At the Turn of Another Year

The first days of 2005 seem little different from the last few days of the old year. More death and destruction in Iraq, the horrible aftermath of the massive tsunami in the Indian Ocean. The Bush Administration entrenched in power for another four years. It’s hard to be optimistic with American forces bogged down in a relentless war in a nation few Americans (including our leaders) understand. Optimism requires the belief that somehow, the United States will rethink its approach to world affairs and become less unilateral and less militaristic in its relations with other nations.

But 2005 does offer hope for change. The future is always subject to change so a new year, like a new day or even the next hour, brings new potential. And despite the disappointments of 2004, I choose to remain hopeful. Hope is always preferable to despair because it offers the possibility for change, an alternative to the depressing state of the world. As a Progressive/Liberal, I still retain my faith in The People (of all nations) to recognize the interdependence of individuals and nations and the goal of economic justice throughout the world.

Even the massive devastation of the Indian Ocean tsunami offers some hope. The nations of the world are responding to the death and destruction by sending aid to the region. Pakistan, which only recently was threatening India with nuclear war, is sent relief funds to India. First world nations are dispatching military units to provide essential skills–medical personnel, engineers, logistics specialists–to contribute to relief and recovery. Instead of destruction, these soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen are serving communities and people shattered by the most destructive natural cataclysm of modern times. Their skills and professionalism are comforting survivors, giving them some hope in their grief and loss. So far, this aid has been slow in coming, the world’s generosity is not yet matched with organizational capacity.

I think perspective is the key to optimism. Perspective provides the context for understanding events that often seem so negative and anything but hopeful. Perspective allows me to look at any specific event in relation to others and to find (and see) hopeful signs amid the depressing ones. This is not a some feel-good, ignore the unpleasant realities approach to events but rather recognizing that few situations are completely hopeless or without some redeeming possibility. I offer two examples to demonstrate my point.

Thirty-four years ago on New Year’s Day I was a young soldier arriving in Vietnam, heading toward an infantry unit and combat in a war I believed was wrong. I was scared, lonely and depressed. Those feelings stayed with me as I patrolled the jungle with my unit. But I was lucky and came to realize that more with each passing day. At the end of each day, I was one more day closer to home, still alive. And somehow, my company managed to avoid the ambushes and fire fights that bloodied other companies in my battalion. I also saw the wonder of a beautiful country, the lush, richly diverse land which, even ravaged by war, still retained its beauty. I found comfort in that beauty which served to counterbalance my difficult circumstances.

My second example is more recent. In 2004 I worked my butt off campaigning for John Kerry, and like so many of my fellow Progressives, was bitterly disappointed with the election results. Staring at four more years of George W. Bush, now with commanding control of the federal government, it was hard to see anything but a black hole of war, economic injustice and further erosion of American democracy. Those remain very, very real dangers. But I also saw in that election effort a vast outpouring of energy and effort to challenge the reactionary cabal that reigns in Washington, DC. Since the election, I see little diminution of that energy. Although the results of the presidential and Congressional races were very disappointing, the many Progressives and Liberals who worked in the election are still willing to fight, to prevent the Republican kleptocracy from completely looting the public treasury and national resources. I see hope in the fact that Progressives now have nothing more to loose so we might as well push hard for what we believe and present a viable alternative to Republican war, deficits and favors for corporations and the wealthy.

Admittedly, this is hardly cause for joyous optimism at the turn of the year but it is what Progressives have at the beginning of the year. Looking at the positive side of Vietnam kept me sane and alive in 1971, keeping a similar perspective will keep me motivated in 2005.