Underground Writers Network Forum Violence - UWN Writing Challen..

I mentioned in a previous mail, my interest in posting a challenge about human nature and violence. In the midst of so many world conflicts, I thought it might be a good time to reflect a little and try to figure a few things out.

I was walking through Grand Central Station yesterday evening on my way home, and I encountered a group of protesters chanting "Stop the massacre - Israel." I could not help myself and I approached one of them as he was standing on the side, and asked him why were they protesting against Israel's attacks and not both. The violence between these two groups has been ongoing for the last few hundred years, and yet when one side or the other push a few more buttons than usual it seems we have a whole new event happening and all fingers are ready to accuse.

Russian gas is no longer flowing to Bulgaria, Croatia, Turkey, Greece, or Macedonia. In Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Romania it has slowed to a mere trickle. Since the start of the row on New Year's Day, when Russia's Gazprom cut off gas supplies to Ukraine, Moscow and Kyiv have each tried to portray the other as the villain of the dispute and persuade the European Union to take their side.

Ukraine is appealing to the EU, and it looks like Russia is also playing the Europe card as well," says Volodymyr Fisenko, a Kyiv-based political analyst. "Moscow is trying to discredit Ukraine in the eyes of European consumers of Russian gas."

Well, here's the news for you... Russia has been trying to take control of all the regions that used to belong to the USSR since its dismemberment, and many of the citizens of the newly formed nations still want to belong to that historical power and create internal conflict as well.

I am not taking sides here. While I don't believe in martyrdom and would not condemn acts of self-defense, I believe that a historical perspective could bring resolution to many of the current conflicts.

Human beings seem to thrive on sensationalism, on deciding who is wrong and who is right without a thorough understanding of situations. Then, we watch the news, think about how horrible all this violence is and as soon as dinner is ready we forget all about it.

I propose we don't forget about what's happening, and that instead we try to wake up everyone else and remind them that is not the politicians that have the power to change things, but the people. Each of us can do something to stop violence, and I think that to start we could write something about it. 

How to submit the pieces

1. Post them as a piece of writing on your profile.
2. Post a link to your piece on the challenge thread

Challenge Rules

1. Please no more than 1000 words. We all want to be able to have a chance to review the pieces posted, and considering our busy lives more than 1000 words would end up being a burden to review.

2. Any format is valid, poetry or prose.

3. Let's make the deadline January 23 so that you have some time to ponder over this.

How we will select the best participants

1. The person who gives the most (more than one word) and more thoughtful reviews on the pieces posted will be featured on the group. Please remember to add "UWN" to your review so that is easier to track reviews.

2. The winner challenge piece will be selected by vote. Members will post their votes for their favorite piece starting January 23 on the thread. That will make counting votes easier. And please, no "friendship" worries... vote for the piece you like best, not the person you like best... let's make this about the writing and not about friends. It's the best way to be critical and actually learn. ;)

 Hope you like the challenge idea, and have fun creating. PM me with any questions ;)

This is my peice inspired by the Gaza tragedy...

 

There you go! Its not nescessarily the way you wanted it to be on violence, but it is a violent piece....

A Narrow Escape Twice

I vote for Meredith Greene

 

Thanks

 

Joly

I vote for Meredith Greene too.

UW