For the Children

From: John Ames Birch Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 2021 3:30:51 PM To: justin.trudeau@parl.gc.ca <justin.trudeau@parl.gc.ca>; Chrystia.Freeland@parl.gc.ca <Chrystia.Freeland@parl.gc.ca>; dujarric@un.org <dujarric@un.org>; antonio.ferrari@un.org <antonio.ferrari@un.org>; america@aljazeera.net <america@aljazeera.net>; palestine@un.int <palestine@un.int>; pm_eng@pmo.gov.il <pm_eng@pmo.gov.il>; Rota, Anthony - Riding 1 <Anthony.Rota.C1@parl.gc.ca>; ANKRA-Consular@international.gc.ca <ANKRA-Consular@international.gc.ca>; accredit@gov.ru <accredit@gov.ru>; actso@naacpnet.org <actso@naacpnet.org>; Blanchet, Yves-François - Député <Yves-Francois.Blanchet@parl.gc.ca>; beril.aktas@hurriyet.com.tr <beril.aktas@hurriyet.com.tr>; Kate Brown For Oregon Information <info@katebrownfororegon.com>; contact.nbcnews@nbcuni.com <contact.nbcnews@nbcuni.com>; correspondence@council.nyc.gov <correspondence@council.nyc.gov>; ctvottawa@ctv.ca <ctvottawa@ctv.ca>; contactus@newfoundlandlabrador.com <contactus@newfoundlandlabrador.com>; dir_enq@cso.gov.hk <dir_enq@cso.gov.hk>; doug.fordco@pc.ola.org <doug.fordco@pc.ola.org>; david.penberthy@news.com.au <david.penberthy@news.com.au>; dan@jpost.com <dan@jpost.com>; English@mail.gov.cn <English@mail.gov.cn>; education@nasa.gov <education@nasa.gov>; edpubs@edpubs.ed.gov <edpubs@edpubs.ed.gov>; edumitru@amnesty.ca <edumitru@amnesty.ca>; Francois-Philippe.Champagne@parl.gc.ca <Francois-Philippe.Champagne@parl.gc.ca>; Francois.Legault.ASSO@assnat.qc.ca <Francois.Legault.ASSO@assnat.qc.ca>; fkalmbach@theadvocate.com <fkalmbach@theadvocate.com>; FEMA-News-Desk@fema.dhs.gov <FEMA-News-Desk@fema.dhs.gov>; Fisher, Gordon <gfisher@postmedia.com>; GlobalOttawa@globalnews.ca <GlobalOttawa@globalnews.ca>; govsec@nanoq.gl <govsec@nanoq.gl>; govpress@la.gov <govpress@la.gov>; HaveYourSay <haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk>; harjit.sajjan@parl.gc.ca <harjit.sajjan@parl.gc.ca>; health@ctv.ca <health@ctv.ca>; info@bnn.ca <info@bnn.ca>; Info@hc-sc.gc.ca <Info@hc-sc.gc.ca>; Info@narendramod.in <Info@narendramod.in>; Info@PMOindia.gov.in <Info@PMOindia.gov.in>; Jagmeet.Singh@parl.gc.ca <Jagmeet.Singh@parl.gc.ca>; jason.kenney@parl.gc.ca <jason.kenney@parl.gc.ca>; jsavikataaq@gov.nu.ca <jsavikataaq@gov.nu.ca>; jedmiston@nationalpost.com <jedmiston@nationalpost.com>; kdundar@hdn.com.tr <kdundar@hdn.com.tr>; letters@jpost.com <letters@jpost.com>; letters@theaustralian.com.au <letters@theaustralian.com.au>; letters@lasvegassun.com <letters@lasvegassun.com>; LetsDoThis@ellentv.com <LetsDoThis@ellentv.com>; lansing@mlive.com <lansing@mlive.com>; media@sputniknews.com <media@sputniknews.com>; media@gatesfoundation.org <media@gatesfoundation.org>; minister.edu@ontario.ca <minister.edu@ontario.ca>; matt.eldredge@kolotv.com <matt.eldredge@kolotv.com>; news@skynews.com <news@skynews.com>; nytnews@nytimes.com <nytnews@nytimes.com>; newsonline@ctv.ca <newsonline@ctv.ca>; news@thelocal.se <news@thelocal.se>; News@KelownaNow.com <News@KelownaNow.com>; osd.pentagonpressbadges@mail.mil <osd.pentagonpressbadges@mail.mil>; Oprah@oprah.com <Oprah@oprah.com>; online@theaustralian.com.au <online@theaustralian.com.au>; PARIS-MEDIA@international.gc.ca <PARIS-MEDIA@international.gc.ca>; premier@gov.pe.ca <premier@gov.pe.ca>; pm_eng@pmo.gov.il <pm_eng@pmo.gov.il>; Public Engagement Feedback <publicengagementfeedback@uscis.dhs.gov>; Robert.g.daniels@cbp.dhs.gov <Robert.g.daniels@cbp.dhs.gov>; Sky.Today <Sky.Today@sky.uk>; Secretary@HHS.gov <Secretary@HHS.gov>; submit@calgaryherald.com <submit@calgaryherald.com> Cc: marc.garneau@parl.gc.ca <marc.garneau@parl.gc.ca> Subject: For the Children (Opinion)

Over our history we have struggled to find ourselves amidst the unknown. We have stood, we have marched and we have fallen to conflict. Conflict has never brought us peace or success it only adds more pain to a world racked with pain. We group together to form households, cities, nations and societies in an effort to keep our children safe. We teach them of the world and do our best to prepare them for the inhumanity that might befall them. Yet despite our goal, our willingness to protect them, many times children are the first to fall in any conflict. Over this weekend dozens of children died screaming and burning because of the conflict in Jerusalem and surrounding areas. Both sides so distracted by one another they have failed the children in the middle of this conflict. Violence begets violence. It feeds on itself until it becomes an out of control tsunami that drowns everything in its path no matter the side. We all lose when violence reigns but we lose not only the peace of our present but the potential of our future. Children represent our future potential and it's the responsibility of all of us to protect our future. Anything that attacks or threatens our future is a threat to the entirety of our species. We must all stand together as one and create a shield between our children and conflict. It doesnt matter your side, how right you believe yourself to be once you use violence your words get lost in the hate. Hate fuels conflict and administers atrocities as we sit back and watch in horror as more good people die and children burn. We are one people, this is not some metaphysical statement or a mantra, this is fact. An attack on one of us is an attack against all of us. We shorten our potential with each conflict and each concession made. We lose a piece of our soul every time we look away from people in need or forget the screams of the innocent. This conflict between you has gone on for far too long and has claimed hundreds if not thousands of children. They will never grow up, never become who they were meant to be because someone else's hate murdered them. That person, that potential gone forever, stripped from the future of our people. I wonder who they would have become, what they would have done and what wonders might have been birthed from those consciousnesses. Generations of leaders, artisans, inventors, doctors, lawyers and mathematicians destroyed by hate and conflict. All that potential, the innocence, murdered by rockets or airstrikes. There used to be a code to conflict, an honor system that showed even through conflict we could be noble. A rubric that stated civilians were off limits and that acceptable casualties were unacceptable. We have lost this code and have started to lose our humanity along with it. My entire life all I have known about both your great peoples is conflict. I cant even imagine the fear of being a citizen on either side, fearing for your life or those of your children. Fear of walking down the street or praying at Damascus. I want to know more from both of you other then conflict, I want to know your people, to know your culture and not your conflict. Are you both not tired of this conflict, have both sides not seen enough death. Have you not witnessed enough devastation. Death only devalues your peoples. Your both better than this conflict and better then sifting through the bones and shattered potentials of your children. I believe in both of your peoples I truly do. I believe that despite blood soaked years your both better than this conflict. I believe that your more alike than you care to admit. I understand, trying to find commonality with a generations long enemy is terrifying. To realise that the person you have hated, have vilified is not so different from yourself is unsettling. The truth is no matter our distance or distinction we are all very similar. We all want good lives for us and our children, we want safety and security, recognition and rights and we all want to be loved. These are innate to the human condition and shared by all of us. It's time we set aside past hurts and prevent futures ones as we look to rebuild. This conflict cannot end until Palestine has been recognized and has fair lands and Isreal will not end until they have safety and security. This is the only way this conflict will end and both sides know this. I know you both may be on opposite sides but our common ground is still within reach. Your children are your common ground, the love you have for them on both sides will bring peace. I ask that you put aside your fears and failures and look to the future. Look to the children in the midst of this conflict, remember and honor those that have died and protect those that still stand. Our children are the future and an attack on them is a threat to us all. Save the children, end this conflict and negotiate a way forward together, please. "Because it’s not a game, Kate! This is a scale model of war. Every war ever fought, right there in front of you. Because it’s always the same. When you fire that first shot, no matter how right you feel, you have no idea who’s going to die! You don’t know who’s children are going to scream and burn. How many hearts will be broken. How many lives shattered. How much blood will spill until everybody does what they were always going to have do from the very beginning. Sit down and talk!" The Doctor (Doctor Who) Stay safe, stay sanitized and stay supportive, John Ames Birch @johneames2