Boundless Homo sapiens, Neanderthals and Denisovans of all nations:
DON'T DESTROY THIS WORLD AND DO NOT MAKE WARS WITHOUT A TRASCENDENTAL REASON
Remember that you are only temporary occupants of this planet.
DON'T TRANSFORM IT INTO AN UNINHABITED PARADISE
THE FATE OF WARS
In 2013 I wrote this article as part of a Christmas message. It was later published by the Atunis Galaxy Poetry magazine. It recounts the possibility that two enemy armies, the British and the German, spontaneously decide to make a ceasefire to experience a moment of peace. Although their superiors are opposed to this reaction, the soldiers withdraw from the battlefield to continue a peaceful existence.
Recently, a short film appeared, made by German filmmakers, which has been awarded for its artistic quality and its clear message of peace. It narrates the meeting of two soldiers, one German and the other one, North American, in the middle of a military confrontation. To calm down, the American plays with his trumpet the well-known melody of Lili Marleen, which reminds the German that it is his song and the song of his wife, who is expecting a child. Then the two enemies cease their hostilities and shaking hands conclude that the carnage they are committing is something that should not be happening.
In these two works a message is sent indicating that the presence of wars at this time should be banned throughout the world because they bring us closer to the extermination of the human species without any transcendental reason.
Manuel Lasso
February 2022
WARS ARE NOT NEEDED
In the same way as the British and German soldiers made a cease fire to sing Stille Nacht (Silent Night) on the eve of December 25, 1914, in Ypres, Belgium, the armies at war today, at this very moment, dropping their rifles, would leave their trenches and with their muddy boots walk toward the opposite lines, despite of being within reach of the enemy artillery, to find themselves in the middle of No Man's Land and greet each other with a fraternal hug, to celebrate Christmas together, exchanging bottles of wine, whisky or vodka, presenting themselves, with a fraternal smile, cigarettes, Christmas trees, white candy canes and cups of hot chocolate, handing over their bayonets and pistols to be given to their children as memories of a war that never meant to be, telling about their families and taking photographs, embracing and being happy of making an impossible peace and if dawn would come and they would continue doing the same, wars would end. If the persistent men would remain on the battlefield, among wires and rubble, treating each other with kindness and respect, as mature and responsible human beings, talking about the tragedies of humankind and although officers from both sides would leave their trenches, with a whistle in their mouth, to approach their men, pushing them with a gun pointed at the sky and with fierce eyes ordering them to return to their places to continue the fight on behalf of the motherland, threatening to shoot them and promising court-martials and although their Generals would mercilessly bomb the place or release toxic gases over them, to force them to go back, the soldiers would not pay attention and would continue talking among themselves and leave the place, embracing as children do, speaking about the good wine and the wonderful food from their lands and about the loving women they left behind and the little children who waited anxiously for them behind their windows, these wars would not continue. And if all the soldiers who had died that day in defense of the country would come back to life and with their bloodstained uniforms, pale and bloodless, would join them to drink from a bottle of wine, rejoicing and participating in the fun, the war would not progress. However, as always, if resentment against the enemy, which all humans have, would persist, the conflict would continue alive. It is up to us, Homo Sapiens, to know that such possibility exists and that we are morally obligated to implement it. When we learn to do that, we will live in permanent peace.
Manuel Lasso
December 2013
In the same way as the British and German soldiers made a cease fire to sing Stille Nacht (Silent Night) on the eve of December 25, 1914, in Ypres, Belgium, the armies at war today, at this very moment, dropping their rifles, would leave their trenches and with their muddy boots walk toward the opposite lines, despite of being within reach of the enemy artillery, to find themselves in the middle of No Man's Land and greet each other with a fraternal hug, to celebrate Christmas together, exchanging bottles of wine, whisky or vodka, presenting themselves, with a fraternal smile, cigarettes, Christmas trees, white candy canes and cups of hot chocolate, handing over their bayonets and pistols to be given to their children as memories of a war that never meant to be, telling about their families and taking photographs, embracing and being happy of making an impossible peace and if dawn would come and they would continue doing the same, wars would end. If the persistent men would remain on the battlefield, among wires and rubble, treating each other with kindness and respect, as mature and responsible human beings, talking about the tragedies of humankind and although officers from both sides would leave their trenches, with a whistle in their mouth, to approach their men, pushing them with a gun pointed at the sky and with fierce eyes ordering them to return to their places to continue the fight on behalf of the motherland, threatening to shoot them and promising court-martials and although their Generals would mercilessly bomb the place or release toxic gases over them, to force them to go back, the soldiers would not pay attention and would continue talking among themselves and leave the place, embracing as children do, speaking about the good wine and the wonderful food from their lands and about the loving women they left behind and the little children who waited anxiously for them behind their windows, these wars would not continue. And if all the soldiers who had died that day in defense of the country would come back to life and with their bloodstained uniforms, pale and bloodless, would join them to drink from a bottle of wine, rejoicing and participating in the fun, the war would not progress. However, as always, if resentment against the enemy, which all humans have, would persist, the conflict would continue alive. It is up to us, Homo Sapiens, to know that such possibility exists and that we are morally obligated to implement it. When we learn to do that, we will live in permanent peace.
Manuel Lasso
December 2013
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRTmrcCbV8E
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