WERE YOU EVER SOMEONE ELSE?

I THINK I WAS ME FROM THE GETGO AND THAT INVOLVES QUITE AN ELABORATE CONSTELLATION OF TENDENCIES WHICH ONE COULD LUMP TOGETHER AS PERSONALITY.  THIS PERSONALITY WAS THERE AND AVAILABLE AND A DOMINANT AND CONTROLLING INFLUENCE IN MY LIFE FROM THE MOMENT OF BIRTH.  I THINK LARGELY IT WAS COMPOSED OF GENETIC INPUTS.  THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME CONGENITAL ALTERATIONS THAT WERE EFFECTED DURING DEVELOPMENT AS A FOETUS BUT BY AND LARGE IT IS SAFE TO SAY THAT PERSONALITY IS QUITE ELABORATELY DEFINED BY GENETIC MATERIAL.  AS TIME GOES ON AND A HISTORY OF THE INDIVIDUAL ACCRUES, SITUATIONAL INFLUENCES MAY ALTER THE DEVELOPMENT OF TENDENCIES SO THAT SOME ARE EXPRESSED MORE EASILY AND SOME ARE INHIBITED.  A GREAT DEAL OF BEHAVIOR WHICH MAY BE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE IN TERMS OF BEING ANTISOCIAL IS NO DOUBT PRESENT AT BIRTH AND IS INHIBITED EARLY ON BY EXPERIENCE.  MOST ANIMALS STRIVE TO GET ALONG.  THEY DON'T MAKE AN EFFORT TO MAKE THEIR LIVES MORE DIFFICULT.  BUT SOME PEOPLE INHERIT A MORE DIFFICULT CONSTELLATION OF BEHAVIORS IN THEIR PERSONALITY AND THESE PEOPLE MAY STRUGGLE MORE AS YOUNGSTERS, THEY MAY STRUGGLE MORE THEIR ENTIRE LIVES TO MAKE THEIR PERSONALITY MORE AMENABLE TO OTHERS, OR AT LEAST USEFUL TO THEMSELVES.  I THINK THAT NURTURE IN THE EARLY YEARS PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN MODIFYING THE TENDENCIES OF SELF BUT IT IS A VERY WELL-DEFINED SELF THAT THEY SET ABOUT TO MODIFY.


I DIDN'T PICK TO BE ME.  I DON'T THINK YOU PICKED TO BE YOU.  HOWEVER USED TO BEING OURSELVES WE MAY HAVE BECOME, IT IS LARGELY A MATTER OF LIVING IN A HOUSE SOMEBODY ELSE DESIGNED AND FINDING WAYS TO BE HAPPY AND PRODUCTIVE WITH WHAT WE HAVE INHERITED.

JUSTICE BEFORE PEACE

ONCE AGAIN THERE IS PREMEDITATED MURDER IN INTERNATIONAL NEWS.  AND AS DURING THE SEIGE OF SARAJEVO TWENTY YEARS AGO, THERE ARE PUNDITS THAT TELL US HOW COMPLICATED IT IS.  AND ONCE AGAIN I AM PROMPTED TO SAY, HORSESHIT.  THERE ARE ALWAYS CHOICES — CHOICES FOR ASSAD IN SYRIA TODAY AS THERE WERE FOR THE LEADERS IN THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA — CHOICES FOR THE POWERFUL — AND CHOICES FOR THE UN.  


WELL, I AM GOING TO SAY IT AGAIN: THE UN HAS GONE AS FAR AS IT CAN GO WITHOUT A MAJOR RESTRUCTURING OF ITS CONSTITUTION.  IT IS TIME TO STOP BEING THE UNITED NATIONS.  IT IS TIME TO BECOME THE UNITED CITIZENS OF THE WORLD.  FOR JUSTICE TO PREVAIL ON THIS MUCH TARNISHED ORB THE RIGHT OF AN INDIVIDUAL TO LIFE HAS GOT TO TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER ANY NOTION OF THE SOVEREIGNTY OF NATIONS.  IF A NATION'S LEADERS, ITS GOVERNMENT, ITS ARMIES, ARE MURDERING ITS OWN PEOPLE THEN THE UNITED NATIONS, AND ONLY THE UNITED NATIONS, SHOULD BE STEPPING IN WITH FORCE, NOT TO KILL THE PEOPLE DOING IT BUT TO ARREST THEM AND REMOVE THEM TO THE HAGUE WHERE THEY CAN STAND TRIAL AS CRIMINALS, WHICH IS WHAT THEY ARE.  LET EVERYONE AROUND THE WORLD KNOW THAT IF YOU MURDER PEOPLE, WHETHER YOU ARE A PRIME MINISTER OR A DESPERATE THIEF IN AN ALLEY, YOU ARE GOING TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR YOUR ACTIONS.  UNTIL THE UN CAN BRING JUSTICE TO ALL THE WORLD'S PEOPLE IT WILL NEVER BRING PEACE TO ANYBODY.  JUSTICE, NOT PEACE, IS THE ONLY GOAL WORTHY OF A HUMANE PEOPLE.  IT IS ALSO THE ONLY POSSIBLE PATH TO A REAL AND LASTING PEACE.