Kosovo-Serbia Conflict Heat Up Again: What we should learn in the U.S.?

 Kosovo-Serbia heat up again and some have argued it is from a tertiary conflict with Russia. What I hope for is peace. People should stop and think about what they are doing and not be drawn into conflict (i.e. blind followership). It makes no difference if one is Muslim or Christian (or anything else). Both religions honor peace and should encourage it before tensions break out. It will be devastating for everyone involved if conflict spirals out of control. 

We should learn from these examples about how universalizing our values and institutions can help us develop our own human capital (and avoid conflict). Some of these international conflicts are based in disparate treatment among different peoples, clans, and religions. Likewise in the U.S. we recently experienced our capital being sacked by extremists and have not yet fully grasped why we must stand for some very basic American principles (Some are still heckling officers who defended the capital.).

The Bill of Rights and the Constitution apply to all Americans and we should support those fundamental values. That means we universalize, encourage trust, work in a bi-partisan manner, listen to people who have been treated unfairly, and really work towards building our nation as a unified peoples (outside the box of our toxic politics). There is some movement in a positive direction....but not everyone.

I do have a Muslim sounding name and that will likely throw some for a loop as they try and figure out whether Americans can have Muslim sounding names or not (No...seriously...there are people who debate this. There are some who don't even believe they have rights and easily circumvent them with impunity.). I have Muslim, Christian, and Jewish friends it is precisely people like me who care enough about our communities and countries to stand up to hate, disparate treatment, and stand for reasonableness in all of our affairs (Not just one race, religion, or clan.). 

How do I do that and how should you do that?

By showing kindness, empathy, and understanding to each other (The Golden Rule). To reach out to your neighbors, reach across your political isles, start solving problems, hold to account bad actors trying to cause problems (You can still show empathy while recognizing the bad behavior.), and keep our eyes on our horizon which provides an opportunity to push toward national development (As a democracy with shared values and as an economic and military powerhouse. We will not be able to maintain our top spot without universalization and development of human capital across a broad section of society. Innovation and development is an environmental issue. ). 

There are those who try and exploit hate and there are those who try to bring people together (Bringing people together is part of both Christian and Muslim traditions. It just radicals that exploit them for self gain.). Which are you? While it may be a personal choice most of us have said the Pledge of Allegiance and made oaths to support our nation. Sometimes the best way for people to do that is simply to get others to think through the positive and negative of their options and opinions (i.e. Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Religion).