Banana Wars or Banana Skins
Suddenly we have slipped helter-skelter into a modern banana war:
America says that Europe is in the wrong
by breaking international trade law and so
America is retaliating by imposing sanctions. Sanctions on
an odd miscellany of goods from Europe including chandeliers and British exports
of cashmere sweaters which could cost 2000 jobs in Scotland alone.
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Europe says that America is in the wrong
and breaking international trade law
by imposing sanctions.
Crisis talks are held between the American Ambassador and the British President of the Board of Trade.
The British Foreign Secretary meets the American Secretary of State during
her flying visit to England.
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And our national newspapers are paying more attention to all this
than to the real wars going on around the world.
Wars where real bombs are being dropped and real people are being killed.
But perhaps the newspapers are right to be so concerned.
After all, history teaches us that it is precisely these kinds of
apparently trivial disputes that
can flare-up into major issues between nations and then into wars.
Of course, our natural reaction as individuals (not just as nations) to
provocation is to respond in kind rather than in kindness.
We can so easily slip and slide on the banana skins of life
into dispute and argument with our relations, friends, and casual acquaintances.
We escalate the trivial into the major (and overlay it with dislike and hatred)
until the trivial origin is forgotten and only the final hatred remains.
Children in the playground
You are different
I don't like you
Tit-for-tat
I hate you
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Neighbours in the street
Your kids are too rough
Your party is too loud
You cheat and lie
You are nasty people
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Nations around the world
You killed my grandparents
You stole my birthright
You can't be trusted
You are nasty people
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It was a wise man of old who said that
"A fool shows his annoyance at once but a wise man listens to advice!" (Proverbs 12:16).
Whether in the playground or on the world stage, in your life or in mine
- may we all listen to (and offer) such words of wisdom!
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