Advocate Peace

Yay, the Olympics are finally here! I absolutely LOVE watching the Olympic Games, next to The World Cup, it's my favorite sporting event. It's amazing to see athletes from over 200 countries around the world competing with each other, but also showing such sportsmanship and compassion towards each other. Despite what politicians and governments would like us to think, we are not so different.

It was especially heartwarming to see Russia's Natalia Paderina and Georgia's Nino Salukvadze embrace each other after the women's air pistol competition. Salukvadze took home the bronze medal, while Paderina took the silver. "This medal is good for Georgia, especially during times like this," Salukvadze said, according to the Associated Press. "I am very nervous today. It's very difficult for my people." Salukvadze went on to say that it meant a lot to her for Paderina to embrace her after the match. There was much buzzing before the match between the two women due to the surge of violence between their two countries. Over 1500 people have been reported dead by the Georgian government. Georgia sent troops into South Ossetia on Thursday to counter the uprising of the separatists in the region. South Ossetia declared independence from Georgia in the early 1990s, but is not internationally recognized as it's own country. The United Nations still regards South Ossetia as a part of Georgia. South Ossetia either wants to be united with North Ossetia (a federal republic of Russia), or to be granted it's independence from Georgia. Russian troops were sent in defiance against the Georgian government's position. According to http://www.time.com/, the Russian government has also closed all transport and postal communications along the Russian/Georgian borders. No trains, flights, ships, vehicles, or mail can pass through the border. The recent violence between these countries is nothing new; it was not until 1991 that Georgia gained it's independence from the former Soviet Union....since 1922 Georgia had been under the control of Russia. Russia's unwillingness to kindly accept Georgia as it's own country has fueled much of the bitter turmoil that has recently exploded.

It's disheartening to once again see innocent civilians caught in the cross-fire of power hungry government "leaders". Countries are at odds with each other because of their governments. Countries go to war with each other because of their governments. Maybe our governments could take a few pointers from our Olympic athletes and learn to be promoters of peace, rather than dictators of war.

I don't know about you, but I am tired of hearing about war. I am tired of waking up in the morning and being bombarded with an array of stories about people killing other people, and countries dropping bombs on their "enemies". How long will God let this world continue in it's destructive ways? I'd say, not long. However, amidst the darkness their is light. Paderina and Salukvadze are testaments to the hope that we still have in humanity. As simple as it might have seemed and appeared, their display of respect and compassion for each other, even with their countries at odds, proves that borders are simply in our minds. We are all human beings, and that makes us one. We should be united as a single force for one single goal.....to improve the life of all human beings.

Let's spread peace.

Elena.

P.S. I meant for this post to be solely about the Olympics, but it turned into a rant. Sorry.