The need of a new way of languaging: peace over war and democracy over hegemony

Nipawin - Wednesday, October 24, 2001 - by: Mario deSantis

world
peace

"For the last two years Craig drove to his job at the Pentagon with a "visualize world peace" bumper sticker on his car"
--Amber Amundson, wife of Army Specialist Craig Scott Amundson who lost his life September 11

commercial
I began the day briefly watching CNN and listening to Paula Zahn as she reminded Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres to hurry up with his responses to the crisis in the Middle East as a commercial would soon come up. I shook my head as I couldn't reconcile how a commercial would have a scheduled priority over Shimon Peres.

new
language
Anyhow, it is a crazy world where all our priorities have been shaken up. As a consolation, I had the pleasure later to visit the site Justice not War published by the Foreign Policy In Focus; finally, I could take off into a virtual trip where the language of war and death was being replaced by the language of peace and life. This trip was a great experience which left me feel humble and with few words. Please take this trip as it is a rewarding experience to learn a new vocabulary and a new language such as the ones expressed by the Nobel Peace Prize winners over the terrorist attacks of September 11.

interest
rate
Our language is shaped by ourselves as we live our lives, and it is disappointing to realize that our language is sometime not the most intelligent. So as I read the Bank of Canada's news release announcing the cut of the interest rate by 3/4 percentage point I recognize how this bank reflects the status quo mind set of our leadership.

recession
The monetary policies to keep high interest rates to steer the Canadian economy have been the driving force to ground our social growth for the last many years, and especially so for the last ten years. Now, at a time of impending recession and gloom the Bank of Canada takes the bold lead to cut its rate by 3/4 percentage point.

not the
answer

employment

geopolitical

democracy

First, the changes of interest rates are not synchronized with the current reality of the economy as they have an effect usually many months after their changes. Secondly, at the time of low confidence and fear a lower interest rate per se is not the answer for stimulating the economy.

But what bothers me is the language of the news release stating that lower interest rates will keep inflation near the Bank's target of 2% over the medium term, while there is no target referring to our employed work force, as to say that a check on inflation at a time of recession is more important than employment.

To reinforce its status quo mentality the Bank refers to the uncertainties due to the 'geopolitical' developments, again a reflection of the Bank's hegemonic mentality of putting the geographical political stability of poor countries above their social development.

We need a new way of languaging where peace replaces war and democracy replaces hegemony.

----------References:

A widow's plea for restraint, by Amber Amundson, S O J O M A I L, October 17, 2001 http://www.Sojo.net

Justice not War, Foreign Policy In Focus http://www.fpif.org/justice/index.html

The Peacemakers speak, TheCommunity.com http://www.thecommunity.com/crisis/



Nipawin - Wednesday, October 24, 2001 - by: Mario deSantis
world peace	"For the last two years Craig drove to his job at the Pentagon with a "visualize world peace" bumper sticker on his car" --Amber Amundson, wife of Army Specialist Craig Scott Amundson who lost his life September 11

commercial	I began the day briefly watching CNN and listening to Paula Zahn as she reminded Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres to hurry up with his responses to the crisis in the Middle East as a commercial would soon come up. I shook my head as I couldn't reconcile how a commercial would have a scheduled priority over Shimon Peres.

new language	Anyhow, it is a crazy world where all our priorities have been shaken up. As a consolation, I had the pleasure later to visit the site Justice not War published by the Foreign Policy In Focus; finally, I could take off into a virtual trip where the language of war and death was being replaced by the language of peace and life. This trip was a great experience which left me feel humble and with few words. Please take this trip as it is a rewarding experience to learn a new vocabulary and a new language such as the ones expressed by the Nobel Peace Prize winners over the terrorist attacks of September 11.

interest rate	Our language is shaped by ourselves as we live our lives, and it is disappointing to realize that our language is sometime not the most intelligent. So as I read the Bank of Canada's news release announcing the cut of the interest rate by 3/4 percentage point I recognize how this bank reflects the status quo mind set of our leadership.



recession	The monetary policies to keep high interest rates to steer the Canadian economy have been the driving force to ground our social growth for the last many years, and especially so for the last ten years. Now, at a time of impending recession and gloom the Bank of Canada takes the bold lead to cut its rate by 3/4 percentage point.

not the answer employment geopolitical democracy	First, the changes of interest rates are not synchronized with the current reality of the economy as they have an effect usually many months after their changes. Secondly, at the time of low confidence and fear a lower interest rate per se is not the answer for stimulating the economy. But what bothers me is the language of the news release stating that lower interest rates will keep inflation near the Bank's target of 2% over the medium term, while there is no target referring to our employed work force, as to say that a check on inflation at a time of recession is more important than employment. To reinforce its status quo mentality the Bank refers to the uncertainties due to the 'geopolitical' developments, again a reflection of the Bank's hegemonic mentality of putting the geographical political stability of poor countries above their social development. We need a new way of languaging where peace replaces war and democracy replaces hegemony.

----------References:
	A widow's plea for restraint, by Amber Amundson, S O J O M A I L, October 17, 2001 http://www.Sojo.net

	Justice not War, Foreign Policy In Focus http://www.fpif.org/justice/index.html

	The Peacemakers speak, TheCommunity.com http://www.thecommunity.com/crisis/