Many people have looked upon this symbol and sneered. Others have looked at it and reveled at it's meaning. The peace sign has been given a bad wrap in the United States since it's first appearance. In the sixties (when the symbol became more prominent) many people said it was evil. They claimed that it was an upside-down cross that had been broken. Some even called it such names as a crow's or chicken's foot. These names of course were used to attack the integrity of what the symbol really meant.
During the cold war, there was a threat of nuclear weapons and attack. There was an organization known as the Campaign for Nuclear Disarment (C.N.D) which was completly against the use of any type of nuclear weapon. They tried their best to stop the use of these dangerous weapons. To help them in their movement, they designed the flag which you saw above. There are two sets of symbols on the flag (or sign) that represent the ideas and of this organization, which basically mean stop nuclear war. Thus, the peace sign was born. A symbol to protest the use of nuclear weapons.
I would next like to discuss the phrase "Make love, not war." Everyone has heard this statement at one point of his/her life. Depending on how they were raised however, depends on how they interpret this statement.
Growing up in the middle of the Bible Belt, and in the south, I have heard many children be scolded for even muttering this phrase. Why? Simple. When we hear this phrase, people automatically think of hippies. Hippies have been always associated with drugs, alcohol, and fornication. Little do most people realize, hippies were NOT ALL about drugs and having sex.
Most 'hippies' had a very eutopian way of thinking. They didn't want hatred or violence. The teens of this era were growing up in a time where there was war, famine, and distruction all over. This was also a time when children were "to be seen and not be heard." Therefore, whenever they would try and voice their stances on situations of the world, they were shunned and blocked out of the 'grown up' business.
When they began to spout off ideas of not having war, but showing love for one another, people pushed them away.
Since the younger generation had no one to turn to, they helped themselves and forced themselves upon the people of this nation. They made themselves be heard. They spoke of freedom for all and love towards one another. (The same ideas that this country is supposedly formed on I might add.) The term "make love, not war" has nothing to do with sex, but it does have everything to do with acceptance and love for one another. It is the same philosophy that this country is suppose to be based on, and that we all preach to our children over and over again.
Thank you again for coming here to read what I have written. Before you leave though, I want to leave you all with this thought.
We as a society cannot and will not progress into the future until we get over our prejudices. My forefathers came to this country in search of a way out of tyrany. When they came here, the first thing they did was establish themselves as hypocrits. They enslaved a people who they believed to be inferior, but instead who were filled with passion, visions, and emotions.
Over the years, this country has come along way ideology speaking. Women's rights and rights for all people have come a long way, and yet we still live in a society where I cannot open the newspaper without reading about a person being murdered because of their race. I still live in a society where a black man or woman will be follwed around in a store because of their race. This is unacceptable!! We are ALL God's children. We are all equal. This country cannot and will not progress into the future while some of our ideas are still in the 16th century, and if we try to go on, we will be making hypocrits of ourselves.
Do we want to be known as a nation of hypocrits, or a nation where individuals are prized because they are different? Are we a nation of hypocrits, or are we a nation where the people are free and proud to say I am a part of a better something? What are we? We are a country that loves being a world police, telling other how they should live, and yet some of us don't follow those same guidelines.
We all need to look deep into ourselves and think about this one. We all have our mis-conceptions of others. WE ALL HAVE THEM! If you say you don't you're a liar. I suggest we all sit back, chill out, and think about where we want this nation to go. Thank you again, and God bless you all.
For more in-debth information on the peace sign, please go here.
