Showing posts with label peace. Show all posts
Showing posts with label peace. Show all posts

Sunday, April 18, 2021

“Don’t Shoot”

 

“Don’t Shoot” watercolor painting


The alarming rate of gun violence against unarmed young men was the impetus for this particular piece of art. Also, gun violence in general. Especially the recent mass shootings in Indianapolis. This is my artistic response, a proposed wall mural and poster. A gratis license is available to churches and non-profits that care to use the art to educate and promote awareness about Gun violence and peaceful measures that can be taken to effectively end it. To learn more, email Cynthia Wilson at creativessel@gmail.com.

 

At the top left of the work is an angel who is symbolically pouring out love on the matter  in the form of hearts. She is sounding the trumpets to alert those who will hear the message,which states clearly on an artistic representation of a target painted with the following in varying sequence: "Unarmed Mortal,Don't Shoot. Aim for Love. Drown Out/ Curb Violence. The word curb has been struck through because drown out seems more precise and therefore a more appropriate word in light of the water and heart filled gun and cannon which have been repurposed to pour out love symbolized by water infused with hearts. As a result violence is figuratively depicted saturated with water filled with hearts of love and drowned out. No harm is caused others. If anything, they will get a goodness shower from the water-filled gun and cannon filled with water and hearts.

 

Peace is the ultimate objective. This artwork is just one of many interpretations of a recurring social ill which notably resurfaced with the Trayvon Martin matter--young unarmed men running away from armed police shooting at them for no justifiable reasons.


I wrote and recorded a podcast of the song that was  removed (stolen)from my podcast page. It is being re-uploaded and will be made available soon. But I would like some of my favorite musicians to get together and make a recording of the song and make a video for a virtual concert. I’ve already recorded a version. The one on my podcast episode that’s missing. It’s a song that I hope everyone in our country would join in singing in unison, harmony or whenever the spirit moves them in their homes, at school, in the park at vigils held for loved ones they have lost to gun violence and make cover videos of the song versions they make as well. It’s about unity and people joining together to sing away this madness and evil that has seemed to take over our society and place us under a traumatic psychological state of siege.


Grace and peace,


Rev. Cynthia Wilson





Sunday, June 17, 2007

....Is Peace Possible?


Photo Source

The following is an excerpt from a sermon I delivered at the Jan Hus Church on Sunday,April 15,2007 on the subject of war,entitled "Same Tray,Different Waiter: Is Peace Possible?" The guiding scripture text was Matthew 24:6-8 concerning Jesus' reference to "War and rumors of war..." I address the subject from the standpoint that it seems as though our world has always been full of war,violence and fighting. It appears to have remained a constant from Jesus' time until today. What can we do to bring about peace? Is peace really possible?

The contemporary musical selections chosen for the service because of their thought-provoking lyrics and related peace themes were
John Lennon's Imagine and John Mayer's Belief,which was performed(covered) by me as the pre-sermon music with accompaniment provided by the Church's musicians.The balance of the music consisted of traditional songs and hymns including "When Will People Cease Their Fighting?","This Little Light of Mine" and "Let There Be Peace On Earth".

Dr. Martin Luther King's speech "Beyond Vietnam-A Time to Break Silence"delivered at the Riverside Church in April 1967 opposing the Vietnam War is also referenced in my sermon.


Here is an excerpt:

War is pervasive. It is almost a force all its own. Can I get a witness? Can you recall a period in your lives when there were no wars or rumors of war? When there were no television or radio broadcasts giving the recent updates on the bombings or the death toll?

It seems no matter how often or how tremendous anti-war and pacifist efforts are, a war manages to pop up eventually on the global scene. Let’s face it, war is a stark cold reality of life that we all face daily. Those engaged in direct combat and its fall out experience it to a greater extent than others.

Every one of us has probably lost a close friend or relative to one World War or a Vietnam War, a Desert Storm, an Iraqi War, the war in Afghanistan, various and sundry other ethnic wars that go on around the world marginally reported. The conflict in the Middle East, the genocide in the Sudan, the Congo--you name it. Do any of these hit close to home? Have you lost a relative? Do you know of someone in your neighborhood, your community that has suffered human loss?

The human cost of war in Iraq continues to mount. Not only are soldiers loosing their lives, but civilian losses continue to climb as well. The American body count in Iraq now stands at 3,299 with 24,476 wounded and/or disabled. A report was just released by the ACLU on April 12,2007 which lists civilian death claims filed by Iraqis and Afghan civilians with the US government for the non-combat loss of the lives of relatives...The Iraqi civilian body count is 67,364 (Anti-war.com).

Do the Math.The cost in terms of dollars and cents soars into the billions. According to the National Priorities Project, which is an online database, our government to date has spent $456 billion dollars on the war in Iraq(as of 4/15/07). The following is how the cost of war breaks down for each taxpayer:

• $4,100 for every American household;
• $1,500 for every American;
• $11 million per hour and;
• $275 million per day.

Even in light of this exorbitant budget, the President is scheduled to submit an additional request before congress of $100 billion more. The same money could have been used to provide: (these are rounded figures)

-55 million children a year of Head start
-249 million children health care for one year
-7 million public school teachers for one year
-To build 4 million additional housing units
- 20,230,681 students four-year scholarships at public universities

...Even with all that to consider, the case for peace can and still must be made. It is our responsibility and calling as Christians, even though evidence may substantiate the opposite...

A full transcript of the sermon can be downloaded here (Link coming soon).


Peace,

Cynthia

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*An mp3 recording of the sermon and music was made,but is not entirely audible.Once the necessary technical adjustments have been made,it will be made available.In the meantime,enjoy the reading.

Monday, June 11, 2007

Protest Songs:Sing Up!

"A Wish for Peace" by Peppita Selles As today's inspiration,I thought it would be great to make a joyful noise in celebration and praise of the freedom to vote,to speak our minds and to protest. While at it,you might want to check up on the Voting Rights Amendment news or register to vote yourself,if you have not done so already. The right to vote did not come easily.It was hard fought.So was the right to speak freely and responsibly.Often,people have given their lives so that we could have the freedom to express ourselves without fear of reprisal,retaliation or execution. Follow the link below to an article on a MySpace blog originally copied from the archives of the "Heavier Octaves High Notes" Blogzine which was published on April 24,2006.It contains Heavier Octaves' top pics from Mojo Magazine's Top 100 Protest Song List of all time.Find it at the Heavier Octaves MySpace blog here.Some new songs have been added as well from recent times,including Alicia Keys and Bono "Don't Give Up Africa",Stevie Wonder and India Irie's "Time To Love" and John Mayer's "Belief". In addition,a link has been provided to a sample of each song listed.You can find complete versions of most songs at the itunes music store.Just click on the link. Now go ahead and pump up the volume. As you sing and/or dance to the music,send out good vibrations and prayers to those areas of society or the globe for that matter,that you feel need to be lifted up for positive change. Enjoy. Peace, Cynthia

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