral courage to follow the path to peace. Those leaders will step up once Americans demand they want our nation to guide the rest of the world in an audacious endeavor to achieve global peace.
We at Life Media Group, the publisher of Morgan Hill Life, have in our pages been encouraging our readers to support a project called Vision-2020. This is a humanitarian movement (started in the year 2020) focusing on the goal to achieve by Christmas Day in the year 2040 a world forever free of wars and acts of terrorism. This summer, we sent an online survey link to all of the elected officials serving Silicon Valley — from city council and school board members to Gov. Gavin Newsom and U.S. President Joe Biden. The vast majority have failed to respond.
Now, we’re taking the Vision-2020 survey to the people of Silicon Valley — and the people of America. The social will pushes the political will. That’s why we ask all men, women and children who care about their country and its future to take the survey and share with their elected government officials their heartfelt desire for global peace. The link can be found in the box with this column.
People want peace. Peace is possible We hope the Peace Project Monument might serve as a icon of art in the noble quest for a world without wars. Let us unite not only all Americans but all people in an endeavor to create a lasting legacy of harmony for all humanity.
