Thread.

1. I think one of the reasons for this is that most of us don't want to face our own souls. We see ourselves as generally "good people"- which of course might be true - but we easily forget that a potential for “bad” also lurks in each of us (part of being human). https://twitter.com/getachew_temare/status/1337380893812514820

2. If people meditated more on what war truly is, they would never approve of it (I’d like to think at least most wouldn’t). But we don’t. we only focus on our need for “justice” (which we have let ourselves believe will be brought forth through war).

3. We never face the very harsh fact that when we approve of war, we are also, by definition, approving of the suffering & death of innocent men, women & children who have nothing to do with the politics of the elite, who, just like you and I,

4. only want to live out this short & difficult life with whatever little joy luck & the grace of God brings their way... The potential our soul possesses to tolerate suffering & death is extremely hard to face - because, after all, we are “good people” who only seek

5. justice - so we choose to sweep it under the rug. Our inability to face this human condition is why a post like this will trigger some people to state unreflectively, things such as “BUT 27 years of injustice,” as if further destruction and chaos will right past wrongs.

6. It’s why we are able to dismiss verifiable news of suffering refugees as “fake news.” It is why we cheer when we are told a weak lie such as ‘not a single civilian was killed.’ It keeps us safe & comfortable in our belief that *we* are the good people who only seek justice,

7. while *they* - over there, very much unlike us - are the evil ones who need to be destroyed, “whatever it takes.” If only this life was that simple.

One can build neither a life nor a nation without first facing harsh and uncomfortable truths about oneself.

8. Until we are able to do that, both as individuals and as a nation, we will live out our lives forever seeking ideals such as peace, justice and prosperity, alas, to never find it.

#Ethiopia #nationaldialoguenow