Iranians Love Israel/Israelis Love Iran

I just read about this campaign in The New Yorker: Iranians Love Israel/Israelis Love Iran. It's citizens of one country reaching out to the citizens of another.

“Our main aim is introducing the Iranians to the Israelis and the Israelis to the Iranians,” Majid (who asked not to be identified by his last name because he fears for his safety) wrote me by e-mail. Asked what propelled him to respond to the Israeli initiative, he replied, “While the leaders threaten war and they want to bomb our countries, we (Israeli and Iranian citizens) are already bombarding each other—with love and peace.”



It reminds me of something I read, which was said by Hermann Göring, one of the leading members of the Nazi Party: "Naturally, the common people don't want war; neither in Russia nor in England nor in America, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a Parliament or a Communist dictatorship. ...voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country."

It's encouraging to see "common people" not willing to buy into the fear and paranoia. People who have the courage (especially in Iran where their lives are literally at risk for doing so) to speak, to use their words, to try to get to really know the people that they've been told are their enemy, see past the hate and negative stereotypes.

There are, of course, cynics of the campaign, people who enjoy misery would love to have company. Some are fear mongers who enjoy watching other people tear one another apart; it's come to my understanding that it gives them a feeling of having power over their fellow humans. Others are just cowards: it takes a lot of courage to make yourself vulnerable. It's hard to not let them influence you. Fear is difficult to concur, I struggle daily and am still behind. But, for all the people who just wish to live their lives and enjoy creation I hope the campaign doesn't just work but spreads so that people everywhere seek understanding and knowledge rather than power and control. We stop listening to, or even putting up with, the fear mongers and hate peddlers. And we realize that while it's more difficult, you can get more out of forming relationships that aren't based on dominance and control; whether that be on a personal or national level. Vive la différence.

Another war would effect the entire world. And I, for one, am tired of all the hate, and all the murder.

I just found a video on live in connection to this movement and thought I should add it: